If you struggle with digestive issues such as heartburn or constipation, yoga has options to help you. A healthy diet including unprocessed dietary fiber is a good start, as is the addition of stress management practices and the inclusion of daily activities that support overall wellness. Ensuring healthy hydration (translation: adequate water intake) also supports digestion. That being said, sometimes we all need a little extra help!

There are many yoga poses that can aid digestion and help support an overall healthy digestive tract. Two of my personal favorites that are easy to practice are seated forward fold and supine twists. While it may seem counterintuitive, twists are some of the best yoga poses in support of gut health. Just like neck rolls or wrist rolls support joint mobility by activating the body and moving in ways not typically done daily, gut and intestinal mobility is supported by mindful movement of the connective tissues and the organs themselves within the digestive tract. Yoga is an amazing way to promote connective tissue and organ movement in ways not facilitated by other forms of exercise and activity.

A gentle seated forward fold is a great pose to practice after meals and can be done seated in a chair or on the floor/mat. On the floor, sit with your legs straight in front of you and your spine straight. Take several deep and intentional breaths. If comfortable, inhale through your nose and out through your mouth. While maintaining mindful breath, slowly raise your arms over your head and lean forward as far as is comfortable. Keep your neck and gaze soft and relaxed. Hold for 1-2 breaths, return to your starting posture and then repeat. Doing this 2-3 times after each meal as part of a mindful eating practice can significantly assist with digestion and any digestive discomfort. Bear in mind, this pose is best done when you have not overeaten - if you are uncomfortably full, you will want to wait until any discomfort specific to overeating has passed.

We practice this specific pose and supine twists, also great for digestive health, as part of cool down in each of my yoga flow classes.