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Top yoga poses for health benefits - Focus on Digestive Health

Writer's picture: BeHappyYoga MembersBeHappyYoga Members

Updated: 2 days ago

This article is the first in a series on the most beneficial yoga postures in terms of how accessible they are for anyone to practice and the health benefits offered. For February, the theme is digestive health because it coincides with my Reset your Gut, Reset your Life Workshop. More details on this are included below.


3 top yoga postures and practices for digestive health


Here are three postures that I find are particularly beneficial for improving digestive function as a whole. They can be done by anyone, they provide fast results to soothe pain, ease bloating and make you feel better and they all have other benefits too.



Apanasana - fantastic practice to relieve bloating and trapped wind

1. Apanasana – wind relieving pose

This posture really does take after its name and if you’ve felt some ‘movement’ during a class when this was in the practice, that’s why. It is brilliant for alternately creating space in the abdominal area followed by a gentle contraction to get the digestion going. Moving with the breath in apanasana is also very soothing and relaxing, which is important for improving digestion and the gut-brain connection. If you are stressed, your digestion effectively slows down or stops, because resources are diverted elsewhere to deal with what the brain perceives as a threat. In addition to all the benefits to digestion, apanasana is good for warming up the lower back and hips, stretching the hamstrings and improving shoulder mobility.


2. Parvritti trikonasana – revolved triangle

Both triangle postures are beneficial for digestion, but the revolved version is especially good because it is a twist. Twists are known to help improve digestive function because they have a stimulating, massaging effect on the digestive organs. This wide legged variation is particularly good because it’s a more accessible version that everyone can practice and then build up their ability to rotate more deeply. Rotating the torso can also help to stimulate bowel movements and relieve digestive discomfort. There are lots of other benefits to this pose, it's an efficient standing pose that strengthens the major muscles of the legs - gluts, hamstrings, calves, feet, it strengthens the spine, increases shoulder mobility and it tones the abdominals. What's not to like!


3. Balasana - child’s pose

This is a go-to posture for when you want to quickly feel calm and re-set the nervous system, which is very important for digestive health. By helping to reduce the feeling of stress, Balasana can directly support digestive health, because stress negatively impacts digestion. When in this pose you can create a gentle massaging effect on the intestines and alleviate discomfort by making small fists with your hands and giving your abdomen a gentle massage to relieve pain and bloating. Child's pose is also very good for releasing the lower back, opening the hips, stretching the front of the feet and it can be a good general spine stretch and shoulder release.



Abdominal massage to ease pain and destress

Join the Reset your Gut, Reset your Life workshop

All these poses and many others that are known to improve gut-health are going to be included in a special yoga practice focused on digestion, during my February 22 workshop.


I have teamed up with registered nutritionist, Nudrat Chatgai from Nourish by Nudrat to offer this special event where we will share practical ways to improve your digestive health and embrace a more mindful lifestyle. The afternoon will end with a delicious, home-made high tea, featuring everyone's favourite recipes, but all adapted to be highly nutritious and gut friendly.



Find out more about yoga for digestive health - check out my videos on Instagram and YouTube showing these practices in more detail with variations.


What to expect at the Gut-Brain Connection Workshop


Here's What You'll Learn:

• How your gut and brain communicate - and why it matters.

• The damaging effects of stress on your digestion.

• Easy-to-implement solutions for restoring balance, including:

o Mindful eating and lifestyle strategies.

o Foods that support and heal your gut.

o Yoga practices proven to enhance digestion.


What the Workshop Includes:

• 1-hour all-levels yoga session: Focused on postures and breathwork designed to ease bloating and digestive discomfort.

• 1-hour interactive discussion: Learn how to reframe your eating habits with ease and get practical tips for every day, efficient gut friendly food preparation.

• Delicious high tea: Enjoy a gut-friendly menu with sweet and savoury food that nourishes your body.

• Goody bag: Packed with treats and healthy, digestion-supporting products.

• Healthy digestion e-book: A take-home guide for long-term success.


It's a perfect event for anyone looking to reset their digestion, rebuild self-confidence, and unlock a healthier, happier version of themselves.


Details:

• Quaker Centre, Fairfield East, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2PT

• Saturday 22 February 2025, 2 - 4.30pm with high tea

• Investment: £60 per person



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