Yoga & Digestive Health
- By Tracy Roberge
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- 18 May, 2021
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What's Going On In Your Gut?
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Ancient yogis understood that good digestion is key to radiant health and sought to understand the mind-body connection. As a Yoga Therapist and Diet & Nutritionist Advisor, I tend to view the digestive system as a very sensitive mirror of the mind and will encourage a client with digestive issues to examine overall lifestyle choices, emotions and other mental components in the healing process.
A good analogy is thinking of the "mind like the sea, and the body is the land and their sphere of interaction is the shore. When the mind is peaceful and relaxed, the sea is calm. When the mind is troubled or stressed the sea becomes turbulent and waves beat against the shore, tearing away at large sections of the land. This is psychosomatic process that can result in digestive distress and disease in the body." - Yoga Living Fall 2010
How does Yoga Help?
Yoga poses work on the soft tissues of the body, like a hand gently squeezing a sponge. When the organs of the digestive system are compressed in poses, stale and waste-bearing fluids in those areas are encouraged out of the tissues. When an area is opened or stretched out in a yoga pose, new life-giving nutrients are able to circulate into the cells. Yoga poses massage the vital organs associated with the digestive system, stimulate the digestive muscles and increase the wave like movements in the body known as Peristalsis. Yogic breathing exercises send oxygen deep in the cells of the body and help it to absorb nutrients and excrete waste products thoroughly. In summary, all the tools of yoga work together to reduce the stress response, rebalance the autonomic nervous system and create a powerful relaxation response that allows the healing functions of the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation) to occur.
With this in mind, I invite you to join me on a journey of digestive awareness.
Yoga for Digestive Health Workshop
Saturday, June 5 | 2:30-4:30PM | $55+GST
This is a Virtual workshop and you will be provided with materials and requirements prior to attending.
Register HERE
We'll discuss how stress effects our digestion, a brief overview of the digestive system and some more common digestive ailments, better food choices for better digestion, eating as a meditation practice... yes, we're doing a mindful eating practice with chocolate!!!...and of course key yoga poses for maintaining digestive health, and some to utilize for constipation or if a bit more fluid.
I hope you can join me on this enlightening afternoon.
Sincerely,
Tracy
A good analogy is thinking of the "mind like the sea, and the body is the land and their sphere of interaction is the shore. When the mind is peaceful and relaxed, the sea is calm. When the mind is troubled or stressed the sea becomes turbulent and waves beat against the shore, tearing away at large sections of the land. This is psychosomatic process that can result in digestive distress and disease in the body." - Yoga Living Fall 2010
How does Yoga Help?
Yoga poses work on the soft tissues of the body, like a hand gently squeezing a sponge. When the organs of the digestive system are compressed in poses, stale and waste-bearing fluids in those areas are encouraged out of the tissues. When an area is opened or stretched out in a yoga pose, new life-giving nutrients are able to circulate into the cells. Yoga poses massage the vital organs associated with the digestive system, stimulate the digestive muscles and increase the wave like movements in the body known as Peristalsis. Yogic breathing exercises send oxygen deep in the cells of the body and help it to absorb nutrients and excrete waste products thoroughly. In summary, all the tools of yoga work together to reduce the stress response, rebalance the autonomic nervous system and create a powerful relaxation response that allows the healing functions of the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation) to occur.
With this in mind, I invite you to join me on a journey of digestive awareness.
Yoga for Digestive Health Workshop
Saturday, June 5 | 2:30-4:30PM | $55+GST
This is a Virtual workshop and you will be provided with materials and requirements prior to attending.
Register HERE
We'll discuss how stress effects our digestion, a brief overview of the digestive system and some more common digestive ailments, better food choices for better digestion, eating as a meditation practice... yes, we're doing a mindful eating practice with chocolate!!!...and of course key yoga poses for maintaining digestive health, and some to utilize for constipation or if a bit more fluid.
I hope you can join me on this enlightening afternoon.
Sincerely,
Tracy
Inhale: 1-2-3-4-5. Exhale: 1-2-3-4-5. If you’ve been doing breathing exercises to feel calmer, happier, and more focused, you know how soothing yoga is.
Despite being an ancient practice, yoga has become increasingly popular, and for good reason. It is suitable for people of all ages and effective for treating chronic conditions.
Interestingly, scientists have discovered that this practice has several mental health benefits. Let’s explore the relationship between yoga and well-being, as well as the evidence-based benefits of yoga.
Winter is here, it is that time of the year again when waking up early and practicing yoga becomes a difficult task and mostly ends up compromising it for an hour of extra sleep. But there are lesser-known facts about why we should practice yoga during winters and how it benefits us.
Spring is nature’s rebirth. Every year, when the soft green buds and the delicate pink blossoms appear on the cherry trees, we are given the opportunity to renew ourselves. In our yoga practice, this can be through a physical detox, a mental reboot or both.
So, it’s THAT time of year again. The cards are out, flowers and chocolates in the shops, and the candlelit tables are all booked up weeks in advance. With good reason, many of us find it all rather superficial and insincere. Perhaps some of us might join the cynical chorus asking why we need a specific day to express our affection for someone else. We may even go as far as to accuse the the forces of capitalism of driving demand for “stuff”. But I’m not here to monologue on the meaningfulness of St. Valentine’s Day, and I’m certainly not here to criticise anyone for wanting to express themselves or to show affection for someone else (we all need to be doing this more, not less).
Can yoga reduce anxiety?Yes! Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of yoga in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. In one study, women who participated in a three-month yoga program experienced significant improvements in perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. In another study, ten weeks of yoga helped reduce stress and anxiety for participants.
Happy New Year yogis! I’ve often found this time of year to be especially powerful in enhancing my yoga practice. Of course, yoga is always a powerful practice, but the gift of the new year brings deep reflection and introspection that can amplify processes of self-inquiry, expanding our spiritual awareness and commitment to yogic living.
