A not so high fiber diet, stress and traveling can sometimes get us a little backed up in our digestive functioning. Regularity is important to our health and if we do not maintain consistency we may suffer from the dreadful symptoms of constipation. Bloating, irritability or other serious physical ailments loom if we are slow to eliminate our bowels.
For those of you who would rather try a natural remedy for constipation instead of reaching for a harsh laxative, the following suggestions might be just what you are looking for to keep the traffic moving, so to speak.
Take a look at these yoga poses and learn how and why they can help.
Seated Spirals
Sit in a comfortable position a chair or on the toilet and rest your hands on the top of both thighs. Begin to move your upper body in a clockwise spiral but keep your hips still, so you are moving dynamically between your waist and ribs. Do this for one minute and then rotate in the other direction.
Spiraling movements like this one help to stimulate the peristaltic action of your intestines, waking them out of the slumber of stillness. In other words, it gets things moving!
Deep Squats
Provided your knees are strong and healthy, squat deeply with your feet hip width apart and your hips just barely off the floor as if you are using an Indian toilet (one that is very low to the ground). Breathe deeply and relax your lower back, belly and your sphincter muscle. Hold this position for intervals of up to one minute.
Being in this position sends a message to your body to prepare for elimination. The smooth muscles of your colon will heed the call and make the adjustments necessary to finish the job.
Seated Twists
Sit on the floor with your right leg extended and your left leg bent. Bring your left foot as close to your hip as possible and let your knee point straight up. Place your left hand behind your hip for support. Twist your upper body toward your left leg and wrap your right arm around the outside of your left knee, squeezing your left leg into your belly. As you inhale, press your lower belly into left leg. As you exhale, relax your belly completely. Continue for up to one minute and then switch sides.
Twisting coupled with this kind of deep breathing will be of benefit to your sluggish intestines because this action gives your colon some external pressure, further enhancing the urgency to empty its contents.
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