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| I wonder if anyone can help me. I practice Iyengar yoga daily (self taught - fom 'Light on Yoga'), though I have not moved much further than the standing and invert postures.
I suffer from digestive problems, including constipation, bloating, lack of appetite etc., and would like to know which asanas are best for a) strenghtening the digestive organs/improving their function and b) enhancing appetite. Can anyone offer any advice? Which asanas work for you with regard to the digestive organs? Also, as well as saying which ones strenghten/tone the organs, it would be useful to know how they do this. Thank you.
ponam |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Hi ponam and welcome. I have found Iyengar yoga to be wonderful for digestive problems. For you I would suggest doing some twistings and backbends but most of all I would suggest getting one of the books that shows how to do restorative poses. Or go to some classes, of course  I suggest the Path to Holistic Health book, which has wonderful sequences for various problems. Key poses for me are: headstand and shoulderstand, setu bandha sarvangasana, vipartita dandasana (off a chair) and all of the seated twists. I still have acid reflux but rarely have IBS symptoms anymore.
Have you found anything helpful in LOY? Which poses do you feel are helping the most right now? |
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| Thanks for the input Tourist and sorry for my late reply. If only I'd STUDIED 'Light on Yoga' before! It's very clear which poses tone the abdominal organs: most of the squatting, twisting and back bending ones. I've started doing some of these now. I did a search on 'digestion' on this forum and found some useful things. In one it is said that the best asanas for toning the digestive organs are the ones which compress those organs... But still, unlike ordinary muscles where after a workout you are really aware that you've exercised them, with the internal organs it's hard to know whether you're doing anything (Though after doing some yesterday and today I did feel a little 'worked out' on the inside.) I'd still like to find out which asanas are best for stimulating the old appetite. Another problem I have is that my stomach can't handle much food, I wonder if doing these asanas will rectify this? I'll reseach the book you mention and, if I can, try the asanas you recommend. Thanks.
Ponam |
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| Dear Ponam:
It is NOT exactly the poses, by names, which are good for your digestion. It is the way you do them, and also it depends on many other factors, probably more than exercise. I suggest you approach someone experienced.
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| ponam - the eastern way of looking at these things is so different. It is not so much about "exercising" the muscles - although having healthy abdominals will offer good support to the underlying organs, which is always good, but overworking them and creating tightness is not considered good. Many of the benefits of yoga poses come from "wringing and rinsing" of the organs. The liver has a lot to do with digestion and poses such as twists and backbends encourage healthy livers  As for only eating small amounts at a time, this is very healthy. I only wish I had the matching lack of appetite! I don't eat much at all after 5 or 6 pm. If you have trouble with keeping weight on, you may want to look at some poses that stimulate the "digestive fire." But for me, not being able to eat so much has very much helped keep my wieght down to something more appropriate for my body. |
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| Tourist has echoed what my Sivananda tutor has said regarding compressing the abdominal organs for good digestive health. This next bit's going to have the Ew! factor built in but is true.... you tend to know when you're doing these asana right due to a certain tendency to release gas soon after doing them, if not actually need the bathroom. In time, you'll find that certain activities become easier due to the strengthened abdominal muscles or that you perform certain activities differently instinctively. For example, getting out of the bath or bending to use the dustpan and brush.
Fee |
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| Thanks Orbilia.
Quote: "you tend to know when you're doing these asana right due to a certain tendency to release gas soon after doing them...".
I feel encouraged...
Ponam
Edited by ponam 2005-11-14 4:37 PM
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| *LOL* It's not called Wind-Relieving Pose for nothing you know *ggg*!
Fee |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State | Orbilia - 2005-11-14 5:42 AM
Tourist has echoed what my Sivananda tutor has said regarding compressing the abdominal organs for good digestive health. This next bit's going to have the Ew! factor built in but is true.... you tend to know when you're doing these asana right due to a certain tendency to release gas soon after doing them, if not actually need the bathroom. In time, you'll find that certain activities become easier due to the strengthened abdominal muscles or that you perform certain activities differently instinctively. For example, getting out of the bath or bending to use the dustpan and brush.
Fee
Light on Yoga does note that certain asanas are effective for constipation...and
I'd say that it is correct.
I remember a Bikram teacher I used to see who told us that "Wind relieving pose" would
be quite effective if you get up in the am, drink a cup of tea or hot water, and do the asana
for several minutes. Haven't tested this myself, but she was speaking from personal
experience. |
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| hello frend
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http://www.drugdelivery.ca/s31065-s-ibaba%20Colic%20%20formula.aspx |
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Strengthening digestive organs
