| There is an old yogic saying that goes something like | | | | including colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, |
| this, "The secret to a long life is a flexible spine and | | | | acidity, and gastric ulcers. |
| the digestion of a lion." Unfortunately, many of the | | | | While meditation helps to calm the stomach, reducing |
| people I see as a nutritional counselor and yoga | | | | acidity and releasing tension in the large and small |
| teacher have serious digestive issues. This is often | | | | intestine, yoga poses help to stimulate the peristaltic |
| due to years of eating refined and processed food, | | | | action in the intestines, increasing blood flow to the |
| taking antibiotics without restoring healthy microflora | | | | area. At the same time specific poses massage all |
| back to the intestines and living a high stress lifestyle. | | | | the internal organs enhancing the body's ability to |
| With 80 percent of the immune system located in | | | | better absorb nutrients and eliminate waste more |
| the digestive system a compromised colon can | | | | effectively. This is due to twisting the body, bending |
| weaken the whole body. | | | | forward, doing backbends, going upside down and |
| When the mind and body are under pressure, excess | | | | sitting on the heels and rounding forward. Seems |
| hydrochloric acid is released in the stomach and the | | | | simple, but according to B.K.S. Iyengar in his book, |
| core of the body becomes rigid with tension. Your | | | | The Path To Holistic Health, "Health is not a |
| digestive system is only reflecting what is going on in | | | | commodity to be bargained for. It has to be earned |
| your mind, and what you are putting into your mouth. | | | | through sweat." |
| Both stress and refined, processed, sugar-laden | | | | He goes on to say that each posture is "aimed at |
| foods create an acid condition in the digestive | | | | purifying and strengthening each organ, bone, and cell |
| system. "Dis"-ease grows in an acid condition, | | | | of the body." Somewhat different than taking an |
| whereas optimal health requires a more alkaline/acid | | | | hour out of your day to exercise; yoga integrates |
| balance. I compare it to how the afflictions of our | | | | the holistic aspects of mind, body, and spirit into that |
| thoughts can create an acid mental condition. | | | | same hour, with the added benefit of healing your |
| A strong, healthy digestive system requires physical | | | | digestive system. |
| rest, mental calm and fibrous foods. High amounts of | | | | Do you need to focus on any particular poses to |
| stress can cause intestinal disorders by reducing the | | | | target the digestive system? Yes and no. If you are |
| circulation of blood to the absorptive areas of the | | | | including a variety of poses in your daily practice you |
| bowels. There are a number of things that can be | | | | should be fine. Make sure to listen to what your body |
| done to heal the digestive system including improving | | | | needs rather than trying to force more than your |
| the diet, taking certain herbs that heal intestinal | | | | body is willing or able to do. In this way you can unite |
| tissue, detoxifying the filtering organs and cleansing | | | | the body, mind and spirit in a focused moment with |
| the blood. Meditation and yoga have been shown to | | | | balance and integrity. |
| aid in the treatment of many digestive problems, | | | | |