Digestive issues plague Americans; the American College of Gastroenterology estimates that 10-15% of the population suffers from IBS, but only 7% have received a proper diagnosis.
While moving might feel like the last thing you want to do with a tummy ache, some gentle yoga could get your digestive system moving and ease pain caused by trapped wind.
We spoke to yoga instructor Nick Higgins, who is the co-founder and head of teaching at Hotpod Yoga: “Certain poses and techniques are said to aid digestion and can relieve related symptoms such as bloating and belly pain. If you’re suffering from digestive issues, these are some poses that I’d recommend, with some simple instructions on how to ‘flow’ between them.”
Nick has been teaching yoga for over 10 years and is one half of Hotpod Yoga’s founding duo. Nick’s classes and teaching focuses on both the mental and physical aspects of yoga. His down-to-earth approach and accessibility is what Hotpod is all about, as well as bringing fun and light-heartedness to the practice. In charge of developing and managing the quality of teaching across the Hotpod Yoga network, he has helped hundreds of teachers develop their teaching technique and effectively bring their personality to their classes.
How to do the workout
- Cat-cow
- Downward-facing dog
- Twisting poses
- Seated forward bend
- Wind-relieving pose
Hold each pose for five breaths before moving into the next position.
The exercises
1. Cat-cow pose (marjaryasana-bitilasana)
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- Begin on your hands and knees in a table pose with a neutral spine.
- Inhale and tip your pelvis back, dropping your belly towards the floor, lifting your chin and chest, and looking forward and up. This is known as cow pose.
- To move into cat pose, exhale and pull your belly into your spine, rounding your back towards the ceiling. This dynamic movement helps to flex and extend…
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