Post Holiday Yoga To Help Get Your Digestive System Back On Track

The holidays and everything that comes with it, the parties, the rich, succulent food and all that mulled wine can put our digestive system into a bit of a spin!

Some nice, gentle yoga practice can help get our digestive juices flowing again and help get our digestive system back on track.

Starting in Sukhasana:

• Sitting on the floor in a cross-legged position with your right ankle crossed over your left. I like to sit on a foam block or blanket to give me a little extra height and comfort.
• Relax your legs down as close to the floor as you comfortably can.
• Place your palms on your knees.
• Lengthen your tailbone and sit up tall and straight.

Sit here for a few breaths and then change the cross of your legs so you achieve balance on both sides.

Moving into Cat/Cow

• Lower your knees to the floor and put your hands in front of you so you’re on all fours.
• Keeping your arms straight, place your palms directly under your shoulders maintaining a neutral spine.
• Inhale and drop your belly and roll your shoulders back into Cow Pose.
• Exhale, press your palms into the floor and arch your back, dropping your tailbone into Cat Pose.

Repeat this sequence a few times to help relieve tension in your back and then ease yourself into Downward Facing Dog.

• Starting on all fours with your knees hip distance apart and your hands shoulder width apart and fingers facing forward.
• Move your hands a little further forward, tuck your toes under, lift your hips to the ceiling and straighten your legs.
• Press your fingers into the mat and drop your heels down towards the mat. Your heels don’t have to touch the floor just pulling down towards the floor will give you a good stretch.

When you’re ready walk your hands towards your feet and slowly bring yourself up to standing.

From here we move into a Low Lunge:

• Starting in mountain pose, standing tall with your arms at your sides. Inhale and raise your arms straight up and join the palms of your hands.
• Step your right leg back and bend your left knee to a 90-degree angle.
• Now drop your right knee to the floor, keeping your lower belly engaged and extend your lower back.
• Keeping your arms raised over your head, rotate your upper arms inwards to broaden your back and gaze upwards.

Repeat on the other side and then rest in Child’s Pose for a few breaths.

Bringing yourself back up to a seated position stretch your legs out in front of you and gently bring the front of your body down towards your thighs into a Seated Forward Fold. You can rest your hands on your shins or if you really want to challenge yourself you can take hold of your ankles.

Taking a few breaths here we then move into a Seated Twist:

• Begin seated with your legs together and stretched out in front of you
• Flexing your feet and placing your palms flat on the floor, arms close to your sides and roll your shoulders back.
• Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee, keeping your foot flat on the floor.
• On the inhale sit up tall and reach up with your left arm.
• On the exhale, twist toward the right and drop your left arm to the outside of your right thigh so your hugging your thigh.
• Then bend your left elbow and point your fingertips up to the sky
• Roll your shoulders back opening your chest and lifting from your lower back.

Repeat on the other side then slowly bring yourself down to lie flat on your back.

Bring your right knee towards your chest and give your knee a hug.

Gently lift your head and bring your head towards your knee. Release and slowly bring your head back down onto your mat then bring your left knee towards your chest and repeat this sequence.

Now bring both your knees towards your chest give them a hug and rock from side to side massaging your back to loosen tension in your back and belly.

Slowly bring your feet to the floor and move into Shavasana and rest here for a few breaths.

Roll yourself over to your right side and ease yourself back into a seated position.