Yoga, Ayurveda & Your Gut

For years and years I used to wonder how I could wake up in the morning with a completely flat stomach and then the moment I eat or drink something my stomach would bloat like a balloon.

When I was younger this really used to bug me, more out of a sense of vanity than anything else but as I’ve gotten older I’ve taken more of an interest in how certain foods cause my body to react in certain ways.

On a trip to India a few years ago I was introduced to Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga. Ayurveda is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit and believes that our gut is where any illness begins so digestion is key to our overall health.

According to Ayurveda in order to digest our food we need to ignite our Digestive Fire (Agni) as this aids the digestive process. When our food is not digested efficiently it causes toxins (Ama) and these toxins need to be eliminated or cleared regularly or they could cause us problems.

My first meeting with an Ayurvedic Practitioner was a real experience! I was basically told that everything I had done up to this point in my life was all wrong, that I needed to cut this out of my life and that out of my life. I walked out of there feeling like I’d done ten rounds with Tyson! I found the dos and don’ts so restrictive that I felt an Ayurvedic way of life wasn’t for me. It wasn’t just the rules about food but the conflict between Eastern and Western cultures that I struggled with. Yes I’m Indian but I’ve been bought up in the UK and practices that would be second nature in India really wouldn’t work in the streets of London.

Over the years however, I’ve become more open to the principles of Ayurveda and instead of diving in at the deep end I’m what I like to call a work in progress. When it comes to Ayurveda and my gut I do try and establish the healthy eating patterns that Ayurveda states are key to our digestion. These include:

• Eating in a calm and relaxed environment
• Eating at a sensible pace and chewing our food properly
• Eating regularly
• Eat when we are hungry and not to over eat
• Eat warm, cooked foods as raw foods are harder to digest
• Avoid snacking between meals
• Try to eat early. Before 6.30pm is advisable but not always possible.
• Eat ginger or rock salt before a meal to stimulate Agni or sip on ginger tea during the day
• Eat for your body type, Vata, Pitta, Kapha.
• Exercise daily. Whether it’s a short walk or some gentle yoga.

Here are a few gentle yoga poses that I find help when I’m feeling sluggish and bloated.

Apanasana (knees to the chest pose)

• Lie on your back on your yoga mat and place your feet on the floor so your feet are directly beneath your knees.
• On an inhale place your hands on your knees. On the exhale, hug your knees to your chest and stay here for 5 breaths.

Simple Spinal Twist

• Lie on your back and hug both your knees to your chest
• Stretch your arms out wide and keeping your legs bent and knees together, drop them over to your right side
• Push your left shoulder down into your mat and lengthen your lower back and turn your head slightly to the left but only if it feels comfortable to do so.
• Repeat on the other side.

Marichyasana (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, hug your arms 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
• Now repeat on the other side.

Balasana (Child’s Pose)

• Sitting on the heels of your feet, fold your torso over your thighs and rest your forehead on the floor in front of you.
• Stretch your arms out in front of you or by your sides (wherever you feel comfortable) and stay here for a few breaths.