Try The Seated Twist Yoga Pose For Bloat Relief & Digestion Support
Sarah Regan is a writer, registered yoga instructor, and Editorial Assistant at mindbodygreen. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Let's be real—all the good food that comes with the holiday season can leave us feeling bloated, gassy, and ultimately, not our best. If that sounds all too familiar, you might want to consider trying a simple yoga pose to help relieve some of that pressure and get things moving. Meet the seated twist, as demonstrated by certified yoga instructor Claire Grieve.
How to do a seated twist:
- Sit on the floor with legs stretched out in front of you.
- Cross your right leg over the left, with your right foot by the left knee.
- Hook the left elbow around the outside edge of your knee, and begin to twist.
- Twist from bottom to top, working the whole spine, gazing past your right shoulder.
- On every inhale, lengthen your spine.
- On the exhale, twist to deepen further into the pose.
- Repeat for 10 deep breaths.
- Release and switch sides. Repeat on the opposite side.
Some tips to remember:
- In this twist, focus on lengthening as much as twisting, imagining you're twisting upward.
- On your exhales, contract your core, squeezing out any stale air, and allowing a deeper twist.
- As you twist up, don't rush to turn your head. Allow the neck and gaze to follow naturally as you twist your spine.
What are the benefits?
Anytime you're in need of a little digestive support, this pose is available to you. Not only does it help massage all those digestive organs by improving circulation in those regions, but it may also help relieve bloating, gas, and constipation. (Don't be surprised if you burp doing a twist!)
And on top of that, twists also help keep your spine healthy by improving your range of motion. Maintaining a healthy spine is super important to overall health, especially as we get older, as it's essential for mobility, balance, and posture.
So, next time you're feeling some gastrointestinal discomfort, give this easy pose a try. You'll be amazed by what a little twisting can do.
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