According to MedlinePlus, the National Institutes of Health's website, abdominal bloating is an ailment in which the belly feels inflated and constricted. Constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and overeating are a few common causes of bloating. Certain yoga poses anatomically focus on the digestive organs, which can help alleviate the uncomfortable bloated symptoms. Don't practice yoga on a full stomach, even when trying to remedy overeating. You may experience cramps, queasiness or vomiting, says yoga teacher and Yoga Journal writer Tim Noworyta.
Hero Pose
Hero Pose is a kneeling yoga posture that betters your digestion and reduces gas--another common cause of bloating. Have a few stacked-up blankets handy before trying Hero Pose and then kneel on your yoga mat. Touch your knees together and separate your feet wide enough to allow room for your buttocks to sit back. Make sure your toes face straight back. If your hamstrings are tight and you're unable to lower your buttocks all the way to the floor in-between your feet, use one or two folded blankets to elevate your sit bones. Bring your hands to the top of your knees, palms facing up. Elongate your spine and sit tall. Close your eyes and breathe deeply in and out through your nose. Stay in Hero Pose for one to two minutes. The pose alleviates heaviness in your stomach, says B.K.S. Ivengar, author of "Light on Yoga."
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend is a seated yoga pose with one leg extended out on your yoga mat and the other leg bent at your knee. It helps with digestion and stimulates the liver, spleen and kidneys, all of which aid healthy elimination and constipation. Sit on a yoga mat. Extend both legs straight in front of you. Bend your right knee and place the sole of your right foot on your left inner groin. Internally rotate your left leg so your toes face the ceiling. Raise your arms overhead as you lengthen your spine. Hinge forward from your hip points and fold over your left thigh. Grab ahold of your shin, ankle or foot and release your torso over your thigh. Continue to press the sole of your right foot into your left inner thigh. Stay in Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose for one to three minutes. Switch to the other side and repeat the posture with your right leg extended and left knee bent.
Bharadvaja's Twist
Bharadvaja's Twist is a seated spinal twist yoga posture that boosts digestion and cleanses your abdominal organs. Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Bend both knees and swing your feet to the outside of your right hip. If your hips are unbalanced, place a blanket folded once underneath your left buttock. Lengthen your spine and twist your torso to the left. Grab ahold of your left knee with your right hand, bring your left hand behind your back and try to reach to the inside of your right elbow. Stay in Bharadvaja's Twist for one minute and repeat with your feet to the outside of your left hip.
References
- Medline Plus: Abdominal bloating
- Yoga Journal: Yoga Class Dos and Don'ts
- Yoga Journal: Hero Pose
- "Light on Yoga"; B.K.S. Iyengar; 1976
- Yoga Journal: Bharadvaja's Twist
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