Our digestive system is often inundated with poor eating habits and these habits add stress to the

body. When we cultivate a regular yoga practice, we gently squeeze out the waste and remove stale
or stagnant fluids that are found within the digestive system and body.
The digestive system can become sluggish and create numerous digestive problems and diseases.
Simple yoga postures, with breath awareness, help to stimulate the heart so that the body can be
filled with the oxygenated blood needed to remove toxins from the body.
Yoga postures create space within the entire body and enable organs to work at optimal levels. They
help to massage the internal organs and stimulate the digestive activity so that the entire system
works more efficiently. The digestive system not only absorbs nutrients and feeds the body, but its
also connected to our elimination system. We need to encourage it to work at healthy levels, so that
wastes dont easily collect and turn toxic to the body, and in turn, produce disease and/or chronic
problems that affect our digestive system and other parts of the body.
Creating Healthy
Digestive Fire with Yoga
KRISTA KATROVAS
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As stated earlier, a yoga practice can help the digestive
system given that stress is often linked to many digestive
problems. Cultivating an asana practice improves the
quality of life and improves ones digestive system. This
beginner level yoga practice enables those new to yoga an
introduction to greater digestive health.
Begin with Balasana. It helps center the body and mind,
bringing focus to the breath. Balasana soothes the nervous
system, opens and stretches the hips, thighs, and ankles.
Stay in Balasana while focusing on the quality of the breath
for 10-15 breaths.
Come to the floor onto knees and palms.
Sit onto the heels.
Bring thighs side-by-side.
Guide belly onto thighs.
Forehead to the mat.
Bring arms back beside thighs, palms facing upwards.
Stay here with focus on the quality of the breath for
10-15 breaths.
Inhale to come up onto the knees and palms into a tabletop
position to prepare for Cat/Cow Sequence.
Caution: People with high blood pressure, internal ulcers, as
well as hyperthyroidism, chronic diarrhea, should avoid this
exercise, or wait until consulting with your physician.
I recommend at the start of the day a cleansing practice for
the digestive system called, Agnisar Kriya. It serves as an
intestinal cleansing. The Sanskrit words Agni translates as
fire, sar as essence, and Kriya as action. Fire is the element
for digestion and in yoga we often refer to it as our digestive
fire.
This cleansing practice is best when done on an empty
stomach, preferably in the morning, after evacuating the
bowels. It is recommended that you do it after drinking a
glass of warm water with lemon to help flush out the toxins.
Stand shoulder distance apart.
With bent knees, spine straight, bend slightly forward
from waist.
Palms rest on the knees, or just above, so the back isnt
sacrificed.
Breathe in deeply, exhale all air, tuck chin slightly, contract
belly to spine, holding breath in this position, then push it
all the way out. This provides internal organs with a deep
internal massage; do these contractions while holding the
breath.
Do as many as you are able to, working towards building
the number of repetitions. Inhale and slowly return to
standing.
Agnisar Kriya
Balasana (Childs Pose)
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Chakravakasana (Cat-Cow Sequence)
Chakravakasana slowly warms up the spine and
is soothing for aligning and preparing the spine
for a yoga practice. It also helps motivate the
blood flow by stimulating the digestive system.
Place hands shoulder distance apart, align
knees directly under hips, toes tucked under.
Inhale, head and tailbone up to Cow, as if in
a backbend on the knees.
Exhale to round the spine, tuck pelvis, belly
button to spine, gaze at belly, Cat.
Link this movement to the breath, for 5-6
rounds.
Virasana (Heros Pose)
Virasana Vira means hero, it helps digestion. It is wonderful
for opening the knees and hips, but should be avoided if you
have had knee or ankle injury.
Stay in Virasana for 5 minutes, or for as long as it is
comfortable. It is a great posture after a large meal and it is
also a meditation posture.
From tabletop, bring feet side-by-side, shift weight and sit
on heels.
With straight spine, place palms onto thighs, close the eyes
and concentrate on breath for 5 minutes, or for as long as
it is comfortable.
Forward bends calm the entire digestive system, but this
posture is not to be done on a full belly. Wait for two hours
after eating before doing a yoga practice. Since digestive
problems are often tied to stress, relaxing the nervous
system is helpful in aiding a healthy digestive system.
Always give ample time for digestion before practicing yoga.
Sit on sits-bones with legs extended.
With a straight spine, flex feet, hinge at hips.
Keep neck in the natural extension with the spine. Do
not round the back.
Place hands on the thighs, shins, or ankles, if you are
unable to touch your toes.
Stay here for 10-15 breaths.
Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
Paschimottanasana stretches the hamstrings, lengthens the
spine, massages the digestive system, calms the mind,
relieves constipation, and soothes the nervous system. It is
often held for 10-15 breaths.
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Supta Matsyendrasana helps to relieve tension and calms the
nervous system. With twists, we ring out the spine and rinse
toxins collected around the spinal column.
Lie down on back with knees bent and feet on the floor.
Stretch left leg to the ground.
Bring right knee to right rib cage/belly.
Extend right arm, palm faces up.
Draw right knee to the left.
Place left hand on right knee to give the body support.
Turn head to the right. Stay in the posture for 10-15
breaths. Unwind gently. Repeat the same sequence on
the left side. Hold each side for 10-15 breaths.
Shavasana (Corpse Pose)
Shavasana is said to be the most difficult to master; yet it is
the most beneficial and every yoga practice should include
Shavasana.
We learn to relax every part of the body through Shavasana
and also absorb, like a sponge, all the benefits weve created
through yoga, when the body is at complete rest.
Lie on your back, let legs and feet fall open.
Arms rest out to the sides, slightly separated from body,
palms face upwards.
Close eyes. Stay in Shavasana for 5-10 minutes with the
eyes closed. After every yoga practice I suggest spending
at least a few moments in meditation or reflection, or
SoHam meditation.
Recall a past stressful moment and how the belly grew into
knots. By taking the time to cultivate a simple yoga and
meditation practice, we offer the mind and body the
opportunity to unwind.
Everything affects the quality of our lives: healthy food
choices, positive thinking, and exercise all help to create
healthy digestive fires, among other things. Toxins created by
stress have a harder time staying in the body when we
choose to make healthy decisions. We begin to see benefits
gained through the power of our positive actions. Weve
been told since we were children to make wise choices,
because the unwise choices have adverse effect on the body,
mind, and spirit.
If you have yoga-related health issues, the author and/or publisher do not intend to
diagnose or treat any conditions or disease. If you have any medical conditions,
please check with your physician before practicing any of the above postures or
cleansing practices.
Krista Katrovas holds a BA in Dance
and an MFA in Poetry from San Diego
State University. She has been practicing
yoga since 1999. She is an experienced
registered yoga teacher with Yoga
Alliance. Krista teaches yoga every July,
for a month in Prague, Czech Republic,
through the Prague Summer Program that is offered through
Western Michigan University. Krista resides in Kalamazoo,
Michigan. www.Praguesummer.com
Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)
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