Yoga Posture Sequence for IBS

1-Corpse pose

2-Reclining bound angle pose

3-Hero pose
(helps relieve stomach acidity, flatulence, abdominal cramping)

4-Reclining easy seated pose

(helps relieve indigestion, flatulence, and abdominal cramping)

5-Inverted staff pose (helps relieve diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal cramping, indigestion)
(Caution, don't do if you have neck problems, migraine/headache, or current diarrhea)

6-Bound angle pose

(helps improve digestion and blood circulation to abdomen & pelvis)

7-Wide-angle seated pose

(improves circulation to abdomen/pelvis, digestion overall)

8-Downward facing dog

(helps calm nervous system, relieve constipation and indigestion)

9-Headstand
(helps relieve spastic colon, and stabilize digestive tract) (Caution: Only do this if already part of
your regular practice. Don't do it if have high blood pressure, period, neck/back problems, or
migraines)

10-Shoulderstand
(helps IBS, colitis, chronic constipation, or hemorrhoids) (Caution, avoid this if you have
neck/shoulder problems, high blood pressure, period, or migraine/headache)

11-Half-plough pose
(helps soothe nerves and relax mind, and digestive complaints associated with anxiety) (Avoid if
you have neck/shoulder problems or period)

12-Bridge pose
(helps with overall digestion, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping)

13-Legs up the wall pose

(helps soothe sympathetic nervous system, relieve anxiety-associated diarrhea, indigestion, and
nausea)
Yoga Posture Sequence for Improving Overall Digestion
1-Hero pose

2-Reclining bound angle pose

3-Downward facing dog pose

(Caution, do not do this pose if you are nauseous or vomiting)

4-Head to knee pose

(helps sympathetic nervous system, twisting tones kidneys and bladder function) (Avoid if you
have diarrhea or feel nauseous at the time)

5-Seated forward bend

(helps warm belly and calm nerves, relieves gas and constipation) (do not do if you are suffering
from diarhea or acid indigestion at the time)

6-Spinal Twist
(twisting pose is good for toning and improving circulation to kidneys and abdominal organs)
(Do not do if you have diarrhea at the time, or feel nauseous)

7-Headstand
(Avoid if you have acid indigestion, period, headache at the time, or if you have high blood
pressure)

8-Child pose
(helps relieve constipation, bloating and gas) (Avoid forward-bend poses if you suffer from acid
indigestion)

9-Inverted staff position

(helps relieve acidic stomach abdominal cramping, gas) (Avoid if you have neck problems,
current migraine, headache, diarrhea)

10-Shoulderstand
(helps with hemorrhoids, chronic constipation, colitis) (Avoid if you have headache at the time,
period, or high blood pressure)

11-Bridge pose
(helps calm digestion, relieve a bloated, crampy stomach, and increase blood flow to organs and
improve digestion overall)

12-Legs up the wall pose

(helps diarrhea and nausea)

13-Corpse pose

These sequences are from The Woman's Book of Yoga & Health, by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia
Walden
Yoga for Digestive Health and IBS
Yoga is considered a form of moving meditation. It's a term that encompasses over one hundred
different disciplines, but yoga (the Sanskrit word for "union") as it is commonly understood
refers to hatha yoga, a system of physical and mental exercises. Hatha yoga rests on three
foundations – exercise, breathing, and meditation – with the goal of joining together the body
and mind into a state of balance and harmony.

Yoga has been proven to provide a wide variety of significant health benefits, both physical and
mental, including the alleviation and even prevention of digestive distress.

In particular, yoga is an excellent (and enjoyable!) way to manage Irritable Bowel

Syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis,
and relieve symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, and
nausea.

Yoga also has significant and proven benefits for patients with chronic health conditions such
as back pain, arthritis, depression, diabetes, asthma, migraines, and substance abuse.

Yoga has been shown to increase the efficiency of the heart and slow the respiratory rate, lower
blood pressure, and contribute to the reversal of heart disease. In terms of overall physical fitness
yoga improves posture, muscle fitness, circulation, coordination, range of motion, and flexibility.
As a stress management technique yoga is superb; it promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety, and
improves sleep patterns. Yoga also helps stabilize digestion, and offer outstanding relief from
IBS symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, and pain. Yoga is also tremendously
beneficial for preventing or minimizing menstrual cramps, which often exacerbate Irritable
Bowel Syndrome.

For people with IBS and IBD, yoga is perhaps most helpful for its ability to reduce the stress,
anxiety, and pain of chronic illness. Regular practice will indisputably improve your physical
and mental fitness, promote relaxation, and give you a sense of control over your health and
well-being. As with other stress management techniques, the more you practice, the greater your
improvement.

These are specific yoga poses for relieving and preventing IBS symptoms, as well as other
digestive problems.

It's always best (and safest) to learn poses in person from a trained yoga instructor. If you're
completely new to yoga try attending local classes first, then supplement your class practices
with routines at home. Daily practice will give the best results. Namaste!

Abdominal Massage
Backward Bend

Boat Pose © Kripalu Center

Bound Angle Pose

Bow Pose © Kripalu Center

Bridge Pose © Kripalu Center

Camel Pose © Kripalu Center

Cat and Cow

Child Pose © Kripalu Center

Cobra © Kripalu Center

Corpse Pose

Downward Facing Dog

Fish Pose © Kripalu Center

Forward Bend
Head to Knee Pose

Hero Pose

Locust Pose and Half Locust Pose

© Kripalu Center

Mountain Pose
Reclining Hand to Toe Pose

Seated Cross Legged Position

Seated Forward Bend

Seated Wide Angle Pose © Kripalu Center

Shoulder Stand (Inversion)
© Kripalu Center

Spinal Twist

Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle)

Triangle Pose

Upward Facing Dog © Kripalu Center

Wind Relieving Posture

Basic Yoga Stretches

There are lots of relaxing stretches in Yoga. In fact, most of the Yogasanas are stretching,
contracting or twisting. Listed below are some of the stretching asanas for beginners:

 Tadasana – Mountain Pose

 Vrikshasana (1) – Tree Pose
 Trikonasana – Triangle Pose
 Parivritta Trikonasana – Inverted Triangle Pose
 Uttanasana – Hand to Foot Pose
 Janu Sirshasana – Head to One Knee Pose
 Paschimottanasana - Head to Knees Pose
 Purvottanasana – Inclined Plane
 Matsyasana – Fish Pose
 Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose