YOGA & The Human Digestive System

      A healthy digestive system is essential for our well being. The root cause of many  diseases is due to improper digestion. The 'jathara agni' (heat in the stomach) helps to  eliminate  waste products and harmful toxins from the body. It breaks down the food we take and helps to have a sound mind in a sound body.

I. Yoga and  Digestion:  During the process of digestion with the help of digestive juices the food is digested and waste products will be eliminated. Yoga helps in the process of good digestion and useful to all of us in  many ways.

Yoga also helps  in the process of breathing and tunes various systems of the body that synchronizes the various systems of the body.

II. Benefits of Yoga:  

1. Decreases body weight and increases physical strength.   

2. Makes mind active and alert. Improves memory and IQ. 

3. Builds a healthy muscular system and a strong skeletal system.  

4. Reduces unnecessary fat and toxins in the body.  

5. Improves good appetite and aids in proper digestion.  

6. Increases  resistance of the body to diseases and builds a healthy human system to cope up with the stress and strain of every day modern life.

III. Yoga Asanas (Yoga poses) to help the digestive system and the process digestion:

1. Ustra Asana   Helps to stretch the stomach and its muscles, small intestine and large intestine, helps to improve the performance of gastric glands.  Relieves from constipation and for smooth defecation of waste materials from the body.

2. Trikon Asana Improves digestive system and accessory glands and  improves the  appetite.  Decrease constipation.

3. Ardha-matsyendra Asana  Improves the abdominal organs and improves the digestive system and digestion.

4. Paschimot Aasana  Improves the  digestive system and solves the  problems associated with the digestive system- gas, heat, heart burn and  constipation. 

5. Pawanmukt Asana  Improves the  gastric and intestinal problems and helpful to the digestive system.

 IV. Important points to remember Yoga and  digestive System:

1. Drink water according to your body needs.  
2. Eat to live and do not live to eat.   Do not take  heavy meals either lunch or dinner.
3. Do not sleep immediately after lunch or dinner.
4. Avoid oily food and do not eat  junk food.
5. Eat food materials that contain fibers.
6. Be  regular and maintain prompt food timings either during the day or night.
7. Be happy and do not worry. Avoid stress and strain of every day life. 
8. Do yoga regularly and maintain good healthy habits.
9. Take the advice of elderly people and experienced people.
10. If necessary consult your family doctor and take the  medicines as directed.

V. Conclusion:    

 Please remember that Yoga is long standing and yet out standing to improve the physical and mental health of all human beings of the Earth.  Yoga practice helps to develop a sound mind in a sound body (San Corpora San Mana).