There’s a Russian proverb that goes along these lines:
“Everything new is just well-forgotten old.”
Is there a English saying that mirrors the same thought?
The following post was written a year ago… yet I could have, just as easily, written it today, perhaps only with the slight bit of change.
This spring’s snow mold allergies really kicked my butt – and left me feeling breathless and listless. When I finally (two inhalers later!) found some energy to research into asthma-specific breathing exercises, I was only half-surprised to find that the very same moves that I use & recommend for digestive system health are also fantastic for improving the lung function.
Funny how that works…
There is a reason why yoga poses are such awesome multi-taskers.
In the body everything is connected to everything else…
Yoga just reminds us of this holistic nature of our bodies.
So here are the highlights – a remix – of last year’s post.
Everything that I’ve written last year with regards to digestive system is just as valid for our breathing apparatus – lungs, ribs, the diaphragm – the works. Poses listed below are DIGESTIVE and LUNG HEALTH super stars.
I hope you find some time to enjoy them!
Come April, and our Inbox and Instagram feed is inundated with images of all things green {I just got a recipe for green muffins…. WHAAAAT?}.
So off we go – juicing, fasting, greening.
I’ll be honest with you: a few years back, armed with my Ayurvedic training, I’d be jumping on the same green – drink – clean – diet – detox bandwagon.
Thank Heavens times change!
Over the years I’ve stopped trying to be the jack of all trades, and started to focus on what I am really passionate about – more + better movement.
This is when the light bulbs such as:
~ if the musculature is tight, nutrients cannot get to where they need to go, no matter what type of greenery one consumes,
and
~ muscle tension can be just as responsible for the standstill in the intestines as inappropriate diet,
and
~ digestive organs need movement to function well; tension throughout the abdomen and pelvic girdle can and will contribute to digestive congestion {read bloating, nausea, gas, indigestion, pain}
started to go off.
With that thought in mind, here are the 2 DIGESTIVE STRETCHES I often recommend to my clients to get rid of digestive system funk
{they work like a charm, I promise}. They were quite the hit last week when many of my clients started to recover from Easter celebrations.
You may want to start with a few gentle movements:
We really like knees to side (lie on your back with knees bent and move your knees side to side) and knees to chest type of movements.
Experiment with your own variations to find what feels right for you.
Start with a DIGESTIVE STRETCH #1:
Place your mat with its short side to the wall.
Press your right foot into the wall, and then, keeping your lower body still, walk your upper body to the left (picture yourself as a banana!) Keep pressing your right foot into the wall throughout the whole duration of the pose.
Find a position where you feel a mild stretch, but don’t feel overstretched or edgy.
If this feels comfortable, you can take your right arm up and over the head. Make sure your arm isn’t dangling in the air – go only as far as you can before your arm starts to float off the floor.
Your left hand can come onto the belly, or up overhead as well – as it is shown on the image.
Stay for up to 2 minutes, then slowly return to center.
Pause. Breathe. Absorb. Notice.
Then try the other side.
Finish with a digestive stretch #2:
We usually use a small bolster or a rolled up blanket for this pose. Feel free to smoosh a pillow instead, and set it under the bottom ribs.
Start on your side, with your head well supported by a blanket (or several).
Place a small bolster (or rolled up blanket, or a smooshed pillow) under your bottom ribs. Check to see that it is actually under the bottom ribs as oppose to your side waist.
Take a few slow, long breaths here; allow your bottom rib cage drape over the support of your props.
Experiment with taking your top arm up and overhead; again, make sure the arm isn’t dangling in the air. Your bottom arm can be extended forward in front of you or in any other position that feels good.
This pose can be safely held for up to 10 minutes; generally, we start with 3 – 5 minutes, and build from there.
Once finished on one side, roll onto your back for a few moments and breathe. Notice the difference in breathing between two sides before moving to side #2.
Enjoy – and happy detoxing!
P.S. On a side note here – both of these stretches work exceptionally well to lessen the congestion in the liver and gall bladder area. Those of my clients who tend toward congestion in these areas prefer to stretch only the right side as that creates more side to side balance.
Hey, my name is Julia
Living with chronic pain has taught me to look for solutions in unlikely places – places where most people see only problems.
Over the years I’ve gotten to be pretty good at this problem-solving and silver-lining finding thing.
So good that I felt compelled to share what I’ve learned and help others to find their sea legs while navigating, living, and winning their battle with chronic pain.
