7 super effective postures to relieve bloating

It is known, our belly is our second brain and when stress and food thwart it, digestion is generally not good. Abdominal pain and bloating can be very unpleasant on a daily basis. But as we reassure Marcia Segal, founder of Yoga Snake yoga studiosif “stress will tense the mind, yoga will relax the body” in case of swollen belly and the beneficial effect of this sport on digestion is known and “yoga is so effective for this”.

Certain yoga postures – in particular the twists – indeed help to promote transit and tos “get rid of gases that are stuck in your gut and cause you discomfort”. The expert also revealed to us the 5 best yoga postures to relieve your bloating. But before you start making them, be careful because not all of them are done without prior warm-up. We will explain everything to you.

Poses Anyone Can Do Without Even Warming Up

These are the most practical, the easiest, the ones that do not require having already participated in a yoga class in your life and that you can achieve “anywhere, even in the office” as Marcia Segal points out.

• viparita karani posture

Also called the legs-up-the-wall pose (a more evocative name for English speakers), it is done by lying on your back, legs raised and kept stretched facing the wall. Very easy to do, it “relieves stomach pain and reduces bloating while activating blood circulation” explains the expert.

• Child’s pose or balasana

Get on your knees, your buttocks on your heels, then lean forward to rest your forehead on the floor. Your knees should be spread a little wider than your shoulders, your big toes should be touching behind, the yoga teacher told us. Extend your arms forward or use your hands as a pillow to rest your forehead on. Then inhale and exhale calmly, it’s “great for after dinner when you’re gassy and bloated.”

• The supine spinal twist posture or supta matsyendrasana

Lying on the ground, simply bend your right leg and turn it to the left. Then, reverse with the left leg and take a few breaths with your arms extended out to the sides.

• The posture of liberation of the winds or pavana mukrasana

The one that is one of Marcia Segal’s favorite postures, lives up to its name since that’s exactly what it will do with the gas that bloats you. Lying on your back, bring your two knees to your chest, hug your shins with your arms to press on your belly with this movement. Then raise your head to bring it to your knees then inhale and exhale. “This posture provides a kind of massage which is very good for digestion and facilitates it” assures the yoga teacher. And as you can see, it is very easy to do.

The postures known as “torsions” which require a warm-up

To adopt these yoga postures, you must warm up quickly beforehand. Don’t worry, it will only take you a few more minutes because getting into a downward facing dog position is enough to warm up your spine a bit. To do this, get on all fours, your hands flat and your feet in line with your pelvis and in line with your hands. Then, raise the pelvis upwards to form a sort of pyramid with your buttocks at the top.

• The semi-vertebral twist posture or marichyasana III

Sitting on the floor, legs straight, bend your right leg, positioning your knee towards the ceiling, then lift your left hand. Inhale while lengthening your spine, then, on the exhale, lean on your elbow which you place on the outside of the right knee and turn by drawing in your navel to protect your back.
This twist will get rid of gas that is stuck in your gut and creating discomfort. Marcia Segal finds her “great in terms of efficiency”.

• The downward-facing three-legged dog pose or parivrtta adho mukha svanasana

Get into a downward facing dog position following the guidelines for warming up. Then move into the forward position. To do this, bring your right hand towards your left foot to grab your ankle while keeping the other hand on the ground in front of you.

If you are comfortable, you can try this super effective advanced posture

• The bow pose or dhanurasana

Lying on your stomach, raise your head, bring your arms behind, bend your legs and grab your ankles. Grab your right ankle with your right hand and use your left hand to grab your left ankle, says Marcia Segal. Inhale then lift your limbs off the ground and rise to form a sort of upside-down bridge with your body. “If you have gas, bloating and digestive issues, this will definitely help” assures the yoga teacher, who warns that you should not, however, do it if you have back pain so as not to risk hurting yourself.

Whatever anti-bloating yoga posture you want to achieve, keep in mind that it takes “keep the posture for at least 5 to 10 deep breaths, which you take calmly, to give your body time to fully benefit from the relaxing effects of each posture” as Marcia Segal explains.

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