Yoga and Digestion
So I would like to start this blog with a story.
When I was younger I was never the best eater. I was so fussy. When I was very young I only wanted to eat cereal. I then progressed to porridge then plain pasta then pasta with butter and continued down the road of white carbs, no protein hardly any fruit and zero vegetables apart from soup. I eat so much sugar and probably wasn’t drinking the right amount of water either.
As you could have guessed, I had digestive issues. I was permanently bloated (but didn’t realise it at the time and just thought it was hard to lose weight), I was tired and fatigued, I was moody and I had all the other symptoms you get from digestive problems and bad gut health.
Anyway as I started to get into fitness, I then started to look at what I was eating. I didn’t look at food just for pleasure anymore I looked at it as fuel. I was still eating carbs but mixed in some protein and veg and started to make really yummy and healthy meals. I was eating much more protein like chicken, tuna, turkey and eggs and I loved it.
But then all of a sudden the bloating came back and for the first time I started to get acne. It was pretty bad. It covered my chin and slightly up into my cheeks. I went to a nutritionist and was told also by a skin specialist that acne around this area tends to be hormonal.
So once again I went back to the foods I was eating to figure out a way to help myself.
I cut dairy out my diet and did this for a few years and it helped but I was still having to take the IBS tablets that the doctor had prescribed for me. These tablets were to be taken multiple times a day and I was expected to keep doing that forever or at least until the IBS got any better.
IMPORTANT NOTE - EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND REACTS TO THINGS IN DIFFERENT WAYS. MY STORY ISN’T FOR YOU TO DO WHAT I DID, BUT INSTEAD TO LOOK AT WHAT YOUR EATING HABITS ARE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT FOODS SERVE YOU AND THE ONES THAT DONT.
This is where I said enough was enough and I was needing to do something different.
I ended up on a plant based course completely accidentally (it was through work and there was a free space) so I took it. The course leader went on to discuss the chemistry of the body, the correct minerals and vitamins we should be getting, what foods we should be eating at what time of the year, blood sugar, allergies, intolerances etc. It went so deep into the science of the body and food.
I decided that I would try this for a few weeks or months to see what the effects would be on my body, mood and energy. Well its safe to say I never went back to eating meat.
Now i’m not saying for you too cut meat out of your diet, what I am saying to you is take a look at what you are eating and if there are issues, then start to cut things out individually until you can source the problem.
Now that’s not to say that I don’t get little flare ups. We are human and we need to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and for me that includes the sweet things and pizza. Anyone who knows me, knows I love pizza.
So leading on to the point of this blog, what helps when I have those little flare ups.
Yoga, breath, meditation and of course WATER.
Number 1 rule for poor digestion............Drink lots of water and STAY HYDRATED!!!!!!!
Yoga, breath and meditation are also fantastic tools to use when you feel you are not functioning properly. They help to massage the internal organs, relax your nervous system putting you into a rest and digest state which allows the body to process the food easier and quicker. Through your yoga practice you are stretching, lengthening and opening up through the body which frees up tension which creates space.
These tools have been a huge game changer for me when it comes to digestion……ESPECIALLY BREATH. Breathing correctly is so important for a healthy digestion and can really make a difference.
So that is why I want to share a few videos with you that I truly believe can help with IBS like symptoms.
Video 1- How to breathe correctly
Video 2 - A breathing technique you can use as a relaxation/meditation
Video 3 - A FREE class that is designed to help with the symptoms of poor digestion
I hope this helps and any questions you have please get in touch as I have been where you are and would love to help any way I can.
Sending love
Jen
Xxx