A balanced diet and plenty of fluids along with these yoga asanas can help ease chronic constipation.
The following asanas are excellent for helping with constipation as they strengthen the abdominal and pelvic muscles and stimulate the peristaltic action of the bowels. These asanas should be practiced after drinking about two to four glasses of water.
Tadasana (Stretch Pose)
- Stand straight with feet about 10 cms apart and arms by your sides.
- Breathe in deeply and raise both hands on the sides of the head in an upward direction.
- Interlock your fingers, palms facing towards the sky.
- Exhale and place your hands on top of your head.
- Inhale and stretch your arms up over your head and slowly rise up on your toes, stretching and lengthening the abdominal area
- Hold this position for a few seconds.
- Exhale, bring your heels down on the floor and hands on top of your head.
Repeat eight times.
Tiryaka Tadasana (Side Bending Stretch Pose)
- Stand straight with feet about two feet apart.
- Breathe in deeply and raise both hands on the sides of your head pointing upwards.
- Interlock your fingers with palms facing towards the sky.
- Inhale, extend the spine.
- While exhaling, bend the body to the right from the waist.
- Hold the position for a few seconds.
- Inhale and slowly come back to an upright position.
- Repeat on your left side.
Repeat eight times (four on each side).
Kati Chakrasana (Waist Rotating Pose)
- Stand straight with feet about two feet apart and arms by your sides.
- Make a fist with your right hand with thumb inside and place in the centre of your lower back, press well.
- Inhale; bring your left hand on your right shoulder.
- Exhale, as you twist the upper body to the right side and turn your head fully to your right to look behind towards theyour left heel.
- Keep your feet firmly on the ground while twisting.
- Hold this position for a few seconds.
- Inhale and return to staring position.
- Repeat on your left side.
- Inhale and return to starting position.
Repeat eight times (four times on each side).
Ashva Sanchalana Mudra (Tiryaka Bhujangasana)
- Lie with your forehead down on your stomach with feet about half a metre apart, heels should be on top and toes curled under, hands directly under the chest.
- Now inhale and raise your head forward.
- Exhale. Twist your head and upper portion of your body to the right shoulder and look over your shoulder towards your left heel.
- Try and feel a diagonal stretch of the abdomen.
- Relax the back and keep the navel as close to the floor as possible.
- Stay in the final position for a few seconds.
- Inhale; bring the face forward again.
- Exhale, twist to the other side without coming back to the floor.
- Inhale and return to the centre and exhale as you lower your body to the floor.
Repeat eight times (four times on each side).
The copyright of the article Yoga Asanas for Constipation in Hatha Yoga is owned by Fiona Wilkinson. Permission to republish Yoga Asanas for Constipation in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
