Belching, gas, heartburn, heaviness, indigestion and acidity are some of the things that happen to a large number of people after a meal. Logically, food ought to be eaten for the pleasure of it, to nourish the body and to sustain it. When the meal is savoured fully, the body also invests the same amount of time and energy into digesting the food and breaking it down into nutrients. But by and large, food is now eaten on the go, while travelling to work, during work, as one reads or watches TV or at fast food restaurants. So, it seems that the priority while eating is to cater to the taste buds and just finish the meal instead of actively participating in its journey through the body.
Irrespective of what one is eating, chewing food well and relaxing after a meal are important steps to healthy digestion. When one doesn’t invest this time, the organ systems go into an overdrive, thus slowly breaking down well before their time. The following yoga routine, done at least twice a day post meals, will alleviate digestive ailments and prevent chronic illnesses from setting in.
Post Meal Yoga Routine — Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Posture)
Caution: Avoid this posture if you have severe knee and ankle pain.
You will need a yoga mat, a firm cushion and a soft pillow.
Come onto your knees on the mat.
Place the cushion underneath the front of your ankles.
Place the other pillow on the back of your lower legs.
Now sit slowly on the pillow.
The muscles of the thighs and the ligaments supporting the knees will take a bit of time to open up and this will cause discomfort. Give your body some time to ease into the pose.
Breathe deeply and focus all your attention on your abdomen, watching the way your belly moves as you breathe.
Apana Mudra
Caution: Not to be done by pregnant women until the end of the second trimester.
On the right hand, touch the tip of the thumb to the tips of the middle and ring finger. Extend the index and little fingers.
Recreate the same mudra in the other hand.
Hold this mudra as you sit in the above Vajrasana pose for 3-5 minutes.
