Tips for Detox: Detox Your Body With Yoga

Detox Your Body With Yoga

Extract from the Free Community Website 'Squidoo"

There are many methods to detoxify our bodies. One method is the practice of yoga. You might benefit from a Yoga Detox program if you've been feeling sluggish and out-of-sorts for awhile, or have been experiencing digestion problems, extra aches and pains, or skin problems.

The practice of yoga asanas (postures) can help us detoxify the body to bring us to better health. Our body has its own natural detoxification mechanisms for getting rid of waste products and environmental toxins, but sometimes it's not up to the task of eliminating these toxic materials entirely. A yoga detox practice can help us assist the body in cleansing itself, which will help us feel lighter, healthier, and more energetic again.

Contents of this article at a Glance

• Practice This Twist and Detox Yoga Seque...
• Yoga Assists Our Body's Natural Detoxifi...
• Yoga Twists

• The Twist Marichyasana 3
• Forward Bends
• Wide Leg Standing Forward Bend

Practice This Twist and Detox Yoga Sequence From YogaJournal.com 

Practice along with this 20 minute Twist and Detox Podcast from YogaJournal.com to get ideas for a good sequence to help detox the body and the mind. The poses in this sequence help to open the back in preparation for backbends and for deeper twists. The sequence will aid your digestion and help you develop mental clarity. Later in this article there's also a Gentle Yoga Detox Sequence if you prefer something a little quieter and easier. Also scroll down for a few short videos that show how to do a few specific poses that will assist with your own yoga detox program.

Yoga Assists Our Body's Natural Detoxification Processes 

The body has its own systems that work to eliminate waste products and toxic substances. Three of these systems are the:

1. Circulatory system: Pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen to and carrying waste products away from the cells of the body.

2. Digestive system: Processes food, separates nutrients from waste, and eliminates what the body doesn't need.

3. Lymphatic system: Intracellular fluid is moved throughout the body, transported to lymph nodes where harmful constituents are removed, such as bacteria or other contaminants, before the lymphatic fluid is returned to the bloodstream. Lymph moves around based on how much we move around. The only way to ensure proper lymph circulation is through exercise or massage.

These systems work well on their own in a healthy body, but if we don't eat well, don't get enough exercise, or if we're stressed, then these systems don't work as efficiently. This results in a build-up of toxic material which can leave us feeling physically and mentally sluggish and sick. The practice of yoga is one of the methods that supports the functioning of these systems. 

A well-rounded practice of yoga postures systematically stretches, twists, compresses, and "upends" all parts of the body to help eliminate impurities from different organs and to allow oxygenated and nutrient-rich blood to flow through the organs. A few of the benefits of this practice over time, include more energy, mental clarity, better sleep, better digestion, clearer skin, fewer aches and pains, and less illness. Below are a few of the categories of yoga poses, and how they assist the body's natural detoxification systems.

1. Yoga Twists - "Squeeze and soak" the abdominal organs

I think Yoga twists are the most important poses to aid the body in detoxification. Yoga twists stimulate digestion and facilitate the elimination of impurities and waste products from the body. Circulation of blood and of lymph is also promoted. Think what happens when you wring out a sponge -- the dirty water is forced out, and then the sponge can soak up clean water again. Twists work in a similar way. The abdominal organs are squeezed during twists, stimulating the kidneys and liver, and forcing out blood filled with metabolic by-products and toxins. When the twists are released, then fresh, clean blood enters these organs, bathing the cells in nutrients and oxygen. Twists have a cleansing, refreshing effect on the abdominal organs and the associated glands.

(Example) The Twist Marichyasana 3  - This is a nice, relatively simple twist that will help you to stimulate the liver and kidneys.

Yoga Twist Sequence for Beginners : Marichyasana 3 Pose for Yoga Twist Sequence

by expertvillage | video info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk45dCPQBoM

2. Forward Bends 

Forward bending poses are also good ways to compress the abdominal organs. The digestive system is stimulated, helping with the elimination process.

(Example) Wide Leg Standing Forward Bend 

This video gives good, clear instructions for this standing forward bend. Standing forward bends are often more accessible than seated forward bends, especially for beginners.

John Schumacher Teaches Prasarita Padottanasana

by ihanuman | video info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJGvClXXffM

3. Yoga Inversions 

Upside down poses

Any inverted pose, such as headstand, shoulder stand, or a simple "legs up the wall" pose helps to drain accumulated lymph fluid from the legs and re-circulate it through the body. This benefits the immune system. Inverted poses also help to soothe the nervous system and reduce stress. When we're not stressed, it's easier for us to choose healthier choices for our bodies (including good diet and exercise) which promote the body's natural detox efforts.

(Example) Simple Inversion -- Legs Up the Wall Pose 

This is a very easy yoga inversion (legs higher than the heart). Fluids that have accumulated in the legs during the day are re-circulated back to the rest of the body. Also the abdomen is bathed in fresh blood, which stimulates the digestive system.  This is also a wonderful pose to "de-stress" after a long day!

Legs up the Wall

by sagerountree | video info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLDO5ovOes4

4. Detox Yoga Sequence

Online video with Esther Ekhart

Get rid of toxins and reduce sluggishness with this gentle yoga detox sequence.

Watch:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow02So1-pew

5. A Well-Rounded Yoga Practice Will Help Detox the Body 

General yoga videos - instead of "Yoga for Detox" videos, are often more useful overall in presenting a well-rounded practice. A well-rounded practice will help you detox while also stretching and strengthening the body and calming the mind.  Check out Fred Bush's Yoga videos, all of which have the intention of detoxification in mind @ www.miamiyoga.com.  Other useful videos are available @ www.yogajournal.com

Tips for Detox: How To Detox Your Body With Yoga

How to detox your body

Excerpts from Detox Blog

Following are various articles dedicated to detox in all its aspects.  They cover nutrition, health, exercise, and other dimensions of the detoxification process.

Yoga Poses For Body Detoxification

How yoga poses may affect your body’s natural detoxification process is simple to understand once we can come to an idea as to what is involved in the detox process itself first.  There are several processes and organ systems that your body uses to detox on a daily basis.  These systems were designed or created in your body to help you filter out what your body needs for nourishment and growth and eliminate the toxins and unnecessary waste products.

The organs and tissues that are involved in body detoxification are contained within three main systems in your body:  circulation, digestive and lymph.  As your blood flows and is pumped through your arteries and capillaries, it is constantly exchanging oxygen and other nutrients with your cells and tissues and taking back the waste by way of your veins.  This system keeps the flow of nutrient and waste in harmony within your body.  The veins then send the blood through your liver and ultimately is filtered again and the waste ends up leaving through urine or feces.  Your lymph system collects or drains the intracellular fluid where it can be dealt with by way of your immune cells and ultimately dumps into your veins for the final filtering just described.  Then, to follow with this body detox process, the digestive system then is necessary to absorb larger nutrients, electrolytes and water mainly through the colon and eliminate the rest through your bowels as feces.  You really couldn’t design a better “how to detox” program if you had to write it yourself.

How Yoga Poses Work With This Natural Detoxification Process

There are several ways in which we can assist our body in this toxin elimination process it goes through each day.  It isn’t that it doesn’t work, we just have very high demands for the modern way we live our lives.  Any assistance we

Spinal twists are great poses to assist with your body detoxification.

can provide our body with the detox process is that much better for our health and well-being.  Many types of exercise are great to assist your body with one main aspect of its natural detox mechanism which is breath.  Your lungs are a major organ responsible for a big part of the detox process.  The following are simply a few detox yoga poses that assist the major systems previously described.

First of all, consider the spinal twist.  It has many variations, consider Marichiyasana 3/Marichi’s Twist or Ardha Matsyendrasana as suitable asanas (poses/postures).  It is based upon the idea that the twisting motion, combined with full deep breaths, assists your body in gently squeezing and moving the toxins through your body – like gently squeezing and wringing out a sponge.  Photo Credits

A second pose is often referred to as a resting pose in many yoga fitness traditions.  It is called Adho Mukha Svanasana  (downward-facing dog).  This is a well-known pose by name and has many benefits.  One of the benefits as we are describing here is with circulation and lymph flow.  Also, by the nature of your position, it is also a gentle abdominal stretch and digestive aid.  Photo Credits

Finally, Viparita Karani, the pose that is easier to call legs-up-the-wall is a good one for detox purposes.  Again, by opposing gravity, the flow of circulation and lymph is enhanced.  Additionally, as you rest on your back, it soothes your nerves and allows your body to go into a parasympathetic mode rather than the daily fight or flight, stress response mode it may typically be in.  All three of these yoga poses for detox can be done in a sequence or practice that can be done daily.  The benefits of your yoga practice will also enhance your mental and emotional well-being, another important aspect to the detox process.