Banish bloating with 3 surprise tips to ease indigestion

Bloating and constipation can ruin your day by making you feel sluggish and uncomfortable. One strong factor leading to this ailment is a general lack of movement, which means blood cannot be pumped around our bodies effectively, and poor diet choices which see our small intestines become inflamed.

Movement, breathing and stretching all are key elements to help with digestive issues and improve your bowl movements.

Tip 1. Squat

The deep squat position is used in many traditions and cultures while defecting as it is a more natural position that opens the anal sphincter and moves the body’s plumbing into proper alignment.

Step 1: Stand with your feet pointing straightforward, hip’s width apart.

Step 2: Bend your elbows at 90 degrees and pull back your shoulder blades.

Step 3: Slowly bend down trying to sit your weight back into your heels.

A good tip is to keep your toes lifted off the floor throughout the exercise, which allows you to target your butt and the back of your legs.

It is ok to allow the knees to come forward slightly past your ankles but the key point isthat you feel the burn in your butt and back of your legs rather than just at the front of your thighs

Step 4: Keep your chest lifted and upright and your shoulder blades retracted throughout.

Step 5: As you reach the bottom phase, squat at a 90 degrees (or slightly less if you’re a beginner and lack flexibility).

Step 6: Now, hold this position and whilst you do, tilt your pelvis (hips) under like your tucking your tailbone under.

Step 7: As you do this, it is important that you draw your navel in to activate your core muscles which help stabilize the pelvis through this movement.

Step 8: Now slowly come up. As you do so, it is vital that you allow your knees to straighten first before you finish off the end range of movement of the squat at the top.

Complete 3 sets of 8-12 reputations slowly.

Once you have mastered this and can breathe in for a count of 10 seconds while holding the squat, you can start breathing in for even longer periods of time, working your way up to a count of 20 seconds.

Tip 2. Stretch

When we sit down for long periods our upper abdominals become tight and pull us down, creating bad posture. This can lead to digestive issues as our body is no longer lining up correctly so we are restricting mobility in our organs and muscles. This posture exercise will sufficiently improve elongation in your back.

You will need a dynamax ball for this exercise

Step 1: Lie back over the ball as if you’re going to do an abdominal crunch.

Step 2: Keep your lower back and hips off the ball so only the middle part of your back has contact with the ball.

Step 3: Posteriorally tilt your pelvis (tuck your hips under) and also draw in your navel to activate your core muscles.

Step 4: Interlock your fingers and then place your hands behind your head to support the head and the neck (keep them both relaxed)

Step 5: Now slowly take a deep breath in and as you do so allow your body to naturally extend back over the ball.

Try and focus the breath in to the upper abdominals and middle part of your back each time.

Step 6: Repeat this step several times until you feel you can not move back anymore

The key is to keep your head and neck relaxed supported in your hands.

You will feel a great amount of stretch in your upper abdominals and also if you breathe correctly you will also feel a slight burn in the middle part of your back.

If you do, it’s a good sign. It means you are simulating the muscles in the middle part of your back.

If you feel any discomfort in your neck and lower back, then stop immediately.

You can repeat this exercise 2-4 times.

Tip 3. Breathe

As stress has a huge influence on our lifestyle today, our immune system becomes comprised and over worked which consistently simulates stress hormones as a result. This can negatively affect the digestion system and breathing will help calm and relax the body, meaning the immune system will be affected in the long run.

This exercise can be performed either lying down, standing up or sitting in your car.

If you are lying down or standing up, then you can place your hands on your lower abdominals. If you are driving then, just be aware of this muscle contracting.

Step 1: Draw in your navel and keep it in throughout the time you practice this exercise.

Step 2: Start to inhale through your nose slowly and deeply, your focus should be on sending the breath in to your upper abdominals and rib cage, not your lower abdominals.

Step 3: Now slowly exhale again only through your nose.

The key point is to breathe slowly thus creating a balance in the body, which helps it relax.

Step 4: Repeat this sequence at least 10 times in a slow and controlled manner.

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Fitness expert Vahdaneh Vahid can be reached on Facebook and Instagram.