How to Relieve that Bloated Feeling in Your Stomach

“My tummy feels bloated. I ate too much at the get-together…”

It's the year-end festive season. The season of get-togethers of all manner of friends, family, schoolmates, colleagues...

What’s almost always present at these get-togethers? Heaps of food.

When we're happy and busy catching up, we don't pay much attention to the amount of food that we put in our mouth.

The result? A bloated stomach. Definitely uncomfortable.

There's a way to get over this feeling quickly.

It’s simple and does not require any special props. More importantly, it always helps to relieve that bloated feeling in my stomach.

Pavanamuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)

1. Lie on your back, with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
2. As you exhale, draw your right knee to your chest and clasp your hands just below your knee, hugging the knee to your chest.
3. Keep your left leg as straight as possible and completely on the mat.
4. Hold for the duration of 5 breaths.
5. Release your right leg back to the floor.
6. On the next exhalation, draw your left knee to your chest and clasp your hands just below your knee, hugging the knee to your chest.
7. Keep your right leg as straight as possible and completely on the mat.
8. Hold for the duration of 5 breaths.
9. Release your left leg back to the floor.
10. On your next exhalation, bend both knees and hug them to your chest.
11. Hold for the duration of 5 breaths.
12. Release both legs back to the floor and rest.
13. If it feels right, repeat 2-3 times.

Benefits

• Relieves excess digestive gas (“wind”) from the stomach and intestines
• Relieves indigestion, bloating, flatulence, acidity, and constipation
• Stimulates the intestines and other organs in the abdomen region
• Releases tension in the lower back, hips, and thighs
• Strengthens the back and abdominal muscles
• Tones the leg and arm muscles

Variations

Try these modifications to make it easier or more challenging, if it feels right to you. Always practise in a relaxed manner.

• If your stomach or chest is in the way, it might be difficult to clasp both hands around the bent knee. Instead, draw your knee slightly to the (out)side of your body, toward your armpit on the same side, instead of clasping it over the centre of the chest.
• If it is still difficult to clasp both hands around your knee in this way, wrap a yoga strap around your knee and hold onto the strap with both hands.
• If your hips are tight, bend the knee of your extended leg and place the sole of your foot flat on the floor instead.
• To deepen the stretch, lift your head off the mat to bring your nose to your knees in the full pose, i.e. when hugging both knees to your chest. (Avoid this if you have any neck injury or neck pain.)

Precautions

• Avoid practising this if you have any of the following: high blood pressure, heart problem, hyperacidity, hernia, slipped disc, neck or spinal injury, sciatica, or while recovering from abdominal surgery, or after the second trimester of pregnancy or during menstruation.
• Consciously keep your lower back and buttocks on the floor and the extended leg as straight as possible and on the floor.
• Always begin the sequence by hugging your right knee to your chest. Your right leg and knee will place pressure on the ascending colon. When you change sides (left knee in, right leg extended), your left leg places pressure on the descending colon. This right-left order stimulates digestion and correctly releases excess “wind.” Reversing the sequence and pressing on the descending colon first can cause aggravation, constipation, bloating, and intestinal discomfort.

 

Try this the next time your tummy feels bloated or if you have indigestion. Let me know in the comments below if it works for you.

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