It’s been well documented that practicing asana, or the postures of yoga, helps with a variety of physical and mental ailments. Yoga can help with muscle tension and arthritis, even anxiety and stress responses. One area of our health yoga can improve that is often overlooked is digestion. Digestive issues are prevalent in our society; countless people suffer from things like IBS, Crohn’s disease, etc. Many yoga poses promote gut health, and in today’s post we’ll learn about why that’s important for both our physical and mental well-being. We’ll discuss why the gut is often referred to as the ‘second brain’, and how yoga is a safe, natural, and effective way to improve this aspect of our physical beings.
The insights shared in this post are drawn from the book Yoga Therapy for Digestive Health by Charlotte Watts. In her work, she delves into the intricate connection between gut health and mental well-being, illustrating how yoga can serve as a powerful tool for restoring balance within our bodies. Watts discusses how stress and trauma can lead to gut imbalances, resulting in physical issues like IBS and mental challenges such as anxiety. To enrich your understanding, I will include some quotes from her book, and if you’re intrigued, feel free to explore the provided link for more information!
“We are learning more and more about how engaging with the nervous system (NS) and talking to the gut via attunement and self-compassion can have far-reaching effects that unravel conditions like IBS, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), acid reflux, colitis, diverticulitis and more.”

Understanding Gut Health
Let’s start by defining what we mean when we talk about the gut and the digestive system. The digestive system is an intricate network comprising a variety of organs, tissues, and neurons that extend from the moment food enters your mouth all the way to the rectum. It plays a crucial role in breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste products from the body.
To better understand gut health, it can be helpful to visualize your digestive tract as a battleground. Within this arena, good bacteria and bad bacteria vie for dominance within the microbiome, which serves as the powerhouse of your digestive system where food is broken down. In a well-balanced system, beneficial bacteria triumph over harmful ones. However, when this balance is disrupted, harmful bacteria can become more prevalent, leading to various digestive issues.
How Gut Health is Related to Mental Health
There is an abundance of research highlighting the profound connection between our gut and our brain, leading scientists to frequently refer to our gut as our ‘second brain.’ This fascinating concept stems from the fact that our second brain is composed of millions of nerve cells, also known as neurons, which engage in continuous communication with what we often call our ‘big’ brain. Interestingly, many of these gut neurons share similarities with those found in the brain, including neurotransmitters like serotonin. This shared chemistry explains why we often experience physical sensations such as “butterflies” in our stomachs during moments of excitement or anxiety, as well as the intuitive “gut feelings” that can guide our decisions.
Our gut actively sends signals to our brain based on its own health and state of functioning, creating a dynamic feedback loop. Therefore, if our digestive health is compromised—due to factors like poor diet, stress, or an imbalance of gut bacteria—this disarray can disrupt the signals being transmitted. Consequently, the communication between the gut and brain becomes less effective, potentially leading to a range of emotional and psychological challenges. As we deepen our understanding of this connection, it becomes increasingly clear that nurturing our gut health is essential not only for physical well-being but also for maintaining a balanced and healthy mental state.
How Yoga Improves Gut Health
Yoga plays a significant role in enhancing our digestive health through both physical and mental/emotional avenues. On a physical level, the various postures, or asanas, in yoga engage and stimulate the organs and tissues within the digestive tract. This process not only promotes the release of accumulated toxins but also fosters a harmonious flow of energy throughout the body, which is essential for optimal digestive function. Yoga’s emphasis on mindfulness and relaxation helps to alleviate anxiety and stress, both of which are well-known contributors to digestive issues. Yoga also encourages focused breathing; Watts touches on why that matters in terms of digestion in this excerpt from her book:
“Asana (posture) practice physically moves into the fascia around and between organs, freeing space, glide, fluidity, mobility and tone into all of the physiology in the abdominal cavity. Breath awareness and control allows the breath to drop into the belly and diaphragm, a basic need for optimal digestive function.”
When we engage in deep, conscious breathing, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s rest-and-digest response. This shift allows the body to divert energy away from the stress responses and towards the digestive process, improving nutrient absorption and alleviating discomfort. Additionally, mindful breathing encourages the release of tension in the abdominal area, which can help to alleviate issues such as bloating and cramping. By focusing our attention on the breath, we also cultivate a greater awareness of our body’s signals, enabling us to respond more effectively to hunger cues and the needs of our digestive system.

Yoga plays a vital role in enhancing the flow of prana, or life force energy, throughout our bodies. Prana is the essential energy that sustains our vitality and well-being; it is the energy that makes and keeps us alive, and it permeates every aspect of our physical, mental, and emotional health. Through the intentional practice of yoga, we engage in postures, breathing techniques, and meditation, all of which facilitate the movement of this energy throughout our system.
Many of us accumulate stress or tension in certain areas, leading to stagnation of prana that can manifest as a variety of physical or mental/emotional struggles and ailments. Yoga not only helps to release these energetic blockages but also opens pathways that allow prana to circulate freely throughout the various systems in our body. As we move through the different asanas, we consciously direct our breath, which serves as a conduit for this life energy, promoting a deeper connection between body and mind.
“Within the realms of physical practices for digestive health, this is to recongise that how we take on what we need (nourish) and let go of that which we do not (elimination) is the continual dance of what it is to be alive. When this continuum is interrupted within our gut – our core- all processes of this ebb and flow are affected – body and mind.”
Yoga Poses for Gut Health
Yoga poses that focus on the midsection, or poses that incorporate twisting, are of particular benefit to the health of our gut. Here are a few you can try!
Cat/Cow (marjaryasana/bitilasana)
Bridge (setu bandha saravangasana)
Supine Twist (supta matsyendrasana)
Lord of the Fishes (Matsyendrasana)
Sphinx (Salamba Bhujangasana)
Integrating yoga into your wellness routine can significantly impact your gut health, enhancing both physical digestion and mental well-being. If you’re ready to embark on this transformative journey and experience the myriad benefits of yoga for yourself, we invite you to join us at Inspiring Actions Yoga Studio in Hudson and River Falls, Wisconsin. Our welcoming community and experienced instructors are here to support you every step of the way, helping you cultivate a deeper connection to your body and mind. Take the first step today towards a healthier, happier you—your journey to improved gut health and overall wellness awaits!