Before we talk more about how you can use Yoga to reduce inflammation we want to ask, have you experienced joint pains or leg swelling? Or an excruciating ankle or knee pain that lasted for a while then slowly went away? Or maybe a burning pain in your fingers or numbness, tingling sensation in your lower back or hips?
Did you automatically grab the ibuprofen? Or maybe the pain is just normal now and you’ve learnt to live with it?
Often, what these symptoms show is that you have inflammation somewhere in your body. It is your body’s attempt to self-protect. It is a biological response in the form of inflammation for the body to actually heal.
As this happens more and more, our bodies may be unable to deflect this inflammatory process and what can then happen is chronic inflammation.
This inflammation gets worse with stress, elevated blood sugar levels and hormonal imbalances. And all these things are super common in today’s society, think sugary diets, toxins in beauty products creating hormone imbalances and the crazy hectic busy life you might lead.
So yes, the inflammation response is a good thing, it benefits the body BUT when there is too much inflammation in the body, add all the stress, poor diet, lack of exercise and movement, sitting too much, maybe drinking too much alcohol…. it can create a bunch of health issues.
The good news? Studies show that Yoga can actually reduce inflammation in the body, can we get a YAY?! YAY!
And today we’re going to share our favourite Yoga poses you can do right now to help your body heal and come back into balance. Yoga poses to help reduce inflammation in the body. Yoga to help leg swelling. To help aching joints and relieve pain.
Of course, if you would prefer to be guided through our Online Yoga Classes, then sign up for a free trial of our MerryBody App. The App makes it so easy to be consistent wth your Yoga practice and ths is the real game changer, when you create consistency, this is when you will experience results.
Studies show that yoga can slow the harmful effects of inflammation, so here are 7 Yoga Poses to reduce inflammation:
1. Child’s Pose | Balasana
Child’s Pose is a restorative, mild inversion which allows your head to drop down below your hips. It stretches your back, hips and ankles which relieves stress, anxiety, and fatigue.
DO THE POSE: Come to your knees, thighs and feet together. Lay the chest over the thighs and reach the arms out long (you can also do this with knees apart and toes together).
2. Supine Twist
Wringing out all the negativity and pain from your body, this Yoga twist gently massages your organs and encourages new blood flow. It is a fantastic and gentle twist that generates flexibility in the spine and reduces chronic inflammation.
This pose improves your digestive health. The Supine Twist is especially useful for alleviating pain and inflammation experienced in the lower back as well as working to release any shoulder tightness.
This pose is perfect for those with desk jobs.
DO THE POSE: Bring your right knee into your chest and allow your left leg to be long. Take an inhale and then as you exhale twist the knee across the body so the right knee and right foot land on the left side. Allow your right arm to open to a T. Swap sides.
3. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose | Ardha Matsyendrasana
This Yoga Pose is a slightly deeper twist which reduces chronic inflammation cleanses your organs and detox your digestive system. And it just feels SO DAMN GOOD!
DO THE POSE: Sit cross legged, take the right foot and place it over the left thigh (tuck your left foot close to your right butt cheek), your right foot should be flat. Inhale lengthen the spine, then as you exhale twist to the right, hook your left elbow outside your right thigh, place your right hand behind you as a second spine. Swap sides.
4. Warrior 2 Pose | Virabhadrasana 2
This pose helps relieve muscle pains and improves circulation and respiration. When your circulation and respiration are optimized, your body is more equipped in combatting stress and functions much effectively.
If you’re ready get on the mat try this FREE 15 Minute Yoga Class designed to de-stress the mind and body. It’s on our YouTube Channel!
Find the 15 minute Online Yoga Class HERE!
DO THE POSE: Standing, take your feet wide. Turn your right foot out, and your left heel out. Bend deep into the right knee and keep the left leg long. Your right knee should track your right toes. Arms reach long, shoulder height. Press both feet down into the Earth. Swap sides.
5. Triangle Pose | Trikonasana
This helps you develop flexibility and tones your legs and core. This pose helps to reduce stress and increase your stability when in alignment and practised often. You also get an epic side stretch too!
DO THE POSE: Once again, standing, take your feet wide. Turn your right foot out, and your left heel out. Arms go wide shoulder height. Keep your torso facing front on. Then reach your right arm toward your right toes as you kick out the left hip. Then rotate the right arm down toward the right ankle, and reach your left arm high. Keep the belly engaged and your ribs drawing down toward your hips. Swap sides.
6. Bridge Pose | Setu Bandhasana
With a gentle stretch to your chest, neck, spine and hips, the Bridge Pose helps relieve chronic inflammation which also improves blood circulation and reduces anxiety and mild depression. This pose is amazing and really creates energy within the body.
DO THE POSE: Lay on your back. Knees are bent, feet are flat. If you reach your arms long you should just be able to scrape your heels with your fingertips. Squeeze the booty and then inhale reach your hips toward the sky. You can hold here, or you can tuck your shoulders and clasp your hands under your booty creating more leverage to lift higher. Weight is in the shoulders, not the neck/head.
7. Twisted Figure 4 Pose
This restorative pose works best in soothing the nervous system and promoting body healing. Which makes the Twisted Figure 4 pose a great Yoga pose in combating inflammation. Restorative poses are more favoured for the ability to promote calmness throughout the body and mind. This makes it the best go-to pose to prevent inflammation.
DO THE POSE: Lay on your back. Bend your left knee so your left foot is flat. Bring your right knee into your chest, flex the right foot and place it across the left thigh. Allow the right knee to fall open. Take the arms out to a T, breathe in and then as you exhale let the right foot and side of left thigh twist to the left. FEELS AMAZING! Don’t forget to swap sides!
Ok, how do you feel now after doing all of those amazing Yoga poses? Good, we bet! Now imagine creating a daily Yoga practice that not only helps you feel calm and de-stressed… but actually helps rid the body of inflammation… this is what MerryBody can do for you.
The best bit? You can sign up, risk-free, for our FREE 7 Day Trial of the entire MerryBody experience.
Get it all – the Yoga, Pilates, Meditation AND access to the amazing community. We’d love to welcome you in so you can see and feel the MerryBody difference. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever experience. Learn more here.
If you’re already a MerryBody Member (we LOVE you!) why not go and do De-Stress Yin or the Power of 3 Fusion where you’ll experience some of these postures and use yoga to reduce inflammation!
See you on the mat, super soon.
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla