Twists & Turns: Easy Yoga Poses for Liver Health

Here at The Plug, liver health is our jam. And we love sharing all sorts of ways on how to care for your liver! Today, we’ll be discussing how yoga fits into this.

And why yoga? Well, it’s a practice that delivers both physical and mental benefits — not to mention spiritual (if that’s your thing). There are a few specific poses that are great for your liver and gut health, plus they are super easy to do! But let’s first give a little background on yoga and how it rose in popularity.

The Origin of Yoga

Yoga can be traced back to Northern India over 5,000 years ago. One of the earliest images of yoga comes from a soapstone seal found in the Indus Valley archaeological site; the seal depicts a yogi in the Lotus pose, or sitting cross-legged (1). In 1893, centuries after this seal was created, Swami Vivekanada introduced yoga to the United States at the World Conference on Religions in Chicago. Today, approximately 36 million Americans practice yoga on a regular basis (2).

With yoga’s Indian origins, it has ties to many forms of eastern medicine. Herbal remedies, acupuncture, and chiropractic care are all forms of eastern medicine that focus on holistic health. Eastern medicine also places importance on prevention, rather than waiting for a problem in the body to arise. Yoga and eastern medicine have always gone hand in hand, with health as the main priority. 

How Yoga Affects Liver Health

Practicing yoga comes with many benefits, such as improving balance and flexibility, but it can also improve your body’s internal workings! The liver is absolutely essential to ensuring your body runs smoothly and efficiently. From filtering toxins in your blood to converting nutrients, keeping your liver healthy should be a priority. 

A 2019 study followed pre-diabetic women who practiced yoga to decrease liver size and lower total cholesterol levels (3). Yoga poses that promote circulation, or blood flow, are considered the best for liver health. One pose that stimulates blood flow is Vakrasana, also known as twisted pose, side twist, or spinal twist. This pose also helps with digestion because it massages your internal organs responsible for digestion. This twist is a seated pose, making it great for beginners! 

Channel your inner feline with another pose that is great for liver health and digestion! Salamba Bhujangasana, or sphinx pose, is a supported backbend that is great for stimulating your abdominal organs. If the sphinx pose does not feel challenging enough, the Bhujangasana, or cobra pose, is a more advanced backbend. There are many more poses that support your liver health and digestion, but these are a few that are great to start your yoga routine with!

Starting Your Own Yoga Routine

Now that you are aware of some of the many benefits that yoga has on your health, it’s time to embark on your own routine! One way to ensure you stay consistent with your yoga routine is by setting aside time when you will practice it every day. It is recommended to practice yoga in the morning or in the evening (4). Practicing in the morning energizes you to start your day, while practicing at night soothes built-up tension in the body. Although taking an hour every morning or evening to practice yoga would be amazing, not everyone has time in their busy schedules for that. Finding 10 to 20 minutes in your schedule to dedicate to yoga will be well worth it! As an added bonus, practicing yoga requires no equipment, but there are some items that may make your routine more comfortable. A yoga mat, block, and/or resistance bands can help elevate your routine even further! 

Yoga is a great way to boost liver health and digestion, but it is not the end all be all. A well-rounded routine and lifestyle is pivotal to overall health, with diet and exercise being keys to maintaining a healthy body. A balanced diet consists of eating whole foods and incorporating all of the major food groups. But don’t forget that everything is okay in moderation; don’t burn yourself out from banning foods that bring you joy! Although yoga is definitely a form of exercise, it is important to maintain variety. Try incorporating cardio and weightlifting throughout the week alongside your yoga routine!

The Final Word

Remember, there is no one thing you can do to ensure your liver is healthy, but there are habits we can implement to better our well-being. Yoga, alongside a healthy diet and exercise, can do wonders for not only your liver health but your entire body. If you’re looking to take your liver health one step further, try out The Plug Drink! It’s a simple, easy, and fast way to give your body the nutrients it needs to support your liver. After your yoga sesh, feel refreshed and ready for anything when you sip on that plant-based power. Drink up this summer, PlugFAM!

Bibliography

1. Sanujit. Religious Developments in Ancient India [Internet]. World History Encyclopedia. 2011 May 1. Available from: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/230/religious-developments-in-ancient-india/

2. Yoginidra JR. 50 Blissful Yoga Statistics for 2024 [Internet]. Yoga Earth. 2024 Jan 27. Available from: https://yogaearth.com/yoga-research/yoga-statistics/#:~:text=Approximately%2036%20million%20Americans%20practice

3. Singh AK, Kaur N, Kaushal S, Tyagi R, Mathur D, Sivapuram MS, et al. Partitioning of radiological, stress and biochemical changes in pre-diabetic women subjected to Diabetic Yoga Protocol. Diabetes & metabolic syndrome [Internet]. 2019 Jul-Aug;13(4):2705-2713. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31405697/ 

4. Pizer A. What’s the Best Time of Day to Do Yoga? [Internet]. Verywell Fit. Updated 2021 July 1. Available from: https://www.verywellfit.com/whats-the-best-time-to-do-yoga-3566957#:~:text=Iyengar%20advises%20doing%20yoga%20early