By Claire Diab and Dennis Boyle
Happy New Year!
We’ve made it through the holidays, and we hope you enjoyed a lot of laugher, light, and love. Many of us also indulged in celebrations, which could bring our bodies out of balance. You know the feeling… tired, bloated, or sluggish….
Let’s start the New Year fresh, revitalized, and rejuvenated with some detoxifying yoga poses! Begin 2016 with a clean slate, energized and excited for the journey ahead!
Our Two Favorite Detox Poses:
Wide Legged Forward Bend
Stand with your feet spread wide apart and bend forward. Bring your hands to the floor, bending your knees slightly. If you have tight hamstrings, you can bring your feet wider and bend so it is comfortable. You can rock back and forth, bending each knee.
Benefits:
- Lengthens and strengthens the hamstrings.
- Reverses pull of gravity – encouraging circulation.
- Forward fold massages the digestive organs and revitalizes digestive system.
Knee Down Twist
Lying on your back, bring your knees to your chest. Release the left leg, keeping the right knee toward your chest. Rock back and forth gently to warm up the hip. Let your right arm stretch out to the right side, keeping your shoulder on the ground. Bring your left hand to the outside of the right knee, bringing it over your body to the left. Hold and breathe deeply for two to three minutes. Roll back up to center, keeping your right knee toward your chest. Release and repeat on the other side.
Benefits:
- Energizes and invigorates the nervous system, giving clarity and stress relief.
- Invigorates your ascending and descending colon (right side/left side).
- Massages your internal organs to encourage the elimination of toxins.
- Releasing the twist invites a fresh flow of blood and nutrients to nourish and support your internal organs and systems
Do these two poses and hold them for one to two minutes each, breathing deeply the whole time. You can do these in the morning and at night for a quick and easy way to kick off your digestive system and detoxify.
We hope these postures jump-start your New Year for a fresh start!
Claire Diab is an internationally recognized Yoga therapist. She is the director of the Yoga Program for the Chopra Center founded by Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. David Simon. She is an adjunct professor of Asian Studies at Seton Hall University. She is the author of several books and DVDs on Yoga including “Yoga For Firefighters.”
Dennis Boyle is a retired fire director and acting chief with the West Orange (NJ) Fire Department. He was the recipient of the 1999 New Jersey Deputy Fire Chiefs “Fire Officer o