'The way to a man's heart is through is the stomach,' goes the old adage. But stomach deserves more credit than that. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, once suggested that all disease begins in the gut. That's why the digestive process is central to your overall well-being. Sluggish digestion can cause everything from malnutrition to acne to weight gain. But thanks to our heavy dependence on processed food and bad lifestyle, our gut doesn't stand a chance. Gastric problems like flatulence, bloating, constipation and GERD have become quite commonplace.

Today, let's look at an asana that will help stoke the digestive fire and improve gut health. As part of our countdown to International Day of Yoga, we'll focus on Ustrasana or the camel pose. In this pose, the body resembles the hump of a camel, which explains its unique name.

How To Perform Ustrasana

  • To perform the asana, you have to first get into Vajrasana on the yoga mat.

  • Now rise on your knees so that the soles of your feet are facing upwards. The thighs should be at a 90-degree angle to the ground.

  • Place both your hands your hips with your fingers pointing downwards.

  • Breathe in slowly and bend backwards to the base of your spine, till the muscles of your legs start tensing up. This pose is called Ardha Ustrasana.

  • Now exhale and bend further backwards to clasp your ankles of both your legs with either hand.

  • Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds while breathing in and out normally.

Here's a video for assistance:

Benefits

The asana improves digestion by stretching the abdominal area. But that's not the only benefit of performing Ustrasana. The asana also strengthens the back and shoulders. Any pain the lower back will be relieved by the regular practice of this asana. Ustrasana also benefits the eyes. It corrects posture in those who have a stoop and also relieves menstrual discomfort.

Caution

Those who have health problems such as hernia, vertigo or arthritis should not try this asana.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 17, 2018 09:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).