At Escape Haven, our food philosophy is all about balance. We believe that food should be nourishing, as well as delicious, and our famous ‘no hunger policy’ ensures that all guests enjoy an abundance of choice at meal times and throughout the day. We also offer our guests lovely coffee, the option to enjoy a cocktail or two by the pool, and delectable desserts each evening. If you have dietary requirements, we can always cater to meet these, but above all, our focus is on wholefoods, quality and the ability to choose what is right for you.

The holiday season often comes with a change in diet and lifestyle as we find ourselves at work parties, family gatherings and get togethers with friends. Christmas lunch with all the trimmings, a glass of bubbles alongside laughter and chatter, Christmas pudding, snacks, dips, spreads, mince tarts, a glass of red as day turns to night- this time of the year brings fond memories and unique culinary experiences that may not always go hand in hand with our typical day to day lifestyle.

Rather than allow anxiety or stress to takeover, the holiday season should be embraced mindfully. As women, we can be incredibly hard on ourselves and end up on an emotional seesaw over this period. At Escape Haven, our philosophy around balance extends to all aspects of life- not just food. Spending Christmas with the people you love is a wonderful cause for celebration and allowing ourselves the space to simply enjoy the occasion and all it entails is so important. As women, we often feel a need to deprive ourselves for one reason or another. Yet with deprivation, often comes the opposite tendency- overindulgence. Finding balance and enjoying all that the holidays offer with presence and compassion can make this time of the year truly delightful.

So, where does yoga fit in here?! Yoga offers us both gentle movement and a quiet place to come back and connect with our body. When we are connected to our body and living in a state of awareness, we are more likely to make choices that support our wellbeing. While yoga offers many benefits, there are several poses that also specifically target digestion. If we do happen to have some foods that we may not always eat, or perhaps enjoy a little too much of one of our favourite Christmas dishes, yoga can help us to find comfort and stay on track without falling into a spiral of guilt or shame. Yoga helps to detoxify the body, massage the internal organs, and gets things moving so everything is flowing in harmony again!

Set aside a few moments to practice these helpful poses to ease your digestive system and support your wellbeing. It’s best not to practice yoga right after a meal, but if you’re feeling any kind of bloating, gas, or indigestion a few hours after a meal or the morning after, here are five yoga postures to improve your digestion.

1. Marjaryasana-Bitilasana (Cat-Cow)

Cat/Cow Pose works to alternate between stretching and contracting the abdominal organs and encourages movement in the digestive system while creating space in your abdomen. The movement also brings fresh blood to the epithelial cells, which are responsible for healthy gut function.
Start by coming onto all fours, bringing your hands beneath your shoulders and knees underneath your hips. Your toes can either be tucked under or the tops of your feet may rest on the ground. As you inhale, drop your belly button toward the earth and lift your gaze, chest and hips towards the sky into cow pose. As you exhale, round your upper back, dropping your gaze to your navel, chin into your chest and pressing your hands and feet into the mat into cat pose. Continue to transition between Cat and Cow, moving with deep inhales and exhales for around 10 rounds of breath.

2. Parivrtta Utkatasana (Revolved Chair Pose)

A great twist with a little extra heat! In Ayurveda, digestion requires proper fire in the belly. This twist both stimulates the digestive organs, while also creating efficient warmth.
Start by standing up straight with your feet hip distance apart. Bend your knees and raise your arms above your head to come into Chair Pose with your chest reaching towards the ceiling and gaze straight ahead. Lower your arms and bring your palms together at your heart. From here, twist your torso to the right, connecting your left elbow with your right thigh, shifting your weight back and down into your heels. Find a place to gaze to hold your balance, making sure the knees and hips remain even. Hold here for 5 long slow breaths. Come back to center and stand up straight again to relieve your legs for a moment before switching sides.

3. Malasana (Garland Pose)

This pose encourages downward energy in the body and can help to remove both mental and physical blockages. The pose is basically a squat, which tones the abdominal muscles, strengthen metabolism, helps to relieve trapped air in the body and can help in easing constipation.
Stand upright and then widen your stance to bring your feet the width of your yoga mat. Turn your feet out slightly so that you can bend your knees, lowering your body and dropping your hips between your heels. Bring your hands to prayer pose at your heart and if comfortable, tuck your outer upper arms inside of your inner thighs to gently open up. Lift your chest and gaze and hold here for several deep breaths. This pose should be comfortable, you may need to pop some blocks under your heels if they are off the floor. When you are done, stand up slowly and gently.

4. Shalabhasana – Locust Pose

This pose is wonderful for digestion as the pressure of pressing your belly gently into the floor massages your digestive organs, encourages trapped wind to move through your digestive tract and and stimulates blood flow to your digestive organs.
Lay down on your stomach with your arms resting alongside your body. On an inhale, gently lift your head, chest, and lower legs up off the ground. Be careful with your neck and look straight ahead to avoid straining. Press your stomach into the floor to help you lift your body and breathe deeply. Stay for three breaths then release to the floor. Rest for a minute and then repeat two more times.

5. Marichyasana – Great Sage Pose

wists are great nourishing and detoxifying poses that help aid digestion by massaging the abdominal organs and encouraging fresh blood to flow to your digestive tract. Whenever you come into a twist, make sure you can still take deep full breaths in the pose and that you dont feel too constricted. ‘
Sit down with your legs extended out in front of you. Bend your right knee and cross it over the straight left leg. Raise your right arm and place it behind your body, pushing your palm into the floor. Then raise your left arm and cross it across your torso to connect the left elbow with your outer right thigh. You can also just use your left arm to hug your right knee if that feels more comfortable. Twist around to your right side and look over your right shoulder. Breathe deeply here and hold the pose for at least 10 slow breaths. Undo the twist and come back to center before switching sides.

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

While this is an additional optional pose, it is always helpful to complete any yoga sequence with Savasana (and who needs an excuse to come into Savasana?!) You may not know that Savasana has its own unique benefits. This deeply relaxing pose enables the body to drop out of a place of stress and into the parasympathetic nervous system- which is highly beneficial for digestion. When the body is in a state of stress, anxiety, or ‘fight or flight,’ digestion actually gets placed on hold. Slowing down, breathing deeply, and relaxing the body will increase oxygenation to the digestive organs and create the ideal environment for digestion, cleansing, and healing.
Lay down on your back and allow your extended legs to simply drop to the ground while your extended arms come to rest beside the body. Open your palms upwards towards the sky and feel your whole body settle into the ground. Allow your feet to gently fall out to the side and draw your shoulders away from your ears. You may like to cover your eyes here too. Let your breathing become neutral and simply allow your body to relax. Stay here for at least three to five minutes, or longer if you like! To come out of the pose, gently roll to your right side and stay here for a moment, resting your head on the mat or your arm. Then slowly push yourself up to a seated position. Come to stand slowly when you are ready.

If you would like to experience a deeper yoga journey and find additional ways to de-stress and rejuvenate completely, join us on our signature ‘Refresh’ women’s retreat at Escape Haven in beautiful Bali.