With the holidays coming up, I think we could all use a little bit of a detox!

The trick with detoxing is to always drink a lot of water, especially before and after practicing yoga. This will prepare the body for all the movement, sweat, and twists as well as flush out all the toxins and replenish the body after all the work.

The best poses for detox:

Supine Twists

Laying on the back, hug the right knee into the chest and cross it over the body so that leg is on the left side of the body. Then, look over the right shoulder, twisting the whole spine up through the crown of the head. Then do the other side.

Triangle Pose

It is easy to begin standing with the feet a little more than hip distance apart. Point the right foot towards the front of the mat and extend the arms out straight. Lean forward, over the front leg, and then bend at the waist so it’s easy to reach for the big toe, touch the ground with your finger tips, or press the back of the hand into the calf. Note: never hold onto the knee here. It’s dangerous to put pressure/weight onto the knee joint. Then do the other side.

Revolved Triangle

It’s easy to start in regular Triangle pose. Simple stand back up straight, with the feet still apart and the arms still extended outwards. Starting on the right side, with the right toes pointed at the front of the mat, switch arms so the left arm is in front and the right arm is pointing behind you. Now, bend at the waist, twisting the whole spine, and reach the fingertips down to touch the ground outside of the front foot. For an extra twist, look up at the right fingertips.

When we twist the body, especially the spine, it’s almost like we are wringing out our internal organs. Imagine a wet cloth. When you wring it out, the water is released. When we wring out the body, we are allowing the toxins and unwanted energies to be let go. This also creates more room, making twists great for weight loss, as well as detoxing.

As always, do what feels good for you. Moving your body alone is a good way to detox, for yoga pushes us to give up bad habits because it is forcing us to stick with a good one. Keep your mind clear, your heart open, and your will strong.

Have a great day and a wonderful holiday!

Relephant: 

Good-bye Detox: 15 Foods that Naturally Detox & Cleanse Your Body {Infographic}.

Author: Stacy Porter

Editor: Renée Picard

Image: via the author