3 Tips to Flatulent Free Living: Our Journey Continues on the Path to Restoring Fertility Naturally
by Heather
This is the third article in a series of articles about healthy solutions to restoring fertility naturally. You can view the first article here, and the second is here.
We can all relate to the discomfort and embarrassment of a bloated belly and gassy gut! In my search to find natural fertility solutions, my husband and I were led to a rather flatulent discovery.
After I started learning more about digestion, I found that experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis is definitely not normal. Any time that this happens, it means that our body is in a state of dis-ease; these are all signs of indigestion. Our bodies are trying to tell us something!
Three Fabulous Flatulence-Friendly Exercises
A few reasons why you might experience excessive flatulence can be from eating too fast, eating foods that our bodies have intolerance for (i.e. dairy, gluten, etc), or pairing the wrong foods together.
While we can control what we put in our bodies and try to eliminate foods that give us these symptoms, sometimes we still experience indigestion. When this happens, I try to use some simple yoga postures for relief. They can help to stimulate the digestive system and get things moving!
Try these moves which will help to massage the internal organs and relieve indigestion:
- Lie on your back with both soles of the feet on the floor. Pull the right knee into the chest first and hold for 5-10 deep breaths. Remember to breathe deeply (hold the pose but not the breath). Pulling the right knee into the chest first is beneficial as it works the ascending colon. Switch to the left side which will help massage the descending colon. This massage for the internal organs is sometimes known as wind reliever pose so it may be beneficial to practice on your own!
- Lie on your back and pull both knees in towards the chest. Release your arms to a giant letter T and let both knees fall to the right hand side. If this is too intense for the shoulder, bring the left hand to the left hip. Send your breath into any tight areas of your spine and remember…deep belly breaths. Hold for 5-10 breaths and switch to the other side. Use each exhalation to relax deeper into the pose.
- Lie on your back and pull both knees into the chest. Keep your knees bent and release your feet towards the ceiling (as though you’re walking on the ceiling). Take hold of your feet, your calves, wherever you can hold and rock slightly from side to side. This pose can also help to relieve gas.
Have you used twists or other poses to help with indigestion? Please share any tips or tricks you might have to aid with indigestion! I’d love to hear them!
Improve Digestive Glee with Coconut Oil and Ghee
If you are looking for a better alternative than butter, ghee is your answer! Ghee is clarified butter, which means the milk solubles have been removed. This facilitates easier digestion as there is less fat content and it is a better alternative if you are lactose intolerant. Better still is coconut oil.
After years of digestive issues, there was no doubt that my body had to release toxins and ghee was a great addition to my pantry. According to Ayurveda, ghee aids with digestion, mental clarity and promotes healthy skin. Ghee and coconut oil can both help absorb nutrients and minerals from other food and nourishes all layers of tissue which helps strengthen the immune system.
Certain fats also have anti-microbial properties. Coconut oil is anti-viral, and very beneficial for digestive health. Coconut oil and butter are not only anti-microbial, but they also help heal the lining of the gut; therefore, they are preferred for cooking, baking (if you’re going to cook or bake) or eating raw right off the spoon.
How to Oil Your Body for Better Health and Digestion
In my previous posts, I discussed how I was introduced to Ayurveda and found that my digestive system was struggling. Part of the reason for this was excessive dryness. My body wasn’t lubricated enough to facilitate elimination. A sign of poor digestion is dry, flaky skin. It didn’t seem to matter how much I would put lotion on my legs, they would always be dry and flaky. In order to bring my body into balance and have proper hydration, the Ayurvedic consultant recommended that I start oiling my body every evening. Seeing as how your skin is the largest organ, it makes sense to lubricate from the outside in.
Self oil massage is known as abhyanga in Ayurveda. It is recommended for overall health and well-being. To practice, warm up organic, raw or unrefined oil and start massaging at your sacrum with oil in the palm of your hands. Move towards the hip joints and massage in circular motion. Then work down the left leg then right leg. Work around the navel in a counter clockwise motion (move up right side of body then down left). Next, massage the left side of chest then right and moving from left arm and hand to right arm and hand. Move to your back and get as much as you can reach. Lastly, oil your neck, face and head. I try to keep the oil on for 20 minutes (multi-task and sit quietly in meditation – extra calming benefit!) and then shower without soap to allow a bit of the oil to seep into my skin all night long!
The benefits that I’ve personally experienced include: increased circulation (I used to always have cold hands and feet), improved elimination of toxins, softer & smoother skin (no more dry legs!), stress-relief, and a better, deeper sleep at night.
I make time for this practice about an hour before bed and it’s a great ritual which helps me prepare for a restful sleep. So next time you feel like watching an extra 30 minutes of TV, or doing just a bit more work before going to bed, try giving yourself a warm oil self-massage and get ready to receive the benefits.
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These are just some of the discoveries I’ve made along the path to restoring our health and fertility. If you have stories, suggestions, questions you’d like to share, please leave a comment in the box below. Thanks so much for reading!