Practice These 5 Yoga Poses to Detox Your Liver

Aside from the skin, the liver is the largest organ in the body and plays an imperative role in our health. The liver has many functions, but its main job is to receive what passes through our intestines and keep the ‘bad guys’ (toxins and harmful carcinogens) from getting into our bloodstream.
 

“Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver.” – William James

 
When we have a well-rounded yoga practice that allows us to stretch, twist, expand, and contract, we facilitate the process of waste removal. With these following five yoga poses, wastes from lactic acid to lymphatic fluid, toxins, and carbon dioxide will all be processed and removed from the deep tissues and extremities of the body.
 
 

Get Twisted! Enjoy This Gentle Yoga to Detox Your Liver

Get Twisted is a gentle yoga flow class on YA Classes with a focus on spinal twists, perfect for detoxifying. Throughout your practice, you will explore twisting movements in a range of different poses and gain the benefits of spinal twists which include healthy digestion, detoxification, spinal alignment and overall wellness. Not yet a YA Classes member? Try it out for free for 14 days.
 
 

Detox Your Liver With These 5 Yoga Poses

Twisting yoga poses offer many benefits, including detoxing our bodies. With proper alignment, twist variations can also reduce back pain and improve digestion. Include these twist variations in your yoga routine to detoxify your liver, which in turn will help remove toxins from your entire body.
 

1. Revolved Half Moon: Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana

 
Starting in Triangle Pose, begin to lean forward, placing your hand 6-12 inches above the pinky-toe side of your foot. Option: use a yoga block under your grounded hand for added support. Keep the other hand on your top hip for balance as you lift your back leg hip-level.

Once you are stable in your Half Moon, gaze straight down toward your standing foot and begin to rotate your body until your chest faces your mat. Revolve the hands: hand from the hip now reaches for the floor or yoga block as the other extends skyward bringing you into a Revolved Half Moon. Hold for 5-10 breaths and repeat on the other side.

Added Benefits: Builds strength and stretches the body while promoting focus and mental clarity. Practicing Half Moon improves your balance while massaging the spine and cleansing your digestive organs.
 

2. Seated Spinal Twist: Ardha Matsyendrasana

 
Find a comfortable seated position, sitting with spine tall and core engaged. Inhale as you raise your arms and lengthen your spine. As you exhale, begin to twist your torso towards the right as you gaze over your right shoulder.

Right hand plants behind you like a kickstand, as you bring left hand to right knee, deepening your twist. Stay for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side.
 
Added Benefits: Seated spinal twists are great for stretching your shoulders and opening up your chest as your spine twists from top to bottom, rinsing and rehydrating it. This improves spine health and flexibility, as well as overall digestion.
 
Looking for more yoga tutorials and yoga tips? Check out our full library of Yoga articles here
 

3. Marichi’s Pose: Marichyasana

 
Find a comfortable seated position, with legs straight in front of you in Staff Pose. Lengthen the spine and engage the core. Bend your right knee, and plant the sole of the right foot on the outside of your extended left knee.

As you inhale, lift arms and spine towards the ceiling and as you exhale, start to twist over your right shoulder. Right hand follows your gaze behind your back as your left elbow presses against the outside of your right knee to deepen the twist. Stay for 5 breaths and repeat on both sides.

Added Benefits: With the same spinal and digestive benefits as #2, Marichi’s Pose allows you to go a bit deeper into the twist, massaging your internal organs and promoting their optimal function.
 

4. Revolved Hand-to-Big-Toe: Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana

 
Start by standing tall with hands on your hips in Mountain Pose. Ground down through your feet and raise your right knee to a 90-degree angle. Keeping your hips square to the front, place your left hand on the outside of the right knee as you twist your torso right, bringing your gaze over your right shoulder.

Extend your right arm behind you allowing your gaze to follow. Stay here for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side.

Once you feel more stable in the pose, you can explore straightening your right leg (it’s ok if your knee remains slightly bent). Whether your lifted knee is bent or straightened, be sure to keep your spine tall and abdomen engaged as you twist (no rounding in the upper spine).

Added Benefits: This pose opens up the hips and stretches your gluteus muscles. It detoxifies the body by rinsing the internal organs and twisting the spine while improving strength, flexibility and balance.
 

5. Revolved Side Angle: Parivrtta Parsvakonasana

 
Start in a Crescent Lunge, hips square to the front, front knee aligned directly over front ankle (if the knee overextends, just widen your stance), and back leg straight with back heel lifted off the mat.

Sink low into your Crescent Lunge and bring your hands to prayer position. Keeping spine straight, lean forward towards your front knee and as you exhale, begin to twist over your right shoulder. You can deepen the pose by sinking lower and pressing left elbow against the thigh for a deeper twist.

Added Benefits: This pose is very grounding and strengthening for your legs, knees and ankles. It improves balance and stamina while promoting a digestive cleanse and purification.
 
 

Trust Us, Your Body Will Thank You for Doing Yoga to Detox Your Liver!

It’s always good to incorporate some form of a twist into your yoga practice. Twists detoxify and rehydrate your spinal column while releasing any tension from bad posture or weight-bearing activities both on and off the mat. Twists are important for your spinal health, but also for detoxifying your liver.

We hope you find ways to incorporate these twists into your yoga practice. They’re equally as fun as they are detoxing!

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