Fasting and Yoga: The Best Exercises

Clear your head, detoxify your body: a week of fasting combined with yoga exercises is ideal. The right workout is available here.

Therapeutic fasting in a clinic at its best, in beautiful surroundings and good air – many can only dream of that. But a short fasting period can also be integrated into everyday life. The focus should not be on starvation, but on looking inward, tracking down the essential needs, regardless of food intake.

And because yoga is about the same principle (fading out external impressions, gaining mental clarity), therapeutic fasting can be wonderfully combined with targeted yoga exercises. Also, movement is what makes therapeutic fasting effective because it strengthens the circulation and gets the metabolism going.

For our therapeutic fasting program, it would be ideal if you had a week of free time and rest and could adjust the daily routine according to your current condition. \What if you need to work? Take breaks and choose a week where there isn’t too much work pressure on you.

The following applies to all yoga exercises: Don’t be too demanding. Depending on your feelings, you can either do all the activities on the first day of fasting. Or you increase slowly and do one more yoga exercise every day. Listen inside for what you feel like.

Important: During the entire fasting period, drink herbal tea and still, preferably boiled water, two to three litres of liquid per day. To avoid nausea, it is best to start with one or two cups of nettle tea in the morning, then drink water and milk thistle tea throughout the day – this helps cleanse the liver.

Balance yourself

This is how it works: Lunge left leg forward into a stable stance. The right leg should be fully extended. Then straighten your upper body and stretch both arms parallel to the front. Fold your hands and extend your index fingers. Raise both arms slowly and hold this position for five deep breaths. Then change sides, but the right leg forward, etc.

That’s the point: This exercise gives you inner support and balance. Suitable for people who would like to have more assertiveness and may also have difficulties with therapeutic fasting at first.

Activate the cycle

This is how it works: Sit on your heels, and stretch your arms forward, push your shoulders towards the floor (“the leaf”). Hold for two breaths. Then go into the bank like a cat, looking ahead. Switch to the four-footed position, pressing your heels on the floor so that the body forms an inverted V (“the dog”). The head hangs loosely. Hold this position for two deep breaths and return to the sheet. Repeat the entire sequence five to eight times.

That’s what it takes: The circulation gets going, and the overhead posture promotes blood circulation in the head. By changing the different positions, the pelvis and lower back, in particular, become more flexible – good for digestion.

Promote blood circulation

This is how it works: Lie on your back, legs bent. Lift your head and upper body, stretch your arms and slowly run your hands down your thighs up to your knees. Hold the position for two breaths, then lower your upper body again. Repeat five to eight times.

That’s the thing: Strengthens the abdominal muscles and improves blood circulation in the abdomen.

Deepen your breathing

This is how it works: Lie on your back, kneel up your legs. Then raise your pelvis so that the weight is on your feet and shoulders. Bring both arms parallel backwards and place them next to your head. Hold for five breaths, then lower your pelvis and relax. Repeat up to eight times.

That brings it: Improves the mobility of the spine, strengthens the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Breathing penetrates deep into the pelvis, activates the abdominal-pelvic space and digestion.

Purify the body

This is how it works: Lie on your back, kneel up your legs. Raise your pelvis and rest the weight on your feet, shoulders, and arms. Then stretch your left leg forward and hold this position for five deep breaths, lowering. Open and stretch your upper body consciously while breathing. Repeat up to eight times, then switch legs.

That’s the thing: you automatically breathe deeper during this exercise. Imagine how your breath flows through your body, down your spine down to your toes – according to yoga philosophy, this has a cleansing and detoxifying effect. It is best to breathe through your mouth.

Relax the abdomen

Here’s how it works: Lying on your back. Pull your knees to your chest and then bring them to the left side of your body towards the floor, applying light pressure to your knees with your left hand. Turn your head to the right, right arm next to your head. Take five deep breaths, switch sides. Repeat up to eight times.

That’s it: The rotation activates the blood circulation, massages the internal organs and has a stimulating and pain-relieving effect on the abdomen. This can help against cramps and abdominal pain.