Yoga for Dentists

3 Poses for Digestion

It’s that time of year! I don’t know about you but Thanksgiving is my favorite meal so I eat plenty of it. Sometimes, if I don’t pace myself, I need yoga to save the day by helping me digest. So here are 3 simple yoga poses that aid in that process.

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose gently helps stimulate proper digestion, making it an effective yoga pose for Thanksgiving.

Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you, bend your right knee and bring the sole of the foot to the mat on the outside of your left thigh. Bend your left knee and tuck the foot in by your right glute.
Inhale and elongate the spine. Exhale and twist toward the inside of your right thigh. Press your right hand on the floor behind you and bring your left elbow to the outside of the right knee.
Take your gaze over your right shoulder as you twist from the belly.
Each time you inhale, left through the sternum. Twist a a little more with each exhalation.

Half Gas Release Pose (I’m not kidding…) is a yoga pose that helps move the bowels because it compresses the ascending colon on the right side and descending colon on the left, stimulating the nerves to aid elimination.

Hug your right knee in toward the right side of your ribcage.
Press your left leg straight into the mat. Clasp your hands around your right shin and pull it toward your chest.
Hold for up to 2 minutes then repeat with the left leg.

This Single-Leg Reclined Twist can leave you feeling refreshed at the end of a yoga class. It can also help if you’re suffering from constipation.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet comfortably on the floor.

2. Bend the left knee and slowly straighten the right leg toward the short edge of your mat.

3. Roll onto your right side, bringing your left knee with you as you turn. Your left knee may drop to the floor; if it doesn’t, you can place a blanket or bolster beneath it for support.

4. Make the effort to keep your left shoulder on the mat for a deeper twist.

Then inhale deeply, exhale, and relax your breath and the pose.

Don’t forget to do the other side!

Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours!

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Forearm Plank

This pose is a full-body practice that tones your core, arms, and legs. Energetically, this shape offers grounding, strengthening, and an opportunity for deep focus. It’s the perfect way to prepare the body for a full day of practicing dentistry. After all, it’s our core that holds us in the shapes we need to take in order to perform our work.

How to Do a Forearm Plank

Assume a push-up position but bend your arms at your elbows so your weight rests on your forearms. Press your palms into the mat to strengthen your wrists.
Tighten your abs, clench your glutes and keep your body straight (as best as you can with your dental hump) from head to heels.
Elongate your spine out through the crown of your head. Keep your neck towards straight.
Hold for 3-5 breaths and repeat (or if you’re feeling adventurous, hold for 30-60 seconds.)

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Seated Cat-Cow Variation Focusing on Gentle Spinal Flexing

This pose is great for loosening up a stiff upper and lower back after a long day of dentistry. Use a blanket under the shins if your knees or ankles are sensitive.

Start in Thunderbolt Pose – heels or toes close together with the buttocks resting on top of them. Straighten the spine by aligning your head over your heart and your heart over your hips pressing the chest forwards slightly and lifting the rib cage. Relax the shoulders away from the ears and slightly tuck the chin in.

Hands on thighs or knees, inhale as you press your chest forward slightly, drawing your shoulder blades together, arching your mid and lower back.

Clasping your knees with both hands, exhale and round the back, slump the chest and let the shoulders fall forwards.

Lift your buttocks off the ground as high as possible as you press the hips and t Slowly straighten the upper back, keep the lower back rounded for a breath or two.

Then return to pic 1 and repeat.

Continue in a rhythmic forwards and backwards manner, flexing and straightening with your breath.

Feel your pelvis rock forwards and back as you arch and straighten each vertebra of your spine.

Continue for 1-2 minutes.

Then inhale deeply, hold, exhale, and relax your breath and the pose.

Do this nightly to help spine mobility.

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Camel Pose Variation: for Tight thighs and Chest opening

A traditional camel pose can be pretty intense, especially if you’re not used to stretching the front body. Here is a simpler variation that will help stretch the front of the hips, the thigh muscles, and chest while strengthening the muscles in the back.

This variation can be done at the end of a long day of clinical dentistry to help “undo” what dentistry did to the body all day.

Sit on your heels.

Lean back onto your hands, keeping the chest lifted. Point your fingers either towards or away from your body.

Lift your buttocks off the ground as high as possible as you press the hips and thighs forwards.

Stay for 5-7 breaths.

Let me know if you try this.

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Episode 29: Assessment: The Key to Patient Acceptance & Less Stress

Brandi Hooker Evans, RDH and I discuss how to have less stress by increasing patient acceptance through the implementation of specific protocols. We also discuss how to apply those principles to our personal lives.

To connect with Brandi Hooker Evans, RDH visit her website: https://brandihookerevans.com/

Brandi on Instagram at @StellarOutcomes

Want the visual experience? Watch here!

Or, listen on your favorite podcast listening app or right here!

Hang out with like-minded dental professionals on Facebook or Instagram @yogafordentists

Consider subscribing to this website (it’s free) and share it with your dental friends. Helping other dentists live better lives is a great way to give back to the dental community!

Want more? Check out yoga for dentists on these platforms for additional content:

Episode 28: Offer Chaos a Cup of Coffee

How do you handle chaos in a dental office?
Is there a better way?
Listen to this quick episode to find out.

Listen on your favorite podcast listening app or listen here!

For the Visual Experience:

Other Podcast Episodes You Might Like:

As mentioned in this episode:

The book that prompted this episode:

When Things Fall Apart
by Pema Chodron.

Join us!

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Anjali Mudra: Getting Centered as We Enter Post-Covid Life

So much of life in the past year has been about survival and adjustment, not just in our personal lives but in the practice of dentistry. As we prepare to re-enter “normal life”, I thought it would be a good time to talk about Anjali Mudra.

Anjali is a Sanskrit term that means, “to offer” or “to salutate”, and the term Mudra means “seal”.

Anjali Mudra is the practice of joining the hands together by the sternum in “prayer pose”. This gesture is used frequently during the practice of yoga – not only at the opening and closing of yoga classes but also during some yoga poses as a nice reminder to lengthen your spine by dropping your elbows down as you press your sternum into your thumbs.

Anjali mudra is a posture of composure, of returning to your heart, your center, whether you are initiating or completing an action. Bringing your hands together energetically and neurologically connects your brain’s right and left hemispheres – promoting balance.

It’s a moment to come back to your intention.
It’s a reminder to keep an inner attitude of peace.
It’s grounding.
It’s calming.

Anjali Mudra is also used during the beginning or even throughout a meditation. Meditation is an excellent and immensely beneficial wellness practice that reduces stress, promotes calmness, heightens focus, and transcends unhelpful mental patterns.

To get started:

Sit down in a comfortable seated pose (Sukhasana aka easy pose).
Place your hands together in front of your heart, with the thumbs touching the sternum.
Close your eyes.
Breathe in and out deeply through your nose.
Focus your mind and your attention on an intention.
- Slowing down the fluctuations of your mind
- Sending light and love to someone in your life
- Taking a moment to reconnect with yourself (your wants, needs, and feelings)

Anjali Mudra will simply help seal in and complete this moment of purposeful pause.

As we head back to “normal life”, let’s all summon the courage to come back to center and re-enter our heart space, connecting to truth, love, and compassion.

🙏🏻 Namaste 🙏🏻

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Consider subscribing to this website (it’s free) and share it with your dental friends. Helping other dentists live better lives is a great way to give back to the dental community!

Want more? Check out yoga for dentists on these platforms for additional content:

Episode 27: Guided Meditation for Sleep: Visualization of a Sleepy Train Ride

I received a request for guided meditations to help prepare for sleep so here is one to get you started. Make sure you’re ready for bed before listening. Nothing kills a sleepy vibe like having to brush and floss before turning the lights out.

Listen on YouTube, your favorite podcast listening app or listen here!

For more meditations like this one, check out the Guided Meditation for Dentists Playlist on YouTube: http://tiny.cc/MeditationforDentists

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Want more? Check out yoga for dentists on these platforms for additional content:

Child’s Pose Variation: Yoga for Stiff Lower Back

The other night, I must’ve slept funny because I woke up with a stiff lower back. Then I spent hours at my desk which didn’t help. Here’s a simple child’s pose variation that offered me some relief by stretching my lower back. Try this at work, in between patients or at lunch time to give your back a gentle stretch.

Place your feet hip distance apart or wider.

Allow your legs to splay open so your belly can fit in-between your legs.

This likely means angling your feet away from each other.

Place your hands, palms flat, on your desk in front of you.

Slowly start to bend at the hips bringing your torso towards the floor so that your ears are in alignment with your arms.

Allow your lower back to round slightly as you breathe into the tight areas.

Stay for 3-5 breaths.

Then press into your palms as you slowly bring your torso upright, lifting yourself one vertebrae at a time.

Let me know if you try this.

Hang out with like-minded dental professionals on Facebook or Instagram @yogafordentists

Consider subscribing to this website (it’s free) and share it with your dental friends. Helping other dentists live better lives is a great way to give back to the dental community!

Want more? Check out yoga for dentists on these platforms for additional content:

Episode 26: Burnout and Balance with Laura Schwindt, DMD

In this episode, Dr. Laura Schwindt and I talk about how professional burnout looked for each of us physically and mentally. We discuss ways dental professionals can bring more balance into their lives and how to get individualized help.

Connect with Dr. Laura Schwindt: www.lauraschwindt.com
Dr. Schwindt on Instagram at @DrLauraSchwindt
Dr. Schwindt on Facebook at Reclaim Your Balance The Blue Print for Female Dentists

Visit Dr. Schwindt’s website for a complimentary Balance Boss Breathing guide with four simple breathing techniques that will help you quickly recalibrate your calm.

Want the visual experience? Watch here!

Or, listen on your favorite podcast listening app or right here!

Hang out with like-minded dental professionals on Facebook or Instagram @yogafordentists

Consider subscribing to this website (it’s free) and share it with your dental friends. Helping other dentists live better lives is a great way to give back to the dental community!