Detox Your Summer Away With These 5 Yoga Poses

Any detoxifying yoga sequence is going to include a fair amount of twisting, as this movement compresses and massages your internal organs, kind of like wringing out a rag. A supine or seated twist is a gentle way to ready your body for the deeper twists that some postures will facilitate. Hold for five deep breaths on each side.

Now that your spine is warmed up a bit, taking your twist into Warrior 1 will allow you to get your heart rate up a bit, especially if you challenge yourself to hold a deep lunge while you twist. An increased heart rate creates therapeutic heat within the body, which in turn increases your metabolism, one of the chief hiding places for toxins in the body. Hold for five deep breaths on each side, repeating two to three times.

Get into Cow Face pose by sitting cross-legged on your yoga mat, gently pulling your ankles until your knees are stacked on top of each other. This creates a tourniquet effect in the lower body that, when released, promotes a surge of fresh blood flow through the veins and arteries, creating a flushing effect in the body. Hold for five deep breaths on each side, shaking out the legs in between each rep.

Set up for Bow Pose by lying on your belly, bending the knees to bring feet close to your glutes. Lifting the head and shoulders, reach arms back to grab feet with your hands, kicking into your grip until your belly is your primary point of contact with the ground. As you take five deep breaths, allow the movement of your breath to create a slight rocking motion, which in turn causes the ground to massage your internal organs and promote lymphatic drainage. Repeat two to three times, taking a brief Child's Pose in between each rep.

If your Summer partying turned your life upside down, a Bound Headstand is the pose that will get you right again. Use a wall as your spotter and fold your mat in half for a little extra cushion for your noggin. Inverted poses like headstand, in which the feet are above the head, alter the flow of cerebral spinal fluid and allow blood to drain from the lower body, allowing fresh blood to cycle throughout the tissues and organs. Hold for five deep breaths or longer.

Pair your detoxifying yoga sequence with lots of water and a solid night of sleep. Pro tip: shut down all your screens 45 minutes prior to going to bed to help you catch those zzz's as efficiently as possible.