Author: Randeep Singh / go to all articles on Yoga cure
Yoga for Dyspepsia:
Dyspepsia, also known as an upset stomach due to indigestion, is a set of symptoms of the digestion process within the digestive tract going wrong.
Indigestion is not a disease in itself but just a set ofsymptoms which indicate problem within the tummy. Yoga for dyspepsia helps relieve these symptoms.
Digestion takes place at different locations along the digestive tract, a complex of chemicals or enzymes for breaking down the food makes the process more intricate. Interestingly digestion is depending on myriads of factors: quality of the food , suitability of the food to the digestive tract, state of emotions while eating and digesting, time of eating, role of alcohol and smoking habits, hygiene at the eating place, hygiene at the cooking place, pace of eating, state of mind while eating and while digesting, preference for a certain food item etc.
With so many factors, parameters coming together for making the digestion of the ingested food a success it is very much possible that sometimes some of these factors fall short of their standards as contributors to the digestion process causing indigestion.
Indigestion , dyspepsia may make one feel pain in the middle to upper abdomen or the chest, reflux of the digestive acid mixed food from the stomach back into the esophagus, bloating, burping, or gurgling in the stomach, and heartburn. In case one experiences excessive weight loss, persistent vomiting, fatigue, difficulty in swallowing, and dark colored feces then it is something more than mere indigestion and one must immediately seek help of a trained professional on the same.
Overeating can cause dyspepsia; one must eat the three fourth the size of one’s stomach for proper digestion to happen. Excessive fear, anxiety, or depression are known to disturbs the balance in the Manipura chakra ( navel region) as this chakra is the seat of emotions. The process of digestion is the first victim of an imbalanced Manipuri chakra.
Eating spicy, fatty food, eating too fast, consuming alcoholic or carbonated drinks, tea , coffee and smoking will disturb the digestive process inside in the body. A lot of times dyspepsia is itself a symptom of conditions like peptic ulcers, gall bladder stones, inflammation of the pancreas, or the inflammation of the stomach. Insomnia and taking certain medicines can also cause indigestion.
Effective Cure for Dyspepsia with Yoga
Yoga is a holistic workout, it impacts the mind & body complex to heal the causes of the diseases right where their roots lie. Yoga poses for digestion problem work by helping the practitioner manage day to day stress. As digestion is a very sensitive process , subtle emotions can disparage its effectiveness.
It is believed that the amount of digestive juices released in the digestive tract is directly linked to the state of mind of the person via the nervous system. If one loves the food one is eating and is in a happy state of mind, desire to eat, then adequate amounts of digestive juices are released for digestive the ingested food. This considering the fact that lack of presence of the right proportion of the digestive enzymes in the gut can leave a part of the food undigested or the entire food incompletely digested.
Yoga asanas which are good for the digestive tract help eliminate dyspepsia. Yoga for acidity works by helping the practitioner reduce excess body weight. Excess weight around the abdominal region keeps the organs of the abdominal region pushed upwards which may affect the proper working of the closing of the esophagus on to the stomach causing acidity or acid reflux.
The abdominal exercises which are an important part of yoga for digestion stretch the intestines which tones their muscles along with increasing the flow of blood to the blood vessels surrounding the gut for absorbing the contents of the digested food. Fresh blood means more absorption of the nutrients (vitamins and nutrition from plant foods) into the blood will take place.
Pranayama for dyspepsia involve breathing techniques with prolonged suspension of the breath after a long exhalation. The abdomen is sucked in and kept that way throughout the duration of suspension. This applies positive pressure over the abdominal region enervating the digestive tract and its functions to their full potential.
Rules and consideration of a Yogic diet if followed properly can prevent and even cure dyspepsia. Yoga promotes Sattvic diet which is easy on the digestive system along with being nutritive. The digestive systems follows nature’s cycles , e.g. circadian cycle, for its operations , their certain times when it is active and certain times of the day when it is at rest.
Eating according to the natural working cycle of the digestive system can help prevent indigestion. Eating too late or too frequently can disrupt the digestion process.
Yoga poses for Indigestion and gas
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