A regular yoga practice can alleviate digestive disorder symptoms such as acid reflux. Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux. According to Mukunda Stiles, author of "Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy," bouts of indigestion, acid reflux and burning sensations after you eat mean that you have "too much digestive fire." To extinguish the fire, you need yoga poses such as inversions and supported backbends, that cool your system.
Supported Bridge Pose
Step 1
Lie on your back. Place the soles of your feet on the ground and bend your knees. Make your legs hip distance apart. Feel your upper and lower back fully connected to the yoga mat. Breathe for three to five times.
Step 2
Grab your yoga block. Lift your hips and slide the block directly underneath your sacrum (base of the spine). Release your hips onto the block. Bring your arms alongside your thighs with your palms facing up. Keep your upper back, shoulders and feet pressed into the ground. The yoga block height varies so experiment with the lowest and highest levels to test which is most comfortable.
Step 3
Hold this supported backbend for 40 seconds. Remove the block from under you and lower your hips back to the ground. Supported backbends lift your diaphragm to free weight off your stomach, which is the best remedy for digestive disorders, according to Stiles.
Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose
Step 1
Face a wall with your toes toward the wall. Come onto your back and straighten your legs up the wall. Bring your butt as close to the wall as possible. Release your upper back and neck into the ground fully. Your body resembles an "L" shape.
Step 2
"T" your arms out and bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle. Face your palms toward the ceiling and rest your forearms on the ground. Widen your legs to hip distance, flex your feet and imagine standing on the ceiling. Close your eyes and stay in Legs-Up-The-Wall pose for five minutes.
Step 3
Feel your legs release tension after a few minutes of resting in the pose. According to Stiles, inversions such as Legs-Up-The-Wall pose allow the abdominal organs to have a "break and increase blood flow to the area," which aids in digestive problems.
Tips and Warnings
- Use yoga breathing, and breathe through your nose for every inhale and exhale.
Things You'll Need
- A wall
- Yoga block
References
- "Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy"; Mukunda Stiles; 2008
- Mayo Clinic: Heartburn
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