Some of the main causes of acidity – The most common causes of acidity or heartburn are foods that are acidic or high in fat, improper lifestyle, wrong food combinations, erratic meal timings, and some foods that the body has a hard time accepting and hence rejects by flaring up the acidity.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Don’t eat spicy, acidic, or fatty foods. Avoid too much alcohol or lots of caffeinated or carbonated drinks. Limit chocolate, garlic, onions, and peppermint.
- Do sleep on your left side to avoid putting extra pressure on the stomach. Also, keep your head elevated 4 to 6 inches if you suffer from night-time acid reflux.
- Don’t snack right before bedtime. Stop eating and drinking 3 hours before you lie down.
- Do try to get more fiber in your diet. In addition to improving your overall health, there is some evidence that getting more fiber may reduce acidity symptoms
- Don’t smoke. Nicotine relaxes the esophageal sphincter and increases acid production.
- Do watch your weight. Being even slightly overweight puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, causing reflux. Losing just a few pounds can help.
- Yoga asanas to perform that keep acidity at bay –
1. Urdhva Hastasana / Side bending pose
It’s a lateral standing posture, allowing the lower back and sides of the body to extend.
Steps – Stand with feet, hip apart, and grounded. Inhale and raise the right hand touching the right ear in line with the head and slowly start bending towards the left, lean the head back and hold for 5 full stomach breaths with a last exhale and come back to the center and repeat on the left
2. Balasana
Posture done with knees on the ground, pressure on the stomach from the thigh muscles allowing the stomach muscles to release and restore.
Steps – Bring the knees to the ground and slightly wider than the hips, toes pointing backward and release the head to the ground with hands in line with the head next to the ears and release the forehead to the ground and completely relax and take 10 – 15 breaths.
3. Pavanamuktasana
Supine Posture done lying down on the ground – is similar to the previous posture but this time done on the spine, pressure on the stomach from the thigh muscles allowing the stomach muscles to release and restore,
Steps – Lie down on your back, bend the knees to the chest and slowly breathe, pressing the knees into the stomach and inhale bringing the head to touch the knees and exhale to release.
4. Marjari / Cat and Cow –
The rounding and arching of the spine will allow space, oxygen and blood flow to all organs.
Steps – Come on your knees on all fours on the ground parallel to the hips, hands on the ground, palms below the shoulder. Inhale, arch your spine and look up , exhale rounding the back and look down towards the navel. Repeat 8 – 12 times
5. Shavasana / Corpse Pose
Allowing the body to rest allows the activation of the
parasympathetic nervous system, which will begin the rest and digest process.
Steps – Move to lie down posture on your back, place a pillow below the knees and allow the body to relax. Let go of all efforts and observe the breath moving out. Now become aware of this sensation around the abdomen naturally for 50 counts.
By Yashaswini R
Cover Photo by cottonbro
