Ayurveda and Acid Reflux
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You should be aware of Ayurveda and Acid Reflux treatment. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word, when translated, means “life knowledge.” Ayurveda is an ancient Hindu system of medicine that uses diet, herbal supplements, yoga and mindfulness to help rid the body of disease and stress. Ayurveda has been used as a treatment for acid reflux for hundreds of years.
In order to gain the most benefits of Ayurveda, you must first understand your dominant Dosha, or life force energy. You can take our quick Dosha test here to find out if you are Vata, Pitta or Kapha dominant. In Ayurveda, once the patient’s Dosha profile is identified, a route to harmony and dynamic health may be prescribed by pacifying the Dosha, which is out of sync.
Ayurveda and Acid Reflux: what to know
To understand how Ayurveda can ease acid reflux we must first understand how Ayurveda understands the illness. In biological terms, acid reflux occurs when stomach acid goes up and into the oesophagus. However, according to ancient Ayurveda, acid reflux occurs when there is a Pitta imbalance in the body.
Pitta is the heat energy in cells and is found mainly in the stomach. When the heat is aggravated, it can result in indigestion, digestive issues and acid reflux. Acid reflux is triggered by excessive hot and spicy foods; a hot temper, stress or anger.
Tacking Acid Reflux through Ayurveda
Diet
A pitta pacifying diet is encouraged to reduce acid reflux in patients. This means, avoiding spicy foods and avoiding hot food. Citrus, vinegar and salt should be removed from the diet.
Instead patients are asked to eat cooling foods such as coconut water, sweet stewed fruit or milk. Surprisingly, astringent and bitter tastes also help balance Pitta, try adding pomegranates or aloe vera juice to the diet. It is important to eat breakfast when suffering from acid reflux and to eat regularly throughout the day.
Yoga
Yoga can help acid reflux by promoting circulation in the body. Some poses may also help to massage the digestive organs. Since stress is a known contributing factor to acid reflux, yoga can also help alleviate that, yoga has been proven to create feelings of well being in patients.
A pose such as Cat pose or in Sanskrit, Marjariasana, can work wonders for acid reflux as it gently massages the digestive organs, while the breath work in this pose can help to calm and still the mind.
Ayurvedic Supplements
Peppermint is a great supplement for acid reflux, in Ayurveda, it is believed to have a “cooling” effect on the body and can also help calm associated symptoms such as stomach pain or nausea.
Fennel seeds also known as “saunf” are a great ayurvedic remedy for indigestion. Take a small pinch and chew. They release an aniseed type of flavor, which can also help freshen the breath!
There are a number of different ways in which Ayurveda can tackle acid reflux. Unlike conventional medicine, Ayurveda boils down all ailments into energetic issues and imbalances in the body. Ayurveda aims to tackle the root cause of illness rather than simply treating symptoms.
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