Yoga Poses for Stomach Ulcers: Care and Prevention

Although often perceived as simply an exercise regimen to increase flexibility, yoga poses for stomach ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders has proven to yield a high rate of success. Practitioners who carry their understanding of yoga beyond the obvious physical benefits understand that the discipline has a number of more subtle, "hidden" effects on the overall system including:

  • massage of the internal organs
  • improved glandular function
  • decreased acid production
  • mental control and calm
Since no bodily system is more intimately tied to the individual's emotional state than digestion, it should not be surprising that yoga for ulcers is a viable treatment and maintenance option.

Curing Ulcers with Yoga

To get a permanent cure from ulcers you will need to following Yoga on a daily basis and in addition bring major changes to your diet. Yoga techniques will be helpless if you continue eating a bad diet. At the end of this article you will find diet recommendations for ulcer patients. Now let us look at the Yoga techniques that will be benefitial to cure you condition:

Pranayama: Pranayam technique in yoga refers to a set of breathing exercises. These exercises can be extremely benefitial if your ulcer is in beginning stage. When you do Pranayama, ensure that you do not strain yourself. Do these exercises very slowly and with a positive mindframe. Just think that the ulcer is getting cured as you do the exercise. The Pranayama techniques which you are perform include the following:
  • Bhastrika Pranayama
  • Kapalabhati Pranayama
  • Anuloma & Viloma Pranayama
  • Agnisar Kriya
  • Nadi Sodhana
  • Bahya Pranayama
  • Bhramari Pranayama
For instructions on how to perform these techniques please refer this article.

Yoga Asanas for Ulcer: The following Yoga Asanas can prove extremely benefitial for people suffering from ulcer problems:

Important Diet Recommendations for Ulcer Patients

  • Start your day with a glass of luke warm water followed by Pranayama and other Asanas as mentioned. Do Pranayama and the Asanas slowly without exerting pressure and hurting yourself

  • Eat a fruit only breakfast. Include apples, papayas, guava (do not chew the seeds) bananas and black grapes along with other fruits. Eat the fruits raw without mixing them with other food products or making a recipe out of them. Avoid juicing the fruits

  • Eat a light lunch and dinner. Include plenty of raw vegetables like cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, fresh sprouted green beans etc. in form of a salad. You can also consider using whole sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and olive oil in the salad.

  • Leave the stomach empty between meals. If you feel too hungry, snack healthy by eating raw vegetables, sprouted green beans or sun-dried dry fruits like dates and nuts (in moderation)

  • Eat at the same time everyday. Similarly go to bed at the same time every night; early if possible

  • Always drink water at room temperature and not cold water from the fridge

  • Completely stop taking alcohol, tea, coffee, spicy/fried/oily food, curd, yogrut, processed/homogenised/pasturised milk and milk products, sweets and ood products containing refined sugar, processed food products including processed fruit juices, aerated/fizzy/cold drinks including soda, coconut water and sour or spicy/salty food products

  • Reduce or if possible stop the intake of starch rich food products like rice, wheat and bread. These foods are difficult to digest and can increase acidity in the stomach. If you cannot do away with these food products, make it a point never to mix these with meat. In other words, do not eat meat along with rice/wheat/bread in the same meal.

  • You can eat fresh/organic meat in moderation provided the meat is not fried or over-cooked

  • While you eat, eat slowly and chew the food throughly before swallowing. The food should be throughly broken down and mixed with saliva before it is ingested

  • Do not drink water immediately before or after a meal. Give a span of 1 hour before after a meal before drinking water

  • Eat fruits only in empty stomach and not after a meal. Your stomach should be empty at-least for 2 hours after a meal before you consume fruits

  • Do not take any kind of pain killers as this will only worsen the condition