Do you experience Heartburn/Acid Reflux symptoms inYoga class?

If you are a sufferer of Gastro-oesophoageal Reflux Disease (GERD), you can help yourself avoid Heart Burn/Acid Reflux irritation in yoga with these few tips
Remember everyone is different so these tips may or may not help you.
It can take up to four hours for food you have eaten to move from the stomach into the next part of the intestine. We recommend everyone avoid eating for 90 mins to two hours before yoga. This is particularly advisable for anyone who suffers with acid reflux.

1. Some yoga poses can aggravate acid reflux - mainly inversions and reclined poses - and even more so if your digestive system is currently processing food. Talk to your yoga teacher about modifications for any pose that upsets you.
   
2. Downward facing dog is an inversion and can aggravate acid reflux for some. Downward facing dog against a wall or placing hands on a chair, avoids the head moving below the level of the stomach, so reducing chance of symptoms.
   
3. In reclined poses, raising the head a little on a yoga block or blanket is helpful as this keeps the head higher than the tummy. This helps avoid stomach acid moving into the oesophagus.
   
4. It is often advised to practice child pose as an alternative to an acid aggravating pose but for some, this also aggravates. If this happens to you try widening the knees and supporting the head on your arms, stacked fists, blocks or even a chair. This can help avoid aggravation. (Due to the compression of the tummy, child’s pose should be avoided too soon after eating.)
   
5. Stress can aggravate an acid reflux problem. Do all you can to manage your stress levels. Yoga of course is great for helping you manage stress. Yoga breathing is particularly helpful in this regard.
   
6. It is recommended that you avoid the common trigger foods like alcohol, caffeine, acidic fruits and vegetables eg citrus, tomatoes, pineapple and spicy foods.
   
7. You may find it helpful to take an antacid medication just before yoga. Choose a type of medication which will provide relief for a few hours after taking..
   
8. Breathing practices like abdominal breathing, the three part yoga breath and any breathing practice where you are encouraged to work your abdominal muscles can help. These practices not only help with the management of stress - regulating the nervous system but they also help increase lower oesophageal sphincter and diaphragmatic tone, which in turn reduces the ability for acid to flow from the stomach to the oesophagus. For some people, acid reflux can occasionally make breathing harder. If you experience this, ease back, be gentle, try a different pose until breathing is more comfortable.
   

Being part of a group class practicing yoga is something special. However, you may decide a home practice, where you can avoid the postures and practices that aggravate your condition would be preferable. If this is you, please talk to a qualified yoga teacher or yoga therapist about creating a well rounded home practice.