Deep yoga breathing is an oxygen tonic for the lungs.
A hiatal hernia occurs when your stomach protrudes through a hole in your diaphragm. A large hole will allow stomach acid to get into the esophagus causing heartburn and chest pain. Surgery may be necessary with a very large hole. In his book, "Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health," internationally renowned guru B.K.S. Iyengar illustrates 27 sequenced positions for the treatment of hiatal hernia including mountain pose, extended mountain pose and extended triangle pose. Deep yoga breathing in these three poses will provide strength and flexibility to the muscles involved.
Instructions
1. There are different options for the arms in mountain pose. You can reach behind you and bring opposite hand to elbow.
Stand on your mat with your feet together to begin yoga breathing in mountain pose. Inhale, lengthen your spine and fill your rib cage with air. Exhale and draw your belly button into your spine. Make your breath loud like wind going through a tunnel and visualize the breath warming up your spine. Inhale and look at the sky. Stay in mountain pose 30 to 60 seconds.
2. The breath can be an oxygen tonic.
Inhale your arms up toward the sky for extended mountain pose. Keep your shoulders parallel to each other and extend your wrists, palms and fingers toward the ceiling or sky. Lift your sternum and rib cage. Tighten your bladder control muscle. Hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds, breathing deeply.
3. Extended triangle pose stimulates digestion and reduces stomach acidity.
Exhale and step your left foot three and a half feet to the left for extended triangle pose. Your left heel should point toward the inside center of your right foot. Reach your left arm down to your left shin or the floor, and your right arm up to the sky. Right palm faces forward. Feel the stretch on the right side of your body. Your right hip should be open to the ceiling or sky. Should the right hip point toward the floor, you will need to come higher on your left leg with your left hand. Stay in triangle pose for 30 to 60 seconds before inhaling your torso up so you are in a standing position.
4. Turn the left foot straight and point the right foot to the right so the right heel points to the center of the left foot to repeat extended triangle pose on the right side. The left arm will extend down to the left leg and the right arm extend up to the ceiling or sky. Right palm faces forward. Stay in the pose for 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Find a restorative class with a certified instructor to explore more yoga. You'll want to go slow and easy. Make sure the instructor is aware of your condition and knows what postures you should avoid. Mountain pose, extended mountain pose and pose are basic poses you will find in any yoga class. By attending weekly classes you can practice the deep yoga breath necessary to firm up your diaphragmatic muscles as well as build your stamina, strength and flexibility.
Tags: mountain pose, triangle pose, extended triangle, pose extended, pose seconds