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The influence of stress in acid reflux. Relaxation tips and experiences.

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Posted 5/9/2014 8:36 PM (GMT 0)

 Hello everybody,

 

I  have found this message board an excellent way to have support and to obtain great information and tips in how to combat this acid war.

 

I also have found that stress exacerbates the symptoms for many of us, so I decided to open a post of how to relax techniques and our own experiences.  I am not saying that relaxing will heal everybody, but it will defintively help us in our healing.

 

The more we feel the ugly "symptoms", the more we worry and get stressed out, the more we stressed out, the worse they get! nono No more!!

 

ANYONE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS? Please share , maye our experisnces could  help others. Thank you

 

I have found something very interesting about our nerve system:

 

http://drlwilson.com/Articles/NERVOUS%20SYSTEM.htm

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ItFuDgYKw

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J968Wco1u0s

 

 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201302/the-neurobiology-grace-under-pressure

 

Question: What is the relaxation response, and how can it help ease stress?

Answer:The relaxation response is a way of activating a part of the nervous system called the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the opposite of the sympathetic nervous system, which is that "fight-or-flight" response. When that's activated, we're ready to fight or flee. When we're more relaxed, the opposite, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated.

Now, in the Western life, we're constantly overactivating the sympathetic nervous system. It's kind of like being on the starting line of a race and you're all pumped up ready for the gun to go off, but the gun never goes off and that process continues. And that can have a negative influence on our health because our immune system actually works better when we're more relaxed.

So, a simple way to stimulate that relaxation response is just to do some slow, deep breathing. That's, by far, one of the best ways because when you do a deep, abdominal belly breath that stimulates the vagus nerve, and the vagus nerve is one of the main stimulators of this relaxation response. Our body does it naturally when we take a deep sigh. It's trying to tell us something. Now, if we can take 10 or 20 deep sighs a day with intention to help relax the body, that's a great way to stimulate the relaxation response.

 

I hope this info helps.

I am also learning how to relax. I will keep on posting interesting sites in how to relax.

I wish everybody a very R E L A X E D and  P E A C E F U L  DAY ! yeah

 

Made with love. smilewinkgrin

 

I am not promoting any of this web sites, they are only for information.    

 

Post Edited (pazshalom) : 5/11/2014 11:16:06 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/10/2014 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is widely recommended as a healthy way to manage stress, and for good reason. It provides many health-enhancing benefits, like reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety, relieving physical complaints like headaches, and even enhancing immunity to illness. (Read this article for more information on the health benefits of meditation.)
Basics of Meditation:
Meditation can be practiced in many different ways. While there are numerous different meditation techniques, a common thread runs through virtually all meditative techniques:
•Quiet Mind: With meditation, your thinking mind becomes quiet. You stop focusing on the stressors of your day or your life’s problems, as well as solving these problems. You just let that voice in your head be quiet, which is easier said than done. For example, start thinking about nothing now. (It’s OK; I’ll wait.) If you’re not practiced at quieting your mind, it probably didn’t take long before thoughts crept in.

•Being In The Now: Rather than focusing on the past or the future, virtually all meditative pracgtices involve focusing on right now. This involves experiencing each moment and letting it go, experiencing the next. This, too, takes practice, as many of us live most of our lives thinking toward the future or relishing and rehashing the past.

•Altered State of Consciousness: With time, maintaining a quiet mind and focus on the present can lead to an altered level of consciousness that isn’t a sleeping state but isn’t quite your average wakeful state, either. Meditation increases brain activity in an area of the brain associated with happiness and positive thoughts and emotions, and some evidence shows that regular practice brings prolonged positive changes in these areas.

I hope this helps.
Posted 5/11/2014 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for interesting information! By the way deep belly breathing improves the function of LES some researchers say. So it helps in to way: by relaxing and by improving LES.
Posted 5/11/2014 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Alexandra for your great input! it is great to know that this kind of breathing will help us in two wonderful ways:
RELAXING AND IMPROVING LES! WOW!

I read also that this kind of breathing will help the Hiatal Hernia to get in place. I have to do more research about this, though.

I think that if we all share our knowledge and experiences, about relaxation, we can all help each other.

Here is more info about diagphragm breathing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaphragmatic_breathing

To perform this exercise while sitting in a chair:

1. Sit comfortably, with your knees bent and your shoulders, head and neck relaxed.

2. Place one hand on your upper chest and the other just below your rib cage.This will allow you to feel your diaphragm move as you breathe.

Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out against your hand. The hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.

3. Tighten your stomach muscles, letting them fall inward as you exhale through pursed lips (see "Pursed Lip Breathing Technique"). The hand on your upper chest must remain as still as possible.

Note: You may notice an increased effort will be needed to use the diaphragm correctly. At first, you'll probably get tired while doing this exercise. But keep at it, because with continued practice, diaphragmatic breathing will become easy and automatic.

How often should I practice this exercise?
At first, practice this exercise 5-10 minutes about 3-4 times per day. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend doing this exercise, and perhaps even increase the effort of the exercise by placing a book on your abdomen.


I hope this helps. I am also in the battle to learn and remember to relax and breath deep and belly breathing.

This is the how you do a breath test: Take a big deep breath. What part moved more? your chest or your stomach? With this simple test you will know.

I did the test and I was breathing with my chest only. This is swallow breathing. This is all new to me, but I can see that when I do it,(Deep breaths, be in the here moment and be thankful for what I have, etc.) I see some difference in my reflux symptoms. Not there yet, but togetehr encouraging each other we will get better and better.

All of you are in my prayers.
Posted 5/11/2014 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
More good info here:

http://www.cmhc.utexas.edu/stressrecess/animations/diaphramatic_breathing/diaphragmatic_breathing.html

Hope it helps.

Post Edited (pazshalom) : 5/12/2014 5:32:26 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/12/2014 7:53 AM (GMT 0)
I have found relaxation to be very beneficial both for physical and mental health. I do everything from meditation to slow deep breathing even when I'm at work on the computer.

The thing that initially got me into it was Progressive Muscle Relaxation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDZI-4udE_o

After doing 30 minutes of this you should notice a profound sense of relaxation.

I then got into Autogenics, which is similar but involves feelings of heaviness and warmth in different parts of the body. It can also be done without tapes which I like.

Another thing I like and so does my gf is to rest with a fan on. The sound for some reason is very relaxing.

That article about the vagus nerve is fascinating, in that it is responsible for sending neurotransmitters for a fight or flight response. I think, and have read, that reflux can aggrevate the vagus nerve so maybe that is why so many experience anxiety when they are having reflux issues. Deep breathing is definitely a great way to counteract this.

Post Edited (Andy1986) : 5/12/2014 2:02:51 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/12/2014 9:36 AM (GMT 0)
A few articles about breath excercises and LES function.

1. Austrian study.
19 participants with non-erosive GERD or healed esophagitis without large hernia and/or previous surgery were included.
They practiced breathing excercises for 30 minutes daily. The participants showed improvement in LES function in 4 weeks and lower dose of PPis in 9 months.
Here it said that " best bet is to find one designed for professional singers, as that is the type used in the study".

2. Brazilian Study - Diaphragm muscles show osteopathic training potential
It is not only breathing but in the same field i guess...
38 participants.
"This positive influence on the LES suggests that inspiratory muscles, including the diaphragm, could be trained in the same way that gait muscles are, thereby strengthening them and improving their performance, the team explains."
Increasing in LES pressure was obtained.

3. Another one from Brazil
“Respiratory physiotherapy can increase lower esophageal sphincter pressure in GERD patients”
29 participants.
In the study they use some trainer like POWERbreathe or smth. But in the end they conclude:
IMT (Inspiratory muscle training) increased LES pressure in patients with GERD, in both the treatment and sham groups, after an eight-week program. Although there was no statistically significant difference between groups, suggesting the pressure increase in LES occurs regardless of the resistance load of the threshold IMT.

4. Brazil again- Inspiratory muscle training improves antireflux barrier in GERD patients., 2013 - the freshest one.
Inspiratory muscle training = 19 participants
decreased heartburn and regurgitation scores. In conclusion, IMT improved EGJ pressure, reduced GER proximal progression, and reduced GERD symptoms. Some GERD patients have a CD failure, and IMT may prove beneficial as a GERD add-on treatment.
====================

After finding all that, i 've started the abdominal breathing for 30 minutes daily. I practice it for about 6 weeks already but i can;t say that i notice any difference.
But i still hope. At least maybe it can help with my anxiety.

It would be wonderful to find out what exact excercises they used in these studies...the correct technic can be improtant.

I hope this helps!
Hugs to all!

Post Edited (Pompadur) : 5/12/2014 4:03:14 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/12/2014 11:20 AM (GMT 0)
The simple breathing exercise is explained here.
Posted 5/12/2014 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Andy and Alexandra for such a great info. I will study them soon!

Today's tip:

TAKE FIVE... Take 5 deep big breaths before every meal. (What I have starting doing is taking big big sighs between bites) . I forget to do this, I have to make it a habit, because It makes me feel better. I hope this helps! RELAX, LET GO, LET GOD.

I wish everybody a very R E L A X E D and P E A C E F U L DAY ! yeah

I hope all are having a good good day. Hugs.

Posted 5/12/2014 11:31 PM (GMT 0)

Andy1986 said...
I have found relaxation to be very beneficial both for physical and mental health. I do everything from meditation to slow deep breathing even when I'm at work on the computer.

The thing that initially got me into it was Progressive Muscle Relaxation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDZI-4udE_o

After doing 30 minutes of this you should notice a profound sense of relaxation.

I then got into Autogenics, which is similar but involves feelings of heaviness and warmth in different parts of the body. It can also be done without tapes which I like.

Another thing I like and so does my gf is to rest with a fan on. The sound for some reason is very relaxing.

That article about the vagus nerve is fascinating, in that it is responsible for sending neurotransmitters for a fight or flight response. I think, and have read, that reflux can aggrevate the vagus nerve so maybe that is why so many experience anxiety when they are having reflux issues. Deep breathing is definitely a great way to counteract this.

 

Hello everyone!

Here is Andy's link. I am going to make time to do it. It sound very good.

RELAXXXXXXXXXX AND BE HAPPY, ENJOY THIS MOMENT, IT WILL NEVER BE BACK AGAIN. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDZI-4udE_o

Posted 5/13/2014 12:06 AM (GMT 0)
INSPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING

This is what Alexandra posted here and I find it very interesting. Some of you are athletes and this also will help us who like to exercise. I will do more research and post it.
pazshalom

Inspiratory muscle training improves antireflux barrier in GERD patients
In conclusion, IMT improved EGJ pressure, reduced GER proximal progression, and reduced GERD symptoms. Some GERD patients have a CD failure, and IMT may prove beneficial as a GERD add-on treatment.

Why train the respiratory muscles

The respiratory muscles need to be trained because during exercise the body’s demand for oxygen increases and our breathing volume or ventilation must also rise to cope with the oxygen increase. For this to work numerous muscles surrounding the lungs need to contract in an exceedingly coordinated manner. As the intensity of the exercise increases, these respiratory muscles must contract more forcefully and more rapidly to keep pace with the body’s substantial increase in metabolism. This important role of the inspiratory muscle training has huge benefits for respiratory muscles, fitness and sports training as well as to help improve running performance. - See more at: http://www.powerbreathe.com/blog/what-is-inspiratory-muscle-training-imt#sthash.V7hWwBTd.dpuf

Here are some good respiratory exercises. ENJOY!

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Inspiratory+muscle+technique&FORM=VIRE3#view=detail&mid=48581B3116A9AC9D8F4848581B3116A9AC9D8F48

I need to do these daily!
Posted 5/13/2014 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
I found this. What I like about it is that we can go to that relaxing place when we need peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v-sBPki0Ys

I hope it helps!

Have a RELAXED AND PEACEFUL DAY! yeah

Posted 5/17/2014 9:54 AM (GMT 0)
How is everybody doing in controlling the stress??

If the breathing exercises are helping you or you have a tip of how to relax to heal, please share it with us.

Have a RELAXED AND PEACEFUL DAY!
Posted 5/17/2014 10:32 AM (GMT 0)
Here is a small article I found about stress:

Emotional Injury

Emotional injury refers to cellular damage that is caused by chronic emotional stress. As a direct cause of disease and dysfunction, this category is not given the attention that it deserves because it's difficult to come up with standardized treatments that can address every person's personal sources of anxiety and fear.

My view is that our emotional health status is the single most important determinant of our overall health, since it's the foundation from which all of our daily choices are made. Plus, our emotional health status affects the tone at which our autonomic nervous system hums day and night. And over many years, the tone of our autonomic nervous system is a huge determinant of our overall health status.


I found interesting that this doctor mentions that the stress affects us day and night.
Personally, I find myself tightening my abdomen muscles all the time, my shoulders tight and my neck muscles sore and stiff all the time. I am trying to control all this by checking my muscles more often around the day, and trying to relax them much as I can. and I am also trying to remember to do deep breathing all day long, not just for a short time once a day. Also I am trying to remember to take deep breaths between bites al meal time. It is helping me to feel more calmed. Maybe the ParaSympathetic nerve is taking over my Sympathetic one. I hope! Many years of living in Fight or Flee mode!
Before, I DID NOT REALIZED HOW TENSE MY MUSCLES WERE ALL THE TIME! I am learning now to be aware of that and try to relax. It is funny that I am just realizing this at my age... but I heard that IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START!


I hope this helps. Please share with us your own tips. Thank you.

Made with Love,

Paz
Posted 5/17/2014 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
Here is the link to this doctor that I mentiones above:


  http://drbenkim.com/overcome-chronic-fear-anxiety.html

It is very interesting.

Good day!
  

Posted 5/17/2014 11:19 AM (GMT 0)
Good morning and thank you for link Paz!
It is funny that my muscles are also tightened all the time! I noticed these a few years ago when it was hard for me to endure a simple massage (i had a course of massage as treating depression). The massagist told that my muscles were too tensed and it was hard to "knead" them.

It gives me the idea that all problems with GERD or other organs mulfunctioning can be related to this strange muscle straining. I think it points that something isn't properly regulated in the body. Contractions are interrupted not only in big groups of muscles that we can feel directly but also in tiny internal muscles that we can't even feel until we have medical manifestation of it like lazy gallbladder, slow stomack emptying or esophagus peristalsis slowing.
Posted 5/17/2014 12:32 PM (GMT 0)
Doctor Ben Kim recommends the book "Guided Imagery for Self-Healing: An Essential Resource for Anyone Seeking Wellness" by Martin L. Rossman

I've just bought it. I think that it can be very helpful in our stomach-brain connection desease...
Posted 5/17/2014 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Alexandra for your very important input!

I will check that book.

I agree with all you said. Learning to be real relaxed is going to be good for our healing and well being of our whole body.

Keep posting your experiences,

Shalom, peace y paz to all of us.

Have a peaceful,relaxed and beautiful day enjoying every moment of your life.






turn
Posted 5/18/2014 9:40 AM (GMT 0)
I found my progressive muscle relaxation tape. This got me started on relaxation

investingsidekick.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Deep-Muscle-Relaxation.mp3
Posted 5/18/2014 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Andy. This will help us a lot.

I will try to do it as soon as I can.

All are in my prayers.

HAVE A PEACEFUL AND RELAXED DAY!
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