The Hindu Business Line : Conquer acidity

The phrase ‘good health’ should never become old-fashioned. This should always be a cool, contemporary state to be in. So get into healing practices immediately. It’s distressing to see our bodies reacting more violently than they did earlier to stress. There’s sadness in that violence, there’s sickness, there’s pain.

For example, acidity is no more a casual “something I ate” disorder. Due to stressful living, acidity could be a serious indication of the cancer of the oesophagus. If acidity persists, the stomach remains bloated, swallowing becomes difficult, and you throw up almost every day; the doctor suggests endoscopy to test the oesophagus and stomach.

The oesophagus, a 25-cm food tube that leads to the stomach, is a finely-muscled dynamic conduit that produces wave-like contractions to push the food into the stomach. In relaxed circumstances, the churned food is allowed to trickle into the duodenum (the first portion of the intestine) by the pyloric valve situated at the end of the oesophagus. According to the valve, potatoes, rice, fruits are friendly foods. It takes much longer to allow meats and leafy greens (like spinach) to go past it. It also shows extreme reluctance to allow fatty stuff such as ghee, butter, cream, fries to get through. That is because fats are not welcomed by the duodenum which defensively produces a hormone that slows the muscular contractions and slows down digestion.

Chilled food (like ice cream) brings the digestion process to a complete halt for half hour. Also, wolfing down food hurriedly confuses the valve’s functioning and causes acid to spurt upward to inflame the delicate membrane-lining of the oesophagus. Mental stress has the same effect, putting an enormous acidic strain on the oesophagus.

Relax!

Please understand that in relaxed mental and physical circumstances, our inner body is a powerhouse, a magnificent self-healer. A scratch that takes a week to heal on our outer skin, heals within a day on our stomach and oesophageal linings. Tainted food kept in a dish would be swarming with multiplying microbes. Inside us, those microbes would be destroyed by our gastric juices in no time.

So, the solution is to constantly create and live in relaxed circumstances. Your thought is your doorway between mind and body. So, do not invite illness through your thoughts. Rise into a higher way of being. Banish resentment, anger, guilt, sadness, greed, dark predictions, accusations, blame, emotional manipulation and deception. If somebody is nasty to you, don’t keep brooding on it revengefully. Chances are that you had said something carelessly earlier and it had hurt the other person.

Think relaxed, be relaxed in a very deep way. If you’ve lent money and it looks like that person has no plans to return it, send him/her prayers of prosperity, goodwill, good wishes. No, you are not being a martyr; you are wisely focusing on healing, relaxing, good thoughts and not giving energy to negative, stressful thoughts with your attention. Mother Teresa was such a positive powerhouse; she refused to attend an anti-war rally saying, “If you have a peace rally, invite me.”

Eat slowly

Similarly, do everything in a relaxed, peaceful manner. Eat slowly, chewing every morsel with gratitude. Drive carefully. Don’t window shop and fill your mind with agitative greed. Meditate, instead. On a ‘bad’ day, don’t get drawn into negativity.

Sit down, eyes closed, breathe diaphragmatically three times. As you inhale, let your stomach extend outward slightly; as you exhale, gently draw your stomach in. Then, get into the 8-8-8 rhythm. Inhale to the count of 8; hold to the count of 8; exhale to the count of 8. Do this exercise until you feel an awesome stillness and calmness descend upon you.

Relaxation Dont’s:

Don’t drive through a traffic-congested road to the other end of town to attend a dinner. Stay home, play carrom with your kids and silently send your hosts good wishes.

Don’t sit and watch sensational ‘breaking news’ on TV. Instead, switch on energising music and dance or exercise.

Don’t reach for your drink or cigarette. Chant a rhythmic mantra and let its healing vibrations resonate through you.

Don’t complain about the one thing that went wrong. List out the five good things that went right for you today.

Don’t crave spicy, pungent foods that give you acidity. Develop a taste for wholesome, healthy, spice-free foods that make you feel you are on a soul-elevating pilgrimage.

Don’t get angry, anxious, emotional, fearful over events. Guide your mind from darkness into light with these beautiful affirmations: “I am healthy, whole, strong, powerful, loving, happy, balanced, harmonious. I am not a human being seeking a spiritual experience; I am a spiritual being seeking a human experience.” And watch the light of wellbeing brighten.

The writer is co-author of the book ‘Fitness for Life’.

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Conquer acidity