What is a Hiatus hernia? This is a condition not well understood by many.
Some of us may even be suffering from it but yet are not aware of it.
We attribute symptoms of heartburn to our food habits when the actual culprit is the hernia.
Hiatus hernia is an anatomical abnormality in which part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm up into the esophagus due to weakened muscles. This causes regurgitation of food contents into the esophagus and leads to irritation of the lining of the esophagus.
The most common manifestation is heartburn which is misleading. Once diagnosed one has to live with it, but there are ways of alleviating the symptoms. However, one has to adopt a holistic approach to dealing with it.
The following dietary and lifestyle changes can help provide ease:
Meals should be smaller in quantity and frequency. Avoid lying down for at least 2 hours after any meal. Food should be cooked with minimal oil and spices.
Activities like lifting weights that would strain the abdominal muscles should be avoided.
There are some herbal products that help in strengthening the muscles. This combined with yoga is an ideal natural care for such a condition.
If anyone of you has suffered from a hiatus hernia, do share your experiences and treatments for the benefit of others who are still coping with it.
