A set of exercises to improve digestion

Gastritis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane, most often caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori. The condition is accompanied by heartburn, increased gas formation, and pain symptoms.

Poor nutrition and prolonged stress contribute to the progression of the disease.

Gastritis is treated with diet, folk and pharmacological remedies. Physical therapy exercises speed up the healing process. Let's figure out what exercises should be done by sick people with gastrointestinal problems.

Principles of Exercise

The main task in the treatment of gastritis is to regulate the secretory activity of the stomach. Help in this is provided not only by diet and medications, but also by physical exercise .

Exercise therapy classes included in the general therapeutic scheme will allow:

stop the inflammation process,
speed up recovery,
relieve pain syndrome,
normalize metabolism,
stabilize the patient’s psycho-emotional background,
improve appetite and digestion.

Gymnastics is not performed if the patient has attacks of vomiting, frequent loose stools, or a feeling of nausea.

Brief conclusion

Yoga for the stomach and intestines is especially useful, as it is calm, without sudden movements and is aimed at developing proper breathing.

For gastrointestinal diseases, physical therapy promotes recovery and strengthens the immune system. In addition to massage and improving blood circulation to internal organs, the exercise develops the ability to concentrate and focus. Regular performance of a set of exercises stabilizes the nervous system, normalizes the functioning of the vestibular apparatus and trains flexibility. The main thing is to conduct the lesson with a positive attitude to get maximum effect.

Gastritis and functional dyspepsia (gastrointestinal disorders) are among the most common diseases among residents of large cities. After all, everything that harms the gastric mucosa is present in the life of a metropolis. This includes stress, and eternal time pressure, and snacks dry and on the run, and also coffee with a cigarette, and most importantly, physical inactivity. Of course, not only the digestive organs, but the entire body suffers from the lack of physical activity. But today we will talk specifically about the gastric mucosa.

Daily exercise therapy complex for chronic gastritis

Expert opinion

Irina Vasilievna

Practicing gastroenterologist

A small exercise consisting of only 10 exercise therapy exercises is suitable for patients with any type of gastritis.

You need to do it at least once a day, but it’s better every time before or after meals. The break between food and exercise should be at least an hour.

The first movements are made from a standing position:

Spread your arms to the sides, keep them straight. Smoothly turn your body to the left, then to the right.
Put your leg back at the same time as you raise your arms up. As you exhale, return to the starting position.
Fix your hands on your waist and bend to the sides slowly. Go to the mat and sit with your legs extended:
Pull your knee towards your stomach, wrapping your arms around it. Then smoothly straighten your knee joint.
Lying on your back, lift your legs alternately to a right angle.
Perform push-ups with straight legs. If this is too difficult, do the exercise from your knees.
Move the bike for at least 30 seconds.
From the knee-elbow position, straighten the opposite leg and arm alternately.

To stretch your abdominal muscles , perform the following movement: lying on your side, move your leg back, while simultaneously extending your arm parallel to the floor and arching your back.

On our website: Exercising with gastritis - is it possible?

With increased acidity

Specially designed movements, performed at a slow pace, monotonously and with small amplitude, can reduce acid secretion. Exercise improves blood circulation, which promotes better healing of mucosal inflammation. Exercises are performed immediately before eating or immediately after eating.

During exercise, it is necessary to monitor your pulse. Its frequency should not exceed 120 beats in 60 seconds.

If gastritis is accompanied by high or low acidity, abdominal exercises are included in the complex.
They are performed in such a way as not to increase intra-abdominal pressure, which will provoke the release of acid. During periods of exacerbation of the disease, such exercises should be completely avoided.

Classes begin from a standing position:

The arms are lowered freely along the body. Perform head turns from side to side, slow bends until the chest touches. You should not tilt your head back too much; the chin should only be raised slightly
From the same position, spread your arms, rotating your hands forward and then back.
First raise your hands clenched into a fist to your shoulders, and then straighten your arms one by one above your head.
Stretch your arms forward and relax your forearms slightly. As you inhale, spread your arms out to the sides, and as you exhale, return your arms to the starting position.
Move your hands to your waist, slowly move your left and right legs to the side alternately.
The hands are clasped at the back of the head and repeat the abduction of the legs, accompanying the movement by bending back.

Any of these exercises is repeated 10 times. This light workout can be done at work or at home.

Exercises that involve the lower abdominal muscles are performed lying down , resting on the entire surface of the back. The shoulder blades and lower back should be pressed to the floor.

From the starting position, slowly bend your leg at the knee without lifting your foot off the floor. Also smoothly straighten your knee joint. Do a similar movement for the other leg. Repeat 10 times.
Do the same movement, but now bending both legs at the knees. Do the exercise 7 times.
Keep your legs bent and rotate your hips first to the left, touching the floor, and then to the right. Repeat these twists up to 10 times.
Complicate the previous exercise by simultaneously lowering your legs and moving your raised arm to the opposite side. Do not bend your body too much. There should be no discomfort when performing the movement.
Pull your bent leg towards you, grab your knee with the opposite hand and reach your forehead towards it. At the same time, pull your thigh toward your stomach, lifting your forearms. Repeat 6 times for each leg.

The number of repetitions is increased, focusing on well-being and physical fitness.

At low

Exercises performed at an average and moderate pace .
The pulse is kept within 140-150 beats. The complex is performed before or after meals. The interval should be one and a half to two hours. Acid secretion is stimulated by outdoor games, but running at a fast pace is best avoided. It will be more beneficial to walk at a slow pace, which helps improve intestinal motility.

Deep breathing exercises stimulate blood flow to the walls of the stomach. By increasing pressure in the peritoneum, they promote acid production.

Expert opinion

Irina Vasilievna

Practicing gastroenterologist

In the acute phase of the disease, exercises performed on the side or stomach , as well as from a standing position, should be excluded. They should be introduced only after a month, gradually adding movements so that the body does not experience fatigue. During an exacerbation, you should limit yourself to exercises lying on your back, sitting or reclining.

A simple set of movements performed in a standing position is suitable for any situation . A similar warm-up can be done at home or in the workplace.

From the starting position, standing straight, slowly raise your hip forward, clasping your knee with your hands. Repeat 20 times in total. Keep your back straight, chin raised.
Roll smoothly from toes to heels and back. Repeat 10 times.
Sit down on a chair, press your shoulder blades against the back of it. Fix your hands at your waist and make 7 smooth bends in both directions.
From the same sitting position, imitate walking in place, raising your knees. Continue moving for 30 seconds.
From IP, lying on your back, bend your arms, resting on your waist, raise your head and at the same time pull your socks towards you. Having fixed the pose, exhale completely, and returning to the starting position, take a deep breath.
From the same position, raise your straight arm up while bending the opposite leg. With a deep exhalation, return to the IP.
Lean on your forearms, raising your body. Perform scissoring 6-7 times in three approaches.
Perform crunches for the upper press from the IP while lying down, legs bent at the knees. Clasp your hands at the back of your head and slowly raise your shoulders, lifting your upper body off the floor.

You can complete the exercise with the “cat” exercise. From the knee-elbow position, first arch your back upward, pulling your chin to your chest, then smoothly bend at the lower back, throwing your head back.

On our website: Fighting gastritis: 4 simple ways

Physical education for peptic ulcers and erosions

Since these diseases are associated with a more severe condition of the patient, you need to start physical exercise only with the permission of a specialist who will assess the person’s condition and select suitable loads.
Breathing exercises aimed at strengthening the abdominal muscles are best suited for such patients.

We must remember that curing ulcers or gastritis with physical exercise alone is impossible . It is impossible to get rid of the bacterial infection that was the root cause of the inflammatory process without medications.

In addition, the exercise therapy complex must be agreed upon with a specialist.

On our website: Catarrhal gastritis - symptoms and treatment

What is gastric cardia insufficiency, symptoms and treatment

The digestive system is considered one of the most complex structures of the human body, which is multifunctional, therefore, malfunctions often occur in its work leading to the development of various diseases of the digestive system. One of these is gastric cardia insufficiency, which will be easier to understand once you understand the concepts.

What is cardia?

The human body contains a large number of sphincters - these are devices similar to a valve, in this capacity the circular muscle acts, which, when contracted, narrows and closes. The combination of folds of mucous tissue and the vascular system forms the sphincter apparatus.

Gastric cardia or lower esophageal sphincter (LES) - acts as an inlet valve into the stomach from the esophagus. Normally, it maintains a closed position, preventing acidic contents from refluxing into the esophagus. During eating, the cardia opens, allowing the food bolus to pass further.

It is important to note that the pressure in the stomach is higher than in the esophagus. Therefore, the anti-reflux barrier must exert force to resist the natural movement of stomach contents up the digestive tract.

When pathology appears, the cardiac sphincter stops closing, resulting in the backflow of gastric contents into the esophagus, and its walls are not adapted to the acidic environment. Failure to close the valve is insufficiency of the gastric cardia - a functional disease of the digestive tract in which reflux is observed.

The role of the diaphragm in reflux

The diaphragm plays an important role in preventing reflux. She, together with NSP, restrains the pressure so that there is no reflux higher in the gastrointestinal tract.

The antireflux barrier consists of the LES and the crura of the diaphragm. Since the pressure gradient between the stomach and esophagus is quite high, their coordinated action is necessary. The sphincter takes on a constant load, holding back pressure. The diaphragm helps him when he inhales, at this moment the pressure in the chest increases, and the legs of the diaphragm additionally put pressure on the walls of the esophagus, compressing them.

The formation of such a tandem is weakened by the formation of a diaphragmatic hernia. The cardia of the stomach moves upward, so the diaphragm is no longer able to participate in the antireflux barrier.

Causes

Groups of factors can provoke cardiac failure:

Functional

Increased pressure from the stomach on the sphincter, which occurs due to excessive gas formation, fermentation processes in the organ, or overeating.
Stretching of muscle structures is the result of a chronic form of pancreatitis or obesity.
Gradual muscle strain can also occur due to frequent gastritis.
Disruption of the innervation of the lower esophageal sphincter may be associated with damage to the vagus nerve during surgical operations. This nerve is responsible for the tone and relaxation of the cardia.
A sedentary lifestyle contributes to decreased muscle tone.

Organic

These reasons include factors associated with changes in the structure of organ walls due to:

Diaphragmatic hernia. The sphincter moves into the chest and ceases to adequately perform its functions.
Scar formations on the mucous membranes that occur after surgical interventions or injuries.
Burn injuries or careless use of the endoscopic examination method.
Consequences of removing polyps or cauterizing ulcers.

Reflux is often diagnosed late in pregnancy, which is caused by fetal pressure on the peritoneal organs. Do not panic, functional failure of the cardia is temporary and disappears on its own after childbirth.

Symptoms

Cardia insufficiency is characterized by a set of general signs that make it possible to identify pathology:

Heartburn that occurs regardless of food intake or consumption of certain categories of food. It is the main symptom of the disease.
Substernal pain in the area of the stomach.
Belching of air and reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, which are of a recurring nature.
Nausea, ending with a gag reflex with bile impurities.
General malaise, manifested by headaches and dizziness arising from physical activity.
A chronic cough that often develops into asthmatic-type bronchitis.

In the absence of treatment, or its untimely start, the clinical picture will only worsen.

The severity of symptoms depends on the degree of cardia dysfunction:

First. Incomplete compression of the valve is noted when the cardia rosette does not close completely, by one third. The symptoms are not severe. However, you should pay attention to frequent belching of air, which increases with poor chewing of food. Heartburn occurs periodically.
Second. The clinical picture becomes more pronounced. At the same time, the pressure in the abdominal cavity increases, the number of heartburn attacks increases, and a folded neoplasm occurs on the gastric mucosa.
Third. At the last stage, the sphincter completely loses its functions. Extensive inflammation of the esophageal mucosa appears. In a horizontal position, all symptoms intensify, sometimes interfering with restful sleep. Treatment at this stage should be inpatient.

Diagnostics

In the diagnosis of gastrointestinal pathologies, instrumental examination methods, which are highly informative and accurate, play an important role. In order to identify it, the following diagnostic measures can be prescribed:

Fibrogastroscopy. It is assumed that a probe equipped with a video camera is swallowed, through which a picture of the internal state of the organ being examined is displayed on a computer monitor. Through such diagnostics, it becomes possible to identify pathologies of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.
Daily pH measurements. It is carried out to determine the acid level of gastric juice over a daily period. The data obtained during the survey process is recorded in the form of a graph.
Radiography. A contrast agent is used, most often barium. This examination is carried out on an empty stomach in the morning. The essence of the procedure is to drink contrast and then record images in various body positions.
Monometry of the esophagus. Various indicators are taken from special sensors in the esophagus while taking a sip of water. Allows you to determine the contractile function of the esophagus, the coordination of peristalsis with the work of the sphincter. The duration of relaxation, residual pressure, duration and speed of contraction are assessed.

The reverse condition of cardia insufficiency is called achalasia, characterized by narrowing of the esophagus.

Treatment

Non-closure of the cardia of the stomach requires complex treatment, which is selected according to the cause that provoked the disease. A scheme is often used that combines drug and dietary therapy in conjunction with traditional methods.

Drug treatment

Antibacterial drugs that are relevant when identifying Helicobacter, which is the main cause of inflammation.
Antisecretory agents are prescribed in case of increased acidity.
Enveloping drugs provide protection to the gastric walls.
Preparations containing enzymes necessary for better digestion of food.

Medication therapy can be symptomatic in nature when it is necessary to relieve the unpleasant manifestations of sphincter dysfunction. Then the following groups of drugs are prescribed:

Antiemetics.
Painkillers.
Defoamers that suppress bloating and increased gas formation.

Folk remedies

To tone the cardiac sphincter, drinks containing caffeine are completely excluded from the diet. However, herbal infusions from medicinal plants valerian and St. John's wort are an alternative. Traditional medicine therapy is relevant only in the initial stages of the disease, when there are no complications, or during remission.

In the morning on an empty stomach, as well as before each meal, it is recommended to drink a glass of warm water.

In order to achieve a therapeutic effect, it is useful to use the following recommendations:

Plantain juice helps normalize digestion.
Between main meals, it is useful to drink an infusion made from calamus root. To do this, 5 grams of raw materials are poured into a glass of boiling water.
Three times during the day, drink a medicinal infusion for the stomach, which is prepared from peppermint, plantain, St. John's wort, chamomile and yarrow.
Dandelion flowers, which are covered with sugar and ground and then decanted, have a high therapeutic effect. The resulting syrup is diluted with water.
Cumin is an indispensable remedy for restoring and maintaining proper functioning of the stomach. It can be consumed as a decoction or crushed and added to breakfast cereals.

Diet food

Proper and healthy nutrition for gastric sphincter insufficiency is the basis of the entire therapeutic approach. In order to quickly recover and prevent exacerbations of the disease, you should:

Avoid consuming foods that can cause a decrease in tone. These include: chocolate products, carbonated drinks, pepper, tea, coffee, seasoned foods.
Avoid spicy and fatty foods.
Completely eliminate the consumption of alcohol and tobacco products.

Meat protein, on the contrary, helps to increase the tone of the LES and reduce symptoms.

The main condition for the complete absorption of food is its frequent consumption in small portions. A minimum 4-hour interval should be observed between main meals. At the end of the meal, refuse to take a lying position, and preferably sleep with the head end raised.

The benefits of physical therapy

If classes are conducted with a rehabilitation trainer, then the risk of injury due to incorrect exercises is reduced. Doctors recommend a swimming pool, because swimming requires less effort than many other activities. A properly developed training program is beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract and the body as a whole. Physical education leads to the following results:

reduction of inflammatory processes;
pain relief;
accelerating the processes of restoration of the digestive system and rehabilitation periods;
optimization of intestinal functions;
improvement of mental and psychological state, which reduces the risk of constant stress;
improvement of motor and secretory functions of the stomach.