Let Your Inner Yogi Fight Hemorrhoids

Let Your Inner Yogi Fight Hemorrhoids

In Los Angeles, hemorrhoids are more common than you might think. The twisted, swollen blood vessels are common among those with high stress levels who spend the whole day hunched over a desk. Wearing tight clothes, smoking cigarettes, eating a diet of highly processed foods and consuming excessive amounts of caffeine or alcohol can also increase your risk. When all put together, it might not surprise you to hear that there are close to 15 million people in the United States who have pursued treatment for hemorrhoids.

Regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing hemorrhoids, but some activities are better than others when it comes to your colorectal health. Short, intense bursts of activity like those involved in lifting weights can increase your risk of hemorrhoids if done improperly. Yoga, however, can improve blood flow and reduce your risk of hemorrhoids—especially a few of the balancing poses.

Yoga for Hemorrhoids

Yoga can be used to manage stress, calm anxieties, ward off depression, improve flexibility and lose weight, so why not think of yoga as a way to reduce your risk of developing hemorrhoids, too? There are a few yoga poses that are particularly helpful for just this purpose.

Here are two yoga poses that can help prevent hemorrhoids:

  • The Candle Pose: This is a supported shoulder stand regarded as positive for hemorrhoid prevention by “Yoga Journal.” To do this pose you will lie on your back and carefully raise your legs straight up to the sky, lifting your hips off the floor. Put your hands on your lower back to support your weight if necessary as you push your body as far upwards as you can.
  • The Fish Pose: To do this pose you will lie on your back with your hands at your sides as you push your chest off of the floor. Extend your neck as far as you can so that the top of your head reaches the floor. If you are having trouble lifting your chest, attempt this pose with your knees bent.

Trying a new yoga pose can be difficult on your own. Find an experienced yoga instructor in the Los Angeles area for help in learning these poses and others as you improve your health.