MUDRAS
Bowel control with mudras
Abhay Kumar Shah recommends mudras for providing relief to those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Symptoms include abdominal cramps, bloating, constipation, unreasonable weight loss, diarrhoea at night, rectal bleeding, anaemia, unexplained vomiting, and persistent pain in the abdomen which is not relieved by passing gas or a bowel movement. Sometimes it creates difficulty in swallowing too. These symptoms can be chronic. Some people can manage these symptoms with some change in diet and lifestyle, and management of stress, but others need medication.
IBS disrupts your life
IBS drastically reduces the quality of life. The continuous urge to pass stool, fullness in the stomach, and the passing of gas every now and then leads to mood disorders like depression and anxiety. It creates a vicious cycle as depression and anxiety can make IBS worse. People suffering from IBS cannot give their 100 per cent to the work they do.
This disease is more commonly seen in people under 50. Females are more prone to this disease, particularly those who have taken oestrogen therapy before or after menopause. Also, those who are perfectionists, feel dissatisfied, have faced abuse at an early age, or are dominant are seen to be more likely to suffer from IBS.
This disease keeps its grip on the patient for a very long time. I have seen patients who are on treatment for more than 10 years, still waiting for relief.
Muscle contraction in the intestine, severe infection from a viral attack, bacterial overgrowth, abnormality of the nerves in the digestive system, and changes in gut microbes can be the root cause of IBS. Some particular types of food and drink as well as stress can also trigger the condition.
Mudra solution for IBS
I have treated most of my patients by recommending mudras for their mental health. Contraction of the intestinal muscles can also be a result of stress, anxiety, or painful memories. Hence, maintaining a calm and stable mind is essential. The mudras that work on the mind and have a beneficial effect on the nerves, too, are given below.
• Jnana Mudra: Touch the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb. Keep the remaining three fingers comfortably straight. Place the back of your palms on your thighs or knees.
Practise Jnana Mudra for at least 16 minutes, twice or thrice a day.
• Apan Mudra: This mudra regularises the bowel movement, diverts the prana towards the intestine, strengthens the excretion process, and eliminates constipation.
Touch the tips of the middle and the ring fingers to the tip of the thumb. Keep the remaining two fingers comfortably straight. Place the back of your palms on your thighs or knees.
Practise Apan Mudra for 16 to 30 minutes, twice a day.
• Shankh Mudra: This mudra cleanses all the 72,000 nadis starting from the umbilicus. This cleansing corrects the response of our body to food, drinks, allergies, and negative emotions.
Place the thumb of the right hand on the hill below the thumb of the left hand. Wrap all the fingers of the left hand, except the thumb, around the thumb of the right hand. Touch the tip of the left thumb to the tip of the right index finger. Rest the remaining three fingers of the right hand on the back of the left hand. Place your palms in between the thighs or at the navel level.
Practise Shankh Mudra for 16 minutes, twice a day.
For maximum benefit, practise these mudras for at least a year or more. Hopefully, they will help some of us to be asymptomatic and relieved of IBS.