| How to Debloat Using Yoga Posted: 29 May 2017 05:00 PM PDT Whether you're simply bloated and gassy after a large meal or have a chronic condition that causes it, bloating can be uncomfortable or even embarrassing. While medications can help ease the symptoms, it also is possible to debloat using yoga. Yoga breathing and poses can help relax your nervous system, alleviate gas, and stimulate your abdominal organs to help improve your digestion and make bloating less uncomfortable and less likely to happen in the future.[1] EditRelaxing Your Nervous System - Calm your nerves with a seated forward bend. The seated forward bend is a relatively simple stretch that provides whole-body relaxation. If your digestive troubles are related to stress or tension, this pose may help you debloat with yoga.[2]
- Start from a seated position on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. You may want to place a blanket or towel under your hips to help keep you in alignment or to cushion your sitting bones.
- On an exhale, raise your arms over your head and slowly hinge forward from your hips, keeping your back straight and flat. Lower yourself as far as you comfortably can to your legs. Ultimately, you may get to the point where you can recline fully with the top of your head resting against your legs and your forearms and palms against the floor.
- Hold the fold for 5 to 10 deep breaths, then slowly raise your torso to a seated position on an inhale.
- Transition between cat and cow. The cat-cow flow stretches and relaxes your spine as well as stretching out your torso. This relaxing exercise is done as a vinyasa flow, with a breath for each movement.[3]
- Start this pose on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips and your ankles in line with your shoulders. Roll your shoulders back, allowing your shoulder blades to melt back alongside your spine.
- As you inhale, arch your back, drawing your navel towards the floor and opening your chest. This is the "cow" position.
- When you exhale, reverse the movement starting with your tail bone. Drop your tail bone towards the floor and your navel toward your spine, curving your back upward and lowering your head slightly. This is the "cat" position.
- Repeat this flow for 10 to 15 breath cycles, feeling the stretch in your spine.
- Rest in child's pose. Child's pose is the ultimate resting position in yoga, and will give you full body relaxation to calm your nervous system and help ease digestive troubles. You may want a block or pillow for your head.[4]
- Start by sitting on your knees, legs wide apart and big toes touching. On an exhale, reach forward and fold over your thighs, resting your forehead on the floor and reaching out ahead of you. Keep your hips lowered against your heels.
- If you're coming from all fours, slowly lower your hips back to your heels on an exhale, reaching forward with your hands as you lower.
- Hold this position for at least five deep breaths. If it feels good, you can hold this gentle pose as long as you want.
- If you have abdominal cramps, you can ease them by adding a twist to child's pose. Simply walk your hands to the left, hold for 10 to 15 breath cycles, then slowly move back to center and repeat on the other side.[5]
- Use downward facing dog to warm yourself up. Downward facing dog engages your whole body to get your circulation flowing, while the inversion can help relax your nervous system and encourage improved digestion.[6]
- If you're moving from child's pose, rise up to all fours with your legs about hip-width apart and your wrists in line with your shoulders. Your knees should be directly in line with your hips, so you make a tabletop shape.
- Tuck your toes under your heels, and on an exhale lift your hips up to the ceiling. Straighten your legs as much as possible, pressing your heels towards the floor. Make sure your neck is not crunched. You can gaze through your legs or toward your navel.
- Stay in downward facing dog for four or five breath cycles, thinking about lifting with each exhale and pressing down with every inhale.
- Release spinal tension with a standing forward bend. A standing forward bend helps further warm up your belly while relieving tension all the way down your spine. This also may help stimulate digestion and ease bloating.[7]
- Start this position from a standing position, big toes together and heels slightly apart. You also can have your feet about hip-width apart if you find that is easier for you.
- On an exhale, fold forward from your hips, engaging a core and maintaining a flat back as long as possible before you fold into yourself.
- Ideally, you will end with your palms flat on the ground, fingertips in line with your toes. If you aren't that flexible yet, just fold as far as you comfortably can and rest your palms on a block, or on your shins or knees.
- Hold this fold for 10 breath cycles, then on an inhale slowly rise and return to stand.
- Practice breathing deeply. Deep breathing has a relaxing effect on your whole body and also can help stimulate digestive processes to relieve cramps, gas, and bloating. It's most effective to take some time to get in touch with your breath both before and after you practice yoga.[8]
- Come to a comfortable seated position with your back straight, heart over pelvis, shoulder blades melting down along your spine. Relax your face and neck and close your eyes or soften your gaze.
- Begin by inhaling deeply through your nose, lifting your chest and expanding your belly to take in as much air as possible.
- Pause after your inhale, then exhale slowly through your mouth, making a whispered "ha" sound in the back of your throat. With practice, you'll be able to make this relaxing sound while exhaling through your nose.
- Try to clear your mind and focus on your breath. Let your awareness of the sounds around you slowly fade. Stay here for at least five minutes.
EditAlleviating Gas - Try the 'Apanasana' pose. The word "Apanasana" means "wind-relieving" in Sanskrit, so this may become your go-to pose to debloat using yoga, particularly if you're feeling gassy. You may want to make sure you have some privacy before you attempt this pose.[9]
- Lie on your back with your legs extended. Slowly draw your knees up and into your chest. You can hold your knees with your hands and rock from side to side to give your lower back and spine a good massage.
- Lower and extend your left leg, keeping your right knee against your chest. Flex through your left foot, pressing the top of your left thigh towards the ground. Breathe deeply for 10 to 15 breath cycles, then switch legs.
- You also can hold this pose with both knees against your chest at the same time.
- Do a supine twist. Twists increase circulation to your abdomen, stimulating digestion and encouraging the release of gas to ease bloating. This twist can be done directly from Apanasana, or you can create a flow between the two poses.[10]
- On your back with your right knee against your chest as in Apanasana, roll your hips to twist your right knee to the left. You can put your left hand on top of your right knee to deepen the stretch, but don't force it.
- Extend your right arm out to your side from your shoulder and hold the twist for 10 breath cycles. Slowly return to center and repeat on the other side.
- You also can do this twist while seated, by crossing one leg over the other and twisting your torso in the other direction.[11]
- Use the eagle twist to help your stomach relax. The eagle twist can increase the side-to-side flexibility in your spine, as well as loosening up your stomach and other abdominal organs to ease cramps as well as bloating.[12]
- Start by lying on your back with your knees up, feet flat on the floor. Cross your left leg over your right, wrapping your left toes around the back of your right ankle to twist your legs together.
- Your arms should be extended out to the sides from your shoulder, with your palms facing up and your elbows at 90-degree angles, so your hands are on either side of your head.
- On an exhale, lower both knees to the left slowly. Try to rest them on the floor, but take care to keep your shoulders pressed to the floor. Turn your head to the right.
- Hold the twist for at least 10 breath cycles. With every exhale, try to deepen the twist a little more. Feel the stretch in your spine.
- When you're ready, engage your core to lift your knees back to center, then repeat in the opposite direction.
- Rest in "burrito" pose. While this clearly isn't a Sanskrit word or traditional yoga pose, the burrito pose is a gentle, calming pose that can help ease gas, cramps, and bloating. It also gives you a chance to relax your whole body.[13]
- Roll a blanket or towel into a burrito shape and place it on the floor. Lay down over the roll, with the blanket under your navel. Make sure the roll isn't so thick that it presses into your ribs or your hip bones.
- Lower yourself flat on the floor, placing a block or pillow under your head for support if necessary. Breathe deeply for 10 to 15 breath cycles or even longer, releasing all tension and feeling your body sink into the floor.
EditStimulating Abdominal Organs - Stretch your belly with the seated heart opener. If you've had a large meal and are feeling bloated or overly full, the seated heart opener can help ease stomach cramps and give you more room for the food to digest.[14]
- Sit on your heels or on the edge of a chair. Lean back, placing your palms behind you with your fingertips pointed away from you. Press into the ground or seat of the chair with all four corners of your palms, arching your back and lifting your chest.
- Hold this position for five breath cycles, then slowly return to center and place your hands on your thighs. If you want to deepen the stretch and open your chest further, drop your head back behind you, arching your neck.
- Use the bridge pose to aid blood flow. The bridge pose increases blood flow to your abdomen and strengthens your abdominal muscles to ease cramps and aid in digestion. You can make a vinyasa of this pose or you can simply hold it for five breaths, then release.[15]
- Start by lying on your back with your arms down your sides and your shoulder blades tucked under and into your back. Your feet should be flat on the floor near your fingertips, knees bent.
- On an inhale, lift your hips up toward the sky, your chest toward your chin. Make sure your neck is soft and not crunched. On an exhale, slowly lower your hips to the floor.
- You also can alternate hips to better stimulate and massage your digestive system.
- Twist and bend with open triangle pose. The twisting and bending detoxifies and stimulates your intestinal tract to help alleviate bloating. If you're not as flexible, you may need to use a yoga block or other prop to maintain proper alignment in this pose.[16]
- Come to a stand and walk or jump your feet wide apart. Turn your right toes out to the right and straighten your right leg. Your left leg should remain facing forward. You may even want to turn your left foot inward so you're a little pigeon-toed, for some extra stability.
- On an exhale, slowly lower your right arm towards the floor, taking care to keep your back neutral and in line with your pelvis, rather than folding forward. You can rest your right hand on the floor, or on a block or your shin.
- Lift your left arm up towards the ceiling, forming a straight line from the tips of your right fingers to the tips of your left fingers. Stay in this position for five breath cycles, lifting with every inhale and deepening the twist with every exhale. Keep your neck long and soft.
- On an inhale, slowly lift back to center and repeat on the other side.
- Engage your abdominal muscles with bow pose. The bow pose will stretch your torso as well as strengthening your abdominal muscles to massage your intestinal organs and help you debloat. Do not do this pose if you cannot breathe through it.[17]
- Start this pose lying on your belly. Bend your knees and reach back to grab each of your ankles. Point or flex your feet and lift off the floor as high as you can, shifting your weight forward. The arch point should be your navel, not your pelvis. Curve your back and open your chest.
- Hold this pose for five smooth, deep breaths if you can. If your breath is shaky or you find yourself holding your breath, allow yourself to recline back to your belly.
- Create a flow with down dog, up dog, and bow pose. These three poses combined together with a breath for each movement will really get the blood flowing to your abdomen and massage your abdominal organs to get your digestion moving.[18]
- Start on all fours with your knees hip-width apart and your hands directly below your shoulders. On an exhale, lift your hips toward the ceiling and press up into downward facing dog.
- As you inhale, lower back down to all fours and pull forward, lifting and opening your chest for a full breath.
- As you exhale, bend your knees and lift your chest, reaching backward to grab your ankles. Press your shoulder blades down your back along your spine, keeping your shoulders back and flat, your neck long and smooth.
- Lower yourself slowly to the floor as you inhale and return to all fours. Exhale and lift into downward facing dog to repeat the flow. Try to repeat it four or five times.
- As with any exercise regimen, consult your health care provider before starting a yoga practice to ease bloating, particularly if your bloating is caused by a chronic health condition.
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Cope with a Bedridden Parent Posted: 29 May 2017 09:00 AM PDT When a parent becomes bedridden, it can hit you hard. Whether you're providing care or just finding someone to help with it, it can take an emotional toll on you. If you're providing care, you need to know the basics, but you'll also need to know when to ask for help from outside sources, such as friends, family members, and professional organizations. Whether you're just supervising or doing the caring yourself, you also need to make sure that you stay healthy, both physically and emotionally. EditProviding Care and Preventing Problems - Help with basic hygiene. A bedridden person may or may not be able to keep with their own hygiene tasks. If they can't, you or another caregiver will need to help them. Even if they can, you might need to provide them with reminders and the tools to take care of their hygiene. Bathing, dental care, nail care, hair care, and changing clothes are all tasks your parent may need help with. [1]
- For bathing, you may be able to help your parent into a shower chair (using a wheelchair), where they can mostly bathe themselves with some supervision. On the other hand, they may need a sponge bath.
- If your parent is completely bedridden, you'll need to bring items to them. For instance, you can bring a toothbrush, a cup with clean water, and a spitting cup over to the bed. Let the person brush their teeth or ask them to open their mouth so you can brush their teeth.
- Make sure you are helping them trim their nails regularly. They will likely need help with their toenails, even if they don't need help with their fingernails. You'll also need to help the person shave. An electric razor works best for this process, particularly if you've never shaved anyone else.
- Watch for bed sores. Being bedridden comes with certain health risks that you need to help watch out for if you're providing care for your parent. For instance, bed sores are a common problem. They generally appear where the person's body touches the mattress, such as the bottom of the feet, the shoulders, the buttocks, and the back of the head.[2]
- To combat pressure sores, try to change your parent's position every 2 hours, and encourage them to move their body in the bed as much as possible. You can also find special mattresses and cushions that can help relieve pressure points.
- Pay attention to the sheets. They should be cotton or silk, and you should smooth them out before putting your parent on them, as wrinkled sheets can increase the chance of bed sores.
- Make sure your parent's skin is moisturized regularly. Also, avoid using scented soaps and talcum powder, as those can dry out the skin. Dry skin makes your parent more susceptible to bed sores. It can also help to make sure your parent is drinking at least 2 liters of fluid a day.
- On people with darker skin, you may see blue or purple patches, while the patches will be red or white on lighter-skinned people. Cracks, wrinkles, swelling, shiny areas, blisters, and dry areas are also indicators of bed sores. Talk to a nurse if you start noticing these signs.
- Look for signs of chest problems. When laying in bed regularly, liquids can build up in the lungs, leading to congestion and even pneumonia. The best way to combat this problem is to make sure your parent is rotated to a new position regularly, preferably every 2 hours.[3]
- Provide emotional support. The emotional side of a illness can be just as destructive as the physical side. When your parent becomes bedridden, they can't do the things they used to or visit with the people they enjoyed seeing regularly.[4]
- Encourage people to come over and visit with your parent, so they have regular interaction.
- Also, try to encourage your parent to still participate in activities they enjoy as much as possible. For instance, if your parent enjoys making art, get them a small set of art supplies they can use in bed with a table.
- It's also important to provide a safe place where your parent can talk about what's going on. They need a sounding board as much as you do. You can be this person some of the time, but make sure that your parent feels comfortable talking with other people as well. If you are their only source of support, then this can put a lot of pressure on you when you already have so much going on.
EditGetting Help - Ask about a social worker. Often, a person who is bedridden will qualify for having a social worker assist with their needs. A social worker can benefit you, too, as they can help you find the care you need for your parent, as well as other resources.[5]
- Most hospitals have social services on site, though you can also visit a Medicare/Medicaid office in your local community, or visit the offices of an insurance company that that your parent goes through.
- Request help from friends and family. When your parent is sick, you may feel like you're alone in the situation. However, more often than not, friends and family would like to help you, but they don't know how. Take the time to meet with friends and family members one at time to ask for help.[6]
- It is important to be assertive when asking for help from friends and family. Try saying, "I'm creating a weekly schedule for Mom's care. Please let me know which two days you would like this week."
- Offer a specific task if they don't seem to know how to help.
- If you have children, then you might also consider asking a friend or family member to watch them for you one evening per week while you care for your parent. Be sure to let your children know why you need someone to watch them during these times.
- Let the professionals help. If your parent has become bedridden, it's likely you'll need some help from professional caregivers. If you're caring for the person at home, you can get help from people who come to the house. If the person will need long-term care, you may need to consider placing them in a facility that can provide care. If your parent has a terminal illness, hospice care may provide some relief.[7]
- Both in-home care and care facilities can be expensive. Insurance and medicare may cover some in-home care (which sometimes includes in-home care at senior facilities).
- Have a talk with your parent about getting some help. They may not like the idea much, as some people are reluctant to have outside help. If you need help persuading them, try asking someone who's been in a similar situation to help. It might also be hard for your parent to hear this from you. You might consider asking someone who has a different relationship with your parent to talk with them instead, such as a close friend, a cousin, or a spiritual leader.
- You can hire whatever level of care you need. For instance, some non-medical care can help with basics like bathroom assistance and meals. However, if your parent needs medical care, you will need to hire nurses or nursing aids to help, though that kind of care is generally prescribed by a doctor.
EditTaking Care of Yourself - Acknowledge your emotions. When your parent is bedridden, you likely will have a surplus of emotions, which is perfectly normal. You may find you feel anger or resentment. You might feel guilty that you can't spend more time with them or that they're bedridden and you're not. You also may feel anxiety about the situation. Grief is also common, as you've lost who your parent was.[8]
- Let yourself feel those emotions. Acknowledge them, and give yourself permission to feel them. Also, make sure you find someone to talk to. Anyone with a sympathetic ear will do.[9] Writing down your feelings is also a good way to get them out and understand them better. Try keeping a journal as well.
- You can also talk with others who are facing the same issue. You can join a local support group or find one online. In fact, if your parent is on hospice, many hospice organizations have grief support groups available for people in your situation. Just knowing you're not alone can help.
- Professional counseling can also be beneficial. If your parent is bedridden, particularly if they have a terminal illness, it can be difficult to come to terms with that, especially if you have a complicated relationship with your parent. A professional can help you work through those feelings and come to terms with what's happening.[10]
- Ask questions. When it comes to a parent's failing health, you may find that having specific answers can somehow make the diagnosis more manageable. When you have questions about your parent's health, ask the doctors and nurses. If you don't understand their answer, ask them to explain it in layperson's terms. You deserve to know what's going on (with your parent's consent, of course).[11]
- Taking notes or having another person there to help you remember everything during conversations with doctors and nurses can also be helpful. Emotions may be high, which might make it hard for you to remember everything.
- Take care of your spiritual needs. Take time to do things you normally do for your spiritual self, such as praying or meditating. These activities can have a calming effect in a stressful situation. Of course, not everyone considers themselves a spiritual person, and that may be the case with you. Nonetheless, it can still help to take a few minutes each day to just be or sit in silence.[12]
- Enjoy what you can. When you're taking care of a parent, it can be difficult to find time for yourself to do things you enjoy. However, it's very important to take time each day to relax if you can. It can be something seemingly insignificant, like drawing a little picture or watching the birds outside. Whatever it is, take some time each day to do something you enjoy.[13]
- Similarly, it's important to maintain the relationships in your life. Try to get away to spend time with people you care about, so you can just be you for a while.[14] At the very least, set aside some time each day to return calls, respond to text messages, or check in with your other loved ones.
- Also, take time to escape. That is, sometimes, escaping into the fantasy world of a book, movie, or television show can give you the mental break you need. You can even enjoy these with your parent. Listening to your favorite music can also help you take a break.[15] Be sure to schedule this time in. Don't wait until you feel like you need a break.
- Determine your limitations. When you're providing care, you need to make sure you know what your limits are. Determine how much time you can actually give, as well as how much physical care you can give. Be firm with those limits, and get help as needed.[16]
- For example, it is important to maintain your relationship with your spouse/partner and children (if you have them). This might mean that certain times of the day will be set aside for spending time with your family, such as dinner time.
- Maintain your health. When you're caring for someone, it can be easy to neglect your physical health, but it's important to make that a priority, too. Make sure you're eating enough and that you're eating healthy meals with lean protein, whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Try to get some exercise in when you can, as it will lower your stress level and keep you healthy.[17]
- In addition, make getting enough sleep a priority. Even if you can get enough sleep all at at once, try to work in 7 to 9 hours a day to make sure you'll be able to function.
- Finally, make sure you are keeping up your regular doctor's appointments and dental care, so that you stay healthy.[18]
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Change Who Can See Your Status on WhatsApp Posted: 29 May 2017 01:00 AM PDT This wikiHow teaches you how to change your privacy settings to limit who can view your Status updates on WhatsApp. Edit10 Second Summary 1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Go to WhatsApp Settings.
3. Tap Account.
4. Tap Privacy.
5. Tap Status.
6. Select your Status audience.
7. Confirm your selection.
- Open WhatsApp Messenger. The WhatsApp icon looks like a green box with a white speech balloon and a telephone in it. WhatsApp will open up to your Chats page unless you were using it before.
- If WhatsApp opens up to a conversation or another page, tap the back button in the upper-left corner until you see the navigation bar. You will see the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen on an iPhone, or at the top of your screen on Android.
- Go to your WhatsApp settings.
- If you're using an iPhone or iPad, tap the Settings button in the lower-right corner of your screen. It looks like a gear icon.
- If you're using Android, tap the ⁝ button in the upper-right corner of your screen. This is your Menu button. You can open your settings by selecting Settings from this menu.
- Tap . This option will be next to a small key icon, and it will open your account settings.
- Tap .
- Tap . This option will show you your current settings for Status privacy on your Privacy menu. Tapping on it will give you the option to change your settings.
- Select your Status audience from the menu. WhatsApp will give you the option to change your Status privacy settings to My contacts, My contacts except..., or Only share with...
- Select My contacts if you want all of your contacts to be able to view your Status updates.
- Tap My contacts except... if you want to block some of your contacts from viewing your Status updates. Tapping on this option will bring up a list of your WhatsApp contacts, and let you select the ones that you want to hide your status updates from.
- Tap Only share with... if you want to hand-pick and select who you're going to share your Status updates with. Tapping on this option will bring up a list of your contacts, and you will select the ones that you want to share your Status updates with.
- Confirm your selection. This will save your settings.
- To confirm on an iPhone or iPad, tap Done in the upper-right corner of your screen.
- To confirm on Android, tap the checkmark in the lower-right corner of your screen.
- If you select My contacts, your settings will be saved automatically. You won't see a checkmark button.
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