One of the moms from my June 2010 HypnoBirthing class posted about using visualizations to help with heartburn. She had great success! I have used visualization for headaches, heartburn, and insomnia, and it works better than any prescription drug you can take, without any side effects. During my third pregnancy, I visualized my heart beating in slow motion while smoothly, effortlessly pumping blood through my whole body. I was able to completely avoid Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH), which I had experienced in my first two pregnancies! Visualization teaches us how to control those seemingly involuntary muscles and processes within the body. Her post is below:
One of the techniques that is used in HypnoBirthing is visualizing, or picturing something happening in your mind. I can already see the benefits. Heartburn and I have been close the last few months. I can’t take Pepcid (for heartburn) while I’m taking Zofran (for nausea/vomiting) because they react funny with each other, so I’m stuck with Tums. I have a love/hate relationship with those things. I’m grateful for the relief they provide, but they taste disgusting and it’s like chewing a piece of chalk. I hate chalk. (You can even ask the students from the first year I taught. I had a chalkboard, but always used the overhead instead because I can’t handle the feel/sound of chalk.)
The other night as we were getting into bed, I had some terrible heartburn. When I laid down, it because absolutely unbearable, and I had to immediately sit up. Unfortunately, I had already maxed out on Tums for the day. I sat there in bed trying to relax and focus on my breathing, wondering what in the world I should do. My husband started lightly “massaging” my back, (another wonderful technique from HypnoBirthing) and I thought I’d practice some visualizing and see if it helped.
I visualized all of my stomach acid slowly going back down my esophagus and into my stomach with each breath. Then I visualized the little flap at the bottom closing so that the stomach acid would stay when I laid down again.
Guess what. It worked!!! I was relieved and will forever be a believer in the power of visualizing.
Your brain is the control center of your body. When it sends a signal, the “robot-like” body has no choice but to obey. It’s all about learning how to communicate with your muscles, nerves and cells We use positive imagery to tell muscles to relax, your heart to beat slower, or your nerves to quiet down, We teach this invaluable skill in HypnoBirthing classes, and it can be used your whole life to create health for your own body and mind.
