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Ayurveda approach to Indigestion and concept of
Agni
Date 4/4/2007
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Ayurveda approach to Indigestion and concept of
Agni |
The word “Indigestion” is commonly used to
describe the discomfort in one’s belly mostly caused after food
consumption. Fullness, bloating, nausea, heart burn are other
symptoms of Indigestion.
Before discussing Indigestion, understanding the process of
digestion is very essential. The Ayurveda approach of explaining
digestion is very simple and effective. The food we eat is
digested by Agni or body fire which is present in our body. It is
very much similar to the way we cook the food. The Agni or body
fire helps to digest the food which is consumed, much like the
fire of a stove cooks the food kept on it. The Agni is mainly
situated in Jatara or in upper part of digestive system and is
called as Jataragni. The Agni is further categorized as Bhootagni
(which digests the 5 pancha mahabhoota factors present in food),
Dhatwagni (The agni present in tissues which help them to absorb
required nutrients), Malagni ( the agni which helps in formation
of body wastes like stools, sweat and urine) . The Jataragni
controls bhootagni, dhatwagni and malagni. Through this it is
evident that ayurveda approach of digestion explains cellular
metabolism too.
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The factors which help
agni to digest the food completely. :
Thridoshas -Vata , Pitta and Kapha help agni
to digest the food. This can be understood through the
following figure. |
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If the process of digestion is compared to that of
cooking rice, the stomach, like the vessel., receives food. Vata
provides the necessary conditions like the air blower, Pitta acts
like the stove, providing optimum working conditions while Kapha
provides the moisture needed much like the water in the vessel.
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When all these factors are normal and well
balanced, an optimum condition is created to digest the food
completely.
When food is completely digested by all the agnis,
the body tissues will be well nourished and one is blessed with
attractive complexion, glow, longevity, strength, good health,
growth, enthusiasm, vitality and overall healthy development of
body and mind.
The indigestion occurs when agni is imbalanced by the factors ( tridoshas )
which help agni to digest food. The variations of agni due to
tridoshas are of 4 types.
Samagni ( balanced agni ) :The agni which is well balanced due to
balanced tridoshas indicate the condition called Samagni . Samagni
digests the food completely and nourishes the body tissues very
well.
Vishamaagni ( varying agni ):- When vata is predominant this
condition surfaces. The regular food gets digested normally on
some occasions and poorly on others. Vata increasing foods and
lifestyles lead to this condition. This variation of agni causes
constipation, flatulence, pain in abdomen and other vata
predominant diseases. The indigestion caused by this type of agni
is called Vistabdhajeerna
Teekshnagni ( increased agni ) : This variation of agni occurs due
to predominance of pitta. Pitta increasing foods and lifestyle
cause this variation. This variation of agni causes increased
hunger, thirst, acidity, heart burn and loose motions. The
indigestion thus caused is called as Vidagdajeerna.
Mandagni ( decreased agni ): As increased moistness
reduces the intensity of fire, the increased kapha reduces the
intensity of agni. Kapha increasing foods and lifestyle cause this
variation. Feeling Heaviness of body, swelling of eyelids (lower),
belching
which emit the smell of food consumed and water brash are few
symptoms which of indigestion caused by mandagni. The
indigestion caused by mandagni is called as amajeerna.
The decreased agni improperly digests the food and this indigested
food is sticky in nature and improperly nourishes tissues,
causing weakness of body. This sticky improperly digested food is
called ama. Ama due to its sticky nature blocks the
channels of body, vitiate doshas , contaminates tissues, imbalance
body functions and cause diseases.
Causes of imbalance of agni which lead to indigestion
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Spicy foods, chilly, oily foods, medicines,
milk and milk
products, tobacco and alcohol.
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.Irregular food habits and
sleeping patterns.
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Medications like pain killers, antibiotics, oral contraceptives
and steroids.
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Intestinal parasites.
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Diseases of pancreas, liver, gall bladder, intestinal infections
etc.
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During
pregnancy, premenstrual period, menopausal period in women.
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.Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, examination, family
tensions, etc.
Home Remedies for Indigestion
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Fasting completely for one day helps to normalize imbalanced agni
and digest ama.
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Consuming liquid foods, boiled vegetables or fruit juices for 2- 3
days also improves agni and relieves indigestion.
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Avoid the factors (mentioned above) which cause indigestion.
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Mix a ½ tea spoon of lemon juice, ½ tea spoon ginger juice and
little salt in a cup of water and consume thrice daily.
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Drinking ½ glass of warm water once in 2 hours increases agni and
digests ama.
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Cook ½ cup of rice with 4 cups of water with crushed ginger (1”)
and salt. Powder long pepper (2 or 3)and fry it in a
spoon of cow’s
ghee and add it to gruel. Consume this when it hot.
This is very light to digest and relieves colic pain.
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Abdominal Massage also helps to relieve indigestion. It loosens
the tight muscles and increases the
blood supply to
digestive system. American Journal of aphysical medicine and
rehabilitation mentions that “Abdominal massage has positive
effects on some clinical aspects of neurogenic bowel dysfunction in
patients with spinal cord injury. “
Consuming well balanced food balances doshas and agni and hence
keeps the body healthy and free from diseases.
This article is copy righted. The
author Dr.SavithaSuri is an Ayurvedic Physician and web master of http://www.ayurhelp.com
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