Indigestion - An Ayurvedic Perspective
The word indigestion is commonly used to describe the discomfort in the belly after eating. Fullness, bloating, nausea, heartburn are other symptoms of indigestion.
Before discussing indigestion, it is essential to understand the process of digestion. The Ayurveda approach to explain digestion is very simple and effective. The food we eat is digested by Agni, or body fire, which is present in our body, and is similar to the cooking of food. The Agni 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 the upper part of digestive system and is called Jataragni. The Agni is further categorized as Bhootagni (which digests the 5 pancha mahabhoota factors present in food), Dhatwagni (agni present in tissues which helps them to absorb required nutrients), and Malagni (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 to digestion explains cellular metabolism too.
Factors which help Agni to Digest the Food Completely
The three doshas - Vata, Pitta and Kapha help agni to digest the food.
If the process of digestion is compared to cooking rice, the stomach, like the pan, receives the food. Vata provides the necessary conditions like an air blower, Pitta acts like the stove providing optimum working conditions, while Kapha provides the moisture needed much like the water in the vessel. 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.
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) indicates 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. Food is 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, heartburn and loose motions. This type of indigestion is called 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 the body, swelling of the lower eyelids, belching that emits the smell of food consumed and water brash are a few symptoms of indigestion caused by mandagni. The indigestion caused by mandagni is called 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, vitiates the doshas, contaminates tissues, imbalances body functions and cause diseases.
Causes of Imbalanced Agni (Which Leads to Indigestion)
- Spicy foods, chilly, oily foods, medicines, milk and milk products, tobacco and alcohol.
- Irregular food habits and sleeping patterns.
- Medications like pain killers, antibiotics, oral contraceptives and steroids.
- Intestinal parasites.
- Diseases of the pancreas, liver, gall bladder, intestines etc.
- During pregnancy, premenstrual period, menopausal period in women.
- Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, examination, family tensions, etc.
Home Remedies for Indigestion
- Fasting completely for one day helps to normalize imbalanced agni and digest ama.
- Consuming liquid foods, boiled vegetables or fruit juices for 2- 3 days also improves agni and relieves indigestion.
- Avoid the factors above that cause indigestion.
- Mix half a teaspoon of lemon juice, half a teaspoon of ginger juice and a little salt in a cup of water and consume three times daily.
- Drinking half a glass of warm water once every 2 hours increases agni and digests ama.
- Cook half a 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 the gruel. Consume this when it hot. This is very light to digest and relieves colic pain.
- Abdominal massage also helps to relieve indigestion. It loosens the tight muscles and increases the blood supply to the digestive system. The American journal of physical 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.
About the author
Dr. Savitha Suri has been an Ayurvedic practitioner since 1989. After getting a graduation degree in Ayurveda (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) in 1988 from University of Mysore, India, she started practising Ayurveda . Her articles about Ayurveda have been published in newspapers and on websites, and she is a regular health columnist to a regional newspaper.
Dr. Savitha Suri lives in Mysore, Karnataka, India. She gives consultations in Mysore and also in Bangalore, the silicon valley of India.
Send an email to Savitha Suri
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