College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

DIET & LIFESTYLE

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How To Balance Vata Digestion (vishama Agni)

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Vata dosha generally has weak, dry, and cold digestion with a lot of variability. This type of digestion is called vishama agni in Ayurveda. A Vata's gut is the most unpredictable of all the body types. The digestive tract in general is an ever shifting, ever changing environment. With every new meal, the cocktail of microbes in your gut changes according to your food choices. The weather, stress, hydration, and your location also have an effect on the gut. It seems there are endless variables determining the fate of your digestion.

A person with vishama agni may have acute hunger, but suddenly feel full after very little food. This is because they lack enough enzymes to eat a hearty meal. On other days, a Vata person may forget to eat altogether. Some days they have three bowel movements, other days they have none. Some days their digestion is great, other days it's terrible.

Symptoms

Vata makes its home in the colon, and therefore, Vata people are more prone to colon disorders. Vata people commonly get indigestion, gas, bloating, constipation, and abdominal distension. Due to the mobile nature of Vata, Vata people may find that pains in their digestive tract move around a lot. They may experience colic, which is an asynchronous movement of the intestines, and/or weak peristalsis because of an imbalance in the mobile quality.

Vata tends to have enzyme deficiencies because of dry and cold qualities. This may cause poor absorption of nutrients and undigested food in the stool. Lack of absorption is part of the reason they are often hungry and underweight. They may eat a lot of food, but their body doesn't get much nourishment from it.

To improve digestion, Vata should add spices to warm up their digestion, such as ginger. They should keep hydrated with plenty of fluids and electrolytes and a pinch of sour taste. Hingvastak churna is an ayurvedic herbal formula specifically designed for Vata digestion. Digestive Comfort & Support Tea is a nurturing blend designed to heal and nourish a Vata gut.

If you don't know your body type yet, take the quizzes on Joyful Belly to find out. If you do know your body type, continue learning how to balance Vata by clicking one of the links below!

Vata Dietary Remedies Vata Lifestyle Remedies

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What is Vata Dosha? (Plus How to Keep it Balanced & Healthy)
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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John, his wife Natalie and their 7 kids live in Asheville, NC

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(5.00 out of 5 stars) 1 rating, 209 likes
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Saragrace Burlington, VT
2018-10-09
“I'm taking the Balance My Digestion course,I have all the Vata digestive issues to the max. I am wondering if I should change my diet, given I do have parasites, systemic candida, fungus and yeast issues. I have been advised by my Ayurvedic practitioner to eat cooked bananas, raisins and dates... She says she can not detect that I have parasites...but, I have had them for years, and I have seen them. I have done a number of herbal purges. The Vata diet is a high carb diet. I have found I am less bloated, distended and easy, but, I still have severe chronic constipation...have any advice? I've taken Haritaki,but have not found that to be helpful..Unfortunately a lot of herbal formulas seem to not work for me."
Carrie Hoffman Williams, AZ
2020-07-12
“We would recommend following the advice of your practitioner in a complicated situation like this."
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