While the need to keep metabolic strength (agni) balanced is necessary for all, there are many nuances and variabilities between each person's digestive system. Ayurveda is particularly useful in the assessment of digestive disorders because it takes an individualized approach. Each person's unique digestive history and tendencies are taken into account. Ayurveda has the ability to understand what is going on inside your digestive tract by using traditional diagnostic tools such as analyzing the tongue, eyes, pulse, and stools.
Next, the now available nutrients start to be absorbed into the bloodstream where they go on to nourish the seven tissues (dhatus). The unused food matter is passed through the large intestine (pakvashaya) via peristaltic motions (apana vayu). Remaining water and nutrients are absorbed here, and a stool (purisha) for evacuation is formed. This is temporarily stored in the rectum before it is passed through the anus. In Ayurveda, the complete digestion of food through the GI tract takes approximately six hours, with each of the medicinal tastes being digested sequentially (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent). It is advised to avoid eating your next meal until the full process of digestion has been completed.
Agni is often summarized as digestive strength or metabolic capacity, but it is far more than that. Agni is the fire that keeps every person alive. It governs all transformation in the body, from the transformation of food in the GI tract, the conversion of nutrients into tissue, right down the transformation of cellular energy. Agni manifests in many ways, including digestive enzymes, body heat and metabolic processes. Balancing agni is the first, and most important, step to optimize digestion in Ayurveda.
While there are many healthy eating habits everyone can follow to care for digestion, agni is not a "one-size-fits-all" model. A person's unique constitution (prakruti) and individual imbalance (vikruti) must be addressed, rather than focusing on individual symptoms and looking for a quick cover up. There are different types of agni: slow (mandagni), fast (tikshnagni), irregular (vishamagni) and balanced (samagni). Each type requires a set of personalized diet and lifestyle guidelines to bring digestion back into balance. Provided it is working well, agni is also your bodies natural defense against disease, as it burns away and cleanses the digestive tract of accumulated toxins. As well as taking your digestive type into account, implementing a diet appropriate for your unique body type will support healthy, strong digestion.
The lifestyle you lead also plays a part in digestive imbalances. The body thrives on regularity and routine, and if your schedule is constantly changing or your mealtimes are inconsistent, agni becomes depleted. Many people, particularly after a stressful day, fall into the habit of eating too close to bedtime. Digestion slows down at night and midnight snacks are likely to go undigested, sit in the stomach too long and start to ferment. Social eating is an enjoyable part of life, but eating rich restaurant food too frequently will weigh down digestion and your emotions. Ayurveda has long made the connection between your food and mood, and emphasizes the importance of good mental health for strong digestion. A bad mood, stress, fatigue, insomnia and other mental strain weaken agni and can compromise the strength of your digestion.
The first step to tackle this pair of digestive ailments is to relieve gas. In many cases, bloating will automatically reduce. If it doesn't, there may be another source behind bloating which should be confirmed by your healthcare provider. Hingvastak churna is a classic remedy to strengthen weak or irregular digestion, and also help dispel gas. It is a formulation including carminative herbs that helps redirect the flow of gas downwards. Aromatic fennel and mint also both help dispel gas and stimulate digestion. Difficult to digest foods, including cabbage, beans, raw food or cold drinks, should all be completely avoided. Instead, favor warm, well cooked and easy to digest meals that pacify Vata, and sip hot water throughout the day. Tranquil Tummy Tea is a blend of gentle laxatives to reduce food stagnation and digestives to improve digestive strength, eliminating gas and bloating
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On Joyful Belly, we've created an extensive categorization of food so you can easily match food to your imbalanced biocharacteristics. By eating an optimal diet that balances your biocharacteristics, your whole body is strengthened and the conditions that created the disorder are removed. Once the root causes of the disease are removed, the disease lessens in strength or disappears altogether. Additional remedies - such as herbs and lifestyle practices - focused on the specific disorder, can greatly enhance your healing.
Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’
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