Take care of your Digestive System using...

Take care of your Digestive System using Ayurveda : 

Take care of your Digestive System using Ayurveda Dr. Gayatri Devi

Digestive system in Ayurveda : 

Digestive system in Ayurveda Digestive fire is called Agni in Ayurveda. Agni is the transforming force Take care of agni, agni will take care of you and your health.

Types of agnis : 

Types of agnis 13 types of agnis 1-Jatharagni-digestive fire 7-Dhatvagnis- 5-bhutagnis

Slide 4: 

Bhootagni -digests the 5 pancha mahabhoota factors present in food Dhatwagni-present in tissues helps to absorb nutrients and transform into tissues. The Jataragni controls bhootagni, dhatwagni

Agni-common functions : 

Agni-common functions Digests food Absorbs nutrients Destroys pathogens Transforms food into dhatus

Normal-Jatharagni : 

Normal-Jatharagni Body tissues will be well nourished get attractive complexion &  glow Longevity, strength, good health, growth, enthusiasm, vitality and overall healthy development of body and mind. Strong resistance to diseases

Abnormal Jatharagni : 

Abnormal Jatharagni Poor digestion Poor circulation Bad complexion offensive body odour Intestinal gas, constipation Low energy , poor resistance to diseases

Body nature-agni : 

Body nature-agni Samagni-balanced agni Tikshnagni –high  agni Mandagni—low  agni- Vishamagni—variable agni

Samagni (balanced agni) : 

Samagni (balanced agni) Well balanced --due to balanced tridoshas Normal and regular appetite Digests the food completely, nourishes the body tissues very well. Regular bowel movements, little or no gas and bloating

Teekshnagni (high agni) : : 

Teekshnagni (high agni) : Seen in pitta type constitutions Increased hunger, thirst, acidity, heart burn and loose motions. Resistance generally good, diseases occur suddenly with severity

Mandagni (low agni) : 

Mandagni (low agni) Seen in kapha constitutions Poor appetite, low metabolism, tendency to gain weight without high consumption, prone to indigestion Diseases are often not severe

Vishamaagni (varying agni) : 

Vishamaagni (varying agni) Seen in vata predominant bodies Some times strong appetite and some times loss of appetite Prone to constipation, flatulence, pain in abdomen and to more debilitating diseases

Agni-food : 

Agni-food Eat acc- to agni Samagni –eat all rasas /tastes Mandagni—reduce sweet , bitter tastes and heavy foods, eat sour and pungent foods and easy to digest ones Tikshnagni- reduce sour and pungent tastes, eat sweet and bitter tastes, eat heavy foods Vishamagni-eat acc. To the condition

koshtam : 

koshtam It is the nature of alimentary tract & bowel movements. 3 types of koshtas. Krura (hard)      Mrudu (Soft) Madhya (Moderate)

Krura koshtam : 

Krura koshtam Predominance of vata --produces hard faeces, difficulty of elimination or even non-elimination.                Predominance of pitta- causes watery or semisolid faeces, moving out more than once or twice, in a day. Take more liquids and fibre.

Mrudu koshtam : 

Mrudu koshtam Predominance of kapha- causes soft, solid faeces moving out smoothly.  Eat more bitters.

Madhya : 

Madhya - If all the doshas are normal—madhya    koshta –normal faeces once a day. It is the ideal condition.

Stages of digestion : 

Stages of digestion 3 stages Stage 1-kapha dominant- happens in the mouth and stomach Stage 2  - pitta dominant-in the small intestines Stage 3- vata dominant–large intestines

Sequence of digestion : 

Sequence of digestion Sweet taste- --digested first-eat sweets first Salty taste-second-- Sour taste & pungent– third-eat sour and pungent in the middle Bitter and astringent at the end-eat at the end

Quantities- need : 

Quantities- need Sweet -relatively more-for tissue growth and devt. Salty-small amounts-for maintaining mineral balance and holding water Sour-moderate –maintaining acidity and countering thirsty Pungent-moderate-for metabolism, improving appetite and digestion Bitter—small quantities- for detoxification Astringent –moderate-for firmness of tissues Sweet taste reduces appetite and digestion. Sour and pungent increase the appetite and digestion

Ama : 

Ama It is the undigested food accumulated in the body, toxic and disease causing substance. Ama  ? problems of digestive system, Ama ?enters blood stream  -?settles in various parts of the body?diseases

Causes of indigestion : 

Causes of 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 pancreas, liver, gall bladder, intestinal infections etc. During pregnancy, premenstrual period, menopausal period in women. Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, examination, family tensions, etc.

Langhanam -Fasting : 

Langhanam -Fasting Light food or only liquid diet once a week—increases digestion, clears ama from the body --detoxification.

Exercise-yoga : 

Exercise-yoga Regular exercise –improves appetite and digestion yoga-  all types of asanas involving the abdominal muscles –tadasana, bhujangasana, suptapavana muktasana, vajraasna, utkatasana, ardhamatsyendrasana, surya bhedana pranayama –help in maintaining normal agni .

Role of mind : 

Role of mind Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, examination, family tensions  ---disturb agni - lead to indigestion. Practice relaxation techniques –yoga, pranayama, soothing music, meditation, prayers.

Care of the digestive system : 

Care of the digestive system Eat only when you are hungry Eat according to your agni. Eat hot and fresh food Eat leisurely chewing and enjoying the food Eat only after the previous meal is digested Fill 1/3rd of the stomach with solids, 1/3rd with liquids, leave 1/3rd. Eat at least 3 hours before sleep at night. Do not eat when angry, sad, tense. Avoid constipation

Appetisers-digestives : 

Appetisers-digestives Pippali –long pepper Sunthi-dry ginger Maricham-pepper Ajamoda- ajwain hingu-Asa foetida Dhanyakam-coriander seeds Jeerakam—cumin seeds Lavangam—cloves

One formula : 

One formula Equal quantities of dry ginger, saunf, coriander seeds, black pepper, cumin seeds, ajwain, long pepper (pippali)—powder and preserve- take 2 gms powder before food.

Antacids : 

Antacids Amla –Indian goose berry Satavari- Turmeric Yashtimadhu Dried banana Tender coconut water

One formula : 

One formula Amla+yashtimadhu+satavari ? powder,   with honey or butter milk good antacid  Dried banana powder with milk

Laxatives : 

Laxatives Draksha—grapes Eranda— castor oil Harithaki- harda Katukarohini—kutki Yashtimadhu-

Formula : 

Formula Haritaki powder—3-4 gms with warm water –bed time Trifala churnam-3-5 gms bed time with warm water

Antiflatulents : 

Antiflatulents Avoid constipation All the appetizers and digestives act as anti flatulent

Formula : 

Formula Fried Ajwain powder  3 gms before food 3-4 gms cumin powder before food