Digestion and Ayurveda

Digestion is important for breaking down food into nutrients which the body uses for energy, growth and cell repair is the general definition found in texts. In Ayurveda digestion refers to as “Agni” the fire within the body which will be responsible for the transformations inside the body, mind and soul. Agni literally means fire and is worshipped through many ages. A healthy person as per Ayurveda has the agni in balanced state, which helps in maintain the persons bodily and mental health intact. Agni is responsible for digestion, assimilation, absorption of food, sensations and transforming the energy. Overall agniviz digestion is responsible for a good and healthy human being.

How to support the digestion 

There are many ways to strengthen and support agni, which is hot, sharp, dry, light, mobile, subtle, luminous, and clear. ^{1, 3} In general, substances and experiences rich in these qualities will support agni, while those substances and experiences predominated by qualities that oppose agni will disturb it.

There are various ways through which we can support better digestion in daily life if practiced appropriately. There are certain ethics which has been described in the ancient Ayurveda texts to be followed while eating and done for proper assimilation of food. 

Eating with mindfulness

Mindfulness means doing any activity with full awareness or being conscious, doing only one activity at a time without any distractions. This mindfulness rule applies also with the food when we eat. We should fully concentrate on the food we eat, its taste, its colour and chew well. Most of the people now always are busy with electronic devices, TVs or other communications while eating. The hindrance in consciousness also hinders the digestive fire. Hence one should always follow the rule of mindfulness. Also eating only when hungry i.e., one should be completely be aware of the hunger to attain satisfaction post meals. False huger can be caused by emotional triggers, or any unwanted activity. Such upsets can be overcome by proper counselling and indulging in activity one enjoys doing. 

Avoid foods/ activities that hinder digestion 

The fluids or substance which has opposite qualities with that of agni will definitely hinder the digestion. Foods such as cold drinks or ice cream or drinking too much of fluid when hungry. Cheese, meat, mushrooms, foods kept overnight and consumed later in the day. Activities such as eating too late or avoiding meals when actually hunger, day time sleeping, overthinking, eating junk when hungry, overeating or eating too less etc. Sometime weather has a direct impact on our digestion hence we usually feel less hunger when we are exposed to rainy weather or in summers. Also use of stimulants like tea or coffee on empty stomach will have a negative impact over digestion. 

Common rules to be followed before and after meals 

Support the digestive fire before meal: there are many simple ways through which one can kindle the digestive fire and help assimilate the food in the proper way. Easy hoe remedies such as 1) decoction of dry ginger powder or fennel seed – drinking two to three sips of such decoction will enhance the agni, enhances the hunger and willingness to take the food. 2) Drinking a 20-30 ml of fresh lime juice with a pinch of rock salt and sugar candy also helps. 3) Walking before meals helps one to realise the hunger. 4) Certain ayurvedic herb combination such as hingvadi, hinguvachadi, kiratikta, jeerakadyarisht, agnitundivati, ajjeernakantakvatietc helps improving the digestive capacity and strengthen the same, it should be taken under medical supervision. 

Support the digestion after meal:

Walks for certain distance will help movement of the intestine and support digestion.  The practice of taking probiotics such a buttermilk , yogurt with water churned well, adding jeera, coriander and rock salt will help digestion . 

Adopting panchakarma

Panchakrma is advised to the healthy and disease people as well. There are certain dosha specific detox therapies in Ayurveda which when one at appropriate timings helps in balancing the doshas and dhatu in the body.

Daily exercise or yoga routine

Exercise eliminates the aggravated kapha in the body and balances the other dosha. It also kindles the digestive fire and hence proper absorption and breakdown of the food can happen if daily physical activities are performed. 

Pranayama and Meditation

Unlike the exercise which helps in stimulation of agni, so is the pranayama and meditation. Every cell in our body needs prana – sufficient supply of oxygen for the proper functioning of each cell. Just as fire is fed by fresh air, agni is kindled when we breathe deeply and relax our bodies. This might be something as simple as going for a walk or a hike in nature. Pranayam is the excellent way to oxygenate the cells in our body, it not only helps in the oxygenation of gut but also the brain. Gut and brain connection are well established in the Ayurveda texts and modern research as well. Hence if proper function of brain is established so will be the proper function of the gut – digestion. There are various pranayama types which ca be done, however depending upon the body type and disease the type which should be incorporated is to be consulted by a yoga expert. Meditation is also a means by which one can attain the stress free mind. We already saw that how stress and emotional triggers have a bad impact on the gut. Hence, to achieve a healthier digestion one needs to do pranayama and meditation daily.

So we now know the factors that can cause hazardous impact on our digestion and why is digestion so much important for us not only physically but also mentally.