Take care of your Take care of your Digestive System Digestive System using Ayurvedausing Ayurveda

Dr. Gayatri DeviDr. Gayatri Devi

Digestive system in Digestive system in AyurvedaAyurveda

– Digestive fire is called Agni in Ayurveda. Digestive fire is called Agni in Ayurveda. – Agni is the transforming force Agni is the transforming force – Take care of agni, agni will take care of Take care of agni, agni will take care of

you and your health. you and your health.

Types of agnis Types of agnis 

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

– Bhootagni -digests the 5 pancha Bhootagni -digests the 5 pancha mahabhoota factors present in food mahabhoota factors present in food

– Dhatwagni-present in tissues helps to Dhatwagni-present in tissues helps to absorb nutrients and transform into absorb nutrients and transform into tissues. tissues.

– The Jataragni controls bhootagni, The Jataragni controls bhootagni, dhatwagni dhatwagni

Agni-common functions Agni-common functions 

– Digests food Digests food – Absorbs nutrients Absorbs nutrients – Destroys pathogens Destroys pathogens – Transforms food into dhatus Transforms food into dhatus

Normal-Jatharagni Normal-Jatharagni 

– Body tissues will be well nourished get Body tissues will be well nourished get attractive complexion &  glow attractive complexion &  glow

– Longevity, strength, good health, Longevity, strength, good health, growth, enthusiasm, growth, enthusiasm,

– vitality and overall healthy development vitality and overall healthy development of body and mind. of body and mind.

– Strong resistance to diseases Strong resistance to diseases

Abnormal Jatharagni Abnormal Jatharagni 

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

Body nature-agni Body nature-agni 

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

Samagni (balanced agni)  Samagni (balanced agni)  

– Well balanced --due to balanced Well balanced --due to balanced tridoshas tridoshas

– Normal and regular appetite Normal and regular appetite – Digests the food completely, nourishes Digests the food completely, nourishes

the body tissues very well. the body tissues very well. – Regular bowel movements, little or no Regular bowel movements, little or no

gas and bloating gas and bloating

Teekshnagni (high agni) :  Teekshnagni (high agni) :  

– Seen in pitta type constitutions Seen in pitta type constitutions – Increased hunger, thirst, acidity, heart Increased hunger, thirst, acidity, heart

burn and loose motions. burn and loose motions. – Resistance generally good, diseases Resistance generally good, diseases

occur suddenly with severity occur suddenly with severity

Mandagni (low agni) Mandagni (low agni) – Seen in kapha constitutions Seen in kapha constitutions – Poor appetite, low metabolism, Poor appetite, low metabolism,

tendency to gain weight without high tendency to gain weight without high consumption, prone to indigestion consumption, prone to indigestion

– Diseases are often not severe Diseases are often not severe

Vishamaagni (varying agni) Vishamaagni (varying agni) 

– Seen in vata predominant bodies Seen in vata predominant bodies – Some times strong appetite and some Some times strong appetite and some

times loss of appetite times loss of appetite – Prone to constipation, flatulence, pain in Prone to constipation, flatulence, pain in

abdomen and to more debilitating abdomen and to more debilitating diseases diseases

Agni-food Agni-food – Eat acc- to agni Eat acc- to agni – Samagni –eat all rasas /tastes Samagni –eat all rasas /tastes – Mandagni—reduce sweet , bitter tastes Mandagni—reduce sweet , bitter tastes

and heavy foods, eat sour and pungent and heavy foods, eat sour and pungent foods and easy to digest ones foods and easy to digest ones

– Tikshnagni- reduce sour and pungent Tikshnagni- reduce sour and pungent tastes, eat sweet and bitter tastes, eat tastes, eat sweet and bitter tastes, eat heavy foods heavy foods

– Vishamagni-eat acc. To the condition Vishamagni-eat acc. To the condition

koshtam koshtam 

– It is the nature of alimentary tract & It is the nature of alimentary tract & bowel movements. 3 types of koshtas. bowel movements. 3 types of koshtas.

– Krura (hard)      Krura (hard)      – Mrudu (Soft) Mrudu (Soft) – Madhya (Moderate) Madhya (Moderate) 

Krura koshtam Krura koshtam 

–   Predominance of vata --produces hard Predominance of vata --produces hard faeces, difficulty of elimination or even faeces, difficulty of elimination or even non-elimination. non-elimination.                        

–       Predominance of pitta- causes watery Predominance of pitta- causes watery or semisolid faeces, moving out more or semisolid faeces, moving out more than once or twice, in a day. than once or twice, in a day.

– Take more liquids and fibre.  Take more liquids and fibre.  

Mrudu koshtam   Mrudu koshtam      Predominance of kapha- causes soft, Predominance of kapha- causes soft,

solid faeces moving out smoothly. solid faeces moving out smoothly. 

Eat more bitters.  Eat more bitters.  

Madhya  Madhya  - If all the doshas are normal—madhya    - If all the doshas are normal—madhya   

koshta –normal faeces once a day. koshta –normal faeces once a day.

– It is the ideal condition. It is the ideal condition. 

Stages of digestion Stages of digestion 

– 3 stages 3 stages – Stage 1-kapha dominant- happens in the Stage 1-kapha dominant- happens in the

mouth and stomach mouth and stomach – Stage 2  - pitta dominant-in the small Stage 2  - pitta dominant-in the small

intestines intestines – Stage 3- vata dominant–large intestines Stage 3- vata dominant–large intestines

Sequence of digestion Sequence of digestion 

– Sweet taste- --digested first-eat sweets Sweet taste- --digested first-eat sweets first first

– Salty taste-second-- Salty taste-second-- – Sour taste & pungent– third-eat sour Sour taste & pungent– third-eat sour

and pungent in the middle and pungent in the middle – Bitter and astringent at the end-eat at Bitter and astringent at the end-eat at

the end the end

Quantities- need Quantities- need – Sweet -relatively more-for tissue growth and devt. Sweet -relatively more-for tissue growth and devt. – Salty-small amounts-for maintaining mineral Salty-small amounts-for maintaining mineral

balance and holding water balance and holding water – Sour-moderate –maintaining acidity and Sour-moderate –maintaining acidity and

countering thirsty countering thirsty – Pungent-moderate-for metabolism, improving Pungent-moderate-for metabolism, improving

appetite and digestion appetite and digestion – Bitter—small quantities- for detoxification Bitter—small quantities- for detoxification – Astringent –moderate-for firmness of tissues Astringent –moderate-for firmness of tissues – Sweet taste reduces appetite and digestion. Sweet taste reduces appetite and digestion. – Sour and pungent increase the appetite and Sour and pungent increase the appetite and

digestion digestion

Ama  Ama  

– It is the undigested food accumulated in It is the undigested food accumulated in the body, toxic and disease causing the body, toxic and disease causing substance. substance.

– Ama  problems of digestive system, Ama  problems of digestive system, Ama enters blood stream  -settles in Ama enters blood stream  -settles in various parts of the bodydiseases various parts of the bodydiseases

Causes of indigestion Causes of indigestion – Spicy foods, chilly, oily foods, medicines, milk Spicy foods, chilly, oily foods, medicines, milk

and milk products, tobacco and alcohol. and milk products, tobacco and alcohol. – Irregular food habits and sleeping patterns. Irregular food habits and sleeping patterns. – Medications like pain killers, antibiotics, oral Medications like pain killers, antibiotics, oral

contraceptives and steroids. contraceptives and steroids. – Intestinal parasites. Intestinal parasites. – Diseases of pancreas, liver, gall bladder, Diseases of pancreas, liver, gall bladder,

intestinal infections etc. intestinal infections etc. – During pregnancy, premenstrual period, During pregnancy, premenstrual period,

menopausal period in women. menopausal period in women. – Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, Emotional upset like anxiety, stress,

examination, family tensions, etc. examination, family tensions, etc.

Langhanam -Fasting Langhanam -Fasting 

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

Exercise-yoga Exercise-yoga 

– Regular exercise –improves appetite and Regular exercise –improves appetite and digestion digestion

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

Role of mind Role of mind 

– Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, Emotional upset like anxiety, stress, examination, family tensions  ---disturb examination, family tensions  ---disturb agni - lead to indigestion. agni - lead to indigestion.

– Practice relaxation techniques –yoga, Practice relaxation techniques –yoga, pranayama, soothing music, meditation, pranayama, soothing music, meditation, prayers. prayers.

Care of the digestive Care of the digestive system system 

– Eat only when you are hungry Eat only when you are hungry – Eat according to your agni. Eat according to your agni. – Eat hot and fresh food Eat hot and fresh food – Eat leisurely chewing and enjoying the food Eat leisurely chewing and enjoying the food – Eat only after the previous meal is digested Eat only after the previous meal is digested – Fill 1/3rd of the stomach with solids, 1/3rd with Fill 1/3rd of the stomach with solids, 1/3rd with

liquids, leave 1/3rd. liquids, leave 1/3rd. – Eat at least 3 hours before sleep at night. Eat at least 3 hours before sleep at night. – Do not eat when angry, sad, tense. Do not eat when angry, sad, tense. – Avoid constipation Avoid constipation

Appetisers-digestives Appetisers-digestives 

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

One formula One formula 

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

Antacids Antacids 

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

One formula One formula – Amla+yashtimadhu+satavari powder, Amla+yashtimadhu+satavari powder,

    with honey or butter milk good with honey or butter milk good antacid antacid 

– Dried banana powder with milk Dried banana powder with milk

Laxatives Laxatives 

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

Formula Formula 

– Haritaki powder—3-4 gms with warm Haritaki powder—3-4 gms with warm water –bed time water –bed time

– Trifala churnam-3-5 gms bed time with Trifala churnam-3-5 gms bed time with warm water warm water

Antiflatulents Antiflatulents 

– Avoid constipation Avoid constipation – All the appetizers and digestives act as All the appetizers and digestives act as

anti flatulent anti flatulent

Formula  Formula  

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