Agni - the digestive fire
According to Ayurveda, good health begins with proper digestion. To have the maximum profit of good food, it’s essential to have a good digestion and absorption. The Ayurvedic term for digestion is Agni, which means fire; deep within there is a fire that stimulates the digestion and absorption of food. The strength of this fire determines how well this is done.

If you don’t eat the kind of food that is compatible with your constitution, then your digestive fire weakens. Having food when you’re not hungry and not eating when you are also disturbs digestion.

Other things that diminish agni are:

• Eating too much food
• Drinking cold liquid during meals
• An irregular lifestyle, inconsistent routine like going to bed very late
• Eating at irregular times

Ama - the toxins
If your food is not well digested then toxins (ama) is created. Ama can be translated as undigested waste materials or toxins that pollute the body and acts as a breeding ground for all kinds of diseases. It can make you feel weak and with little energy. Examples of ama in the system could be heartburn, a bloated stomach, constipation or tiredness after meals. If you leave these signals unattended, they can eventually lead to more serious complaints.

Ayurvedic treatments always aim at strengthening agni and removing ama. They go hand-in-hand. One of the ways to achieve this is by the cleansing and support of herbs that strengthen agni.

Ayurveda also promotes regular, short periods of fasting to remove the toxins and strengthen agni; this can be done when the season changes or by consuming only soup and juices one day every week. It is good to do this for only one day at a time as fasting for too long causes imbalance in the body and undermines the digestive fire. After fasting, it is important to then only eat the food that suits your constitution.

If you feel that your digestion is not entirely up to the mark, or if you feel that there might be ama in your system, an Ayurvedic consultation could be just the thing for you. In Ayurveda, every person is unique with their own specific constitution and metabolism (agni). There is no ‘one size fits all’ medicine, diet, treatment or detox. A consultation can therefore give you the insights and direction needed to improve your digestion and to feel more energetic, better and lighter.

This article was originally published by the EP from Sri Sri Tattva Eu on (https://www.srisriayurveda.eu/) and is reposted here with their permission

Disclaimer

The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of Ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have any serious acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained health professional. Check with your doctor before taking herbs, herbal food supplements or using essential oils.