Ayurvedic

perspective of
Digestive system
Dr. Nitin D Goradia

M.D(Ayu)
 AGNI

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
Agni (13 kinds)

1 Jatharagni 7 Dhatvagni 5 Bhutagnis

-Controls -present in -digests the
Dhatvagnis & tissues 5 pancha
Bhutagnis -helps to absorb mahabhoota
nutrients and factors
transform into present in food
tissues.
Digest Food Absorb Nutrients

AGNI

Destroys Pathogens Transforms Food

into Dhatus
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

Poor digestion
Poor circulation
Bad complexion
offensive body odour
Intestinal gas,
constipation
Low energy , poor
resistance to diseases
 Body nature-Agni

Samagni Tikshagni Mandagni Vishamagni

-Balanced -High Agni -Low Agni -Variable
Agni 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)

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)
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)

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
 Food As Per Agni
Eat according to Agni
Samagni eat all rasas /tastes
Mandagnireduce 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 according To the
condition
 Koshtam

It is the nature of alimentary tract &

bowel movements.

Krura Mridu Madhya

(Hard) (Soft) (Moderate)
 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.
 Mrudu Koshtam
Predominance of kapha- causes soft,
solid faeces moving out smoothly.

Eat more bitters.

 Madhya Koshtam
If all the doshas are normal
madhya koshta normal faeces once a
day.
It is the ideal condition.
 Stages of digestion

Stage 1(Kapha dominant)

-in mouth & stomach

Stage 2( Pitta dominant)

-in the small intestines

Stage 3( Vata dominant)

-in Large intestines
 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
Rasas'-Quantity & 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
Bittersmall quantities- for detoxification
Astringent moderate-for firmness of tissues
Sweet taste reduces appetite and digestion.
Sour and pungent increase the appetite and
digestion
Aama
 Ama

It is a sticky,toxic and disease causing

substance derived after completion of
digestion process which gets
accumulated in the body.
Ama problems of digestive system,
Ama enters blood stream - settles
in various parts of the body diseases
 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

Light food or only liquid diet once a

weekincreases digestion, clears ama
from the body --detoxification.
 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

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
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

Pippali long pepper

Sunthi-dry ginger
Maricham-pepper
Ajamoda- ajwain hingu-Asa foetida
Dhanyakam-coriander seeds
Jeerakamcumin seeds
Lavangamcloves
 Antacids

Amla Indian goose berry

Satavari-
Turmeric
Yashtimadhu
Tender coconut water with precaution
 Laxatives

Drakshagrapes
Triphala- Amla + Haritaki +Baheda
Eranda castor oil
Harithaki- harda
Katukarohinikutki
Yashtimadhu-
 Antiflatulents

Warm water
Avoid constipation
All the appetizers and digestives act as
anti flatulent