Agnimandya – Low digestion

Agni, Ama, Diet / / By

When the agni becomes very weak, causing sluggish digestion, it is called Agnimandya.

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The Importance Of Agni And Good Digestion

  • Health, strength, the immune system – all are dependent on samagni (the balanced state of jatharagni) because it determines the quality of pancabhuta agnis and dhatu agnis.
  • The quality of the doshas and dhatus depends on agni.
  • Weak agni is compared to death.
  • Low agni causes the doshas to aggravate and the dhatus to deplete and cause srotorodha (obstruction of the channels).

Warning

The word ‘Agnimandya’ in its of itself signifies the state of inadequate process of digestion on ingested food. In Ayurveda there is a concept called Ama, which is considered as the main reason for majority of the diseases.

Types

  • Vataja Agnimandya
  • Kaphaja Agnimandya
  • Pittaja Agnimandya

Symptoms

  • Weak Pacaka Pitta
  • Less peristaltic movement
  • Due to the blockage of the srotas, the digestive enzymes can’t reach the site of action.

Nidana – Causes

  • Overeating
  • Eating before previous food is digested
  • Eating ignoring indigestion
  • Eating heavy, dense, gas-producing food
  • Eating uncooked or half-cooked food
  • Eating excessively sweet, sour, and salty food
  • Sleeping after meals
  • Drinking a lot of water during the meal
  • Resisting the urges
  • Worry, anxiety, fear

Purvarupa – Early/Premonitory/Mild Symptoms

Heaviness in the stomach, aversion to food, lethargy

Rupa – Severe Symptoms

  • Vataja – pain in the abdomen, distension, rumbling sound in the stomach, constipation, tension in the body, heaviness, dry throat, pain in the chest and back, thinness, weakness
  • Pittaja – burning sensation in the chest, fainting, dizziness, perspiration
  • Kaphaja – heaviness in the whole body, sinus headaches, nausea, sweet or sour taste in the mouth, lethargy, laziness

Samprapti – Chronic Disease

Kapha aggravation weakens Agni. If a person keeps eating Kapha-aggravating foods further, it makes Agni weaker, worsening the problem. Food stays only partially digested and moves further in the large intestine to be absorbed.

Therefore, instead of providing nourishment, the food becomes a toxin to the body. Hence, Agnimāndya is the root cause of most of the diseases.

Nidāna: Weak Agni, Kapha Aggravation, Āma formation, Further weakens Agni

Cikitsa – Treatment

  • If Agnimandya is due to vata, ghee treated with warming herbs is recommended
  • If Agnimandya is due to kapha, warming herb powder, asava (medicated wines), arista (medicated wines) are recommended
  • If there is distension, oil (anuvasana vasti) and cleansing (niruha vasti) enemas are recommended
  • If the Agni is Manda due to any disease, ghee is recommended as it kindles Agni.
Cikitsa for Vataja Agnimandya
  • Vasti
  • Use of various salts (rock salt, sea salt, black salt, etc). Salts retain water in the body e.g. Lavana-Bhaskara Curna, Hingvastaka Curna. Salt-treated ghee is also useful.
  • Gandharvahastadi kasaya
Cikitsā for Pittaja Agnimāndya
  • Virecana
  • Pancatikta ghrta, Neem, Guduci, Musta, Vaca
  • Guducyadi kasaya
Cikitsā for Kaphaja Agnimāndya
  • Vamana
  • Heating herbs with pungent, sour, salty taste are used. e.g. Ginger, black pepper, ajwain, cloves, citraka, pippalī
  • Varanadi kasaya

Diet

Light foods, rice, mung, ginger, garlic, pomegranate, limes, salt, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, buttermilk

Lifestyle

  • Regular exercise kindles Agni, lightens body, burns fat
  • Eat only when hungry
  • Eat in moderation. Drink warm water

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