Deep Dive Into Digestion

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda - 5,000 year old science with its roots in India. Many believe it to be older, but this is what has been documented

The Goal - To promote consistent balance between the mind, body and spirit to prevent disease and to maintain optimal physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

The Five Basic Elements- Ether (Space), Air, Water, Fire, Earth. The five elements are present in nature as well as the human body on many levels.

The Doshas- The five elements come together to form the doshas.

• Vata - Ether + Air
• Pitta - Fire + Water
• Kapha - Water + Earth

Check Out Part One! An Introduction To Ayurveda: To Help You In Your Healing Journey

Digestive Health & Ayurveda

Agni - “Digestive Fire”

The digestive fire is very important as our health and wellbeing depends on our ability to digest and secondly eliminate our food. In Ayurveda our goal is to have a healthy “agni” (digestive fire) which helps us break down the food and other things we ingest, allow us to assimilate what is useful and eliminate what is not.

Signs Your Digestion Is Off 

• Bloating
• Gas
• GI Issues
• Weight Issues
• Mood Issues
• Weakened Immune System

Vata

Vata Intestine Ether + Air combination.

In highly sensitive vata body types, the individual often has a strong radar and feels everything. With this Dosha, you can easily overstimulate the intestinal skin and alter the good bacteria and the neurotransmitter production. This results in sluggish, slow, dry hard elimination and mood-related and sleep concerns.

For Vata balancing  you must lubricate the intestinal skin. Ghee is wonderful to add here to help lubricate the intestinal skin.

Also try supportive herbs such as Triphala, guduchi, licorice, turmeric to reboot bowel function through a more lubricated and less inflamed intestinal tract.

Pitta 

Pitta Intestine: Fire + Water combination.

You can have occasional heartburn. This is caused by reactive production of intestinal mucous that can cause a loose stool and abdominal discomfort. Pitta is often seen in people pushing the mind and body too hard, basically close to exhaustion. 

For Pitta balancing focus on cooling foods. Try out these supportive herbs: Amla & Guduchi to cool and strengthen the digestive fire.

The overall goal is to reboot digestive system.

Kapha

Kapha Intestine: Water + Earth combination.

People with a Kapha usually have slow and boggy digestive system. Production of excessive reactive mucous can result in loose stools with digestive congestion.

You can prevent intestines and microbes from assimilating the needed nutrients and detoxifying effectively through the intestinal walls.

For Kapha balancing focus on removal of the mucous and decongest the intestinal tract. Try these supportive herbs: Turmeric dry. 

Go Within. Be Intuitive

Ways To Improve Digestion 

• Meditate on a regular basis. 
• Take short walks after your meal and truly be in the present moment.
• Do not overeat. Your body will tell you when you are full, listen to your bodies intelligence.
• Eat largest meal at lunchtime. This is when the digestive fire, “agni,” is the highest.
• Try to avoid eating when you are engulfed with negative emotions.
• Express gratitude for your meal before, during and after your meal.

Honor Mother Nature 

• Eat in season fruits and vegetables.
• Try to incorporate all the tastes in your meal. This will help you from grabbing something sweet or sour to fill that taste bud after your meal.
• Eat as per your age and body constitution.
• Aim for freshly cooked and warm foods

How Much To Eat 

• Become aware of hunger and fullness cues.
• Rules of Thumb: - Eat food to half your capacity. - ¼ of your capacity for water - ¼ of your capacity for air for optimal digestion.
• Signs of right quantity of food: - Feeling satisfied - Not feeling heavy - Should be able to breathe, talk and walk easily - Senses become sharp

Questions

How do you deal with feeding a family with different doshas?

Focus on eating with mother nature. Don't get too overwhelmed with creating meals and diets that directly associate with the doshas, when you eat with the seasons most of the time you are satisfying the needs of each. 

Even after eating light I get the feeling of bloating often? Is it because of my dosha? What can I do?

Take a look at when your largest meal is. Adjust if necessary. Begin drinking warm to room temperature water throughout the day and during meals. This will keep your digestive system lubricated. 

Can you fluctuate between different Doshas?

It is common to fluctuate however you will still have a primary dosha that always needs to be satisfied. Listen to your body and be intuitive during the times you are experiencing new things.  

About Gunny Sodhi & YouVeda

Gunny Sodhi’s family roots in Ayurvedic medicine stretch across generations, but he didn’t personally understand the power of Ayurveda until tragedy struck. The sudden death of his 16-year-old brother completely changed the course of his life, setting him on an unexpected path of self-discovery.

Following his brother’s passing, Gunny was consumed by debilitating panic attacks and bouts of deep depression. Diagnosed with PTSD and desperate for relief, he found no comfort in traditional Western therapy. He was lost.

It was there, at his wits end, that Gunny would rediscover his roots. On the advice of his family, he began supplementing his diet with Ashwagandha and other time-tested Ayurvedic remedies. Meditation and yoga became daily practices. Within six weeks, his anxiety faded and his depression lifted.