Dyspepsia
Explanation
When food is not digested properly due to low jathragni, food is not converted into nutritious juice that is required for body’s sustenance. This condition leads to formation ofmucus like substance which is known as 'apakvahar' in Ayurveda. Very small amount of this substance is converted into nutritious juice while most of it gets converted into waste products. Excessive waste products cause aggravation of vata and disrupt normal functioning of digestive canal thereby resulting into production of ama in the body.
Ama is the toxin which is formed as result of undigested food. Dhatus (tissues) formed from this defective nutritious juice causes an aggravation of kapha and pitta in them. This defect results in improper functioning of tissues/organs and poor immunity.
Signs of proper digestion
Signs of improper digestion
Causes of Ajirna
The above listed points are the physical and mental conditions which lead to indigestion.
Symptoms
A key symptom is constipation or passing stools many times a day. Other common symptoms of dyspepsia are as follows:
Pathogenesis
Unhealthy lifestyle and improper diet along with mental causes (listed above) leads to low jathragni and as a result, the food is not digested properly because of aggravation of kapha and vata dosha. There is increase in water content, and increased water level dilutes the digestive juices and they cannot digestfood properly, which causes indigestion.
Types of Ajirna
Amajirna
This is caused when there is excess kapha accumulation in the stomach. Digestive acids or pachak pitta are then diluted and their potency gets reduced, thus causing improper digestion.
Vidagdhajirna
Due to aggravation of pitta, the acids responsible for digestion are released in larger quantity than what is required. This acidifies the food present in the stomach. The acidified food is not digested properly.
Vishtabdhajirna
This situation is caused because of aggravation of vata. This condition results in either drying up or improper release of the digestive juices, causing only a part of the food be digested. Patient suffering from this type shows symptoms like pricking pain, bloating, unnatural abdominal sounds and false urges to pass motions.
Rasseshajirna
Rasseshajirnais the situation when, even after digestion offood, some undigested matter remains in the nutritious juice. Because of this, patient feels heaviness in abdomen and does not feel hungry at the right time of the meal.
Treatment
General Guidelines for Diet:
In this disease, strict attention to diet is essential for quick recovery.
Tips for improving digestion
Dietary guidelines
Specific guidelines
Fasting is extremely effective for dyspepsia as it helps to digest the ama. It also gives the required rest to the digestive system as it is not loaded with the food. After fasting, when patient is hungry, light foods should be taken like mung dal soup, boiled vegetables like squash, bitter gourd, amla, radish and spices like cumin, ginger, black pepper, cilantro, fenugreek etc. Useful herbs that you can use arehing (assafoetida), chitrak, vacha, Piper longum, Terminaliachebula, Emblicaofficinalis ,Adhatodavasica etc.
When food is not digested properly due to low jathragni, food is not converted into nutritious juice that is required for body’s sustenance. This condition leads to formation ofmucus like substance which is known as 'apakvahar' in Ayurveda. Very small amount of this substance is converted into nutritious juice while most of it gets converted into waste products. Excessive waste products cause aggravation of vata and disrupt normal functioning of digestive canal thereby resulting into production of ama in the body.
Ama is the toxin which is formed as result of undigested food. Dhatus (tissues) formed from this defective nutritious juice causes an aggravation of kapha and pitta in them. This defect results in improper functioning of tissues/organs and poor immunity.
Signs of proper digestion
- No acid eructation
- Proper strength and energy to work
- No difficulty in urination or stool
- Feeling of lightness in the body, despite eating
- Feeling hungry again at the right time
Signs of improper digestion
- Lethargy
- Heaviness in body and stomach
- Vertigo
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Reversed direction of vata
- Distension
Causes of Ajirna
- Eating before digestion of previous meal
- Eating in excess
- Eating heavy meals
- Eating irregularly
- Eating very hot or very cold food
- Eating excessive drying food
- Eating without giving a thought to quantity and compatibility of food
- Eating food which is unsuitable to the climate/season or body
- Holding non-repressible urges
- Drinking too much water
- Working late nights or not getting proper rest
- Strong feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, sickness, sorrow etc.
The above listed points are the physical and mental conditions which lead to indigestion.
Symptoms
A key symptom is constipation or passing stools many times a day. Other common symptoms of dyspepsia are as follows:
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Vertigo
- Excess yawning
- Fever
- Distension
- Headache
- Stiffness in back and lumber region
- Pain in body
- Fever
- Thirst
- Anorexia
- Vomiting
Pathogenesis
Unhealthy lifestyle and improper diet along with mental causes (listed above) leads to low jathragni and as a result, the food is not digested properly because of aggravation of kapha and vata dosha. There is increase in water content, and increased water level dilutes the digestive juices and they cannot digestfood properly, which causes indigestion.
Types of Ajirna
Amajirna
This is caused when there is excess kapha accumulation in the stomach. Digestive acids or pachak pitta are then diluted and their potency gets reduced, thus causing improper digestion.
Vidagdhajirna
Due to aggravation of pitta, the acids responsible for digestion are released in larger quantity than what is required. This acidifies the food present in the stomach. The acidified food is not digested properly.
Vishtabdhajirna
This situation is caused because of aggravation of vata. This condition results in either drying up or improper release of the digestive juices, causing only a part of the food be digested. Patient suffering from this type shows symptoms like pricking pain, bloating, unnatural abdominal sounds and false urges to pass motions.
Rasseshajirna
Rasseshajirnais the situation when, even after digestion offood, some undigested matter remains in the nutritious juice. Because of this, patient feels heaviness in abdomen and does not feel hungry at the right time of the meal.
Treatment
General Guidelines for Diet:
In this disease, strict attention to diet is essential for quick recovery.
- Starchy, protein and fatty foods should be strictly avoided.
- Foods and beverages like meats, sugar, tea, coffee, condiments, pickles, refined and other processed foods should be avoided.
- Patients should also avoid white flour and white sugar products.
- Heavy gravies, puddings, cakes, chocolates, pastries and alcohol should also be avoided. Soft drinks, candies, ice creams and products which are made with sugar and white flour should also be avoided.
- Non-vegetarian foods should also be avoided.
- Rice can be eaten with steamed vegetables. Steamed vegetables canbe garnished with spices. Khichadiis also good in this disease.
- Pomegranate fruit, buttermilk and soup of reddish are also beneficial.
Tips for improving digestion
- A good way to improve digestion is to leave the habit of eating too much. There should be regulation of eating hours and patient should always leave part of the stomach empty for proper movement of food during digestion.
- Fresh and natural foods should be eaten. Preserved, canned, or fast foods should be avoided.
- Patients should never suppress natural urges, such as passing urine, stool or flatus, sneezing, belching, yawning, and even crying. Suppression of such urges aggravates toxins in the body.
- Create regular meal times. There should be an interval of at least 4 hours between two meals.
- Eat dinner before 2 hours of sleeping. Abrisk walk after dinner is quite helpful.
Dietary guidelines
- Food should be consumed in proper quantity.
- Eat only when you are hungry.
- Foods should complement and not contradict each other.
- Eating in a pleasant environment is preferable.
- There should be proper pacing of food. It should be neither too fast nor too slow.
- Don’t get distracted while eating.
- Eat food according to constitution.
- Eat mostly freshly prepared foods. In case you have to eat leftovers, ensure they are not more than a day old.
- Avoid weird food combinations like eating very hot and very cold foods together or raw and cooked food. Also, avoid combinations like milk and fish or milk and meat.
- Avoid food cooked in microwave. It disperses energy and ultimately weakens over time. This has been scientifically and empirically proven.
- Food should look and smell appetizing. Use good garnishes and set up table attractively. This willaid ininstilling a sense of harmony at the dinner table.
- Drink spring or purified water. Avoid distilled water as it does not contain any minerals and has a tendency to accumulate them from your system. This ultimately weakens bones, teeth, hair, nails, and skin. However, you can get various mineral formulations nowadays. The problem can be rectified by adding such formulations to the distilled water to rectify this problem.
- Try getting up early in the morning and drink at least two to three glasses of water the first thing in the morning. It is better to store water in a copper pot on the previous night. It helps in removal of toxins from the body. During winters, you may warm this water.
- Regular meditation, yoga and exercise are advisable as these are extremely helpful. Exercise promotes circulation and aids in maintaining the blood flow to every part of body. You can exercise to half of your strength.
- Proper rest and sound sleep is advisable.
- Try to keep your mind relaxed.
- Avoid awaking till late nights.
- Make morning and night walks a daily routine.
- Avoid too hot or too cold temperature.
Specific guidelines
Fasting is extremely effective for dyspepsia as it helps to digest the ama. It also gives the required rest to the digestive system as it is not loaded with the food. After fasting, when patient is hungry, light foods should be taken like mung dal soup, boiled vegetables like squash, bitter gourd, amla, radish and spices like cumin, ginger, black pepper, cilantro, fenugreek etc. Useful herbs that you can use arehing (assafoetida), chitrak, vacha, Piper longum, Terminaliachebula, Emblicaofficinalis ,Adhatodavasica etc.