Digestion from an Ayurvedic perspective
What is digestion in Ayurveda?
From an Ayurvedic perspective, digestion doesn’t only focus on how we process food, but also how we digest life. Everything we perceive through our five senses, sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell makes impressions on us, and the experience needs to be digested and processed. Healthy digestion from an Ayurvedic perspective means that we have the capacity needed to process everything we experience. We speak of our inner fire, agni, as this capacity. This fire is present mainly in our stomach, but also in each of our cells. It's the capacity to take in information, and transform it into useful nutrients and wisdom.
When the fire and excitement for life burn strong we feel energized after a meal, after watching a movie, after seeing friends, after having sex, or at the end of the work day. When we digest life well, the body feels light, energized, the eyes are glowing, there’s enthusiasm for life, and symptoms of bloating, gassiness, sluggishness, constipation, or loose stools are absent. Emotions can arise, be felt, expressed, and then subside. For this to happen, there needs to be a balance between what we take in, and the time we give ourselves to process life.
How can you prevent digestive problems?
We need to care for our digestive capacity and make sure it stays strong. You can compare this inner fire to an actual bonfire. It needs food (wood) often enough to not burn out. Too much wood however if the fire is weak will put it out.
We therefore mainly strengthen our digestion by listening and acting on our body’s signs of hunger, thirst, a feeling of fullness, and impulses to eat certain foods. It’s not going to be the same tools that help you, as have helped me. We all need to take the time to truly get to know ourselves and our bodies.
If the impulse to eat something is neutral and undramatic, it’s usually the body asking for what it needs. When there's a craving and emotional response when you consider having a certain food, it’s most likely the mind speaking. It doesn’t mean you should never have that food, but at that moment it won’t serve you. Instead, it will lead to more cravings and we then easily overeat. To learn to differentiate these ques from the body, and to care for it with grace, will support sustained health and strong digestion.
One simple thing that strengthens digestion, is stopping snacking and having 3 meals a day. That gives the body a break in between, and the digestion won’t get “worn out”. Ideally, each meal would be the size of your two hands cupped together or the size of your fist. See if you can leave 2-3 hours to digest before going to bed, and you will wake up feeling more refreshed.
What can we do to treat and solve acute digestion problems?
As shared earlier, this is very individual and depends on who is experiencing the problems, how they show up, and many other factors. There are a few general guidelines, however. If you’re not sure how you would categorize what you experience, speak to a practitioner to make sure you get the right treatment.
If you have difficulty going to the bathroom every day, or when you do, the feces are hard and shaped like little balls, you likely have excess dryness present. Soak 20 raisins in a cup of water overnight and drink in the morning. Incorporating ghee into the diet does wonders for this kind of digestion too. Favor soups, stews, and warm foods with plenty of oil above raw food, dry roasted and BBQed foods for a week, and notice if something changes.
If your digestion is irregular, sometimes hard, sometimes loose, and can be described as IBS, regularity is your friend. See if you can have your meals at the same time, go to bed at the same time (ideally a little earlier than normal) and follow a schedule as much as possible. The more your body can rely on your structure, the more it can relax and find regularity. Ghee is helpful in this case too and cutting out snacking for a week. What changes?
If the digestion is sharp, quick, hot, erratic, and too strong, foods that are cooling, bitter, astringent, and sweet will help. That can for example be dark leafy greens, cucumber, fresh coconut water, and herbs such as lavender, lemongrass, fennel, cilantro, and mint. Something that also can be helpful is drinking a cup of aloe juice in the morning or chewing a few fennel seeds after a meal.
How can we care for ourselves as we are healing digestive problems?
It can take time to adjust a pattern that has been created over time. It’s important to have patience and step by step make small changes that support the body to find balance again. Quick fixes and radical changes usually don't last, on the other hand, they can shock the body into a state of stress or more imbalances. Work with a practitioner that you trust and be gentle with yourself. Often there’s a psychosomatic component to indigestion. By finding ways to relax regularly, speak to someone you trust, and make sure that you have peaceful meals, we can begin to heal the digestive system.
Do you need support with healing your digestion?
I offer consultations and coaching where we together take a look at the root cause of indigestion, stomach pains, bloating, allergies, overwhelm, and your relationship with food. The first call is for free where I get to know you. Already the first time we meet, we begin supporting you on your path to healing and ease. Get in touch or book below to learn more.
This article was originally published in German for Wholymed, an online platform with the intention to close the gap between alternative and traditional medicine in Germany. Learn more here.