Indigestion, bloating, acid reflux disease, diarrhea, or constipation? Ayurveda says your kitchen has the reply.
In Ayurveda, agni (fireplace) is considered because the supply of life.
It’s actually the gatekeeper of excellent well being and a metaphor for all metabolic capabilities within the physique. The whole lot you eat is regarded upon as an providing to agni — and what’s a stronger, direct providing than meals?
What you eat can nourish and strengthen this hearth, boosting your digestive system — or it will probably smother it, resulting in an impaired, weakened, or imbalanced agni.
In keeping with Ayurveda, dangerous meals, equivalent to fried meals, processed meats, and really chilly meals, can create undigested residue that types toxins, or in Ayurvedic phrases “ama.” Ama is described as the basis reason behind illness.
So, the well being objective is to steadiness this metabolic fireplace. In the case of good consuming habits, right here’s one of the best recommendation most Ayurvedic practitioners give:
- Eat solely when hungry.
- Maintain gaps of at the least three hours between meals, so the earlier meal is digested.
- Keep away from smothering agni with chilly, moist, spicy, oily, and fried meals.
“A food plan of sunshine easy meals is one of the best. Alkalis assist regulate this gastric fireplace. Ghee stimulates agni and improves digestion. Correct chewing is important to good digestion, too,” says Dr. Okay.C. Lineesha of Greens Ayurveda in Kerala, India.
1. Constipation? Drink ghee, salt, and scorching water
“Eat a drink made with ghee, salt, and scorching water. Ghee helps lubricate the within of the intestines and salt removes micro organism,” says Ayurveda and naturotherapy practitioner, Meeinal Deshpande. Ghee comprises butyrate acid, a fatty acid with
Deshpande additionally suggests consuming a ripe banana two hours after dinner, adopted by a glass of scorching milk or scorching water.
A tablespoon of castor oil — a identified stimulant laxative — taken at bedtime can also present aid.
Nonetheless, those that are pregnant ought to keep away from castor oil. Seek the advice of a healthcare supplier should you’re contemplating castor oil for a kid beneath 12 or taking for extended use should you’re over 60.
2. Bloated? Attempt heat water and fennel seeds or ginger
Mainly something taken with heat water might help bloating, in keeping with Dr. Lineesha.
She particularly recommends fennel seeds with a glass of heat water. However you could possibly additionally take into account ginger with a drop of honey.
If you happen to don’t need to put together a scorching drink, chewing on fennel seed after consuming can assist the digestion course of and cut back gasoline and bloating.
If you happen to’re a tea drinker, attain for mint tea for fennel tea to assist with bloat.
3. Acid reflux disorder? Fennel seeds, holy basil, and different spices could do the trick
“Pop some saunf (fennel seeds), tulsi leaves (holy basil), or a spice like clove in your mouth and chew slowly,” suggests Amrita Rana, a meals blogger who conducts workshops on Ayurvedic meals.
“Something that will increase saliva within the mouth might help steadiness the abdomen’s acidity,” says Rana.
She recommends freshly made drinks like coconut water with bits of tender coconut or buttermilk (takra) that’s been selfmade by churning water and plain yogurt collectively.
In keeping with Ayurveda, buttermilk soothes the abdomen, aids digestion, and reduces irritation within the abdomen lining that causes acid reflux disease.
4. Diarrhea? Eat gourds and hold hydrating
“Bottle gourd (cabalash) is great for diarrhea. You may flip it right into a soup, a curry made with tomatoes, or a stew, and eat it with rice,” says dietitian Sheela Tanna, who prescribes Ayurvedic treatments for her sufferers.
“[This specialty produce] has a variety of fiber and water content material, and is straightforward to digest, low in energy, and light-weight on the abdomen,” Tanna notes.
It’s necessary to keep away from dehydration when you have got diarrhea, so drink a variety of fluids, greater than you usually would.
Plain water is greatest, however you may also strive buttermilk or fruit juice — particularly apple and pomegranate — or ginger tea. Ginger
Ginger is a superb treatment for therapeutic diarrhea.
“In keeping with Ayurveda, if somebody has diarrhea it’s not good to cease it instantly by giving medicines,” says Dr. Lineesha. As an alternative, she recommends taking ginger to make sure the toxins, and the diarrhea, depart the physique naturally.
5. Indigestion? Cooked veggies and soupy dishes could assist
In case your abdomen is upset, test to see what you’ve eaten during the last 24 to 48 hours and “discover a counterbalance,” suggests Rana.
If stricken with indigestion, she suggests avoiding dairy or massive grains (rice), uncooked greens, and something that makes the abdomen work arduous to digest it.
“Have cooked greens which might be steamed or stir fried, and solely add spices that assist in digestion like ginger, cinnamon, black pepper. For meals, soupy and liquid-like dishes assist,” Rana says.
Juices are helpful too, says Dr. Lineesha. Take equal portions of onion juice and honey or a glass of buttermilk combined with a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic paste for aid.
You probably have acid reflux disease, heartburn, or irritation within the digestive tract, garlic and onion could irritate it additional. Be conscious of what meals work greatest along with your particular physique and wishes.