Ayurveda is well-known for its ancient system of health care. It works on the principle of tri dosha i.e. Vata, Pitta, and kapha which are also the backbone of Ayurvedic diagnostic and treatment principles, including those related to digestion. Pitta dosha is responsible for digestion and is also connected to agni, or digestive fire. Agni is the gatekeeper of good health, a source of awareness, nutrition, and intelligence. Nearly 40% of the population suffers from digestive disorders worldwide.
Imbalance agni= digestive problems. So try avoiding agni inhibitors.
Well, our unhealthy eating habits imbalance agni which gives place to gastrointestinal diseases like abdominal pain, acidity, bloating, heartburn, and discomfort. Ayurvedic treatment for Acidity is the best option you can choose for lifetime recovery.
Ayurveda believes proper digestion is essential for good health. Improper digestion is responsible for the creation of ama (toxins) in the body. Ama is thus the root cause of several diseases.
The digestive system is your body's foundation. So it is essential for the roots to be strong. Imbalanced digestion gives birth to diseases. The quality of health depends on how healthy the gut is.
FOOD, MOOD, AND DIGESTION have a healthy connection. For digestion the body needs a suitable environment to start; an uplifting, positive, and happy environment allows the body to process and absorb the nutrients from the meal.
Why is Ayurveda considered best for the digestive system?
The key to a healthy and fit body lies in digestion abilities.
Ayurveda believes- we become what we eat. So a healthy and nutritious diet leads to a healthy body, mind, and soul and unhealthy food makes us dull, inactive, and prone to several infections.
Skipping meals to consuming unhealthy and junk food we may often do things that may harm gut health. Our overall well-being and health depend on how our body digest things grabbed from nature. Through the eyes of Ayurveda, an expert concludes the cause by examining one’s lifestyle and eating habits. Faulty eating practices, poor food choices, and wrong combinations make the major causes of digestive disease. So to improve overall health, first one should focus on improving gut health and digestion. Ayurvedic treatment is safe, natural, and systematic which is advantageous over other medical practices which provide symptomatic treatment with chances of disease reversal. Dr. Sharda Ayurveda has proven to provide effective Ayurvedic treatment for abdominal pain, piles, heartburn, etc., and many others. The root cause treatment, guidance from highly experienced doctors, and specialized recommendation for diet and lifestyle modifications help you recover early.
Ayurvedic Tips to improve the Digestive system
1. Improve Gut Health
Ayurvedic diet to improve gut health plays a significant role. A nutritious diet is essential for gut health.
For Ayurveda, it matters the most what we eat,
How We Eat? And When Do We Eat?
- A significant gap between your bedtime and last meal promotes a robust digestive system.
- Ayurveda recognizes six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter & astringent) which communicate a unique combination of energy and information to the physiology.
- Ayurveda recommends incorporating each of the six tastes into every meal,
- Most Important don’t forget to enjoy your meals and be grateful for the foods you have on your plate.
- For a human digestive system to function in the proper way we believe that just eating food is enough for sustaining a healthy life but this is completely wrong as it is very important to add a diet full of nutrients, sattvic food, fruits, nuts that promote gut health and digestive system. Hence, proper digestion is pleasing for overall health maintenance. It signifies the ability of the body to make up for the comprehensive functioning of daily routine.
2. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration is a sign of depleting the health of the digestive system thus keeping yourself hydrated is the basis for a healthy digestive system. Drinking plenty of water every day helps food to efficiently travel through the gastrointestinal tract. Then the supply of nutrients is provided to other parts of the body. And therefore the kidney (which requires water for the process) will flush out toxins from the body effectively.
Staying dehydrated for longer hours directly interferes with food processing. Not only does staying hydrated help improve digestion but helps manage body weight. It’s a proven fact that drinking water before a meal prevents overeating. It is recommended to drink a glass of water in the morning as soon as you wake up as it helps in easy bowel movement and helps flushing toxins easily. Additionally, a hydrated body helps keep the mind stable and thus retains the essential minerals in the body and eliminates toxic chemicals.
3. Include High Fiber Food in the Diet
To maintain a healthy digestive system it is of utmost importance that we provide it with the essential components that it requires.
Always remember-
‘Do not fill your stomach’ Leave some space for the movement of air and digestion.
This will promote healthy digestion.
Getting enough dietary fiber in the daily routine maintains the overall health of the body. The dietary fiber we eat is called roughage which mainly includes plants, fruits, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains. This will help maintain health and reduce the chances of the occurrence of IBS, piles, acidity, and constipation.
The fibers are categorized into two types and both are necessary for digestion and our health
- Soluble fiber- It dissolves in water and helps lowering glucose levels, and cholesterol. Foods like oats, beans, apples, nuts, and barley contain soluble fiber.
- Insoluble fiber- Doesn’t dissolve in water and promotes movement of food through the digestive system and is found in foods like whole wheat flour, walnuts, brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower, and green beans.
4. Healthy Diet
Ayurveda believes in the concept of a “Healthy diet promotes sustainable and disease-free living”. Therefore for improved gut health adopt a diet that boosts the microbiome and aids in proper digestion. Ayurveda believes that an imbalanced Pitta Dosha is the root cause of all digestive system ailments. The Ayurvedic diet helps balance the dominant Doshas in the body and helps in maintaining a healthy gut. These widely accepted diet tips that nurture gut health are:
- Drinking lukewarm water throughout the day.
- Avoid incompatible food combinations·
- Eat food only when hungry.
- Sipping herbal drinks like fennel seeds water, green tea or coriander water helps aid digestion.
- Eating the right food at the right time.
- Don't rush and eat. Chew your food p[roperly and eat slowly.
Ayurveda suggests incorporating the five wonder spices in the diet which promote optimal digestion and production of digestive enzymes which are fennel, coriander, cardamom, ginger, and cumin.
5. Ayurvedic Herbs
Ayurvedic Herbs hold great importance for their valuable property and are a storehouse of benefits. They not only provide you benefits but additionally also are natural and safe means to improve health and are found in every home now. They are praiseworthy due to the qualities inhibited in them. The best advantage about them is they do not yield any side effects but rather are loaded with benefits.
Some of the best herbs which promote healthy digestion are Turmeric, Cinnamon, and Caraway.
- Turmeric: It helps relieve stomach bloating, supports liver function, and is high in anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Cinnamon: It improves appetite and blood circulation and is rich in anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
- Caraway: Caraway is a herb that aids in maintaining a healthy digestive system by easing stomach cramps and nausea.
6. Lifestyle
A healthy and active lifestyle is the key to a disease-free life. Lifestyle has a major role in our life. From waking up in the morning to getting back to bed at night, our daily routine is the lifestyle we have maintained. We get so occupied with daily chores and other activities that we barely have any time for ourselves. We have no time for workouts and to look after ourselves. But at some point, this will impact our health. It is mandatory to adopt a healthy lifestyle with fresh, clean food habits followed by exercise and meditation. We often see a rise in digestive issues like diarrhea, acidity, bloating heartburn, and irritable bowel movements and we believe that we will recover through medicines but the actual fact doesn’t match with reality. Ayurveda believes that little efforts and changes in lifestyle help promote disease-free living. In the case of digestive diseases, managing gut health and opting for lifestyle changes helps promote a healthy digestive system. These modifications are categorized into three types which are:
- Optimize your diet: The situation may worsen if the diet includes saturated fats, refined sugar, and processed food. Therefore, Ayurveda suggests a plant-based diet that is natural and promotes healthy functioning of the gut.
- Switch to a healthy lifestyle: Our daily habits are associated with the maintenance of our health and well-being. Excluding undesirable habits like smoking, minimal exercise, and stress promotes healthy living. These will help manage the gastrointestinal tract.
- Gut-friendly nutrient intake: Including beneficial nutrients improves the digestive tract. Glutamine and zinc are proven to provide relief from the symptoms of piles, diarrhea, and colitis.
7. Exercise
Digestion is the most critical process of the body. Proper functioning stimulates improved digestion and the elimination of toxins from the body. Apart from a nutritious diet, exercise also plays a major role in the best results. Some of the best activities recommended for an improved digestive system are:
- Brisk walking: The simplest and yet most effective exercise which should be included with a daily workout regime. Brisk walking stands for “fast-moving” and doing this for at least 20-40 minutes regularly keeps digestive diseases and many other serious medical conditions at bay. It stimulates intestinal contractility, thereby helping the easy passage of stool through the colon.
- Yoga: The benefits of it are many which include improved stretching and relaxing of the abdominal muscles which directly avoid chances of digestive disease emergence like bloating and acidity. Some of the best yoga poses are Navasana, Balasana, Trikonasana, and Dhanurasana poses that greatly improve digestion and help reduce belly fat. It also reduces stress and keeps the mind stable.
- Breathing: Having a proper breathing pattern could help reduce the chances of digestive disease which affects the body. For this sit straight and breathe in and out with the help of belly muscles.
Ayurveda is a blessing for mankind that holds strong ground as they are safe and natural causing no side effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I improve my digestion?
Digestion can be improved by eating healthy sattvic food, not skipping meals, exercising, and meditating regularly.
2. What are some good food habits for a healthy stomach?
Some of the good habits for a healthy stomach are-
- By not eating frequently. Eat only when you are hungry.
- By sipping some herbal drinks or tea.
- Eating your largest meal in the daytime.
- Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables.
- Drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
3. What are some common digestive disorders according to Ayurveda?
A few common digestive disorders are-
- Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Acidity, Bloating, and heartburn
- Lactose intolerance
4. What causes acid reflux, and what can I do to prevent it?
Acid reflux is majorly caused due to unhealthy eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle, lack of activity and exercise, and eating food at odd times.
Acid reflux can be prevented by avoiding eating 2-3 hours before bedtime, avoiding trigger foods that can level up acid in the body, adding sattvic food to your diet, and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
5. What are some natural ways to cure digestive disorders?
- Intake of fibrous-rich diet.
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
- Avoid eating non-vegetarian food.
- Sipping at least 8-10 glasses of water throughout the day promotes healthy digestion.
- Ginger is known for treating digestive disorders. It helps ease acidity and bloating.
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