Agni – Understanding digestion and metabolism
Agni is the philosophical understanding of digestion and metabolism taking place in our body. Ayurveda concepts regarding health and well being revolve around Agni. It is Agni that sustains life and it is Agni which causes its destruction when not taken proper care of. To understand health it is important to have an understanding of Agni.
The food we consume is metabolised by our body in various stages before it is used by the cells as energy . This metabolism or breaking down of complex food substances to simple units which can be absorbed by our cells is metaphorically termed as Agni.
- Good metabolism is termed as Samagni.
- Weak metabolism is Mandagni which is the first step to the path to ill health.
- There is one more form of agni termed as Teekshnagni wherein the metabolism is unnaturally high and can result in auto digestion of the body tissues.
The definition of health as explained in the sushruta samhita is
“ Samadosha Samagni Sama Dhatu Malaha Kriya !
Prasanna Atmeya Indriya ManahaSswastha Ityabhidhiyatey ! “ Sushrut Samhita
Translation- Health is the state of balanced Dosha ,balanced Agni, balanced Dhatu ,balanced Mala, and a blissful Atma ,Senses and Mana.
Health is not just an absence of disease or discomfort but a state of balance and bliss. This is not something to be achieved momentarily ,it is to be constantly maintained.
So, how would a person know what is the condition of the agni in the body ? The body has always been talking to us ,giving us indications and updates about its condition.We just have to listen to it.( Yes, we do hear the body complaining from time to time but we just ignore it or worse ,shut it up by popping a pill!)
The Agni does not differentiate between food or medicine. Anything that is consumed is acted upon by the Agni . Just as there is a deep study involved in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drugs and medicines, so also an understanding of the food that we eat and its effect on our metabolism is a topic of deep study.
Following 8 guidelines are the first steps to maintain the Samagni –
- Be active, a sedentary lifestyle does no good to the Agni.
- Maintain discipline , stick to schedules …the Agni does not like to keep waiting for food when it is hungry. Listen to the stomach , eat according to the signals given by the tummy , when more hungry eat more ,when less hungry eat less.
- Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables.
- Eat according to the seasons.
- Eat in proper proportions ( refer to my previous post – How much to eat ?).
- Avoid Viruddhahar (topic of our next post ).
- Eat freshly cooked warm food. Avoid reheating of already cooked food.
- When eating concentrate on the meal. Avoid distractions like texting, talking, reading.
Remember – the digestion is just as volatile as fire, requires careful kindling.
- Incorporate the above simple ayurvedic recommendations in your life and feel the magic unfold. Changing one’s lifestyle and diet pattern overnight is not easy, however…. it is not a herculean task either.
So lets take one small step daily on the path to Health and Happiness!
Heading
Ayurvedic Approaches to Boosting Immunity Naturally
Agni Understanding digestion and metabolism
Herbal Beauty Secrets from Ayurveda’s Treasure Trove
Ayurvedic Remedies for Common Ailments: A Doctor’s Perspective
Ayurvedic Herbs and Remedies for Common Ailments
