INDIGESTION
INDIGESTION
Indigestion or Dyspepsia refers to discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen, often after eating or drinking .Indigestion symptoms always occur after eating, when your stomach is digesting.
SYMPTOMS
How long does indigestion last?
You may have symptoms of indigestion for a few minutes to a few hours after eating. It takes 3-5 hours for your stomach to digest a meal before passing it on to your intestines.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES BEHIND INDIGESTION
According to modern science ,Indigestion can result from lifestyle or dietary habits, a medical condition, or the use of some drugs.
Common causes of indigestion
If there is no identifiable structural or metabolic cause, a doctor will diagnose functional dyspepsia.
Dyspepsia can also be a symptom of a wide range of health conditions, including:
According to Ayurveda, digestion in our body is affected by AGNI (digestive fire). Agni is of prime importance as it decides how much food a person can consume as per Acharya Charak .Agni breaks the food and absorbs the nutrients. In our body, when Agni is balanced and strong, it results in smooth digestion and good overall health whereas if agni is weak or imbalanced, problems like indigestion occurs.
Different Types of Agni : Sama ,Vishama,Tikshna,Manda
In Ayurveda several types of Agni are responsible for different digestive issues:
• Sama Agni: meaning a balanced digestive fire so there are no digestive problems
• Vishama Agni: leading to irregular digestion. When vata dosha is imbalanced leading to issues like bloating, gas, and alternating constipation or diarrheoa. People with vata predominance are affected when they eat under stress or irregularly.
• Tikshna Agni: leading to acidic digestion .When Pitta dosha is imbalanced, a very intense or sharp digestive fire that leads to conditions like acid reflux, heartburn, and acidity.People with a dominant Pitta dosha are affected when they eat spicy, oily, or sour foods, or when they are under intense stress.
• Manda Agni: related to Kapha dosha imbalance. It is associated with a sluggish or weak digestive fire that leads to slow digestion, heaviness, and a feeling of tiredness of fullness. It often occurs due to overeating or eating too much cold, damp, or oily food.
Eating habits
• Food should be hot as it increases the process of digestion.
• We should not eat food either very fast or very slow as it may lead to indigestion.
• We should not talk or laugh while eating the food in order to avoid choking.
• Always one should take the food in a good & healthy environment. One should consume the food only when the previously taken food is completely digested. We should take the food only when we feel hungry.
• Don’t take the heavy food items like flour, corn etc., and water after meals. We should always eat food with interest.
• The diet especially hard food substances should be properly chewed.
• Avoid taking water at least 15 minutes before having food. The quantity of water taken after eating food should be little.
• Heavy food should be taken in a limited quantity. Heavy food should not be taken at night.
• The proper time for taking your dinner is approximately is 2 to 3 hours before going to bed. Do not sleep immediately after taking the meal.
• Ayurveda insists that iced water should not be drunk during or after the meal as it slows digestion.
• After meals heavy physical work should be avoided. In order to stimulate appetite, one can chew and eat half teaspoonful of freshly grated ginger with a pinch of rock salt 10 to 15 minutes before each meal.
Food Choices
Incompatible food combinations [Virudhha Ahara]
AS PER CHARAKA SAMHITA By following the above conditions one can easily digest the food that has been taken in proper quantity and in proper time leading to the increase in strength, complexion, health and the lifespan. Food not only nourishes our body but it also nourishes our mind. Along with maintaining the health it should have the quality of not causing the diseases.
Lifestyle Changes to Improve Digestion
- Daily Routines (Dinacharya): Introduce Ayurvedic practices that promote healthy digestion:
- Morning rituals: Drinking warm water with lemon or ginger, tongue scraping, and oil pulling.
- Exercise: The importance of regular, moderate exercise such as yoga, walking, or pranayama to stimulate Agni.
- Stress Management: Practices like meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness to reduce stress, which can impair digestion.
- Adequate Sleep: Stress the importance of getting enough rest, as poor sleep can disrupt the digestive process.
Benefits of Gasomex Tablets- Helps to improve digestion.
- Helps to expel intestinal gas.
- Helps to treat dyspepsia.
- Beneficial for diarrhea and dysentery patients.
- Helps to reduce nausea and vomiting.
- Helps to prevent gastric ulcer
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