Do you know which organ is responsible for a person to be in supreme health? Yes, it is the Gut. Ayurveda believes that the gut or the digestive system is the core of activities and if the gut is in perfect condition, the overall health of the body will also be perfect.
The gut and its health are not widely discussed and people have many questions with regards to it. This blog attempts to answer the most common doubts that individuals have and also give them information about the remedy for improving gut health.
Q What is the gut? What are its functions?
Gut is the gastrointestinal tract and considered to be the important part of the digestive system.Food that we eat is digested by the gut and provides nutrients to all parts of the body. This helps the entire human body to function normally and perform its activities.
It can also play an important role in affecting mood and memory. The majority of serotonin, a hormone meant to make us feel good, is actually produced in the gut! There are nearly 100 trillion bacteria in body and most of them are stored in gut.
Q What are signs of good and bad gut health?
Signs of good gut health is when an individual has a good appetite, excellent digestion, and regular bowel movements.
When gut health is not optimal we show symptoms of indigestion, constipation or irregular bowel syndrome. Ayurveda believes that conditions such as skin and heart problems, diabetes, high cholesterol, fatigue etc., are also related to gut health.
Q So, is it the Doshas that determine good gut health?
No, when it comes to the gut, it is the Agni and not the doshas that determine its optimal functioning.
When Agni or the digestive juices are working well, the food assimilated is digested within stipulated time and the body is nourished. When Agni is weak, it leads to accumulation of the doshas.
When the doshas accumulate in the digestive system they manifest as diseases.
Q Can you tell which Dosha accumulates where and what are its effects?
Kapha accumulates in the stomach and it can manifest in the form of excess mucus, cough, asthma, diabetes, and obesity.
Pitta accumulates in the stomach and small intestine. The result of excess Pitta could lead to skin problems, heart problems, and inflammation.
Vata accumulates in the colon. Nervous conditions, degenerative conditions, and bone problems could be a symptom of excess Vata.
As mentioned earlier the reason for doshas to accumulate is a weak Agni.
Q Is there also a classification for types of Agni? And are there any symptoms to recognize them?
Agni can be classified into 3 sub-classes -
- Jatharagni–It acts on the food in the digestive tract and converts it into absorbable form.
- Bhutagni - Bhutagni is of 5 types, each of which acts on the one primordial constituents of the absorbed food- earth, water,fire,air and space.
- Dhatvagni - The third class of Agni, the Dhatvagni, acts at the level of tissue metabolism.
Agni can also be classified based on its strength into 4 types. Ayurvedic practitioners are able to identify them based on symptoms that an individual experience. The four types of Agni are -
Visham Agni- When a person complains of irregular digestion this is an indication that he/she may be experiencing a condition of Visham Agni. For a person having this condition, the appetite is irregular, and digestion varies from day-day. Some other symptoms of Visham Agni are bloating, intestinal cramps, constipation, dry stool and gas.
Tiksha Agni- In this condition, the Agni is stronger than usual. In layman terms, this condition is called acidity. A person with Tiksha Agni experiences a sharp burning sensation and pungent or spicy food may not suit the individual. Other symptoms include loose stools, hyperacidity/ heartburn, and sharp appetite.
Mandagni- as the name suggests in this condition digestion is slow. For a person having Mandagni, digesting one meal may take as long as 4-6 hours. Symptoms of the Mandagniinclude slow metabolism, weight gain, sticky stools, and low appetite.
Sama Agni- is not a condition to worry about. Our aim should be to have this status of Agni in our body. In this condition the gut is healthy, works well, digestion and appetite are normal. People with Sama Agni also have strong immunity, shiny eyes, and glowing skin. All these are indications of a healthy and normal gut.
Q Does Ayurveda have any remedy to improve gut health?
There are a number of small daily practices that we can inculcate to stimulate the Agni. Also including some foods can rekindle the Agni. However, the most effective remedy to improve gut health is BilvadiChurna.
Q What is Bilwadi churna made of and how does it work?
Bilwadi churna is a combination of seven ingredients. Of these, the important ones are Bilva fruit, Ginger, Saunf, and Cannabis Sativa. Each ingredient plays a role in improving gut health.
Bilva fruit has a high proportion of Tannins. These Tannins help relieve conditions of constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion. Ginger promotes the release of intestinal gas, aids digestion, relaxes the gut. Saunf helps to improve the metabolism of the gut, reduces incidences of bloating. Cannabis Sativa helps in increasing the good microbes and improving appetite.
Thus every ingredient used in making the Churna helps the gut to improve its functioning thereby making it healthy.They also improve digestion and metabolism, thus preventing elimination of undigested foods. It acts to improve the functions of stomach, intestine, and liver.
The major benefits of Bilwadi churna are attributed to its digestive stimulant, carminative, antispasmodic and astringent(grahi) properties. It absorbs the excess liquid content from the intestines. Thus reducing the frequency of loose stools.
Bilwadi churna is helpful in following health conditions-
- Diarrhea,
- Dysentery,
- Bloating,
- IBS (irritable bowel syndrome),
- Colitis, and
- bacterial infection.
Q Isn’t Cannabis Sativa a psychotropic drug?
This is a huge misconception with regards to Cannabis Sativa. This herb was used in India for centuries as a healing herb. Sadly, it has now been relegated to a psychotropic drug and its medicinal properties are long forgotten. You can read more about Cannabis and its medicinal uses here.
Q Where can we buy Bilwadi churna ?
There are many market players who manufacture this Churna, It can also be purchased on the Vedi website. Vedi manufactures all its products in an authentic way using Organic and natural ingredients.
We hope this blog answers all your questions with regards to gut health. For more information, you can contact the doctor in our website.in our website.
