Agni: The Key to Good Digestion
By Dave Lesinski
In a day and age in which many people are struggling with digestive disturbances I find it highly important to introduce the Ayurvedic concept of agni. Gluten intolerance, candida, food allergies, bloating, gas, brain fog, fatigue and more can all be connected to an imbalanced agni.
Agni, which is the Sanskrit word for fire, refers to our ability to “fire-up” and digest food as well as digest our daily life experiences. In this article I will be focusing on the digestion of food and the general approach to be taken to ensure that your body is able transform the food you eat into the energy and power you need to be healthy, happy and active. Your body’s health at every level depends on a balanced agni.
You can liken your agni to a bonfire. In order for the fire to begin to burn there must be the initial spark of fire. This is your agni, and when working properly it allows your stomach to break down the food mass you take in and your small intestine to further break down the food and absorb the nutrients you need into the bloodstream for use. If you throw too much wood (especially heavy, damp wood) on the fire the fire will go out. The same is true with your agni. If you overeat or regularly choose foods that are heavy and earthy (sweets, refined foods, thick smoothies, cheese, high amounts of meat, cold drinks at mealtime, etc.) you may be dampening your agni causing your body to have trouble metabolizing what you eat.
If you allow a bonfire to overheat it will burn out of control burning up the firewood quickly and possibly spreading outside of the fire pit. Many people regularly take foods that are innately hot (peppers, salsas, hot spices, alcohol, vinegar, etc.) as well as take foods that are heavy and earthy (mentioned in above paragraph), so the body has to create more heat to breakdown the food. This creates an excess amount of heat and inflammation in the body. Excess heat in the digestive system can cause food to be burned up before it can absorb the nutrients. And fire spreading throughout the body causes all types of imbalances including hyper-acidity, diarrhea, skin rashes and more. In order to digest and metabolize what you eat, your agni must be balanced. This is the key to good health.
So how do you achieve a balanced agni? The answer depends on you! Just like there is not one fad-diet that works for everyone or one nutritional program that will take care of everyone, there is also not one meal plan and/or lifestyle that will work for everyone’s agni.
Luckily Ayurveda helps you out. By supporting you in understanding your personal constitution (or dosha) Ayurveda allows you to know what style of agni you have and whether or not you have a natural tendency to burn too hot, burn too cold or bounce between the two. Once you determine this you can refine your food choices knowing what to favor and dis-favor in order to have a healthy and balanced agni. Before reading further you will want to take the Dosha Evaluation (go to www.modernayurvedaliving and click on the Free Stuff link) to determine whether you have a vata, pitta or kapha constitution.
The recommendations mentioned below are general guidelines and foods to favor. This does not mean that one cannot enjoy all the spices, tastes and foods out there. However, you should know what foods to favor and dis-favor in order to have a balanced agni. For a specific work-up and dietary plan please see a nutritionist or Ayurvedic consultant.
Vata: Vata-agni can be variable. A vata may be very hungry at some meal times but not at others with a tendency to have the agni fire blow out completely. These individuals are generally a thinner build, with dark eyes, thin face and are talkative. They may struggle with dryness, anxiety, trouble with sleep and digestive disturbances including bloating and constipation. In order for vata individuals to keep a balanced agni, they should favor warm, cooked (not overcooked) slightly oily foods with the “healthy-sweet”, sour and salty tastes. A great way to balance agni is through proper use of spices, and for a vata this means regular use of fennel, cumin, ginger, hing (asofatida), cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek and small amounts of black pepper.
Pitta: Pitta-agni is strong but can have a tendency to overheat when not careful. Pitta people tend to be of medium build, analytical, goal-oriented and with a square face and bright eyes. They may struggle with diarrhea, skin rashes, hyper-acidity, anger, frustration and inflammation. In order for pittas to keep a balanced agni, they should favor foods that are sweet, bitter and astringent and be careful with the amount of hot foods they digest. Include plenty of foods that are innately cooling to the body like greens, pomegranate, cilantro, lemon, lime, mint and coconut. Too much heat will cause the body to overheat, burning up the food before nutrients can be absorbed and then taking this waste product to the tissues causing inflammatory imbalances. Spices that are great for pitta types are coriander, cilantro, fennel, mint, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper (small amounts) and cumin (small amounts).
Kapha: Kapha-agni can be heavy, cold and dull. Kapha people tend to be of larger build with large eyes, thick and wavy hair, round face, strong immune system and jovial personality. They gain weight easily and may not need three meals a day. Kapha types could benefit by doing some light fasting once a week. An example of this would be picking one day a week to make two of your meals a “light liquid” meal. Examples would be tea, lassi, fruit juice or a thin soup. Heavy smoothies are not suggested. Kaphas should favor a lighter diet with home-cooked meals, plenty of legumes, whole grains (like barley and quinoa) and cooked veggies. Kaphas can enjoy all spices to help them warm up and break down food, but not too much salt.
The key to this article is understanding that the one-size-fits-all approach to eating does not fit all. Knowing our dosha (body type) gives you insight into the general dietary approach you should take and foods you should favor. Keeping a balanced agni will allow you to enjoy all types of foods and spices. If you are struggling with an out of balance digestion, I would urge you to make an appointment with a nutritionist or Ayurvedic practitioner. Your ability to digest your foods is a major key to your good health.
Dave Lesinski
760 815 6591
dave@modernayurvedaliving.com
