Diet That Helps the Digestive System

The digestive system is of great importance inside the body. This is a system that is responsible for the ingestion, digestion, and assimilation of food. Food is fuel for our Prana (the vital energy).

There is no system in the world, which can work without fuel. The better working of a system is dependent on the quality of fuel it gets and how the system uses the fuel. This job is done by our digestive system. The importance of the digestive system is just similar to other systems of the body for modern-day doctors, but in the case of Ayurveda, the digestive system is much more special and important. What we eat is the basic requirement for the better working of our body. Food, when ingested, is just a foreign element for our body. The digestive system has the capacity to make it absorbable. Once this food is absorbable, it is assimilated and later on helps our body to work.

When the vitality of the food is transferred to the body, we live. Once this system is not working properly, our body won’t work properly. You can think, about what will be the condition of a machine when its fuel injection system is not working properly. Slowly and steadily all the systems of the body will face a breakdown and things will be harder and harder in the future. Here are a few parts of the intestine which make it important for the whole body. The digestive system has got much more important than we have talked about in the above paragraph. The digestive system is composed of millions of neurons inside it, in form of Enteric Plexuses.

These plexuses are solely responsible for the working of our Gut. These plexuses make our gut intelligent. When one eats unhealthy foodstuff, the gut expels it in a few seconds, which is the best example of the intelligence of the digestive system of our body. Besides this, this part of the nervous system secretes a lot of neurotransmitters in the body. These neurotransmitters are important for the conduction of impulses in nerves as well as for the activities of the central nervous system. The brain requires Serotonin for all its activities. A major amount of Serotonin is secreted by the Gut itself. Improper working of the gut may lead to the improper working of the nervous system. Second, are the enteric flora (The Bacteria residing in our intestines). These bacteria are permanent residents of our intestines. These are required for the normal activities of the intestines, as these help in the digestion of different foodstuffs.

and also maintain homeostasis in large intestines. The plexuses of the enteric nervous system are solely responsible for the working of the gut. The plexuses of the enteric nervous system make the gut intelligent. When one eats unhealthy foodstuff, the gut expels it in a few seconds, which is the best example of the intelligence of the digestive system of the body. Besides this, the enteric nervous system secretes a lot of neurotransmitters in the body.

Our body comes in contact with the external environment via two systems, skin and the lining of the digestive tract. The foodstuffs we eat are just foreign bodies. These will be friends or enemies for us the choice is of our digestive system. If the digestive system could change it into a form that is compatible with the body there will be a friendly interaction. But the problem appears when the digestive system finds its enemy for the body and it takes defensive action against it in the form of itching in the mouth and difficulty in swallowing and breathing. Then, during digestion of the food in the stomach and intestines, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain can start.

Ayurveda has emphasized this system. All the treatments are mostly directed toward this system. Like in the condition of Rheumatoid Arthritis, known as aamvata in Ayurveda, Ayurveda believes that the main problem starts with the digestive system. Patients of Aamvata generally suffer from digestive system upsets. Once a patient’s digestive system is not working properly, Aama will be produced in the body. Aama is a result of faulty digestion. This Aama when associated with the Vata, causes morning problems in the body. Aama is responsible for the swelling and stiffness and Vata causes pain. The accumulative condition is Aamvata, where the pain is associates with swelling and stiffness. This condition is called Rheumatoid Arthritis in modern words. This is the reason why Aamvata treatments start from the digestive system. Roots should be attacked- is a general approach of Ayurveda. Common Disorders of the Digestive System:

• Constipation
• Hyperacidity
• Flatulence
• Belching
• Food allergies
• Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome etc

About food allergies:

Our body comes in contact with the external environment via two systems, skin and the lining of the digestive tract. The foodstuffs we eat are just foreign bodies. These will be friends or enemies for us the choice is of our digestive system. If the digestive system could change it into a form that is compatible with the body there will be a friendly interaction.

When the products of the food that the digestive system takes as enemies enter the bloodstream, symptoms such as hives, eczema, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain can start. When they enter the airways, they can cause asthma. When they travel through the blood vessels, they can cause lightheadedness, weakness, and anaphylaxis, which is a sudden drop in blood pressure.

We look at this condition as the mistake of a food article entering in the digestive tract.

To avoid these things from happening, we can simply stop eating the offending food or take antihistamines. These drugs neutralize the hormones that are responsible for allergic reactions.

But this is not the solution—when we neutralize these hormones, our bodies will continue to produce them. We have created a vicious cycle. However, if our digestive systems could differentiate between friendly and unfriendly food molecules in their environment, then maybe that would be enough to stop this story from continuing indefinitely.

So, really what’s happening is that if you’re allergic to anything it means there’s something wrong with your digestive system. The only way to find out what and why this is happening is by ruling out the cause of these symptoms.

Ayurvedic Medicines for Healthy Gut

There are many herbal remedies for the Digestive system, few are detailed here-

1. Triphala: Tri means three and Phala for fruits. Where three fruits are combined together is known as Triphala. Amalaki, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki are these three. It is a general assumption that these should be mixed in equal quantities together to make Triphala. Truth is different. Sharnagdhara Samhita, an authority book of Ayurvedic Preparations has told it clearly that these fruits should be used in a proper ratio. Ratio is Amalaki: Haritaki: Bibhitaki :: 1:2:4. Only we at eVaidyaJi Wellness are providing this blend in a proper way, it is hard to practice, but is result-oriented. Triphala helps the digestive system to work properly. Amalaki pacifies Pitta and Kapha, Haritaki is good for Vata and Kapha and Bibhitaki works on Kapha and Pitta– so overall Triphala is a beneficial remedy for all the Doshas.
   
   
2. Shivakshar Pachana Churna: This is a major combination by Ayurvedic Seers, with a multidimensional approach of treatment. Here Shiva is for Haritaki, Kshara for Sajjikshara and Pachana tells its action- it increases the digestive fire inside the body. This powder from medicine can be used in any type of Digestive System disorder.
   
   
3. Avipattikara Churna: Pitta persons who suffer from increased acidic/alkaline secretions in the body, Avipattikara is the best remedy. Generally, medicines that are aimed to lower the Pitta, like antacids, suppress the secretion of the digestive juices. Avipattikara Churna is a remedy, which brings these secretions to an optimum level and makes the digestive system properly. For conditions like hyperacidity and peptic ulcers, this is a time-tested drug.
   
   
4. Panchasakar Churna: Not only ingestion but elimination also is a prime function of the intestines. Just imagine a condition where sewerage lines are blocked in a city! Conditions become similar when fecal materials are not eliminated properly from the body. For proper health, it is most important that these motions of elimination should be proper. Panchasakar Churna is a remedy for the same purpose. Patients suffering from chronic constipation should go for this. This is a laxative that never makes you addicted for itself.
   
   
5. Immunity Enhancer Tea: We have blended selected herbs in this combination those are useful as immunity enhancer and direct the different systems of the body to work in harmony with the whole body. It is especially recommended for food allergies. We have also taken a clinical study on this combination and the results are just unbelievable.

Besides these there are few guidelines about diet, follow and these will help you a lot to maintain your digestive system.

• Don’t consume any cold drinks along with foods. Fashion of drinking Coke
• and Pepsi along with foods is common but hazardous.
• Sip one glass of hot water with your meal. It will help you a lot and will
• proper your digestive system. It is easy to remove hard stains from cloths
• with hot water, the same does for hot water with your intestines. [We have detailed about water a lot in the same issue, check for medical myth]
• Don’t eat too much. Eating to live, not to douse your stomach.
• Schedule your meals.
• Eat-in the right posture.
• Don’t eat when you are enjoying your favorite serial on T.V.
• Eat-in a calm mood.
• Eating while a phase of depression, anxiety, anger, and jealousness is
• harmful for your mind and body.
• Eat 1/3rd less than your hunger; means- when you are hungry for three
• bread eat .
• The cereals should always be of previous crops i.e. for at least one year the cereals like wheat grains; barley etc. should be stored for one year and then used.