Ayurvedic medicines teach us that the health of the digestive system is the most important factor and determinant in the long term for your health and well-being. Healthy digestion leads to a healthy life and vice-a-versa. But is it always that simple? Yes! As, healthy digestion ensures that all the nutrients that are ingested through food are assimilated by the cells that compose it. When digestion is weak, the tissues of your body such as muscles, blood and nerves become weak and susceptible to disease. 

Symptoms of poor digestion include 

Excess gas
Constipation
Diarrhea
Belching
Burning
Vomiting
Indigestion
Swelling 
Pain
Through the eyes, the Ayurvedic practitioner comes to understand the cause of the disease, he does so by examining the patient's way of life. Incorrect eating habits are the first amongst many culprits. Poor food choices and poor diet, combined, are next in line. Together they are the main causes of digestive diseases.The following points play a key role in the Ayurvedic pathogenesis of digestive disorders. The nature of its imbalance and how it interacts determines how the disease occurs.

Jatharagni: This is the digestive fire that regulates the catabolism (breakdown) of food into smaller molecules for digestion. When the body is healthy, it is able to assimilate properly. When the initial digestion of the food is very weak, it is compromised, either the malabsorption will take place or ama will be formed. When it is too strong it produces burning.
Samana vayu: This is a sub-type vata that regulates the absorption of nutrients in the body. Assuming it decomposes properly, samana vayu can guide its absorption. Not only does samana vayu govern absorption, but it also directly affects the Agni as well as the wind when it blows over the fire. If the wind is strong, the fire is strong. If the wind is weak, the fire burns low. If the wind varies, so does the fire. A defective samana vayu can cause gas, diarrhea and malabsorption.
Apana vayu: This type of vata governs the downward movement. In particular, the excretion of toxins and feces. At the point when disposal is sound defecations are strong, yet delicate. When apana vayu is defective, a variety of problems such as constipation and diarrhea manifest themselves.
Kledak kapha: This type of kapha governs the mucous lining that protects the digestive system; in particular, of the stomach. When health is in balance, Agni and vayu also protect the membranes from heat or dryness. When there is an excess of mucus, it results in nausea. When it diminishes, the membranes become susceptible to the irritant effects of Agni and the effects that cause drying in vayu. In addition, an increase in the strength of kapha can block the digestive tract and cause constipation.

Constipation - Understanding The Ayurveda Prespective!

With the super busy lifestyle that everybody is gravitating to, there is less and less time for everything, including cooking and eating. Thus, more and more processed foods are finding their way into our refrigerators, as they can just be picked up and eaten anytime hunger pangs are felt. And, we do not immediately realize that processed foods are devoid of all the essential ingredients. What we end up eating has less fiber, more salt, and more preservatives (generally not very safe for all), all leading to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Refined flour, white sugar, cheese, canned juices, frozen foods, cheese laden pizzas and breadsare all yummy, but not something that is readily accepted and digested by your stomach. Try eating pizza with loads of cheese for two days and experience the bloated feeling for yourself. Not to scare you, but imagine this; you would have to eat an entire medium pizza to get 2 g of fiber. Where as, your body requires about 25 to 40 g of fiber per day for regular health maintenance.

Biologically, our digestive system requires a lot of fiber, which adds to the roughage. This is very important as it helps in digestion and aid in cleansing the bowel later. The function of the large intestine is to remove water and essential ingredients when food passes through it. Junk food passes through quite quickly, thereby, leading to loss of water and ingredients. A lot of digestive issues are also related to lack of fiber in the food, like polyps, colon cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol, and obesity. 

Most of us are aware, but tend to ignore the fact that junk food is as the name suggests, junk. There is hardly anything of nutritious value in it. On the contrary, it contains lots of salt, fat and artificial chemicals, which though, make it very tasty, but has zero nutrition value. 

Try to eat only junk food for about a week regularly, and you will surely feel:

1. Bloated (a lot of gas due to indigestion)
2. Dehydrated (excessive salt needs more water, which we don't realize)
3. Constipated (lack of fiber leading to reduced bowel movement)
4. Weak and lousy (due to lack of nutrition)

This of course does not include the harmful effects on skin, hair, looks, etc. It does not mean you have to stop eating junk completely and eat only healthy food all the time. The human body is adaptive and can adjust to a lot of variations. It is not wise to try the example above (eating pizza for a week), however, binging on junk food once a week would definitely not hurt. Use your discretion as nobody knows your body as well as you do.

Constipation and Junk Food

Soreness or swelling that occurs on the inner lining of the stomach is commonly referred to as Gastritis. The main characteristics of this condition include severe stomach pain, constipation, blood in the stool and diarrhoea. The development of gastritis can also cause stomach ulcers. There are many reasons why gastritis or functional abnormality of the stomach is caused, and the main causes include:

Food Poisoning
Consumption of Alcohol, Fried foods and Caffeine
Intake of steroids and Drugs
Allergy to Certain Foods
Physical stress due to flu or some surgery
Unbalanced and Stressful Lifestyle
Symptoms of Gastritis
The main symptoms that occur due to gastritis include discomfort and burning sensation, pain in the stomach, vomiting, poor digestion, dyspepsia, acidity and headache. Some people even experience a feeling of fullness in the upper abdomen after eating food. If any of these conditions last longer than a week, it is advisable to visit a doctor to determine the cause.

Home remedies

It is very necessary to adopt a healthy lifestyle and eating small and frequent meals is always better than eating large three meals in a day.
It is always better to avoid foods that irritate your stomach and hence it is best to avoid fried, acidic and spicy foods.
One of the major reasons behind the occurrence of gastritis is stress. It is necessary that we be trained to cope with this condition and perform relaxing activities that would calm our body and mind like yoga and meditation.
Treatment for Gastritis
It is always better to intake foods like cheese, cereal, baked potatoes, soup and chicken instead of carbonated beverages and painkillers to eliminate this condition. Aloe Vera juice can also be consumed as it is good for treating gastritis problem, and it is very important at first to start with a small amount of the juice.

Use of Special Herbs for Treatment of Gastritis

Asparagus is an excellent herb that is identified to be an antispasmodic, and that reduces the burning sensation in the stomach. The hyperacidity of the digestive system is also reduced by intake of this herb.
Herbs like cardamom provide a soothing effect to the stomach, and are also very beneficial for heartburn.
Many individuals  take fennel seeds after their meal which is very efficient in soothing the stomach and it also facilitate the digestion process. Moreover, it reduces flatulence and even helps in relieving excess acidity.
Ginger, Indian Gooseberry, Licorice, Rhubarb and Bitter Chamomile are other herbs that can be used to treat gastritis effectively.

Gastritis - Easy Home Remedies that Help You Treat it

Your stomach is lined with a mucosal membrane known as the mucosa and due to a variety of factors, it may become inflamed. This inflammation may cause a lot of problems and complications which are grouped under gastritis.
Symptoms of gastritis

Upper abdominal pain,
Hiccups
Diarrhea,
Nausea
Heartburn
Constipation
Reduction of appetite
Blood in the stool amongst the others
Gastritis can be quite debilitating and limiting for the people affected by it.

The Ayurveda approach
Ayurveda is a holistic form of medicine which takes into account many factors rather than just the physical disposition and symptoms that strives to cure the patients of the illness in a well-rounded manner. To this effect, Ayurveda helps you treat this problem with multiple angles of attack such as herbal medications and special cleansing therapies among many others. Let s take a look at some of the methods usually employed in various combinations among the patients.

Changes in diet: Consuming any diet which has a lot of spicy and rich foods over prolonged periods may result in gastritis and other problems. If you already have gastritis, then certain other types of food also need to be excluded such as tea, coffee, sour foods, chilies and buffalo milk among others. These food groups are excluded as they may increase the acidity of the stomach which may cause an escalation of the problems. Some of the foods that may help with gastritis are grapes, pumpkins, bitter gourd, pomegranate, melons and cucumber, etc.
Natural remedies: Some natural remedies that can be very effective in dealing with the symptoms of gastritis are mentioned below
Ajwain and rock salt have been an age old remedy in treating multiple gastrointestinal disorders and can be effective in this case as well.
Lemon juice is also very effective in treating symptoms or gastritis and also reducing inflammation.
Take amla, ginger, and licorice either in a raw form or as a dried option or mixed with other things such as milk or honey. These help in regulating and reducing the acidity within the stomach.
Ayurvedic medications: There are many specialized Ayurvedic medications which can be used to treat gastritis such as:
Amalaki choorna
Avipattikara choorna
Sootashekhara rasa
Sukumara Ghrita
Dhatri Lauha
However, you should consult a specialist Ayurveda doctor as they can prescribe the correct medications for you after studying your specific symptoms.

Gastritis - How Ayurvedic Remedies are Helpful?

Lactose intolerance is a condition wherein you are not able to digest lactose, which is a sugar found in milk. Other foods that contain lactose include cheese and ice-cream. Inadequate production of the lactase enzyme in children causes lactose intolerance. This enzyme is produced in the intestine that helps in the digestion of lactose.


Lactose intolerance is often confused with milk intolerance. The symptoms are similar but they do not share the same cause. Milk allergy is an adverse reaction towards milk and it is a problem of the immune system, whereas lactose intolerance involves the digestive system.


Symptoms-
The symptoms of lactose intolerance are:
Bloating; on consumption of milk over a period of time
Diarrhea is also very common
Stomach pain
Nausea


Diagnosis-
It is self -diagnosable; just strike out foods containing lactose from your child s diet and see if the symptoms get better with time. If the symptoms happen to fade away gradually, then it certainly must ve been lactose intolerance.
However, it can be tricky as many non-dairy products also contain lactose.
If the child is lactose intolerant, then he/she might have to undergo a lactose breath test. This is used to test the levels of hydrogen in the child s breath after the child consumes a lactose solution. Usually, hydrogen levels are low in one s breath. However, if the lactose solution is not digested properly, then it will lead to a temporary increase in the levels of hydrogen in the breath, thus indicating lactose intolerance.


Treatment-
This disorder does not have a cure; so in case your child has lactose intolerance, you need to adjust his/her diet accordingly. Over-the-counter lactase is also available that helps in digesting lactose based foods. You can also go for the  lactose- free  milk variety for your child.


Lactose Intolerance in Kids

Excessive gas can be defined as bloating, belching, flatulence and burping. It does not matter what you call it, but what matters is how you treat it and get relieved from the embarrassing symptoms. 

Here are some ways in which you can avoid gastric problems:

*Avoid eating foods that can cause gas or acidity. Vegetables which are known to cause acidity are Brussels, Onions, Garlic and Broccoli; dairy products like cheese, milk, ice cream and whole grains can cause acidity. The reason is that these products have fiber, starch and sugar which cannot be digested easily, thus causing pain in the intestines. Fruits which contain sorbitol and aerated drinks should also be avoided. Eat everything but in moderation.

*Avoid drinking before meals as the stomach acids are lost and the food cannot be digested well. Water and liquids should be taken half an hour after a meal for a better digestion.

* Food should be eaten slowly. Eating and drinking quickly, allows a lot of air to go into the stomach with the food. This in turn can cause a stomach pain.

* Over the counter drugs can be taken for immediate help in digestion. These medicines contain enzymes which aid in digestion. The enzyme works to dissolve the sugar that is found in many fruit and vegetables.

* Some habits like chewing gum, drinking from a straw and smoking, etc. causes air to fill in the stomach, thereby, leading to gas.

* Artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol should be avoided as these are difficult to digest and can easily lead to a feeling of bloating. 

However, all the pains might not be due to gas and could be a sign of something serious. These could be:

* Lactose intolerance: This is the inability to digest milk and milk products. The sugar in the milk is known as lactose and cannot be digested easily. 

* Irritable bowel syndrome: People who suffer with pain in the lower abdomen constantly might be suffering from IBS.

* Colon cancer: If the pain lasts too long then getting a screening done is a good idea to rule out if one is suffering from colon cancer or not.

* Upper gastrointestinal disorders: If one gets belching occasionally, then it is alright, but a constant belching might be a sign of gastrointestinal disorder in the upper tract. These could be gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroparesis, or peptic ulcers.

Gastric Problems - Effective Ways To Manage It!

Don't wait any longer, manage your Constipation Treatment online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Constipation Treatment - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES