Ayurvedic solutions are available in your kitchen and backyard to keep digestion problems at bay

Problems related to digestion can lead to other problems. Indigestion is one of those issues. Problems in digestion can lead to gastric troubles and discomfort due to the build-up of gases, acidity, and also acidic stomach juices, food, or fluids back up from the stomach into the oesophagus, causing a sour taste and discomfort. Such problems should be treated as early as you can, so that you can block complications in the future.

To find solutions to indigestion problems and to achieve a healthy digestive system, you can seek the help of Ayurveda, which offers you several alternatives. You can prepare many such medicines at home, and can also make use of kitchen ingredients.  Ayurveda also suggests certain simple changes to our daily diet and inclusion of certain simple items, which can give you relief from digestion problems and also provides good appetite.

Ayurvedic solutions for digestion problems from the Kitchen and the Backyard

The proper digestion process is very important

Digestion is grouped under “Jadaraagni” in Ayurveda, which can be widely classified into four: Mandaagni, Theeshnaagni, Vishamaagni and Samaagni. Our ability to digest is kept in balance by Samaagni. The proportion of food we take, time we eat, and the items we intake can deeply influence Jadaraagni or digestive enzymes. When these criteria negatively affect Jadaraagni, it also changes Samaagni to other forms, causing troubles in digestion process.

Solution of Mandaagni or slow pace in digestion is to induce Agni (fire) and thus simplify the complexity of the process of digestion. Adopt a simple food style that can help you in this process. When the real nature of Jadaraagni changes or the balance system is broken, it leads to Aamavastha or indigestion. This ‘Aamam’ can lead to different diseases and discomforts.

Let us solve digestion problems

If you are suffering from digestive problems and related issues like stomach pain and the formation of acid gases in the stomach, take light food only. Easy-to-digest food eases the strain of stomach. Congee is considered the lightest food in Ayurveda. You can also boil puffed rice (Malar/Pori) and use it as congee/kanji. When you take puffed rice kanji three or four times a day, it induces ‘Agni’ or digestive process, induces hunger, and the digestive process turns easier. Take enough time and return to normal food only slowly.

When you have only mild digestive issues, let us make small changes in curries and side dishes. Boiled buttermilk is light, and it can induce the digestive process. Food with ginger as an ingredient can also give positive results. Boil water, adding ginger, garlic, cumin seeds and asafoetida and use as drinking water. You can also grind all these items together and eat a gooseberry-sized ball, which gives a quick remedy for digestion issues. Ginger curry and coconut chutney, adding ginger, are other alternatives.

You can use Mezhukupuratti dishes using green gram, yam or bananas with less use of oil. You can also add leafy vegetables like spinach, moringa leaves, and hogweed leaves (thazhuthama/punarnava), which help you in easy digestion. Vegetable soup is another good remedy for indigestion. In fact, it can restrict digestive problems at bay and induce hunger. Cumin seeds, coriander, asafoetida, and turmeric are categorized under food items that can induce Agni or digestion. If you include all these items in your daily food, you get positive results.

After meals, if you feel stomach discomforts mix ginger juice with honey and rock salt (Indupp) and have it. It can provide you with relief to some extent. Nutmeg paste and asafoetida mixed in water are other easy remedies from the kitchen. Boil water, adding dry ginger, coriander, and cumin seeds, and drink it. It’s yet another easy remedy. Prepare chutney using mint leaves, shallots, garlic, coriander leaves, and a little lemon clover leaves (Puliyarila). Add bird’s eye chilli (Kanthari) or green chillies as per your preference. This chutney is good to induce digestion.

Avoid coffee and tea when you have digestive issues. Instead, drink boiled water, adding coriander seeds, cumin, and licorice (Iratti madhuram). Licorice adds a little sweetness to the drink. If you want extra sweetness, add a little jaggery. Read the health benefits of licorice.

Digestion and obesity – Are they related?

Your body shape can be deeply influenced by digestion. If you are slim and want to increase body weight, make meat soup a part of your diet and have it after meals. Whatever you eat, drink honey mixed with water along with it. It reduces body weight. If you regularly have digestive problems, boil water, add ajwain and asafoetida, and drink it regularly. It can improve your digestive power. Add rock salt to rice starch and use it as a drink. It can provide extra energy and improve digestion, too.

If indigestion is a constant problem

If indigestion is not a temporary problem and it occurs frequently, there is one easy remedy in Ayurveda. Slightly fry a few leaves of Indian bael (Koovalam) and grind to a smooth paste. Mix it with buttermilk and boil well. It’s locally called Mukkudi, and if served regularly, it gives a remedy to indigestion. Lemon clover leaves (Puliyarila) can also be used as Mukkudi. Add extra rock salt and a little pepper during its preparation. When you prepare butter milk curry using lemon clover leaves, instead of tempering with oil and mustard, fry cumin seeds in butter and use.

If you are suffering from any other disease, it is also possible to Mukkudi according to it. A few ingredients may be added in extra. For diabetic patients use leaves of guava plant or gooseberry. For patients with liver problems, prepare Mukkudi using Gale of the wind (Keezhanelli). If you have body swelling (neerkettu) and pain prepare Mukkudi using moringa leaves.

Vizhalari, tender leaves of Kudaka paala, basil leaves, and Mexican mint (panikoorkka) – chop all these leaves finely and sauté in a small spoon of oil. Add coconut or shallots to it and prepare the chutney and use. You can use Karuka (Pandanus julianettii) as a whole in boiling water and use.

Boil butter milk, adding the herbal product Vaiswanara Choornam, and use it. It is a good remedy to acidity problems as well as the return of acidic stomach juices and food giving discomfort. Before eating heavy food, consume a mixture of pepper, rock salt, thippali (powder these ingredients) along with the juice of pomegranate or pineapple. It improves digestion and blocks discomfort due to the intake of heavy food. Pomegranate juice is more preferable.

Retain the water content of body cells

It’s quite usual that we drink water after eating food. Instead of drinking plain water, take a drink that compliments with the food taken. It balances the digestion process, too. While consuming wheat or malted barley (yavam rice) use cold water or boiled and cooled water, and avoid beverages like tea and coffee. It makes your digestive process easy.

After consuming curd and honey, drink cold water. When you eat rice added idli, appam etc, hot water is best to drink. Choose an acidic drink while consuming pulses and leafy vegetables. Curd and buttermilk are the best choices. Both have a sour taste and, hence, acidity, which easily digests food and reduces gastric troubles. But please note, if your digestive problems cause frequent troubles, never hesitate to seek help from a doctor. Perhaps you may need further treatment.

Disclaimer: I have prepared this post based on an article published in a health magazine. Kindly consult your doctor before fully using it, especially if you are taking medicines for other ailments. Use it as a reference only to improve your eating habits and lifestyle.

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