Guest Post – Agni by Flo Lam-Clark

AGNI – THE DIGESTIVE FIRE

Ayurveda recognises that our ability to digest and absorb the nutrients in our food is dependent upon the strength of the inner digestive fire, known as Agni.

If the fire of Agni is weak, then food can sit in the digestive track and putrefy, creating leaky gut syndrome and toxic build-up, known as Ama. If the fire of Agni is strong and raging, then food passes through too quickly, is not properly digested and the nutrients pass through without being assimilated or absorbed. When digestion is balanced, then we are able to process a variety of different foods without consequences. Awareness of what we are ingesting and preventing indigestion is key.

Ayurveda aims to maintain healthy digestion through balance of the doshas, the 3 constitutions and elements we all have. Vata (Air) dosha controls all movement, Pitta (Fire) is responsible for metabolism and digestion, and Kapha (Earth) governs the structure of the body.

Each person is unique in their digestion, so what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. Ayurveda takes the view that by working with our digestive system and natural circadian rhythms of the body, we can optimise prime times of digestion.

Agni is in charge of all metabolic functions in the body and governed by Pitta dosha which is primarily the element of fire. We can think of this fire as being akin to the solar energy of the sun and in alignment with the cycles of nature. It is the heat of Agni that breaks food down, digests, metabolises and assimilates food.

Early in the morning, the Agni fire is just building up and ready to receive a small breakfast to help it kindle. It is recommended to eat lunch between 11.30am and 2pm which is during Pitta time, when the digestive fire is strongest and for this reason, it is best to have the biggest meal of the day then. By around 6pm is a good time to have dinner as the sun goes down, and this meal ought to be smaller than lunch and made of easy to digest foods, with at least 3 hours digesting time before bed.

These optimum timings for mealtimes go in line with the natural circadian rhythms of the body called “clock genes”, as our body is naturally primed to release biological hormones and digestive enzymes that regulate all systems of the body. When we over-ride these timings by eating at irregular times or staying up late, this upsets and throws the body off balance.

Attending to Agni in this way has been found to balance out energy, mood and emotions, to stay satiated so that cravings or the need to snack do not arise.

Imbalanced Agni

Gas, bloating and flatulence shows up as a Vata imbalance. Heartburn, acid stomach, reflux, are a sign of pitta imbalance. Bloating, fluid retention, weight gain are signs of Kapha imbalance.

Either way, accumulation of toxins will ensue, known as Ama, Ayurveda is interested in making sure this doesn’t build up and create disease in the body. This is why paying attention to what is impacting digestion and taking regular cleanses is encouraged in order to reset the digestive system.

An Ayurvedic Approach to digestive issues.

If someone is experiencing acidic stomach and they consult a doctor, they will most likely be prescribed an antacid which neutralises the acidity of the stomach. The treatment is symptomatic, rather than looking to see what is causing the acidity in the first place.

When consulting an Ayurvedic practitioner questions about when, how and what is being consumed will be asked but it’s important to find out if the person is undergoing stress. This can be a contributing factor because stress chemicals in the body raise acidity and affect the acid/alkaline balance in the body and its’ ability to metabolise and absorb nutrients from the food. Ayurveda looks to relieve the problem by addressing the cause rather than stopping the body’s own release of the very important digestive hydrochloric acid. This can have a detrimental effect on the body’s ability to digest and can lower the immune system.

How is Agni impaired?

What we eat, how we are eating, how much we are eating and what time we eat, all have an impact on the power of Agni and how we digest our food. How many times have you eaten so fast, it feels like you just inhaled the food, or just grabbed a quick sandwich for lunch, or eating whilst watching TV, looking at your mobile, at your desk working, or even eating whilst walking along the street? It seems our mealtimes and sitting down calmly to eat and enjoy our food has been hijacked by the fast pace of life, curtailing the time that is needed to digest our food properly.

Snacking in between meals impacts Agni, preventing digestion from working well as the continuous breakdown and digestion of food weakens the digestive powers.

It is also worth mentioning that the effects of stress and the release of adrenalin and cortisol in the body, have been found to suppress digestion, so eating under stress can be counter-productive. Eating slowly and in a calm manner helps to relax the nervous system and helps the digestive processes.

3 Simple Ways to improve Digestion

• Eat slowly and calmly
• Chew food well to let digestive enzymes break it down
• Drink warm or hot water half an hour before a meal and small sips during a meal

Drinking ice water is not recommended, especially during a meal, as it weakens the Agni fire, creating “steam” which diminishes metabolism and is unable to breakdown and process the food properly. If this persists over time, undigested food sits in the gut and starts to produce toxins that impair the integrity of the gut wall lining, creating “leaky gut syndrome”, which has been found to be associated with IBS and other digestive issues, like Celiac disease.

To mitigate this, it is recommended to drink room temperature, warm or hot water. Drinking a large glass of water 30 minutes before a meal and sipping a bit of water during a meal, is said to support a healthy digestive system.

Recent research and clinical studies have found that 75% of our immunity starts in the gut, which means that this is where poor immune health and any digestive dysfunctions can be addressed. Understanding the concept of Agni and how this functions, is key to solving imbalances.