Agni - the Digestive Fire

"Agni", the digestive fire, is impaired in the majority of people in western society. It is needed in all of three of the dosha types to allow the body to utilize the nutrients needed, as well as prevent the accumulation of toxins, or 'ama' in the body. Agni can be promoted by eating in accordance with your constitutional dosha.

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Other ways to improve and promote agni include:

~ chew well
~ eat smaller portions
~ properly spice foods
~ include all 6 tastes in your diet:
(sweet, salty, pungent, sour, astringent, bitter)
according to your dosha.
~ eat fresh, natural foods
~ prepare & eat meals in harmony
~ avoid alcohol, coffee at meals
~ don't eat in a rush, or standing
~ avoid tv or upsetting subjects at meals
~ do not eat stale, lifeless, old food
~ do eat microwaved food

According to Ayurveda, certain foods are likely to not be digested properly and therefore cause build-up of Ama or toxins in the system. These are foods that are: heavy, greasy, stale, old, including cheese, pork, lard, white flour and sugar products. Yogurt tends to clog the system also. Ama forming foods tend to be Kaphic (water humor) in nature, so an anti-ama diet is similar to an anti-kapha diet. It is a highly restrictive, reductive diet, to be used short term only.

FRUIT:

Some sour fruits like lemon and lime, astringent like cranberry and persimmon only.

VEGETABLES:

Most vegetables are good detoxifiers, best raw or steamed. Sprouts outstanding. Go light on the heavier root vegetables and plentiful with bitter, cleansing healthful leafy greens.

GRAINS:

No breads or pastries; Whole grains good but sparing with sweet, heavy wheat and oats.

BEANS:

Avoid most beans with exception of split mung beans.

SEEDS & NUTS:

Nuts are too heavy and mucus forming; Sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds ok in small amounts

DAIRY:

Highly Ama forming, take acidopholis in pill form

ANIMAL:

Strongly feeds toxins. Organic chicken and turkey best. Fish and shellfish are mucus forming, esp when not fresh. Take a couple ounces if feeling weak.

OILS:

Oils are mucus forming. Ghee, clarified butter, and drying oils like mustard and flax can be used in small amounts.

SWEETENERS:

NO sugars. Honey in small amounts ok. Do NOT heat or cook with honey, use only raw, not pasteurized. Cool tea to drinkable before sweetening - heating makes honey toxic.

SPICES:

YES! Salt - sparingly, use easier to digest rock rather than sea salt.

BEVERAGES:

NO COLD, NO ICE. Drink plenty cool water, herbal and spice teas, warm water with lemon and a bit ginger juice.

Keep food combinations simple Try to always cook fresh, not reheat. 3 meals per day, no food before 10am, after sunset.

VATA - Be careful, no more than 2 weeks on restricted diet. Make sure not weak, emaciated, very old or very young.
PITTA - One month limit
KAPHA - May use guideline for a month or longer

SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE DETOX:

Insomnia Low Energy * Fainting * Palpitations * Dizziness * Absence of Menstruation * Coldness * Weakness * Long Term Loss of Appetite

WISDOM OF THE SEERS
Ayurvedic Medicine