Home Remedies for your digestive fire
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As we discussed last time, there are four types of agni, or four conditions of digestive fire. For the lucky ones, you might have samagni, balanced digestive fire. You can eat anything, any time and never get a stomach upset. Your bowel movements are regular, and you never get sick. In this event, you don’t need any home remedies. Just keep it that way by following proper food combining and the basic agni rules.
The next condition we discussed last time is visham agni. That’s the one where your digestion is fickle, and you tend to get constipated. It’s most often seen in vatas.
An important home remedy for visham agni is CCF Tea. This is made with whole seeds of cumin, coriander and fennel, in equal parts, simmered or steeped in boiling water for 10 minutes. Sip some after meals to support your digestion. You can also kindle your digestive fire by taking Agni Kindler before meals.
The second condition of agni we discussed last time is tikshnagni. Affecting pittas, as well as those who eat a lot of spicy food, this is an extra sharp appetite with gnawing hunger pains and irritability. An important remedy for tikshnagni is licorice tea. Simmer a teaspoon of licorice in a cup of boiling water for a few minutes, strain and sip after meals. You can also make licorice and fennel tea, using half a teaspoon each of licorice and fennel. If blood pressure is a concern, just make plain fennel tea, using the same method as for CCF tea. You can also chew roasted fennel seeds after meals, or chew a cardomon pod.
Finally, let’s remind ourselves of mandagni, or dull digestive fire. You simply don’t have much of an appetite and tend to skip breakfast. While this agni type is most common in kaphas, it can happen for anyone. Ginger tea is mandagni’s best friend. Start your day with a nice cup of ginger tea to get your digestive fire going. For kapha, use cut and sifted dry ginger. You’ll have to experiment to see how gingery you like it; try half a teaspoon per cup simmered for a few minutes and see if it’s right for you. For vata and pitta, use half a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger to a cup and simmer for a few minutes.
Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.
Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!
