Indigestion and diet 

What's up folks? I hope you are enjoying the rains. Pleasant drizzles have cooled down the weather and isn't it blissful? When you are accompanied with steaming masala tea and onion/potato Pakoras. Just imagining this brings joy. But friends, no matter how good it seems, please be careful.

Otherwise, it might happened to you like it happened to the character in the movie 'Aamhi Satpute (the Marathi movie आम्ही सातपुते)’ who dreamed of getting married to his cousin. Upon upsetting his stomach the character was advised by doctor to take light diet and the oversmart character rationalised that oil is lighter than water because it floats on water and similarly, a pamoja is lighter than oil because it floats on oil and thus, he had six plates of pakora and bread.

Now, comes the amusing part. In monsoon, all of us have relatively weaker digestive power compared to other seasons. This results in indigestion, nausea, flatulence which if neglected can further result in serious elements such as arthritis because of Vaatdushti (वातदुष्टी). 

So if the food is not digested properly it stays as indigested food in the gastric canal. Today, we will try to understand more about indigestion. In the ancient, ayurvedic text - Yogratnakar, indigestion is defined as follows

अविपक्वो अग्निमान्द्येन यो रसः स निगद्यते।

रोगाणां प्रथमो हेतुः सर्वेषामामसंज्ञया।।

Weak digestive system results in some part of ingested food remains undigested, which is called as ‘आम’. ‘आम’ is first cause of most diseases.

There are two main causes of getting indigestion- 

Physical issues / wrong habits

drinking plenty amount of milk

Eating food objects which are havi ng exactly opposite qualities (eg. Milk and Fish… Milk is dole and fish is hot as their specific qualities)

Always having food in irregular quantity irrespective of appetite

To control natural excretory urges

Taking inadequate sleep

Sleeping or sitting at one place for long time

Keep working till late night.

Psychological

Being jealous

Being afraid

Being greedy

Being sad

Being worried (psychologically and economically)

Because of above mentioned emotions food does not get digested. This causes indigestion. So, one has to eat food peacefully and happily.

Feeling weak or lethargic

Heaviness in body and abdomen

Nausea

Swelling over chicks and eyes

Belching with the taste of food consumed recently

Constipation

Giddiness

All of these symptoms indicate indigestion of food. We should visit our Ayurvedic doctor at this moment immediately. In case of indigestion one may find either one symptom or a combination of above mentioned symptoms or all of them. These symptoms on their combination help in identifying different types of ‘Doshdushti (दोषदुष्टी)’. Thus, while eating food one should have good self-control in terms of emotions as well as food intake.

Here, I am giving a list which may help you up to some extent. There are some food ingredients which help to counter act on the constipation caused some other food material. 

 Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Coconut can be relieved by eating little amount of Rice.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Mango can be relieved by eating little amount of Wheat products.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Banana can be relieved by eating little amount of Ghee. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Wheat can be relieved by eating little amount of Cucumber. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Meat can be relieved by eating little amount of Kanji. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Orange can be relieved by eating little amount of Jagerry. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Jackfruit can be relieved by eating little amount of Banana. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Ghee can be relieved by eating little amount of Rough/ Jambiri lemon juice.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Rough / Jambiri lemon juice can be relieved by eating little amount of Salt.  

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Excess salt can be relieved by eating little amount of Rice water. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Urad dal can be relieved by eating little amount of Butter milk or sugar. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Apple or Pistachios can be relieved by eating little amount of Grapes or Raisins.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Almonds/ Watermelon can be relieved by eating little amount of Cloves.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Tuvar dal can be relieved by eating little amount of Kanji. 

Indigestion caused by Sweets can be relieved by eating little amount of cold water.

Indigestion caused by Khichadi can be relieved by eating little amount of Black salt. 

Indigestion caused by Sweet Dessert can be relieved by eating little amount of Moong dal soup.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Fishes can be relieved by eating little amount of Mango fruit.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Suran can be relieved by eating little amount of Jagerry. 

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Potato can be relieved by eating little amount of Rice water.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Shrikhand (one type of sweet made from curd) can be relieved by eating little amount of Dry ginger powder, black paper powder, Pimpali powder.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Jagerry can be relieved by eating little amount of Dry ginger powder, Nagarmotha powder.

Indigestion caused by dishes which contains Sugarcane juice can be relieved by eating little amount of ginger juice.

Though as per given list some food products or material can overcome ill effects of overeating of some food products, one has to rush to the family doctor if the symptoms are critical. Don't keep on trying different medicines on the basis of Google or Whatsapp messages.

This list itself might have given you idea of the depth of our ancient Ayurveda. Ayurveda not only gives treatment but also provides proper Do’s and Don’ts. Ayurveda guides at the every moment of life even at the time of cooking also. Just have an example, while cooking sooran as a vegetable we must add dry kokam and jagerry so that it will not harm ur digestive system. Many of you must be recollecting their childhood memories of getting their stomach upset caused by excessive sweets. Then your mother or granny must have given you Karela juice (bitterguard juice) or ginger juice to regularize your digestion. So, we must take care of our health by following Do’s don't s mentioned in Ayurveda, isn't it?

© Dr Vilasini Choudhary

9930108310

Swasthayu Clinic and Panchakarma Kendra, Thane