One of my blogs “10 diet mistakes that triggers immunity damage” (click to read) highlighted the role of appetite in nutrition and immunity. Readers responded back to know more about the Ayurvedic concept and term Agni (appetite /digestive fire).This blog will help you to identify your type of Agni /appetite. You will be delighted to bring a positive change in food habits after finding your own Agni and its tremendous capacity to change your health. Let’s begin.
Basically, all of us are blessed with hunger and an appetite to digest the food. But among a group of 10 people you will observe everybody has different capacity to ingest and digest food. A very lean boy may eat a large portion of meal whereas a chubby one on the same table is full in half of that portion. Yes, this is because of body type (prakriti) and the digestive fire.
There are four types of fire. Let us see the normal one first.
Balanced Agni (Sama Agni): Very few of us are blessed with balanced Agni in terms of hunger digestion and absorption. Individuals with Sama Agni can generally digest a reasonable quantity of any food in any season without issue, and they tolerate changes in the weather and the seasons quite gracefully. These individuals enjoy balanced digestion, absorption, and elimination of waste. In these people hunger times are timely and regular. Their meal portion usually does not vary and is moderate. They do not come across digestion hurdles like heaviness in stomach, foul smell flatulence, unpleasant burps etc. After the digestion of previous meal, they get hungry on time. They do not suffer constipation or other bowel issues often. Overall, all the metabolic activities are regular and normal. This is Sama Agni (Balanced)
The further types of Agni needs to follow good food habits and a strict surveillance by own.
Weak Appetite (Mandagni): This type of Agni is associated with the slow rate metabolism or hypoactive metabolism. A person has a very less appetite and take a long time to digest the simple food. Heavy and sweet food takes even more time and usually leads to indigestion. Heaviness, laziness, and inactive state due to slow digestion is very common in Manda type of Agni. The associated Kapha Dosha is dominant and this type of Agni person can stay without food for long. If the person unaware of this dull appetite eat more calories, sweeter, heavier food, it may lead to various Kapha diseases like allergic rhinitis, skin allergies, hypothyroidism, Diabetes and Obesity etc. For these people food that ignites the appetite and help digestion are boon. Kitchen spices like black pepper, garlic, cumin helps to ignite fire. Rock salt, buttermilk, medicated ghee can be wisely used to tackle the slow Agni. (Ask for your personalized diet now ) My Agni Diet
Excess sharp /Hyperactive (Tikshna) Agni: Aggressive and constant type of Agni is associated with high rate of metabolism or hypermetabolism. In this type of people, the food is digested very quickly and demand for next meal is unbearable if not fulfilled in time. This expression of Agni is at cellular levels too. That is why in these persons metabolic rate is high and catabolic activities are more. Hyperthyroidism is one of the classic examples of sharp Agni. Usually Pitta Dosha is involved in the blaze. These people need food that takes longer to digest and cold in property to balance the hot and sharp property of pitta. Smaller portion of heavy food mostly dominant in sweet rasa is choice. The Agni can lead to the destruction of dhatu(tissue)if wrong food choice is adapted. Dry, very spicy, hot, leftover fermented, sour food imbalances this type of Agni causing various digestive, endocrine related disorders. Pitta pacifying sweet taste (mind u ,not sugar or sweets) dominant food like ghee, honey, milk, fruits, grain, meat keep this pernicious Agni calm and in balanced state. Along with food good sleep, managing mental stress too helps. ((Ask for your personalized diet now ) My Agni Diet
Vishamagni/ inconsistent digestive fire: Moody and unpredictable nature Agni is Vishamagni. In this type of Agni hunger is inconsistent, appetite is unpredictable, and digestion varies. These type peoples experience digestive difficulties, constipation or loose motion, indefinite quantity of meal. They are unpredictable to food allergies. Usually Vata and Pitta Dosha dominance over each other imbalances the Agni. Vishamagni can be seen in typical Vata Prakriti people. This type is most susceptible to fall for digestive system disorders which eventually progress into many other chronic disorders. It is very tricky to choose food for these people as some food may diminish or otherwise increases Agni. These people need food easy to digest and calming on Agni. All Vata diseases from pain to piles can be blamed on Vishamagni. (Ask for your personalized diet now ) My Agni Diet
Ayurveda doctors examines the patients Agni first to dig out the roots and course of disease development. We ask you many questions to find it. It is very important to treat the Agni type with ayurvedic diet and herbs along with the treatment of the actual disease. Finally, it is the Agni again which will be absorbing the medicine in tissue. Know your Agni. Respect it and always keep the fire on to achieve the health!
Do not keep this valuable secret knowledge to yourselves .Spread the blog like fire. Share with the one you care for.
Outstanding blog, very helpful
नेहमीच उपयुक्त माहिती व सखोल अभ्यास पूर्ण