Agni- The digestive power

Agni is a digestive power of the body. According to Ayurveda, digestion has a vast meaning, it is not mearly about daily passing motion.

      Properly digested food leads to normal growth, energy and health whereas undigested food causes aama which is a basic cause of many diseases. So, daily accumulation of this aama can lead to some disease in a few daysor months. So it is important to discuss digestion. Our body is made up of five elements viz. Prithvi, Jal, Tej, Vayu and Aakash, and whatever we eat enriches these elements accordingly.  The Tej element comprises the digestive power i.e. Agni of body.

Good Agni is a is a reason for healthy body, vitality and longevity whereas less Agni is a reason of all the diseases. The food that we eat is acted upon by various Agnis of body and then it enriches the different dhatus of body i.e. rasa, rakta, mansa, meda, asthi, majja and shukra and the remaining waste products are excreted out of the body.

 There are different types of Agni e.g. Tikshna, Manda, Visham and Sama. Among the various factors required for proper digestion of food Agni is a major one. Other factors being, quantity of food, characters of food item etc. 

1. Tikshnagni: This agni can digest all type of foods i.e. excess quantity, heavy foods, Viruddha anna etc. Person who has Pitta predominancehas this type of Agni. After digestion it produces more Pitta and can lead to Pittaj diseases such as hyperacidity, headache, skin diseases with more of burning sensation etc
2. Mandagni: In this type the digestion is slow even if the food is less in quantity and light to digest. Kapha predominant people have this type of Agni. It produces more Kapha and can lead to Kaphaja diseases such as obesity, thyroid problems, tumour in any part of the body etc.
3. Vishamagni: Due to the predominance of Vata dosha in body, sometimes Agni digests food properly and sometimes not. This can lead to Vataja diseases such as joint pain, etc.
4. Samagni: When in a person the doshas are equal and no dominance of any dosha, then the digestion is proper producing equal amount of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The even amount of vata, pitta and kapha is called as health (swasthya) according to Ayurveda. 

Other type of agni is called as Bhautik Agni, they are Bhaum, aapya, Agneya,Vayavya and Nabhasa i.e. agnis of 5 elements.

There are 7 more agnis , those of 7 body dhatus i.e. rasa, rakta, mansa, meda, asthi, majja, shukra.

How to improve agni (digestive power) ?

• Ghee is the best for increasing agni. Only ghee with added some salt or ghee mixed with food.
• If it is because of too much dryness in gut then have some oil or ghee.
• If it is due to too much oily  foods then have some digestive medicine like Chitrakadi vati or Lavanabhaskar churna.
• If it is due to some disease condition then also ghee will help you.
• If fasting for long time is a reason then have some Manda, Peya or Vilepi with added ghee to it.

Tikshnagni:

• If  on having food you feel better and on digestion of food you  feel debility, thirst, burning sensation,fainting etc then it is due to Tikshnagni.
• Guru, snigdha, pichhil food should be taken and before it is completely digested , next meal should be taken. This will normalise the increased agni. 

Samagni is best for maintaining health.