Hippocrates coined the famous phrase 2,500 years ago: „A healthy gut is the root of all health.“ Ayurvedic teachings also recognise the gastrointestinal tract as the source of health and illness, happiness and suffering, life and death. It is therefore important for a healthy, happy life to promote intestinal health. Ayurveda offers very specific ways of doing this.
Intestine: Complex microcosm in the macrocosm of the body
The intestine: incredible processes take place in this seven to eight metre long channel. This is where the essence of our food is processed and separated from waste. The intestine is home to our body's largest immune organ. The enteric nervous system, a widely ramified network of millions and millions of nerve cells that runs through the gastrointestinal tract, is also known as the „second brain“ - and puts the famous „gut decision“ in a completely different light. It is connected to the cerebral cortex and our emotional centre, the limbic system. And our intestinal microbiome, consisting of over 400 bacterial strains, the so-called gut flora, is the most active metabolic part of the organism alongside the liver. It is therefore understandable that intestinal health and the immune system are inextricably linked.
Understanding and promoting intestinal health ayurvedically
Ayurveda is a functional medicine. The primarily organ-centred thinking of Western medicine is largely alien to it. The Ayurvedic perspective therefore offers completely new ways of understanding intestinal health disorders and promoting intestinal health. At the centre of all therapeutic activities is the balancing of the tridosha Vata, Pitta and Kapha as well as the regulation of our body fire Agni.
The intestine as a transport channel
The gastrointestinal tract consists of an upper part for Supply and a lower part for Waste disposal together:
- The Anna Vaha Srotas (literally „food-conducting channel") begin in the oral cavity and run via the oesophagus and stomach to the middle small intestine (jejunum), where the essence of our food is absorbed through the intestinal wall. Renowned scholars locate these pathways deep into the large intestine, as micronutrients are still absorbed there.
- The Purisha Vaha Srotas (literally „faecal canal") run in the lower large intestine, from which the indigestible part of our food is ultimately excreted as faeces after reabsorption of fluid.
A distinction is made between four possible disorders in channels, which can lead to considerable problems using the intestine as an example:
- Blockages lead to the accumulation of waste products resulting in flatulence, constipation and putrefaction (ama).
- Excessive movement promotes diarrhoea and inhibits the absorption of nutrients.
- The Wrong direction of movement causes reflux and vomiting, among other things.
- Bulges lead to diverticula, which can become inflamed.
„Keep your Srotas clean“ is an Ayurvedic proverb. We can effectively prevent the accumulation of residues and irritations in the intestines through a beneficial Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle.
The intestine as the seat of Agni
The most important compendium, the Charaka Samhita, summarises the meaning of our body fire as follows:
„Life span, complexity, strength, health, enthusiasm, corpulence, splendour, immunity, energy, heat processes and the breath of life - all these qualities are dependent on body fire. If this fire goes out, you die. If the fire is functionally disturbed, illness is the result. If the fire burns properly, nothing stands in the way of a long and pain-free life. Agni can therefore be defined as the fundamental cause of health, illness and death.“
There are thirteen types of body fire, of which the central fire (Jatharagni) in the gastrointestinal tract is the most important. For this reason it is often referred to simply as „digestive fire“. It is responsible for breaking down and transforming food into absorbable essence and separating it from indigestible waste.
Fire is hot, dry, light, mobile and penetrating. All foods and lifestyle habits with opposite qualities weaken our agni. Examples of this are cold drinks, cow's milk and cheese, meat or sweets. Daytime sleep and lack of exercise also reduce the fiery qualities. Conversely, we can increase agni through the same qualities - a prominent example is spices, which stimulate our digestion.
The intestine as the seat of Vata, Pitta and Kapha
Vata, pitta and kapha are conglomerates (mixtures) of properties (guna) that control certain functions in the body.
In the gastrointestinal tract these are - from top to bottom:
- Bodhaka Kaphasalivates the food
- Prana Vatatransports food from the mouth to the stomach
- Samana VataStimulates the digestive glands via our nervous system
- Kledaka KaphaLining the stomach with mucus for protection
- Pachaka Pittabreaks down food enzymatically
- Apana Vataexcretes faeces
All six subspecies work together and influence each other.
Thus, a disturbance of Prana Vata through shallow breathing can lead to a weakening of Samana Vata and thus to an inhibition of digestion. In Western terms, this phenomenon can be explained by the autonomic nervous system: There, our parasympathetic nervous system („rest and digest“) is responsible for digestion, whereas the sympathetic nervous system („fight or flight“) inhibits it. Deep breathing causes the diaphragm to lower and the parasympathetic nervous system is activated.
The properties of Vata, Pitta and Kapha come primarily from our food. This is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract, its contained qualities are absorbed and transported to the tissues for further metabolisation. We can therefore say that the three forces VPK (Dosha) are originally „formed“ in the gastrointestinal tract. Vata is centred in the large intestine, Pitta in the lower stomach and upper small intestine and Kapha in the chest and upper stomach.
Diseases and impairments of intestinal health are caused by an aggravation (pathological increase) of the dosha. This initially takes place at its main seat, then moves to secondary seats and ultimately spreads throughout the entire body. Thus the large intestine is the place of origin for all Vata disorders. Conversely, healing begins by lowering the aggravated dosha in their respective main seats. For this reason, oily intestinal enemas are recommended for all Vata disorders, Pitta problems are remedied by soothing the stomach and Kapha disorders by a light diet.
Our gastrointestinal tract is therefore the source of all the qualities that sustain our body. It nourishes us and disposes of waste. It is where we find the origin of physical illness and the source of recovery. It corresponds with our spirit via our nervous system. This is unique!
Promoting gut health: 10 Ayurvedic tips
We can do a lot for the health of our gut - here are my personal ten highlights:
- Only eat when you are hungry - a maximum of three times a day.
- Eat your first meal no earlier than two hours after getting up and your last meal no later than three hours before going to bed.
- Avoid any snacks between meals and drink warm drinks instead.
- Eat a variety of vegetables every day, pulses such as mung dal, fresh fruit (especially apples and grapes) for breakfast, side salads (especially chicory) at lunchtime, buttermilk (takra) and finely ground wholemeal products instead of simple carbohydrates to strengthen the development of healthy intestinal bacteria and inhibit the proliferation of pathogenic germs. This type of food is therefore also known as a prebiotic.
- Season mildly with ginger, pepper, turmeric, hing, fennel, cumin, cardamom and coriander. Sauté these spices gently in a little ghee or olive oil before adding the finely chopped vegetables.
- Reduce foods that are difficult to digest such as meat, cheese, mushrooms, fried foods, fresh cereal products (fresh grain porridge, fresh bread) and sweets.
- Reduce irritants such as alcohol, caffeine, excessively acidic foods and very hot spices.
- Take a teaspoon of Triphala (alternatively 3 grams of tablets) mixed in warm water in the evening - it is considered to be the most important regenerative agent for our entire gastrointestinal tract.
- Cleanse your bowels regularly as recommended by a qualified Ayurveda therapist.
- Eat in peace and deep gratitude with mindful sensory perception of taste, smell, sight, sound and feeling.
Your gut will thank you for it.
