Agni, ama and malas Flashcards
Describe agni and the 3 main stages or categories
The principle responsible for the digestion of food and transformation of the dhatus.
- Jathar agni: responsible for the initial digestion of food
- Bhuta agni: separates the 5 elemental fractions from the initial stage. 5 subtypes based on the 5 elements
- Dhatu agni: Food is transformed into rasa dhatu, later, the 7 dhatu agnis (one per dhatu) work in turn to transform into the next dhatu. Final product is ojas.
Where is jathar agni located?
Why is it considered the most important agni?
Stomach and small intestine
- It digests food and converts it into ahara rasa or liquified food, preparing the nutrients to be further broked down and absorbed in small intestine. If food is not digested properly in the very beginning, the following 12 agnis cannot do their job.
The four types of agni
Sama agni (balanced) Vishama agni (variable) Tikshna agni (sharp) Manda agni (slow, poor, doesn't digest)
sama agni
Balanced, able to digest and absorb well. Helps build balanced dhatus.
vishama agni
Variable, sometimes digests food well, other times is weak.
- Causes variability in the dhatus.
- Variability of fluctuating heat causes undigested food and ama
- Vata aggrivation / aggrivates vata
tikshna agni
Very sharp and heating, digests food quickly.
- Can causes strong hunger, will eat stomach and cause ulcers if not feed
- Irritates GI tract and burns dhatus
- Pitta aggrivation / aggrivates pitta
manda agni
Slow digestion, doesn’t digest food even when taken in moderate quantity.
- Forms dhatus of low quality and high quantity
- Food digesting on low heat takes a long time; uncooked undigested food can ferment and cause ama
- Kapha aggrivation / aggrivates kapha
Habits that cause low agni and ama
- Overeating, snacking
- Eating without hunger, emotional eating
- Drinking fruit juice / excess water during meal
- Drinking chilled / iced liquids at any time
- Eating when constipated or emotionally disturbed
- Eating before 7am or after early evening
- Eating too much heavily processed foods
- Eating incompatible food combinations
- Eating leftover foods
Tell tale signs of ama in the body
- Blocked/ clogged channels (srotamsi/srotas)
- Lack of strength, low energy, fatigue
- Obesity, lethargy, indigestion
- Restlessness, hyperactivity (ama in nervious system)
- Congestion, increased/excessive salivation
- Accumulation of waste, constipation/bloating
- Decreased taste/appetite
- Foul smelling wastes, dark/discolored urine
- Generalized body ache
- Coated tongue, bad breath
- Sexual debility
How is ama formed?
Formed by improperly/ non-digested food, or food that has not been assimilated or evacuated
Describe malas
Waste or non-essential substances produced as a result of digestive and metabolic activities. The production and elimation of malas is essential for helath.
- 3 main malas:
- Purisha (feces)
- Mutra (urine)
- Sveda (sweat)
Describe ama
Non digested food, or food that has not been assimilated or evacuated. When jathar agni is out of balance it fails to digest food properly. The by product of poor digestion is ama. Ama is that opposite of agni. Ama reduces ojas.
Expression of vata ama
- Brown/black/gray tongue
- Vishama type digestion/agni
- Constipation
- Low agni
- Stupor
- Increased peristalsis
- Abdominal pain
- Symptoms worse at dawn/dusk (vata time)
- Restlessness or hyperactivity
Expression of pitta ama
- Yellowish tongue
- Foul smell
- Acid indigestion
- Heartburn
- Tikshna type digestion/ agni
Expression of kapha ama
- Whitish tongue
- Congestion
- Increased salivation
- Sticky/cloudy mucus
- Suppressed appetite
- Manda type digestion/ agni
