Digestive Process Flashcards
Where does digestion start and end
Mouth/Rectum
In Ayurveda the digestion system is referred to as
Mahāsrotas
What are the two phases of digestion
Gross Digestion
Subtle Digestion
What Vāta energies are associated with digestion
Prāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Apāna
What Pitta energies are associated with digestion
Rañjaka and Pãcaka
What kapha energies are associated with digestion
Bodhaka and Kledaka
What are the 3 stages of gross digestion
Madhura Avasthāpaka: Sweet Stage
Amla Avasthāpaka: Sour/Salty Stage
Katu Avasthāpaka: Pungent/Astringent/Bitter Stage
Where does digestion occur during Madhura Avasthāpaka
Mouth and upper part of the stomach
What dosa is produced by the Madhura Avasthāpaka
Subdosa?
Kapha
Bodhaka and Kledaka
What elements are involved with Madhura Avasthāpaka
Prthvī, and Aap
Duration of Madhura Avasthāpaka?
What can prolong the digestion period?
1.5-2 hours
Eating sweet, salty, heavy, or cold foods
Signs of imbalance in Madhura Avasthāpaka
Nausea, excessive mucus, and weight gain
Food mixes with Bodhaka Kapha which is another name for
Saliva
Food is carried to the stomach by Prāna Vāyu through the esophagus.
Once in the stomach the food is mixed with Kledaka Kapha which is another name for
Gastric Secretions
Earth and Water elements are separated from food at which stage of digestion
Gross:Madhura
Creation begins with ________ element and breaks down with what element ______
Space
Earth
What causes lethargy after we eat
Kledaka Kapha is heavy
Production of earth and water element
What taste are broken down and produced in the Amla Avasthāpaka
Alma & Lavana
Sour and Salty
Where does digestion occur during the Amla Avasthāpaka Stage
Lower part of the stomach
Small Intestine
What dosa/subdosa is produced during the Amla Avasthāpaka stage of digestion
Pitta
Pācaka Pitta
What element is digested during Amla Avasthāpaka stage if digestion
Tejas/fire
What is the duration of the Amla Avasthāpaka stage of digestion
What can prolong it
2-3 hours
Eating too many sour, salty, or pungent foods
What are signs of imbalance for Amla Avasthāpaka Stage of Digestion
Hyperacidity
Ulcers
Infections
Where does the Amla Avasthāpaka Stage begin
Small Intestine/Grahanī
Bile and Pancreatic secretions are called
Pācaka Pitta
Pācaka Pitta separates what element from the Āhāra Rasa
Tejas
Where does the food go after the Amla Avasthāpaka Stage
Colon
What tastes are associated with the Katu Avasthāpaka
Pungent, Astringent, and Bitter
Katu, Kasāya, Tikta
What’s the location of the Katu Avasthāpaka?
Large intestine
What dosa/subdosa is produced and broken down during the Katu Avasthāpaka stage of digestion
Vāta
Samāna Vāyu
What’s the duration of Katu Avasthāpaka and what causes the digestion to be prolonged
1.5 - 2 hours
Eating too many pungent, bitter, astringent or dry foods
What are signs of imbalance for the Katu Avasthāpaka stage of digestion
Distension, Gas, Constipation, and dryness in the body
After Katu Avasthāpaka digestion is completed at the gross level,. It is then separated into two parts
Sara - Nutrient Part
Mala or Kitty (Waste)
Absorbed in the first part of the colon(ascending colon) and some parts of the transverse colon with the help of Samāna Vāyu
Sara
Liquid or solid part of food that remains after digestion
Mala
Liquid waste is absorbed in the ascending and transverse colon and carried through the blood to the kidneys. Kidneys kilter the blood to remove the liquid waste also called
Mūtra/Urine
Waste begins to solidify as the water is absorbed in the colon. Solid waste is called
Purisa
Purisa passes through the descending and sigmoid colon, rectum, and finally the anus before it is expelled from the body with the help of
Apāna Vāyu
After gross digestion the Āhāra rasa is absorbed by ________ and passed through to the ______ on the right side of the heart
Samāna Vāyu
Liver
Āhāra rasa reaches the lungs and reenters the heart on the left side. The it is circulated to all the dhatus via
Vyāna Vāyu
Dhātu agnis digest _______ and create new ________
Sara
Dhātus
At each level of digestion four products are made
Dhātu
Upadhātu
Dhātu Mala
Asthāyī Dhātu which nourishes the next Dhātu in line
What are the three laws of subtle digestion
Kedāri Kulyā Nyāya: Irrigation Method Law
Ksīra Dadhi Nyāya: Milk to Curd Law
Khale Kapota Nyāya: Farm and Pigeon Law
The dhātus received nutrients in order of their production according to this law of nutrition
Slower then other laws of subtle nutrition but is long lasting
Each stage takes 5 days therefore it takes more than a month to complete this subtle digestion
Kedāri Kulyā Nyāya
Law of digestion that states that Śukra Dhātu is present in every drop of Rasa Dhātu but needs to be processed by all the dhātu agnis to be available for use
Ksīra Dadhi Nyāya
Milk to Curd
This law states that when a dhātu is in need of nutrients the dhātus agnis come to the srotas and pick the parts of the Āhāra Rasa that is needed for its dhātu
Khale Kapota Nyāya
Farm and Pigeon Law
What are the 8 qualities of food to consider when making choices about what to eat
Prakrti: prakrti of food.
Kārana: Processing if food
Samyoga: combining foods change their properties
Rāśi: Quantity
Deśa:Environment where the food came from
Kāla: Food has different qualities depending on raw or ripened state
Upayoga Samsthā: food and eating guidelines
Upayoktā: Prakrti of person and eating habits of person
What are the food and eating guidelines according to Upayoga Samsthā
Do no eat while on the go
Do not eat too fast or too slow
Eat only when hungry
Do not eat without washing hands, feet, and face
Eat after reciting mantra
Substances that cause an increases in a dosa but does not expel it from the body
Incompatible diet.
Wrong processing, incorrect dose, incorrect time
Viruddhāhāra
Eating before the previous meal has been digested.
Meals should be 4-5 hours apart from each other
Eating too much causes undigested food and Āma
Adhyāśana
Mixing of healthy and unhealthy foods should be avoided
Samāśana
Not eating enough leads to diminution of strength, intelligence, and affects the functions of the sense organs
Amātrāśana
Fasting and not eating for a long time depletes dhātus, aggravates vāta
Weakens immune system, indriyas become weak
Anaśana
Eating outside of the proper times should be avoided
Visamāśana
Eating the wrong foods
Viruddhāśana
Eating foods with the same qualities as a region of residence
Deśaviruddha
Eating food without considering the state of Agni
Agniviruddha
Eating opposite of the body’s constitution
Sātmyaviruddha
Eating food not considering the stage of the life cycle of the person
Avasthāviruddha
Eating uncooked, overcooked, or partially cooked food
Pākaviruddha
Eating food that has lost its good qualities
Sampaviruddha
