Herbal Remedies for Dyspepsia (Indigestion), Ayurvedic Treatment

Dyspepsia or indigestion is the term used to describe discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen. It is a group of symptoms which include nausea, bloating and burping. When the stomach’s acid comes into the contact with the mucosa of the digestive system, the stomach’s acid breaks down the mucosa causing irritation and inflammation, thus causing dyspepsia.

CAUSES

Main causes of dyspepsia are:

• Overeating
• Eating wrong food combinations
• Eating too rapidly or not chewing the food properly
• Excessive smoking
• Due to intake of alcohol
• Constipation often leads to dyspepsia
• Insomnia or sleeplessness
• Lack of exercise
• Emotions like jealousy, fear and anger
• Eating much spicy food
• Due to suppression of natural urges

SYMPTOMS

• Pain in the abdomen
• Feeling of over fullness after eating even small quantity of food
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea or vomiting
• Flatulence or the formation of gas
• Foul taste in the mouth
• Coated tongue
• Bad breath
• Heaviness and distension in the abdomen
• Headache
• Pain in the back
• Stiffness in the body
• Sweating
• Excessive thirst
• Strangling sensation in the throat

AYURVEDIC VIEW AND TREATMENT ACCORDING TO CHANDIGARH AYURVED CENTRE

According to ayurveda, dyspepsia can be compared with Ajirna or Agnimandya. The word is composed of two words agni meaning digestive power and mandya means reduction. Hence agnimandya is defined as the reduction in the digestive power especially jatharagni, which leads to decrease in the digestive capacity of the individual. Ajirna is caused due to the imbalance of all the three doshas in the body namely vata, pitta and kapha.

According to ayurveda, Ajirna is of four types:

• Amajeerna – It is to the vitiation of the kapha dosha. When too much kapha gets accumulated in the stomach, the stomach acids get diluted and results in improper digestion.
• Vidagdhajeerna – It occurs due to the imbalance of pitta dosha. This occurs due to the production of the more acid in the stomach which leads to improper digestion.
• Vishtabdhajeerna – It occurs due to the aggravation of the vata dosha. In this type, there is shortage of the digestive juices and sometimes due to this, food remains in the undigested state.
• Rasseshajeerna – This type of ajeerna is caused when the food gets digested and undigested matter remains in the digestive juice and therefore leads to heaviness.

Single herbs useful in this condition are:

• Lemon
• Methi
• Pudina
• Coriander
• Saunf

Ayurvedic formulations useful in dyspepsia are:

• Trikatu Churna
• Hingvashtak Churna
• Shankh Vati
• Ajmodadi Churna
• Lavan Bhaskar Churna
• Prawal Panchamrit Rasa
• Pathyadi Churna

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

• Do not eat excess food. Eat required quantity when hungry.
• Avoid the habit of eating repeatedly.
• Have food at regular times
• Never eat food in hurry or when you are worried or when you are working
• Avoid smoking, alcohol, fast foods and the foods exposed to air.
• Maintain a gap of two hours between dinner and sleep
• Do not lead a sedentary lifestyle.
• Avoid taking spicy food.
• Maintain healthy eating food habits.
• Avoid wearing tight clothes around middle.
• Avoid taking large meals at one time rather prefer taking several small meals.
• Ensure that you take walk two times a day.
• Have fresh fruit and vegetable juices atleast thrice a week
• Never eat and drink simultaneously
• Apply wet girdle pack or a daily cold friction bath with massaging the abdomen is beneficial in dyspepsia.

HERBAL REMEDIES

• Take warm lime water with a few drops of ginger juice and a pinch of pepper powder.
• Chew a piece of ginger with salt at the beginning of the meal.
• Foods like khichadi, roti made from jowar, rice or bajra, dal, cereals should be included in your diet.
• Include vegetables like lady finger, bitter gourd and pumpkin in your diet.
• Fruits like pomegranate, sweet lime, pineapple, and fig are useful in dyspepsia.
• Have about 6 grams of sugar, 3 grams raisins and Haritaki Churna every night along with water to clear the bowels.
• Chew aniseeds after meals to relieve dyspepsia.