INDIGESTION

You know that feeling of burning sensation; stomach ache, excessive burping, passing of gas, excessive passing of stool or coming up of bitter tasting food while burping, that is indigestion. While surfing on Google we are sure you might have come across the word dyspepsia, which is the medical term for indigestion. Indigestion is the most common ailment these days and in most cases it is nothing to worry about. In India we tend to eat a lot of spicy and oily food and most of us are used to it. So if you wake up at night with your stomach burning and too much burping you probably had too much to drink or ate too spicy food. Another cause of indigestion could also be some medication that you are having. To make things clear indigestion is not supposed to be confused with heart burn. Indigestion is not independently a disease but it is a symptom of some underlying disease. It could be a symptom of Acid Reflux Disease (GERD), Gastric cancer, Pancreatic or bile duct ailments or peptic ulcers. However it may sometimes happen that your digestive system is weak and it could not digest the food you consumed and therefore it starts reacting.

WHAT CAUSES INDIGESTION?

1. EATING HABITS: people who live a poor lifestyle and do not take care of their eating habits are often prone to indigestion. Eating too much junk or fatty food or not following a proper diet or skipping meals. Exercising immediately after a meal can also cause digestion
2. OVEREATING: one of the leading causes of indigestion is overeating, because this doesn’t give ample time for the body to digest the food and therefore results in indigestion.
3. MEDICATION: some particular medicines like Asprin, iBrufen or other painkillers, Thyroid medicines, hormonal pills like birth control, steroids, cholesterol and blood pressure medication or anti-inflammatory drugs can cause severe indigestion which is one of the main reasons doctors also prescribe digestion medication while prescribing certain medication.
4. ANXIETY OR STRESS: Many people complain of indigestion if they are suffering with anxiety or under stress. Stress or anxiety causes Irritable Bowel syndrome or frequent motions too. Therefore students must have noticed that around their exam times there motions increase.
5. LIFESTYLE: people who smoke, take drugs or consume alcohol often report with indigestion.

INDICATIONS OF INDIGESTION

Common indications of indigestion are

1. Severe or sharp pain in abdomen.
2. Excessive belching (burping)
3. Vomiting (in severe cases)
4. Bloating in the stomach area
5. Burning sensation in stomach area
6. Black tarry stool could also be a symptom in severe and untreated cases.

HOME REMEDIES FOR INDIGESTION

1. Lime Juice with baking soda: consume this combination with a glass of warm water
2. Lassi/buttermilk: this Indian drink, made through churning of curd and adding Rock Salt helps curing indigestion.
3. Yoga: a simple and useful remedy for people who suffer with indigestion is practising yoga positions like: Virasana, Padmasana and Mayurasana.
4. Breakfast: Never miss breakfast, since it is after almost 9-10 hours you are consuming food, acid levels in the stomach are high.
5. Avoid eating if you feel full already; it could mean that your food isn’t digested and you will be unnecessarily burdening your digestive system with more food.

AYURVEDIC VIEW OF INDIGESTION

In Ayurveda, indigestion is known as Ajirna . Ajirna means undigested food or partially digested food. We believe that Pitta or inner fire imbalance causes indigestion. It is the heat energy in every cell and predominantly lies in the stomach area. So any food that you intake that has excessive heat like spicy foods, tomatoes, vinegar, citrus fruits and their juices, fried foods, onions and garlic etc are known as Pitta aggravating foods. These foods cause excessive acid in the stomach which results in burning, pain and indigestion in stomach.  Indigestion can also be cause by vata dosh and kapha dosh.

TYPES OF INDIGESTION UNDER AYURVEDA

1. Amajirna – vitiated kapha dosha.
2. Vidagdhajirna – vitiated pitta dosha.
3. Vishtabdhajirna – vitiated vata dosha.

AYURVEDIC HOME REMEDIES FOR INDIGESTION:

1. Ginger: chewing on a freshly cut piece of ginger after a meal will help digest food easily.
2. Amla: Amla helps in balancing the pH value of the stomach
3. Ajvain: you must have often been made to consume ajvain with a pinch of rock salt by your grandmother on case of stomach ache it is primarily a cure for indigestion and excessive flatulence.