News — digestive health

When agni is weakened, food components remain undigested and unabsorbed in the colon. They accumulate and create a foul smelling, sticky substance called ama. Ama wreaks havoc on the body as it clogs internal bodily channels. When ama accumulates, the intestinal tract, lymphatic system, arteries, veins and other channels become obstructed and toxins are absorbed into the blood. Toxins created by the presence of ama circulate through the body looking for weak areas to create contraction, clogging, and stagnation. Toxins suppress immune function and perpetuate feeble neighboring organs. Once the toxins have settled in the tissues, disease manifests. It's important to...

As the largest organ in the body, the functions of the skin reach well beyond serving as a sac for the contents of our physiology. Nutrients reach the skin by diffusing through fluid from the blood vessels embedded in the deeper layers of the skin. In Ayurveda, there are seven layers of the skin and each layer is associated with one of the seven tissues of the body. The structure of the integumentary system receives very little praise, but its layered architecture is quite a marvel. It works to protect against infection and extreme temperatures, maintain a balance of bodily...

Kitchari is Ayurveda's age-old, signature detox dish. The word "kitchari" (pronounced kitch-a-ree) in India means mixture of two or more grains. In India, this versatile dish is eaten any time of the day, even for breakfast to kick start the day! Traditional kitchari is made by mixing white basmati rice and split yellow mung dal. Did you know that mung beans strip pesticides from the body!? Radical! Why Eat Kitchari? To fuel the digestive fire, a diet of kitchari and ghee is recommended. When we have digestive toxins in our GI tract, our ability to digest well is reduced. In other...

Ama wreaks havoc on the body. . .  as it clogs internal bodily channels. It is formed through poor dietary habits and low digestive fire. Over time, it accumulates in the system and may block the channels of the body, causing a variety of ailments. It may lead to an even more toxic form, which then mixes with the tissues or waste products of the body. . . this can lead to chronic health issues. So what does this have to do with my body? Amazingly, the human body has hundreds of different cell types and almost 75 trillion cells....

The gut-brain connection is at the core of our overall well-being . . . when there's stress at one end, there will be stress at the opposite end as well. Your gut is totally in cahoots with your brain. There truly is a gut-brain connection. Have you ever noticed how when you're feeling angry or anxious, it can throw your body into complete chaos with a digestive disaster such as  acid reflux or diarrhea? Or on the other side of the spectrum . . . an agitated emotional state stops you in its tracks, leaving you constipated, sluggish, and feeling...