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Agni - Digestive Fire (Enzymes)
Most diseases are caused due to poor
digestion. Agni (enzyme) is found in the alimentary
canal and digests food. Samagni is produced by the
normal digestion of the three doshas. Digestive activity
(healthy, deficient or excessive) is governed by the
doshas becoming aggravated. The three doshas produce
three agnis (vishamagni, tikshnagni and mandagni
respectively).
Excess Vayu in the body produces weak,
irregular digestion and causes gas. Excess Pitta creates
a situation like an overheated furnace. Food bums up
rapidly and persons experience burning sensations,
thirst, acidity, indigestion, etc. In some cases, the
agni / fire even bums up nutrients, causing
malnutrition. When excess Kapha is present in the
digestive tract, the digestive fire is low, making it
difficult to digest food. As a result, a person feels
dull, poor, inadequate and lethargic; the stomach is
heavy or the person may experience constipation. Vayu
disorders produce hard stools due to the dryness caused
by gas. Pitta stools are soft or liquid due to excess
heat. Kapha stools are moderate. A healthy stool is
moderate and easily eliminated once or twice a day.
Thirteen agnis reside in the body and are responsible
for digestion.
Jatharagni: Works at the gastrointestinal
level, governing basic digestion and the 12 other agnis.
5 Bhutagnis: Metabolize
the five elements that are present in the body's
tissues. They are a form of heat, always present in the
tissues that are responsible for proper function and
development of the tissues.
7 Dhatagnis: Metabolize in
the seven tissues (dhatus). This is a biochemical
process beyond the digestion of food. It includes the
anabolic and catabolic activities of the body.
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