Your gut and its health are the foundation of everything in the body. Recently there has been a growing focus on gut health within the realm of wellness. Extensive research has shed light on
the significant role of a healthy gut beyond digestion, including its impact on mental well-being. It has been observed that individuals experiencing depression and anxiety often witness improvements when adopting a wholesome diet free from processed foods. This is because processed foods, typically high in sugar and salt, can negatively affect the balance of gut flora. Ayurveda for gut health, with its profound understanding of these intricate connections, places great emphasis on
enhancing digestion and metabolism to promote overall well-being.
Improving Digestion with Ayurveda Gut Healing
Anybody seeking to improve gut health needs to focus on improving their digestion first. The process of
Agni or digestive fire breaking down food and forming nutrients is known as '
dhatu parinama.' This process not only nourishes tissues but also boosts immunity and facilitates tissue repair.
Addressing the digestive system is essential for effectively treating most chronic ailments. 
Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection to Improve Gut Health
Recent studies have revealed the existence of the enteric nervous system, a branch of human physiology that explores the connection between the nervous system controlling digestive functions and its impact on our mind and emotions. Ayurveda recognizes the interconnected nature of bodily functions. Imbalances in Vata, which involves air and space elements, can affect thoughts, emotions, sleep, bones, joints, and the nervous system.
Factors such as poor diet, weak digestion, stress, and disturbed sleep contribute to Vata imbalance, leading to a sensitive gut and symptoms resembling irritable bowel syndrome. Ayurvedic treatment for irritable bowel involves a holistic approach that addresses Vata imbalance. This includes an easily digestible diet with home-cooked food and warming spices like asafoetida and ajwain (carom seed) to prevent bloating and improve digestion. Breathing exercises, meditation, external application of castor oil, and hot fomentation over the abdomen are also effective in calming the sensitive enteric nervous system.
The Colon, Diet & Ayurveda for Gut Health
Ayurveda understands the importance of having a proper cleansing mechanism and the ill effects of having irregular bowel habits. Modern research shows that fecal pH and transit time can be important factors in identifying chances for colon illnesses, including cancer. The recent increase in consumption of processed food, farmed red meat, and low-fiber, calorie-dense diet has resulted in an increase in cancer.
Ayurveda gut healing emphasizes the significance of a balanced and fiber-rich diet to support colon health and reduce the risk of such conditions. By adopting Ayurvedic herbs for gut health and incorporating them into a wholesome diet, individuals can promote a healthy colon and overall well-being. Fresh vegetables, spices like turmeric, black cumin, ginger, and garlic, commonly used in Ayurvedic cuisine, are known for their strong anti-cancerous properties. The Ayurvedic principle of eating freshly prepared food mixed with various digestive spices helps maintain a healthy fecal pH level. Additionally, including locally available and seasonal ingredients enhances digestion and elimination functions. By following these principles and incorporating Ayurveda for gut health, individuals can take proactive steps towards colon health and overall well-being.
Ayurveda Gut Healing: Fasting, Rebalance, & Balanced Diet
In Ayurveda, fasting is recommended as a powerful method of cleansing and detoxification, with weight loss often being a welcome side effect. Fasting is approached differently based on an individual's level of Agni, or digestive fire, and can range from avoiding all solid food and consuming only warm water to having khichadi, a nourishing rice and lentil porridge, for all three meals in a day. According to Ayurveda, fasting is a key aspect of Ayurveda gut healing and helps to improve gut health by eliminating toxins such as Ama. These toxins have detrimental effects on physical, mental, behavioral, and cognitive functions. Hence, one of the primary goals of fasting in Ayurveda is to eliminate these toxins, restoring balance to the body. Fasting also provides rest to the digestive system, allowing it to rejuvenate and prepare for the efficient metabolism of heavy and challenging-to-digest foods.
An ideal fast for a healthy individual is often recommended as follows:
• Prepare khichadi using aged basmati rice, moong dal, turmeric, ghee, and spices, and consume it for all three meals of the day once every fortnight.
• It is crucial to stay well-hydrated during fasting, and warm ginger-infused water and coconut water are excellent choices for maintaining hydration levels.
In addition to fasting, Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet that incorporates all six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter, and astringent. A diet that includes all six tastes naturally encompasses a wide range of nutrients and helps prevent unnecessary cravings or feelings of dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, the modern diet tends to be predominantly sweet, sour, or salty, lacking in bitter, astringent, and spicy flavors that offer unique healing properties.
By incorporating fasting and adhering to a balanced diet that encompasses all six tastes, individuals can promote gut health, restore balance to their digestive system, and support overall well-being in accordance with Ayurvedic principles.
Tips for Ayurveda Gut Health
Breakfast: Add berries, cinnamon, pomegranate, and a pinch of dry ginger and cardamom powder to your morning porridge or cereal mix to counterbalance the sweet flavour.
Lunch and Dinner: Include leafy greens (considered bitter), some lentils/beans (considered astringent) along with root vegetables/grains (considered sweet). Seaweed (salty) and tamarind chutney (sour + spicy) can be used as accompaniments. Another easy way to include bitter, astringent, and spicy flavour to your meal is to have a variety of herbal and spice teas with your meals. Tulsi, ajwain, ginger & methi seed tea are good examples for tea to have with meals.