ASTHMA CORRECT DIGESTION

Asthma - Concept of Ama - When we eat, the food is acted upon by different digestive enzymes and reduced to simpler particles. The end product of digestion is then absorbed into the body and different enzymes located in the liver play their role to enable them to be assimilated by the tissues. At the level of the tissues, there are also enzymes which reduce the foreign particles and make them identical with the constituents of the tissues. Thus, the end product of the food is assimilated and it forms part of the tissues. All these enzymes in the gastro-intestinal tract, in the liver and at the level of the tissues taken together are called agnis in Ayurvedic parlance. If there is any disturbance in these agnis, then the digestive and the metabolic processes do not take place properly and a lot of the end product of food remains in the intestines, in the liver and in the blood stream. Similarly, during the process of digestion in the gastro-intestinal tract, some of these waste products of food come out which need to be thrown out. In the same way, during the normal process of metabolism, several waste products are produced and these are thrown out through stools, urine, sweat and so on. All these waste products of proper and improper digestion and metabolism both at the gastro-intestinal level, at the level of the liver and at the tissue level are called ama. This ama circulates in the blood and is transported through channels to the lungs where it causes obstruction of the bronchial tubes and the circulation of blood at the level of the alveoli to cause spasms or contraction as a result of which Asthma is caused. Therefore, apart from clearing the bowels, it is necessary to remove these waste products from the body and prevent their subsequent formation by the use of digestive stimulants such as ginger, for the complete eradication of Asthma.