Acidity Treatment – Ayurveda & Herbal Treatment
Our stomach produces hydrochloric acid to digest the food that we eat. Whenever we eat, cells within the lining of the stomach pump acid to liquefy all the elements of that sumptuous dinner.
Problems occur when these cells produce large amounts of acid, more than your stomach needs. When this happens, you will suffer from stomach acidity. You would know if you were suffering from stomach acidity if you feel a burning sensation just above the stomach, or right below (the hollow part) your breastbone. This is the most classic sign of acidity.
The first thing to rule out would be your diet – if it consists of refined, acidic or oily foods then they are most likely the reason behind your acid indigestion.
According to Ayurveda, acid reflux is caused when the heat energy within our cells, known as Pitta, becomes imbalanced. Pitta is located in the stomach and is symbolized as a sharp, intense, hot and acidic energy.
When an individual consumes pitta aggravating foods like vinegar, citrus juices, tomatoes, chilies, onions, garlic, alcohol, and fried foods, it leads to heartburn. Consuming caffeine and sodas also aggravates the pitta.
Stress, irregular eating patterns, sleep deprivation and taking painkillers as well as antibiotics also increases production of heat toxins which leads to heartburn. Let’s find out more about acid reflux treatment in Ayurveda.
In Ayurvedic Acidity treatment, the main cause is considered to be the aggravation of Pitta Dosha in the body. Pitta is an Ayurvedic humor that symbolizes heat or fire.
There are many causes for the aggravation of Pitta, main among them are: Eating foods that do not suit the constitution or foods that should not be taken together (milk and fish, milk and salt), excessively sour or spicy foods and liquids, white flour products and white sugar products, smoking and excessive consumption of tea, coffee and alcohol, eating in a state of indigestion, suppressing urges of urination and stool, sleeping in the daytime after meals, staying awake late into the night, excessive stress, anger and hunger, excessive exposure to sun and heat and gastro-duodenal ulcer.
All of these causes along with assistive diagnosis provided by Bhagwati Ayunique protocol engine, are considered by Jiva doctor to provide precise, root-cause Acidity treatment to the patient.
In Ayurveda, acidity is referred to as Amla Pitta. By its very name, we can see that this disorder is caused by an imbalance of Pitta Dosha. The humor is governed by the elements of Fire and Water; these, in turn, govern the digestive fire and stomach enzymes.
This is also the reason why people of Pitta constitution tend to suffer from hyperacidity, peptic ulcers, and heartburn. Things that aggravate the Pitta dosha like stress, anger, hot and spicy foods, the extremely hot environment can also bring on a bout of acidity.
While Pitta is usually the one blamed for acid indigestion, the Kapha dosha has its seat in the stomach and the chest. Because Kapha controls the digestive juices and generates mucus, indigestion that stems from weak metabolism and mucus congestion are common patterns in acid reflux.
You can identify a Kaphic acid reflux if you have a feeling of sluggishness, feel a bitter taste in your mouth after late-night meals, chest congestion in the morning, a heavily coated tongue and a tendency to pile on weight.
Hyperacidity is known as Amlapitta in Ayurveda (Amla means sour and Pitta means heat). Hyperacidity, therefore, is a condition characterized by an increase of sourness and heat in the body.
The aggravated Pitta impairs the digestive fire, leading to improper digestion of food and production of ama (toxins). This ama gets accumulated in the digestive channels and causes Hyperacidity.
Acidity treatment in Ayurveda is focused on pacifying the aggravated Pitta Dosha. Cleansing herbs are also administered to eliminate toxins from the body and cleanse the channels. This automatically enhances the digestive fire, leading to better digestion.