In Ayurveda, the strength of your digestive fires (or agni) is the key to good health. There is no health, or even life, without agni. When the digestive fires are compromised, toxins can accumulate in the gut and settle elsewhere in the body. Fortunately, we can get rid of toxic build-up and achieve healthy digestion through Ayurveda’s medicine, remedies, and formulations.
Ayurvedic Formulations for Overall Healthy Digestion
If you’re hoping to improve your digestion (and boost your overall health), it’s important to first understand the principles of digestion. Read our Ayurveda Digestion (Agni) Guide.
For extra digestive support, consider incorporating these Ayurvedic formulations into your routine.
Triphala
Triphala is a powerful Ayurvedic herbal formulation. Tri, meaning three, implies that it is made up of a trio of fruits (phala in Sanskrit): Amalaki, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki. While each of these fruits can benefit our well-being on their own, all of them together create what is called a Rasayana. A Rasayana is a refined herbal and fruit combination that is known for rejuvenating the body and mind and promoting a long and healthy life.
Triphala is also known for its power to strengthen the digestive process and remove toxins. Because of its mild laxative effect, it enhances the health of the gastrointestinal tract by rejuvenating the membrane lining of the intestines and stimulating bile production.
The three fruits of Triphala have unique benefits:
- Amalaki, aka the Indian gooseberry, strengthens the immune system and cools the body. This cooling quality helps promote liver health and maintains the general balance of the pitta dosha. Amalaki is also filled with vitamin C and antioxidants, which promote healthy skin. Plus, it’s a key ingredient in Chyawanprash, an herbal superfood jam that kindles agni.
- Bibhitaki holds an astringent or drying quality that is great for clearing up respiratory issues and maintaining the general balance of the kapha dosha. It also encourages strength and tone within the digestive system and improves digestive motion and efficiency.
- Haritaki holds the qualities of hot and rough. These two qualities create a scraping-like action, which promotes healthy digestion and helps the body eliminate toxins. Haritaki also contains chebulic acid, which increases the production of insulin and helps lower blood sugar levels throughout the body.
Trikatu
Trikatu is a classic Ayurvedic herbal formulation that translates to “three pungents” and is composed of black pepper, long pepper, and ginger. Its warming blend of pungent spices helps increase agni and reduce the kapha dosha. Trikatu is a powerful blend that affects the rejuvenation of the respiratory system, immune system, and digestive system.
Trikatu’s three spices have unique benefits:
- Black pepper has both cleansing and antioxidant properties and helps transport the benefits of other herbs to different parts of the body. It also helps enhance the flow of oxygen to the brain and supports digestion and circulation. Black pepper is a warming and pungent spice that is excellent for pacifying the kapha dosha and rejuvenating the respiratory system due to its drying qualities.
- Long pepper, also known as Pippali, is similar to black pepper but more perfumed. It stimulates the metabolism and the production of digestive enzymes, enhancing our ability to digest and assimilate nutrients, as well as burn and release toxins. It is helpful in maintaining an ideal respiratory system, supporting and clearing the lungs for comfortable breathing. Long pepper helps to pacify excess kapha dosha.
- Ginger is a universal medicine that adds an abundance of flavor to any dish! It is a digestive aid that also aids in the elimination of natural toxins in the body by liquifying ama. Ginger has a warming effect on the body, helping to reduce excess kapha and vata dosha. It also supports healthy circulation, regulates blood pressure, and promotes cleansing.
Cumin, Coriander, and Fennel
Commonly known as CCF, this blend of spices improves digestion and absorption. It’s well-balanced for all doshas and helps soothe gas, bloating, and indigestion. Sip as a tea or sprinkle onto meals for strong agni and a happy gut.
Digestion-Specific Formula
Taking a dietary supplement can also help improve your overall gut health. For example, PIOR Living Digestion includes a blend of 32 organic and wild-harvested herbs, such as amla, neem, and gokshura. Together, these ingredients support detoxification, metabolism, digestion, food assimilation, and more.
Ayurvedic Remedies for Bloating by Dosha
Each of the Ayurvedic doshas can experience bloating. In order to remedy this all-too-common imbalance, it’s good to know which type of bloating or doshic imbalance you are experiencing.
No matter which of the following types of bloating you suffer from, it’s a good idea to write down what you ate before the bloating began, so you can understand what might have contributed to it. During this exercise, be sure to mention your emotional state while eating as well, because our mindset can play a huge part in the proper function of our digestive system.
Vata Remedies
The vata dosha is composed of the elements air and space, making the dosha more susceptible to bloating. Bloating due to a vata dosha imbalance tends to feel more airy, dry, and ungrounded and can be alleviated by passing gas or releasing the excess air that has congregated in the stomach.
For relief from this type of bloating after a meal, try sipping on fennel tea directly after your meal to alleviate gas build-up.
Fennel Tea Recipe
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 6-8oz hot water
- Steep for 3-5 minutes
Otherwise, if you suffer from this type of bloating regularly, try cumin tea or adding cumin to any dish you are cooking, as cumin stimulates the secretion of digestive enzymes and accelerates the digestion process, thus helping you eliminate bloating.
Cumin Tea Recipe
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 6-8oz hot water
- Steep for 3-5 minutes
Note: It is recommended to drink tea first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Striking to meals that are warm and unctuous will also help balance vata dosha.
Pitta Remedies
The pitta dosha is composed of the elements fire and a little water, and normally does not bloat as it comes with its own fire, meaning your agni or digestive fire will often be more robust. Bloating due to a pitta imbalance is usually caused by inflammation and can feel sharper in nature and sensitive to touch. This can make it feel difficult to bend over or even button pants.
For relief from this type of bloating after a meal, try sipping on caraway tea directly after your meal, as this simple remedy will help good bacteria properly digest the food. It also helps relax the intestinal tract to alleviate gas build-up.
Caraway Tea Recipe
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 6-8oz hot water
- Steep for 3-5 minutes
If you suffer from this type of bloating regularly, try golden milk tea or adding turmeric to the food you are preparing, as turmeric holds anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce symptoms of inflammation.
Golden Milk Tea Recipe
- 1 cup of milk or milk alternative (coconut, almonds, soy, cashew)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1/2-1 tbsp of coconut oil
- Agave or maple syrup to taste
- 1 pinch of black pepper
- Heat milk and stir in ingredients
Kapha Remedies
The kapha dosha is composed of the elements earth and water, which can cause heaviness, lethargy and bloating, often leaving you feeling very uncomfortable. The heaviness associated with kapha bloating also causes everything in the body to slow down, including circulation. This means that another signal the body is giving us when experiencing a kapha imbalance is an overall feeling of being cold.
Whether you experience this type of bloating after eating or regularly, try adding ginger into the mix. You can chew on fresh or pickled ginger, make ginger tea, or add it to any dish that you’re preparing, as the enzymes in ginger can help break up and expel gas, as well as stimulate movement in the digestive tract.
Ginger Tea Recipe
- 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger
- 6-8oz hot water
- Steep for 5-10 minutes