The word ‘gastro’ is a prefix denoting stomach. Intestine is the part of the alimentary canal that extends from stomach to Anus. Intestine is divided into two main parts – the small intestine and large intestine. Study of Gastro intestinal disorders, which includes diseases of any part of the digestic tract and also the liver, biliary tract and pancreas, is called Gastro enterology.

The lifespan, complexion, vitality, good health, zest, plumpness, glow, vital essence, lustre, and life breath are maintained because of agni. When agni extinguished, man dies; a man endowed with it adequately lives a long and healthy life. When its balance is vitiated, he begins to ail. Therefore the thermal function is said to be the mainstay of life.

Ancient Ayurvedic physcians recognised 13 types of Agni of which Jatharagni is the most important and may be the causative factor for most disorders of the gastro – intestinal tract, Caraka used the word “Grahani” label collectively applied to several gastrointestinal disorders. The treatment of Grahani consists of samana (lightening the digestive system), evacuative procedures and procedures for improving appetite.

Let us now study the common disorders of Gastro – intestinal tract:

1. Hyper acidity:- This is a common problem of the Gastro – intestinal tract. For the purposes of digestion, Gastric juices are produced and Hydrochloric acid is an important component of the digestive juices. When this acid is produced excessively, several problems like burning sensation is the throat, Heart burn etc occur. This hyper acidity is called ‘Amla pitta’ is Ayurveda. Untreated hyper acidity leads to stomach ulcers.

2. Causes:

1. According to Ayurveda, aggravation of pitta.

2. Sedantary life style without physical activities or exercise.

3. Faulty diet and eating habit – Eating excessively hot, spicy and fried foods. Eating too much onion and garlic, drinking coffee or tea. Eating Junk food. Fasting frequenty.

4. Drinking Alcohol, smoking

5. Stress, anger and worry

6. Use of drug like aspirin, steroids, Antibiotics

Symptoms:-

1. Burning sensation in the chest and throak

2. Indigestion, loss of appetite, constipation

3. Nausea, vomitting, sour belching

4. Flatulence, pain in the abdomen.

Risk factors:-

1. Chronic acidity will cause peptic / duodenal ulcers.

2. May cause piles fissures and fistula

3. May cause mouth ulcers.

Treatment:-

1. A glass of milk, cold preferably, controls acidity and may give instant relief. Even cold water, added with sugar gives relief. Milk can be drunk twice or thrice a day.

2. Tender coconut water is soothing and good for acidity.

3. Amla in powdered form is useful.

4. Spread out your meal schedule. Instead of eating one large mealt at one time, take small quantities of food after short intervals.

5. Crush large black raisins, add a little Haridra powder, roll into small balls and consume one a day.

6. Avoid Junk / fast food.

Gas / Flatulence

A socially embarrassing situation is when a person ‘passes wind’ – often, the gas excreted is foul – smelling. Most of the time, gas is formed internally as a result of incomplete digestion.

Causes:-

1. Due to Bacteria metabolism, Hydrogen, methane and carbon – di – oxide gases are produced. This prodnction is increased by certain vegetables like cabbage and Beans. Root vegetables also cause over production of gases. Greasy, fried food and pubses also cause gas.

2. Lactose intolerence

3. Some persons lack enzymes that digest sugars. It these people eat sugar, gas is produced excessively. When a person lacks “Lactase” enzyme, it is difficult to difest “lactose” in milk. If such persons drink milk, gas gets increased.

4. Pancreatitis (disorder of the pancreas) will also cause flatulence. It causes “foamy” stools. The foams are caused by gas.

5. Certain drugs use for B.P. etc cause excessive gas.

Symptoms:

Abdominal pain, Flatulence, Belching too much after food, frequent passing of foul gas.

Treatment

? Stop cheuring pa, smoking

? Avoid / Reduce Consuming, Sweets, Dhals, Tomato, Meat, Onion, Garlic, Potatoes, Beans, Yam, colacasia etc.

? Find out which food causes increased gas. First stop consuming milk and dairy products. Then one by one, avoid vegetable, then fruits etc. Do not stop consuming all the food you think are gas producing. Give up one by one so that you can finger point the gas producing culprit.

? Avoid tea, coffee and soft drinks.

? Cardamom is good medicines for controlling gas. Take a glass of water and mix 5 gms of cardamom powder. Fry is ghee. 5 gms each of Asafoetida, Black salt. Dried ginger. Then powder all the ingredients, mix and store. Take 1/2 teaspoon, 2 to 3 times a day, mixed with water whenever ‘gas’ strikes you.

? Two drops of extracts from Pudina (mint leaves), ginger and cloves mixed in warm water can be taken.

? Tulasi juice with 1/2 teaspoon of ghee may be taken.

? Ayurveda medicines like Hingu vashtaka chooranam, Kumari Asava are very beneficial.

3. Constipation

What is really constipation? If a person does not have bowel movement atleast once in 24 hours, he is said to be constipated. If the bowel movements occur infrequently or in which the faeces are hard like stones and small or where passage of faeces causes difficulty or pain, such a condition is termed as constipation. The principle of good digestion is, within 16 to 24 hours after consumption of food, the feces should be evacuated. To check this, consume a little charcoal powder. Observe your stools. If you are not seeing the black colouration caused by charcoal powder in your stools in 24 hours, then you are constipated.

Causes:

1. Suppression of Natural urages – especially bowel movements and urination. Also in the Toilet, we strain and try to pushout faeces as fast as possible because of impatience and lack of time. We do not give importance to bowel movements.

2. Faulty food habits. Lack of greens, green vegetables, fruits in our diet. Highly spiced, fried items resist digestion & cause constifation.

3. Dehydration. Not drinking enough water.

4. Frequent use of laxatives

5. Food movements in digestive system (Large intestine especially) are caused by wave like muscle movements called “Peristalsis” Fever, T.B., Aneamia may affect this movement and cause motility disorders. Hence the feces do not reach rectum.

6. Drugs taken for parkinson’s disease. High blood puessure, stomach ache are very likely to cause constipation.

7. Stress, tension are definite causative factors. Curry, Hurry and Worry are the reasons for constipation.

8. Practice of using smoking to “stimulate” bowel movements can actually cause the opposite effect.

Treatment

a) Through Food:-

1. Try reducing use of rice. Eat more wheat based foods.

2. Add more fibre rich foods, Green vegetables, Greens etc in the diet.

3. Drink plenty of water

4. Avoid spicy, hot oily, fried foods

5. For persons of ‘Vata’ type ghee and oil are actually beneficial. They act as lubricants and help in the passage of feces.

6. Avoid bottled ’soft’ drinks. Jam, Bread, Pickles, Pappad, Cheese, Samosa, Chillies, Masala

7. Include – Whole wheat, Un – polished rice, dry raisins, Figs, Pomegranate, Apple, Bananas, Beans, Radish, Carrot, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Onion, Cucumber, Spices like, Jeera, Pepper, Dhania, Asafoetida, Turmeric – is the diet.

8. Do not avoid breakfast.

Medicines

Ayurveda has detaild treatment procedures for constipation. Approach an Ayurvedic physician.

House hold remedies

1. Soak a few figs (dry figs) in water overnight. Consume this early in morning on empty stomach.

2. Eating a few pieces of ‘Papaya’ before after food relieves constipation.

3. Drink is the early morning a glass of warm water mixed with lemon juice and salt.

Herbal remedies

1. Psyllium husk – (Isabgol). This is obtained from the seeds of the plant ‘Plantago ovata’. Ayurveda considers these seeds as the best natural mild laxative.

2. Leaves and fruits of Cassia Augustifolia (Hindiyana, Nilavriai in Tamil)

3. Liquorice

4. Cassia fistula(Swvarmaka, Konnei in Tamil)

5. Vasa – Acorus calamus.

Ayurvedic medicines

Ayurveda has time – tested formulations like Triphala chooranam, Dhraksharistam, Abayarishtam etc. For curing constipation. For chronic constipation, special procedures like Vasthi karma, Vrechana karma, Udvarthana massage available. Seek Ayurveda for a permanent cure.