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Agni = Digestive Fire

According to Ayurveda, agni is a dynamic concept that determines one's energy, vitality, well being, and overall health! If we eat our food properly, with awareness and respect the food joins well with our bodies. If we don't  gas, bloating, indigestion, and other digestive issues set in. We dampen the fire. The end result is ama, or toxins. Over time this weakened fire combined with accumulation of toxins lead to disease. 

An individual with a strong enough fire can take in various food types and properly absorb, metabolize and eventually eliminate unused waste products.

There are 4 types of agni/digestive fire: 

Mandagni: Low digestive fire makes it unable to digest and leads to abdomen heaviness, and loose bowel movements. Mandagni is associated with edema, limbs heaviness, feel heavy head, asthma, respiratory problems, bronchitis, cough, nausea, fatigue, and excessive salivation.

Tikshnagni: Strong digestive fire makes it easy to digest, even a heavy meal quickly (in short time). It produces hunger (or desire for food). Tikshnagni is associated with dryness (of throat, palate and lips) through intense heat, bodily heat, rashes and other inflamed conditions. 

Vishmagni:  variable digestive fire due to the influence of air and ether elements. An irregular digestive fire results in proper digestion in some time and at other times produces abdominal distension, gas pain, and constipation. Vishamagni is bloating, gas, irregular appetite.

Samagni: optimal digestive fire. The optimal fire leads to proper digestion, absorption, cellular regeneration. Individuals with Saman-agni are always healthy.

Ojas = Vigor

Health, virility, fertility, reproduction, regeneration, good health, and immunity all depend on the health of ojas. 

A person with strong ojas is attractive with lustrous eyes and a spontaneous and calming smile. On the psychological level, ojas is responsible for compassion, love, peace and creativity.

Ojas decreases by anger, fear, worry, sorrow, drugs, environmental disruptors, overwork, and unhealthy foods. A person with good ojas is less prone to common ailments, such as colds, fever, cough, and even lifestyle disease such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, back pain, insomnia etc. Even if you do suffer from disease or acute illness, if ojas is strong you can recover/withstand.

Signs of weakened ojas: 

  1. Timid - lack of courage or confidence and easily frightened.

  2. Weak - lacking the power to perform physically demanding tasks.

  3. Anxious - nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.

  4. Depressed - in a state of unhappy or downhearted.

  5. Lack of luster (poor complexion) - Lack of shine or glow.

  6. Poor appetite - a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need (food).

  7. Fatigue - extreme tiredness.

  8. Emaciated - abnormally thin or weak.

  9. Sense organs disorders

  10. Low immunity

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