4 Ayurvedic Digestive Types: Which One Are You?

What type are you? If you've already noticed this, you know that gut health is the key to overall health, and different organs require different things to balance. Ancient Ayurvedic wisdom classifies these digestive differences into four categories, each associated with its own set of healing solutions.

Our Ayurveda expert and author of Ayurveda's Guide for Dummies, Sahara Rose, shares simple tips for different types of “digestive fire”. Which one is you?

Each of us has a friend who can eat pizza at night and will still be ready for yoga the next morning. Everyone has a friend who is very sensitive to food in the sun.

The features of digestion are as varied as those of the person

Each of us is born with a unique type that can change depending on our diet, lifestyle and age. You may have eaten at night when you were in college, and now too much cheese makes you bloated for days.

According to Ayurveda, the world's oldest wellness system closely associated with yoga, each of us has a unique type of digestion. As the author of Ayurveda's Guide for Dummies and Ayurvedic nutritionist, I specialize in identifying an individual's type of digestion, skin, metabolism and even mind to help them find balance.

One of the first things I rate with my clients is their type of digestive fire. The word "agni" in Sanskrit means "fire" and is used to describe our digestive system, because the inner flame converts food into energy. Some of us find it easy to eat food, absorb nutrients and release toxins, while others feel heavy and exhausted after eating because their digestive system is overworked. All of this gives us information about their digestive type. Ayurveda distinguishes four types of agni or digestive fire:

1. Visham agni (improper digestion)

Visham agni is when your digestive system is completely unpredictable. Sometimes you eat food and feel how it nourishes and saturates you without digestive problems. Other times, you inflate like a balloon and feel so bad that you can't go to the gym. Visham agni is associated with vata (wind) dosha because it is always in the air. You never know what will happen next!

Signs of visham agni include: bloating, gas, constipation, which are sometimes replaced by loose stools.

If this applies to you: Follow a diet that soothes vata: warm, plant-based foods with lots of root vegetables and healthy fats. Stay away from raw and cold foods such as salads, smoothies, popcorn and crackers.

2. Tiksna agni (increased metabolism)

Tiksha agni is when your digestive fire burns too brightly. You run to the bathroom after every meal, especially if it included spices, nightshades, onions, or garlic. When your inner flame is too strong, your stomach releases excess acid, causing acidity, heartburn, and even ulcers. Tiksha agni is associated with pitta dosha (fire) because it is strong and agile. You are the type that if you don't have time to eat on time, you will be brutally hungry!

Signs of tiksha agni include: loose stools, hypersensitivity / heartburn, acute appetite

If this applies to you: Follow a diet that soothes pitta: cold, moist foods, lots of leafy greens, juicy fruits, cleansing herbs. Stay away from peppers and spicy foods such as Cayenne pepper, onions and garlic, which will further ignite your digestive fire.

3. Manda agni (slow metabolism)

Manda agni is when your digestion is very slow. After eating, your stomach feels heavy for the next six hours or longer. In fact, even if you eat a little, your body continues to store fat, it seems that even the thought of French fries makes you gain weight. You may feel fatigued after a large meal and need to take a nap. Manda agni is associated with excess kapha (earth) dosha because it is heavy and dense. The speed of your digestion is like the Earth revolving on its axis.

Signs of Manda Agni include: slow digestion / metabolism, weight gain, heavy slimy stools, low appetite.

If this applies to you: Follow a kapha-calming diet: steaming foods without starchy vegetables and lots of spices. Avoid milk, sugar, starch, fried foods, and excess protein.

4. Agni itself (balanced digestion)

Agni itself is when you have no digestive problems, you're in luck! You eat your food and feel comfortable afterwards, without bloating, gas, acidity, or drowsiness. You have a bowel movement once or twice a day without any loose stools or constipation. If this is about you - you deserve a gold star!

Signs of agni itself include: a healthy daily bowel release, no digestive discomfort after eating, a lot of vitality, glowing skin, sparkle in the eyes.

If this applies to you: Stick to this type by consuming seasonal dosha foods. Eat more pitta during the hot summer months. Consume more vata foods during the colder fall and spring months. In the wetter winter, early spring, and late fall months, consume more kapha foods.

Kardopolova M. Yu.