For the longest time, Arya*, 43, believed she suffered from depression. When she sought Ayurvedic treatment, it was for her long-standing issue of menstrual cramps. But two weeks into the treatment, she felt a freshness, a clarity of senses never experienced before. It wasn’t depression Arya suffered from. The ‘dark cloud’ that she often felt clogging her brain, was in fact, brain fog – a side-effect of the inflammation that had caught hold of her body over the decades.
With a vata-pitta prakriti, she was always underweight, but as within most Indian communities, she was coaxed to eat more to gain weight, even when her appetite, like her bowel movement, remained erratic. As with all cases, Arya’s treatment too began with a cleanse of the inflammation first. Any treatment without that would merely worsen her existing issues. Weeks into the treatment, Arya was experiencing a sudden burst of cre
Now a keen follower of Ayurveda, Arya is aware when there is ‘ama’ or the accumulation of toxins in her body, though rare, usually after a particularly stressful period at work or continuous nights of disturbed sleep. She also knows how to manage it.
So if inflammation is ‘ama’ (pronounced as “aa-ma”)in Sanskrit, does ayurveda mention it? Very much. The concept of Ama is the most important fundamental principle of Ayurveda in understanding the physio-pathology of diseases. Ayurveda describes Ama as the biological entity responsible for many pathological events inside the body. They are the toxins that build up in our body due to factors like weak digestion, impaired sleep, stress, incompatible food, exercising after food, pollution etc.
Formed due to the improper functioning of ‘Agni’ or digestive fire that helps break down food, it is formed from unmetabolised food material. This Ama vitiates the doshas and disturbs dhatu (tissues – structure) after combining with them and initiates the pathogenesis of diseases.
Confirm the Presence of Ama in Your Body
The classical scripture says it can be felt in the form of:
It is present in three levels, beginning with the digestive system or the gut (i.e., home of Jatharagni) and then moves towards the dhatus (i.e., tissues), before disrupting the body at a cellular (or elemental) level.
- At Level 1 – Your Gut, symptoms such as heartburn, diarrhoea, lack of bowel urge or incomplete bowel evacuation, indigestion, a bloated stomach, loss of appetite or a lack of taste for food can lead to weight gain, lethargy and tiredness. Take note of a gassy feeling in the stomach, smelly stool or foul breath as these indicate Ama in the digestive system.
- At Level 2 – your Skin: Eczema, breakouts, sensitivity, boils, inflammation and dry patches are signs of Ama clogging the pores and blocking oxygenated blood from entering the affected region. Remember, your skin needs to breathe too. This ‘suffocation’ of the skin often appears as red rash, swollen skin and itchiness – other symptoms of Ama.
- Level 3 – your Mind: Brain fog and decreased cognitive activity are signs of Ama at the mental level. Memory lapse, mental fatigue, disorientation are symptoms of accumulation of Ama in brain tissues, inhibiting brain cells from natural regeneration.
Ama does not manifest as full-fledged disease overnight. There are various phases:
Formative phase: Clinical symptoms do not appear yet. Āma forms and accumulates in the body. While all indigestion does not lead to Āma it does when Kapha is involved. Ama shows differently for each prakriti: In Vāta-types, indigestion is known as Viṣṭabdha, leading to drying up and degeneration while in Pitta constitution, indigestion is known as Vidagdha and leads to inflammation.
Interactive phase: Āma becomes more active and complex as it interacts with the three doṣas. Āma in conjunction with Vāta creates a condition known as Sāma Vāta while with Pitta and Kapha, it creates conditions known as Sāma Pitta and Sāma Kapha respectively. Āma can also interact with the Dhātus in a similar manner.
| Sama Vata | Sama Pitta | Sama Kapha |
| Obstruction of channels. | Static | Obstructed channels |
| Lack of appetite. | Foul odour | Appetite is nearly lost |
| Drowsiness. | Acid eructations | Prevents normal belching |
| Borborygmi | Burning sensation in the throat and the region of the heart. | – |
| Oedema | Green colouration | – |
| Pricking sensation. | Heaviness | – |
| Pain in joints and all the body parts. | – | – |
| Constipation | – | – |
| वायुः सामो विबन्ध अग्नि साद तन्द्रा अन्त्रकूजनैः। वेदना शोफ निस्तोदैः क्रमशो अङ्गानि पीदयन् ॥(अ.हृ.सू.१३/२७ | दुर्गन्ध हरितं श्यावं पित्तं अम्लं घनं गुरु। अम्लीका कण्ठ हृद् दाहकर सामं विनिर्दिशेत् ॥ अ.हृ.सू. १३॥ | आविलः तन्तुलः स्त्यानः कण्ठदेशे अवतिष्ठते। सामो बलासो दुर्गन्धः क्षुद् उद्गार विघातकृत् ॥ अ.हृ.सू. १३ ॥ |
| Herb to be consumed: Guduchi/Dry ginger | Herb to be consumed: Avipathi Choornam | Herb to be consumed: Triphala |
Disease manifestation: An acute condition, the sama stage is where degenerative, inflammatory or infectious disease manifests.
Complications: An extreme stage where there is development of Āmaviṣa, it can even lead to death.
Resolution: Active interactions amongst Āma and doṣas and dhātus have resolved, the body may recover with mild, moderate, severe or no damage. In some cases, the disease may persist in a chronic or nirāma phase.
Inflammation is treatable provided the signs are taken note of early on. No discomfort in the body is worth living with as it is a call for help. Ignoring it only leads to us being on the losing end, with ease of living compromised, valuable time around loved ones being spent irritably, and not being able to give our best at the workplace. Eventually, it will lead to medical intervention that may be too little too late whereas reaching out to an Ayurvedic physician and following the prescribed routine for a few weeks will lead to improved health and living life fully.
Inflammation check-list
If you are wondering what in your lifestyle has been causing inflammation, start here. Have you been?
- Having incompatible foods?
- Overeating? Eating compulsively (especially oily, sugary, or fried food)?
- Are your eating habits irregular?
- Is your sleep disturbed?
- Do you have stressful routines?
- Are you prone to being inactive for prolonged hours?
*name changed to protect privacy of patient
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