In Ayurveda the concept of food Digestion under the heading of “Ahara parinamaka bhava”. This is made of three Sanskrit term i.e. Ahara or food, Parinamakara or the digestion and Bhava or the factors. Collectively it is called as the factors which are responsible for the digestion of food.
There are six factors listed in many popular compendium of Ayurveda like Charaka (who prepared the compendium of Charaka with name Charaka Samhita) and Vagabhata (who prepared the comendium named as Astanga Hrudayam).
These six factors are- Ushma, Vayu, Kleda, Sneha, Kala and Samayoga.
This Ushma is a form of thermal energy which is the first and foremost requirement factor in the digestion process. This is indicating about the Pachaka pitta (subtype of the Pitta humor indicated for the digestion) and Jatragni (the digestive fire present in the abdomen region; responsible for the digestion).In general as per the rule of nature anything in this Universe needs some energy to convert its forms. That means any transformation consumes some kind of enegy and sometime also emits a particular energy. For the process of digestion it is “Ushma”. In Today’s Science in the digestion process there is recquirement of many of the enzymes which needs a particular co-enzyme, environment and temprature. That basic environment is created by the Ushma.
The next important factor is Vayu or Vata, which is correlated with movement. In Ayurveda for every motion and movement Vata is the only responsible factor, which helps in the dispalcement of any subject form one place to another. This Vayu can be correlated with the peristalsis; which helps in the movement of food bolus, helps in mixing of the food to enzymes and also break the food into smaller pieces.
This Kleda has a very specific quality of sliminess. This sliminess is correlated with the mucus of the body especially related with the digestion. In particular it is undrstood with the multiple secretion in GIT which helps in binding of the food material and finally helpful in the smooth digestion process. By its mucus quality it removes the hardness from the food bolus for easy breakdown and passage from the digestive tract.
In Ayurveda it is correlated with Kledaka kapha which has the same function of providing the mucoid character to the food. As the digestion starts from the buccal cavity because of the Salivary secretions which is presented with some enzymes. These secretions are not other than the Kleda bhava which is necessary for the digestion.
This sneha is very much simillar to the Kleda or Kledaka kapha. Because both are having moreover the same function of providing the unctous nature to the food. whcih helps in the easy digestion of the food . In other word it could be understood with the lubrication factor for the food.
If it is simillar to the Kleda bhava, What is the need of Sneha bhava? The answer for this is, the Kleda bhava is liquid predominat where the Sneha bhava is more plasma like. But both are correalted to the secretions, mucus and Kledaka kapha.
This is also indicative to the presence of fat particles in the food which comes under one of the important factor for the digestion of food.
In Ayurveda the Kala or time plays a very significant role. There is a particular time for everything. Here this factor of time means basically that a person should consumes the food when the previous meal got digested. Also one should take the food when he feels the hunger. Also the GIT secretes many of the enzymes which got dilution effect if the person consumes the food frequently. Which finally leads to indigestion.
Here the word Samyoga formed from ‘Sama’ i.e. proper or appropriate and ‘Yoga’ i.e. combination. Hence it stands for the proper combination of food articles is necessary for the digestion of food. Because different food article ahve different digestion time like the meats stays in GIT for upto 12hrs whereas the fruits stays for 3-6hrs.
Samayoga also stands for the proper amount of the food which is appropriate for that person at that time. If a person consumes a less amount of food then the person is unable to get proper amount of desired effect.
These six factors not only talks about the food digestion but they also indicative of food assimilation and absorption. These six factor will totally helps a person to build a stron digestion which fianlly gives the strong body.
