Symptoms

Following are the signs that indicate the presence of this ailment:

• Feeling of heaviness or uneasiness in the stomach
  
• Stomach ache
  
• Coated tongue
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Nausea
  
• Constipation
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Vomiting
  
• Acidity
  
• Wind
  
• Distention in the stomach
  
• Laziness
  
• Weakness
  
• Headache
  
• Pain in the lower legs

Causes

Indigestion can be caused due to the aggravation of any of the following doshas or all three of them and by the following eating or physical habits carried on by individuals:

• Improper eating habits
  
• Eating a lot of fried foods, meat, sweets, heavy foods and overeating
  
• Eating incompatible food items
  
• Eating at irregular times
  
• Eating before the last meal is fully digested
  
• Eating very quickly or mixing too many foods in one meal
  
• Consuming too much tea, coffee and alcohol
  
• Smoking
  
• Staying up late ·Emotional disturbances (stress, grief, anxiety)
  
• Taking drugs like antibiotics, painkillers and steroids.

Remedies

• Fasting completely for one day is an efficient method to digest Ama.
  
• Taking fruits, fruit juices and boiled vegetables for one week is also a very beneficial way of fasting.
  
• Lemon juice mixed in warm water taken three times a day improves digestion.
  
• Chewing a small piece of fresh ginger with salt, five to ten minutes before meals, stimulates digestion.
  
• Take equal amounts of ginger powder, black pepper, dried mint leaves, asafetida (hing), anise seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, fennel and common salt. Grind together to make a fine powder. Dosage: Take about 1 teaspoon of this powder with water, twice a day after meals.
  
• Drinking buttermilk after a meal improves digestion. Roasted cumin seeds and a little salt in the buttermilk enhances its effectiveness.
  
• Drinking water gives immediate relief to symptoms like wind, distended stomach and acidity.
  
• Eat half a teaspoon of aniseed to improve digestion.
  
• A teaspoon of ginger juice mixed in a quarter cup of warm water can be taken two or three times a day. A teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt can also be added to make it more effective.
  

Dos and don'ts

• Eat boiled seasonal vegetables, fruits, fruit juices and lemon juice.
  
• Spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, fresh ginger, black pepper and asafetida.
  
• Physical exercise, according to the strength and energy of the patient, is beneficial.
  
• Do not eat while moving or traveling in a car, watching television or reading.
  
• Do not eat fast food or food that has been cooked in a microwave oven. Eating should not be too fast or too slow and the food should be properly chewed.
  
• Sleeping during the day, especially after lunch is not recommended, as it produces indigestion.

The patient should not stay awake late at night and should be free from mental stress, anxiety, fear and grief.