In ayurveda, digestion is one of the foundations of health. In Maharishi Ayurveda, diet and food are usually the very first prescription from a Vaidya (ayurvedic physician), herbs being considered a supplement to the diet — a special food. This is because these two things — diet and food — play key roles in restoring and maintaining a high level of health.
In Maharishi Ayurveda, food provides not only basic nutrition, but the fine micronutrients and moreover, the healing intelligence needed to both restore health and support it long term, as well as support a higher condition of personal experience — the joy of living. Maharishi Ayurveda also supplements foods with seasonal modifications to your routine, adding or avoiding certain flavors, emphasizing particular methods of preparation and consumption and many other factors, including eating special whole foods in the form of plants and fruit compounds. These supplements are the herbal products of MAPI. Each has a story and a purpose. This article looks at two important herbal preparations for digestion.
Herbal compounds for digestive balance
Toxins in the body can leave you feeling sluggish, dull or occasionally constipated. Maharishi Ayurveda recognizes that toxins from a variety of sources can accumulate in your body. This buildup can occur when your digestion — and your elimination — are out of balance, leading to skin breakouts, menstrual cramps, fatigue, emotional lows and other health issues.
Balancing your digestion and elimination is a specialty of Maharishi Ayurveda. Many of the Maharishi Ayurveda herbal formulas are designed to do just that. Of these, one of the most effective is one that contains Triphala. The product is called Organic Digest Tone (Triphala Plus).
Organic Digest Tone contains three renowned Ayurvedic fruits — Amla berry, Haritaki (Chebulic Myrobalan) and Bibhitaki (Belleric Myrobalan). Each possesses the superior healing and anti-aging qualities known as Rasayana. Because Organic Digest Tone contains three elixirs in one compound, it is considered one of the most valuable herbal preparations in the world.
This mixture of herbs works as a mild laxative, but it purifies gently, so that over a long period of time, it allows even the deepest tissues and organs of the body to release toxins. But along with its cleansing quality, it enhances food absorption instead of depleting the body of nutrients. Organic Digest Tone also promotes ojas, the finest product of digestion. Ojas is the body's master coordinator and chief indicator of immunity, helping to prevent disease, creating luster in the skin, and rejuvenating vital energy.
This particular herbal blend stands out for another reason. Maharishi Ayurveda Products uses only the most rare, highest grade of fruits, as described in the traditional texts. And to ensure that only the purest ingredients reach your cells, the fruits used are grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers or exposure to environmental pollutants. And of equal importance, the fruits are harvested to Maharishi Ayurveda standards — only when they are ripe on the tree. This is an ayurvedic agricultural rule, which ensures that the full nutritional and balancing intelligence of the plant is available in this amazing Rasayana.
There is another Maharishi Ayurveda herbal blend that supports digestion. It's called Herbal Di-Gest and it contains a blend of Sugarcane, Caraway, Pomegranate, Cumin, Long Pepper, Ginger, Pepper, Cardamom, Black Salt, Cinnamon, Rock Salt, Hing Asafetida, and Lime. These herbs and spices, in their proper proportions, support digestion at each of its important steps by:
- Balancing the five key aspects of digestion
- Reducing digestive impurities
- Promoting a regular appetite and naturally balancing cravings
- Making you feel more light and comfortable
- Making food more satisfying and nutritious
Creating Herbal Masterpieces
The herbs in Herbal Di-Gest are combined in precise proportions and prepared in the traditional ayurvedic way. This improves the bioavailability of vital nutrients. It also creates synergy — the collective benefit is much greater than that of isolated, individual herbs.
- Pomegranate Seeds help balance and stimulate both the appetite and the process of digestion. The seeds are processed in the unique and specific way described in traditional texts. This maximizes the potency.
- The ingredients in Herbal Di-Gest also include the six ayurvedic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. These tastes are important because each taste stimulates a different aspect of digestion and metabolism, supporting more complete assimilation of food.
Maharishi Ayurveda Tips for Improving Digestion and Elimination
These are simple but powerful lifestyle adjustments that help improve digestion and energy, and produce a more rewarding quality of life.
- Avoid eating leftovers and foods that contain preservatives. Your body has to work harder to eliminate these impurities from the liver and cells.
- Avoid cold drinks, as these reduce digestive power.
- Drink plenty of warm water to help flush toxins from the body.
- Avoid cigarettes, cigarette smoke, alcohol, drugs, chemicals, pollution and exposure to other toxins as much as possible, including toxins in fabrics and household materials.
- Go to bed by 10 p.m. That's the time period — in concert with Nature's cycle — when the body can both rest and purify, during its natural purification cycle from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
- Eat your main meal at noon, when your digestive fire (agni) is high.
- Don't watch TV, read or work while you're eating. Allow your body to be focused on the process of the moment, digestion.
- Engage in light, pleasant conversation while you're eating — it supports good digestion.
- Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables and stick to a high-fiber diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and grains.
© 1999, 2021 Maharishi AyurVeda Products International, Inc. (MAPI). All Rights Reserved. MAPI does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. See additional information.
