Ayurveda and intestinal health: A guest article by Dosha Balance Coach Angela Mahadevi Schulz

As a dosha balance coach, I combine the millennia-old knowledge of Ayurveda and yoga with the current knowledge of intestinal health and our modern ones. Because everything has an influence on our health and must be viewed individually . In addition to 1:1 accompaniment, I also support women, especially women, in maintaining their individual life energy in online group courses. My first book will be published in spring 2024 : Energy Up - How Ayurveda and Yoga can change your life.

A guest article by Angela Mahadevi Schulz
Instagram: @mahadevi_doshabalance

Health begins in the gut

A statement that we often hear, but perhaps do not implement sufficiently. Modern gut health shows that 80% of our immune system lies in the gut. So why is it so difficult for us to adjust our eating habits to stay healthy? Ayurveda knows the answer here.
But first we should take a look at what Ayurveda actually means. Ayurveda is an Indian natural healing method that is around 5,000 years old. The term is made up of two syllables.

Ayus: health
Veda: knowledge

Ergo, Ayurveda is translated into: The knowledge for a healthy life

In Ayurveda, humans are viewed as part of nature. The energies, formed in the five elements: ether, air, fire, water, earth, can be found both outside and inside. This perspective supports every individual to feel comfortable in their own nature and stay healthy. More precisely, the following bioenergies, the doshas, ​​are formed from the elements:

Vata: ether, air
Pitta: Fire
Kapha: water, earth

These bioenergies are present in every person, to varying degrees. Which in turn has a major impact on:
• sleep
• the energy
• digestion
• the immune system
• the cycle
• aging
• etc.

A body that consists of the elements air and space (ether), i.e. a Vata type, can never have the same strength and stability as a body of Kapha Dosha, which draws strength from earth and water. This has a direct influence on digestion, the so-called Agni. Each dosha naturally has a special digestive fire (Agni), which can be fed and cared for accordingly.

This is how you support your Agni according to the 3 doshas

The Vata Dosha Agni:

The digestive fire of the Vata Dosha can be easily imagined as a small candle flame . Very delicate and easily erasable. In order to maintain the candle flame, it makes sense to support it with good burning aids and plenty of rest.
Lots of small meals, well cooked and as warm as possible, are helpful here. In this way the Vata Dosha Agni can be preserved.

These spices strengthen your Vata Agni:
Cinnamon, fennel, fresh ginger, cumin, mustard seeds and especially asafoetida.

The Pitta Dosha Agni:

Certainly the most stable digestive fire of the three doshas. One can imagine a strong burning campfire that requires regular fuel and should not go out. This Agni is the only one that can tolerate raw food because the fire is very strong. Regular meals are very important, otherwise the fire goes out and is very difficult to rekindle. In fact, Pitta types can rarely skip a meal.

These spices strengthen your Pitta Agni:
Coriander, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and especially pippali.

The Kapha Dosha Agni:

The Kapha type has a very consistent but not particularly strong Agni. It is equivalent to a hot ember that is constantly smoldering. Digestion is therefore rather sluggish and should be stimulated with slightly hotter spices. In fact, this dosha is the only one that can sometimes skip a meal. A regular fasting regimen can also be very helpful in rekindling the flames and relieving the strain on the body.

These spices strengthen your Pitta Agni:
Ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric and especially chilli.

Supporting your own digestive fire well is the basis for a healthy intestine. So nothing stands in the way of a long, healthy life with lots of radiant energy.