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Amalpitta management in Ayurveda

Nishu Raina

Globally for a long time, communicable diseases were the biggest killer diseases. But now, the trend is changing towards increased prevalence of chronic diseases with causative factors mostly related to diet and lifestyle. Among them, the Nidana (causative factors) of Amlapitta, a Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) disorder, has acquired majority of the share with causative factors like improper diet and habits, stress, spicy irritant food, oily foods, bakery products, etc. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that major percentage of the population in developing countries depends primarily upon herbal medicine for basic healthcare. In this rapidly growing civilization and multimedia technology, life becomes full of stress having more speed and accuracy is prime demands. So people neglect healthy food and are attracted towards the junk food. They are changing their diet pattern, life style and behavioral pattern. People are becoming more stressful with worry, tension and anxiety causing so many psychological disorders which hampers the digestion and is causing hyperacidity, gastritis, dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disorder and anorexia and all these pathological disorders are covered under the broad umbrella of Amlapitta in Ayurveda. Amalpitta is among the 80% of the top 10 life threatening disease of the world that are due to faults in dietary habits. In ayurveda sign and symptoms of Amalpitta mentioned by ayurveda stalwarts looks very similar to GERD and gastritis. In ayurvedic terminology, Agni (digestive fire) is considered as the protector of the human body while Ama (toxic) is the cause of disease. So, the main cause is the indiscretion in taking food which leads to three types of Doshic (physical energies Vata, Pitta, Kapha) imbalance and these Doshas are found in the Grahini (duodenum) which is considered as the seat of the digestive fire or Agni. It is also said that eating and fasting during indigestion leads to problems like acidity, heartburn, gastritis which is referred as Amalpitta. Ayurveda follows its own unique philosophy and methodologies to address issues of health care and prescribes variety of simple therapies as also
certain complex treatments that could comprise of single ingredients, poly-ingredient formulations and combination of drugs, diet, lifestyle changes and therapies like massages, fomentation therapies, enemas and several other cleansing procedures as well. In this research we will find the role of various ayurvedic regimens in the management of Amalpitta and are ideally meant to be administered only after proper understanding of the ailment as per ayurvedic diagnostics or Nidan.