Words: Drs Maya A GANDHEA, Sagar Rajendra WAGH & Shruti Prakashrao DANDALE
Ahara [food] is thought to be one of the pillars of life, because it controls physiology and keeps all body functions in synchronisation. Food as nutrition boosts the dhatus and provides numerous health benefits. The infamous pitta, possibly derived from food materials, is assumed to get processed appropriately with agni through which metabolic enzymes play a role in the digestion of food. This, in turn, converts complex food into its simplest form, resulting in the formation of nutrients that the body needs to maintain normal physiological functions.
Food digestion is essential for maintaining the dosha, agni and dhatu balance, among other things. After being digested, ahara produces nutrition for strength and longevity, etc. The physiology of assimilation only relies on the properties of food materials, like gurutava and laghutava. Comparable to the modern, contemporary physiology of assimilation, Ayurveda references the idea of avasthapaka, which suggests certain processes that take place during the absorption of food. Under the influence of agni, the ahara dravyas in kostha are digested as essential nutrients. The agni is described as a liable factor for the course of ahara pachana.
Ayurveda: Physiology Of Digestion
In the beginning, madhura bhava reaches amashaya via ahara — the stage is known as madhura avasthapaka. Sugars are broken down by salivary amylase into glucose, which is absorbed as energy source.
In pachhmanasaya, ahara is subjected to vigorous digestion patterns in the amla avasthapaka, which is regarded as the second stage of avasthapaka. The acidic mode of chyme brings about amlabhava. In pachymanasaya, food that has been partially digested is further digested and absorbed.
The third stage is katu avasthapaka — the retention of electrolytes and water take places in the digestive organ. Water and electrolytes consumed, from the pakwasaya, and bolus of faeces, ‘factor’ the assimilation of water.
In today’s frenzied way of life, food contrariness, low fibre diet and stress, etc. may result in abnormalities that cause pathological symptoms, like stomach pain, cramps, nausea, gas, constipation and vomiting, etc. These symptoms frequently indicate digestive issues, viz., heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome [IBS], bloating and anorexia, etc. Ayurveda proposes disciplinary behaviours as a way of life for relieving stomach-related issues, while re-establishing the typical physiology of digestion.
Avastha-Paka
The digestion of food in the gastrointestinal system is referred to as avasthapaka; it involves the transformation of one form of food into another. Amashaya, pachyamaanaasaya and pakwasaya are included in this process. The prapaka and vipaka are portrayed as pratham paka, or first change, and last changed states separately. Prathampaka is subject to the final transformation during jatharagni’s transformation.
The biochemical changes happen in three phases of food assimilation, while relying on the contribution of madhura, amla and katu components in the process. Avasthapaka is grouped into madhura avastha-paka, amla avastha-paka and katu avastha-paka.
Madhura Avastha-Paka
Food comprising of different rasas, including madhura rasa that appear during the avastha-paka, is the piece of first stage, while kapha, a substance regarded as thin and frothy, is formed at this stage too. This stage happens in amashaya, since it is appreciated by madhura bhava. Agni, samana vayu and kledaka kapha, etc., in the stomach contribute towards the physiology of madhura avastha-paka.
According to current science, this stage corresponds to the change of carbohydrates into basic sugar. The assimilation of carbohydrates in the buccal cavity by salivary chemicals transforms carbohydrates into simple sugars. The food that reaches the oral cavity causes saliva to be secreted; it contains the enzyme amylase. This helps in the transformation of carbohydrates. Pachana and kledana of carbohydrates and related food materials are initiated by saliva in the mouth. At this stage, carbohydrates are changed into sucrose, maltose and lactose, etc.
Amla Avastha-Paka
Amla avastha-paka takes place in pachmanasaya; the absorption of food after the principal stage occurs in pachyamansaya affected by pancreatic amylase. A few pieces of madhura avastha-paka go through pachyamanasaya subsequently; this is considered as a halfway site for the madhura avastha-paka. The emission of hydrochloric corrosives in the stomach somewhat stops the movement of amylase, prompting the halfway finish of madhura avastha-paka.
Amlabhava is developed in the chime’s acidic medium; this results in sourness. The beginning of amlabhava takes place during this stage and full assimilation of food takes place in amla avastha-paka. The grahni includes activities of pachaka pitta; it keeps indigested food further exposed to the activity of agni.
The activity of agni assists with processing the food while ingestion of sara bhag occurs with the assistance of samana vayu. The peristaltic movement is targeted by the undigested food. Pachyamanashya refers to the region between amashya and pakvashya in which grahni is situated.
Achchha pitta carries pH to work with different enzymatic emissions of the digestive system. Products, such as peptone and fatty acids, etc., are designed here in amlavastha; the food has properties of amla rasa consequently at this stage. It is named as amlavastha. Ahararasa retained through pittadharakala and apakva food stays after amlavastha is removed by the impact of samana vayu.
Peptic cells in the stomach’s gastric glands release pepsinogen, which produces pepsin, and supports protein digestion. The significant parts of protein get processed in pachyamanasya by the compound of pancreatic emissions. The vidagdha ahara in pachyamanasaya causes achchha pitta to be released. The achchha pitta incorporates bile and pancreatic discharges that work with assimilation of fats, starch and proteins. Pepsin helps in the transformation of protein to proteoses, polypeptides and peptones.
Katu Avastha-Paka
The third avastha-paka of assimilation is katu avastha-paka in which processed food materials are treated in pakvashaya. The excess undigested food varieties go through the aging cycle affected by gastrointestinal microorganisms. The creation of vayu gets animated in this cycle. Food undergoes drying as it travels from pachya-manashaya to pakvashaya and shoshymanasya due to the absorption of water.
According to contemporary thought, the small intestine is where digestion and absorption take place primarily. In digestive organs, retention of water takes place and bacterial activity occurs in pakvashaya. Bacterial action causes gases that add to flatus in the colon. The smell of faeces, credited to its parts, i.e., indole, mercaptans and hydrogen sulphide, all have katu bhava; this stage is called katu avastha-paka. When the large intestine is stimulated, excessive gas expulsion may occur, promoting peristaltic gas expulsion before gas absorption.
Conclusion
Ayurveda classifies absorption of food materials into three stages, for example, madhura avastha-paka, amla avastha-paka and katu avastha-paka. The first stage, madhura avastha-paka, involves the digestion of carbohydrates; it also relies heavily on salivary amylase. Amla avastha-paka is the second stage, and it involves the digestion of food in the vidagdha form in pachyamanasaya. The amlabhava secures it, because of the emission of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. The third phase of avasthapka is katu avastha-paka in which food material ‘scopes’ to pakvashaya, while lingering materials go through the maturation cycle affected by digestive microorganisms. There is a connection between the modern concept of the physiological process of digestion and metabolism and the Ayurveda concept of avastha-paka.
