THE CONCEPT OF AMA

by | Jun 14, 2021 | Health Tips & Treatments

Ama originates from improperly digested toxic particles that clog the channels in your body. Some of these channels are physical and include the intestines, lymphatic systems, arteries and veins, capillaries, and GI tract. Others are non-physical channels called “nadis” through which your energy flows. Ama toxicity accumulates wherever there is weakness in the body and this will result in diseases.

 Normal activity of digestive fire is essential for the complete and proper digestion of food. But due to low digestive fire, the food is not properly digested, and toxic products are formed Therefore, its absorption becomes sluggish and it gets retained in the intestine for a longer period of time. Due to this retention, it becomes fermented or even putrefied. This toxic product remains unabsorbed in the intestine because of its incomplete digestion and is the root cause of all diseases.

 (Reference: Ashtanga Hridaya Sutra Sthana 13/23)

Dhatwagni plays an important role in the formation of tissues from the nutrient substance. Hence when the power of a particular tissue is diminished, either in the liver or in a particular channel, the formation or utilization of that tissue becomes incomplete and Ama is produced. Such tissues containing Ama are called simi tissues (tissues with Ama). This type of pathology is seen in various diseases. In diabetes, muscle tissues are formed as “Sama tissue” because of the low tissue fire of fat and muscle. Hence the normal functional activities of these tissues are hampered. In obesity, a similar type of fat tissue is produced due to a low tissue fire of fat tissue. A peculiar thing observed i these two conditions is that, though there is low tissue fire, there is no associated low digestive fired on the contrary digestive fire becomes sharper. In all other types of low Dhatwagni there is an associated low jatharagni.

(Reference Charak Samhita Nidana Sthana 4/7 Chakrapani commentary)

 Agni: is the energy responsible transformation of food substance. In the first stage, it produces nutritious substance which is converted to tissues in the second phase of digestion. Here the action of tissue fire takes place on nutritive food substances and different tissues are produced. This is the anabolic activity of metabolic tissue fire.

 (Reference: Madhava Nidana)

The tissues produced by this process are utilized for the liberation of energy required for each and every activity of the body. During this process, the tissue substance is again digested, disintegrated, and utilized for the liberation of heat and energy by the tissue fire. This is the catabolic process. During this activity of disintegration of tissues, certain minute waste products are formed. They are called subtle waste products or “kleda”. Up to a certain limit, the existence of these is essential to the body, and excess is excreted. When this excretion becomes inadequate due to excessive production or defective excretion, it gets accumulated in the body which results in the formation of the toxic substance called “Ama”. Every dosha has certain qualities which are antagonistic to qualities of the Doshas e.g. the dry and light quality of Vata are antagonistic to oily and heavy qualities of Kapha. Similarly, the qualities of Pitta is antagonistic to the cold qualities of Vata and Kapha. Therefore when two or three doshas become severely vitiated and combined, they produce interaction between them. In such conditions opposite quality instead of nullifying ones interact and produce a toxic substance.

(Reference: Ashtanga Hridaya Sutra Sthana When an infection is caused by pathogenic organisms, they liberate toxic substance:

 •  Always in the form of incompletely digested substance

 • Hence it is non-homogeneous, has a very foul or bad odor which can be experienced only when it is combined with excretory products such as sweat, urine and feces or when products such as sputum, volition etc. are expelled from the body.

 • Very sticky.

 • Produces lethargy in the body.

This can occur in any large or minute channel, when it is indicated by stagnation and disturbance in transport, and metabolism can occur even at the cellular level. The commonly observed obstructions are in the liver (affecting the passage of bile), the urinary tract, the

 Fallopian tubes, the blood vessels and the respiratory tract etc. Weakness or reduced working power in any part of the organ is due to the difficulty produced by ama in the contraction and relaxation of the musculature, even where the organic structure of the muscle is normal.

Obstruction in the movement Vata- Ama on one side causes disturbance in the action of the musculature part of the organ, and on the other side, it causes disturbance in the conduction of nerve impulses. Ultimately the activity of the concerned part reduces or stops.

The tongue is coated especially upon waking in the morning, due to the accumulation of Ama during sleep. Due to various diseases such as obesity, diabetes, etc. metabolic disturbance is produced. Feeling heavy, fuzzy-headed, unclear thinking, aches and pains, bloating, gas, skin blemishes, fever lack of energy, stickiness, foul smell (breath, sweat, urine, stools, phlegm), sinking stool, mucous in stool, turbid urine, lack of appetite or taste.

High triglycerides, atherosclerosis, later-onset diabetes, high blood sugar levels, some forms of depression, rheumatoid factor, the presence of H. pylori bacteria, leukocytosis or leukocytopenia (deficient and excessive white blood cells), excess antibodies, Candida albicans in the uterus: and gut, blood urea, gout, excess platelet count, excess red blood cells, gall stones: as a sign of excess bile, Kidney stones as a sign of unmetabolized calcium and

oxalates, high liver enzymes, ocular pressure (glaucoma), bacterial infection, high temperature and tumors.

Effects of Ama

 When such toxins come in contact with doshas, tissues, or waste products: produces the sama dosha, sama tissues and same mala. In Ayurvedic texts, symptoms of the sama and drama stage of the dosha , tissues and waste products are described for all diseases.

Ayurveda attributes the cause of any disease to an imbalance in one or all of the doshas and for successful treatment of a particular disease physician has to determine, whether the imbalance dosha is “Sama” or “Nirama”.

 References:

 . Ashtanga Hridaya Sutra Sthana 13/23

 . Charak Samhita Nidana Sthana 4/7

 Chakrapani commentary

 . Ashtanga Hridaya Sutra Sthana 13/26

Normal activity of digestive fire is essential for the complete and proper digestion of food. But due to low digestive fire, the food is not properly digested, and toxic products are formed.  Therefore, its absorption becomes sluggish and it gets retained in the intestine for a longer period of time.

Due to this retention, it becomes fermented or even putrefied. This toxic product remains unabsorbed in the intestine because of its incomplete digestion and is the root cause of all diseases.

 (Reference: Ashtanga Hridaya Sutra Sthana 13/23)

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