AMA | Ayurveda

What is AMA?

Ama is a Sanskrit word that translates to "uncooked" or "undigested".

Ama is the residual waste that lingers in our body, and is the by-product of incomplete digestion.

Essentially, we should start fresh each day with no lingering waste from the day before.

In Ayurveda, ama is the root cause of disease.

I think the word disease has become known as such an intense word, but the word broken down is dis-ease.. the inability for our body to passively function efficiently and happily- easily.

Just that simple, eh? So ama is the root cause of disease, should be an easy fix then?

There is an optimistic idea that our body naturally cleans and restores itself, given the time, nutrients and energy. However, without the latter, ama begins to build up. This build up can occur each day, building up until our body, months, years behind, begins to show symptoms of dis-ease.

What next?

Ama presents itself in the form of mucus, bacteria, inflammation, fat- all that nasty stuff we consider a nuisance. Over time, ama inhibits regulatory processes, absorption of nutrients, and increases the overgrowth of bacteria / viruses- eventually forms plaque, tumours, cysts, etc.

Do YOU have AMA- why?

Why is ama remaining inside your body instead of flushing away each night during our natural detoxification and regeneration cycles? For that I would recommend meeting with a specialist- whether it is a nutritionist, naturopath or MD who can support you in the right direction, clearing your body's natural path to healing.

Traditional remedies to flush excess ama:

Fast

• Allow your body to have time to finish its last meal, this will completely use up waste.

• Space out your meals for at least 4 hours, this allows time for optimal digestion.

• Get active/go for a walk in between eating times.

• Stretch out the torso of your body in between eating times.

Drink detoxifying plants:

• Quality coffee/teas/herbs

• Burdock root

• Dandelion root

• Ginger root

• Turmeric root

• Fresh cilantro and parsley

• Seaweeds

• Mushrooms

• Beets

• Cabbage

Add spices into your life and consume fresh foods.

• Drink chai

• Sea salt

• In general cook and season with fresh spices and herbs

Consume healing oils like:

• Homemade ghee

• Pastured butter

• Simmered whole milk with spices

• Simmered coconut milk with spices

• 100% olive oil

• Quality active whole milk yogurt

• Pasture raised animal oils and undamaged plant oils

Consume alkaline acids like:

• Kombucha

• Lemon, lime

• Raw fresh fruits and vegetables

• Fermented veggies

• Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

The list can continue, this was just off the top of my head.

Think about your health journey as you are swimming in a river, if the current begins to pick up, you should be able to get out. If not, you are going to be washed down the river, harder and harder to resurface and get out. Human health is like this river, we cannot expect to eventually get out of that river and bank at the same place we hopped in. Years of imbalance results in some time to swim or walk back up the river.

Learn about Ayurveda, "the Science of Life", here.

Thanks for reading!

Samantha