Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Keeping the 'Digestive Fire' burning

I know there seems to be a little reluctance to consider alternative therapies to IBS, but I just wanted to share something with you which I have personally found very helpful, and I hope some of you will too.
In the most ancient of medicines, ayurveda (from India), there is a huge emphasis on the importance of digestion to physical and mental health. One of the most important concepts is called 'agni' or the 'digestive fire'. The key is to keep the fire burning - not too much (this causes inflammation), not too little (this causes constipation and sluggish digestion) but enough for things to be running smoothly.
The use of the elements, is used in ayurveda where each food is classified as a 'space' (mainly bitter foods and herbs), air (leafy vegetables - insoluble fibre), fire (hot foods,spices, chilies, sour foods) water (high water content veg and fruit, oily foods, salty foods) and earth (rice and most grains, root vegetables, sweet foods). The key is to keep the fire burning by maintaining a balance of all these elements- not adding too much water which would put it out, or air or stoking up too much with fiery foods. The earthy element - the soluble fibres in our IBS world, in this analogy are probably most important (the wood or fuel itself) and air(insoluble fibre) and water (fats) have to be managed carefully in moderation and ADDED to the fuel without putting it totally out.
As for the fire element, these are your herbs and spices - to us the fennel, peppermint, ginger which help to control the fire -if it gets out of hand, peppermint 'cools it down' if it needs increasing ginger (if it needs a real boost) or fennel ( a bit more subtle) will help.

I have found the idea of a 'fire' inside me really helpful. When I'm having a bad day, I think to myself how I can eat the right things to rekindle or make it burn better so that food is digested properly. The key is of course (as we all know) MODERATION and no extremes. Eating loads of white bread (the wood or fuel) will do absolutely no good if the fire is out or weak. Better to eat lightly and drink lots of spicy teas (and other spices are used a lot - cardamom, cloves, nutmeg among others..)in order to build up the fire gradually.

Well, that's enough from me I think. I hope it wasn't too 'up in the clouds' for you all. It is very smply put and there is loads more to it but this simple analogy has helped me link the theory to my IBS and is helping me to use a different way to look at the whole condition.For me, it is refreshing not just to focus on particular foods and symptoms and to put a broader and differnt perspective on things.

Oh, just one more thing, although no one element is more important than another, I thing the earth element is SO important to us sensitive IBS sufferers. It represents roots (root veg) and grounding (all grains start their lives in the earth) and sweetness and comfort. That's why eating soluble fibre 'spiritually' or psychologically speaking is so important to us.

Right enough!

Byeee
Claire

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