Ayurveda makes a bold claim: bacteria and viruses don't cause disease on their own. They are simply seeds. For a seed to grow, it needs fertile soil.
Ama is that soil.
What is Ama?
When your digestive fire (Agni) is weak, the food you eat is not fully broken down or absorbed. Instead, it rots and ferments in the gastrointestinal tract. This creates a cold, heavy, sticky, foul-smelling substance called Ama.
Once formed in the gut, Ama seeps into the bloodstream and circulates through the body. It looks for weak spots—a weakened joint, a stressed organ, or congested lungs—and settles there, clogging the microchannels (Srotas).
* Ama in the joints = Arthritis
* Ama in the blood = Skin diseases, acne, gout
* Ama in the lungs = Asthma, chronic mucus
*
Ama in the arteries = Plaque and cholesterol
Signs You Have High Ama
1. A thick white, yellow, or grey coating on your tongue in the morning.
2. Feeling heavy, sluggish, and exhausted even after 8 hours of sleep.
3. Foggy thinking and lack of mental clarity.
4. Foul body odor, bad breath, or foul-smelling stool.
5. Sticky stool that sinks or requires excessive wiping.
6. A feeling of blockages anywhere in the body.
How to Burn Ama (Ama Pachana)
The only way to get rid of Ama is to melt it and burn it up by reigniting the digestive fire (Agni).
1. Scrape the Tongue: By far the easiest way to remove oral Ama and stimulate gastric enzymes. Do this every morning.
2. Sip Hot Water: Sipping plain hot water throughout the day melts the sticky Ama in the GI tract, much like hot water melts grease on a dirty pan.
3. Fasting: A light fast (eating only warm soups or Kitchari for a day) gives the digestive system a break, allowing it to turn its fire toward burning up accumulated Ama.
4.
Pungent Spices: Ginger, black pepper, long pepper, and cumin are excellent for burning toxins.
Try This Today
Look at your tongue in the mirror first thing in the morning. If it has a thick coating, your body is begging you to eat lighter today. Drink hot ginger tea, and skip heavy dairy and meats until the coating clears.