"Ama: the Deadly Free Radicals"

"All the diseases starts from our Amashaya i.e. stomach", the Great Ayurvedic physician Bhagabhat has concluded the theory after considering the Nidan (Cause) for several diseases. One of the important concepts of Ayurveda is "Ama". The first production of Ama begins at stomach hence, called Ama + shaya. Agni, the power of digestion also begins at Amashaya on the Ahara (food) we consume. Now we have to correlate the knowledge of Agni to that of Ama production in Amashaya; to understand the diseased and the healthy state of the human body.

Ama :
Ama is derived from 2 words:
Aa means near, near to, towards
Ma means poison
Hence the word Ama denotes a substance or a group of substances which is "near to poison" or "act like a poison". Ama in Ayurveda means raw, undigested, immature, incomplete oxidized/combusted food particles. It also denotes sickness, ill health, indigestion, and dysentery.

It is quite natural that there occurs a functional catastrophe such as absence of adequate quantity or quality of requisite enzymes (Agni) or the occurrence of an aberrated form of enzymatic transaction at any point of the process of digestion. This leads to improperly metabolized intermediate byproducts, which are useless to the body and at the same time cannot be easily thrown out. Therefore this aberrated metabolites act as agents injurious to the tissues and membranes in the body. This unwanted metabolic pool is categorized by Ayurveda as "Ama".

Now let us see; how our modern researchers talk about "Ama" in their language?

Molecules are composed of atoms bonded together. This bonding process is accomplished by the sharing of electrons. When two atoms come together and their electrons pair up, a bond is created.

It is a general principle of quantum chemistry that only two electrons can exist in one bond When a bond is broken, the electrons can stay together i.e., both go to one of the atoms and the other atom gets none; the molecular fragments are called ions; A good example of this is NaCl salt which splits up into a chloride anion (Cl-) negatively charged and a sodium cation (Na+) positively charged. But; if the electrons split up, the atoms become free radicals.

Free radicals are therefore; unpaired unstable molecules, lacking the appropriate electrons necessary to be stable. So, to gain stability they are always on the lookout to swipe electrons from other molecules such as DNA, protein and fat. They indiscriminately kill cells, destroy enzymes and produce toxic chemicals that cause damage to cellular functions. They are highly reactive molecules and their activities damage the physiological structures of DNA, lipids and proteins.

One free radical can initiate tens of thousands of chain reactions that cause tremendous harm by destroying cell membranes, disrupt crucial processes in the body, reprogram DNA, form mutant cells, and more.

Free radicals are a major contributing factor to nearly all situations of non-ideal health.

To illustrate this point; In a healthy digestive system Lipids are acted upon by Co lipase + Coenzyme A + bile salts + Lecithin and other enzymes; undergoing various oxidative process by FAD/NAD to form 3 molecules of glycerol and Acetyl-CoA. Now, in a faculty digestive conditions the lipid molecules get oxidized by super oxides and / Peroxides resulting in the formations of reactive unstable molecules of lipid, these are now called the free radicals, which go about destroying the vital membranes in various organ tissues. And such a continuous destructive action by free radicals from lipid molecules over a period of time eventually manifest as diseases of Cardiovascular, Kidney, Liver, Pancreas or something else.

This is exactly what Our Fore Fathers in Ayurveda have outlined the Concept of Ama formation in Amashaya which when unchecked leads to all types of ill-healthy conditions.

Now let us see; what produces the Free Radicals in our body?

Diet :

1. Cooked Food; especially animal products chickens and other birds, cows, pigs, fishes, lambs, eggs, dairy products, animal fats and proteins, and metabolic waste products contained in animal tissues and organs.

2. Refined foods such as white sugar, white flours, hydrogenated oils, etc.

3. Preservatives, Colorings, and other food additives

4. Alcohol and Aerated drinks.

If I am correct, we can have absolute control over our diet and life style habits. But changing our environment and medical intervention it needs our collective conscious efforts from the people and the Government to change, if not for us but for our future generation.

But for now, let us focus our efforts to what kind of changes we can do to reduce the formation of "Ama" in our Body?

1. Include Fresh Vegetables into our diet everyday.
Cold Storage vegetable subjected to extreme temperature difference will lead to increased free Radical release in to our body.

2. Eat seasonal vegetables and have a keen eye to include all Colors of fruits and vegetable juices and soups.
Colors of vegetables and fruits are formed due to its specific pigments called phytochemicals; which are known to be excellent Antioxidants. Antioxidants act as scavenge to quench on unstable molecules free radicals and stops its destructive reactive chain action on tissues.

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and ß-Carotene and other carotenoids such as a-Carotene, ß-cryptoxanthin, Lutein, Lycopene, and Zeaxanthin have frequently been called dietary antioxidants abundantly found in Ayurvedic Digestive formulary and Ayurvedic Dietary guidelines.

Since, Ayurveda knowledge doesn't stop at only guidelines we have excellent Ayurvedic AgniDipana and Panchan Formularies which not only increases the Agni by supporting the digestive process, changing the pH condition, Facilitating enzymatic action but also providing abundant pool of Antioxidants from Plant Herbs.

For more Information's and Guideline to Follow a Healthy Life, Please contact us :

Dr. Anita Misra, dr.anita@naturenatural.com
(Nature Natural, A-41, Ashok Nagar)