Ama Pachana - an Ayurvedic Cleanse

I would say, on average, over 50% of the people who come to see me have Ama in their physiology. So what is it and how do we deal with it?

What is Ama?

The normal process that should take place in the body is as follows; all the food we eat should be fully digested. Half of it is absorbed into the body as nutrients and the rest of it expelled out of the body as waste products.

Sometimes, due to external negative influences (stress, strain, adverse weather, inappropriate food or lifestyle choices) not all the food we eat is fully digested. Perhaps just one third of the food is fully digested and absorbed as nutrients and another third fully digested and expelled as waste products, but this leaves one third remaining in the body in a semi-digested condition. This third cannot be identified by the body as either nutrients or waste, therefore it is neither absorbed nor expelled. This semi-digested, non-metabolised food circulates in the body as toxins. Ayurveda calls these toxins Ama. It is a Sanskrit word which literally translates as ‘undigested’ or ‘uncooked”. The first stage of disease formation in the body is also sometimes called Ama.

Ama acts as a barrier between medication given for a symptom and the final destination where the medication needs to act. In the beginning some of this medication may trickle through and show some immediate relief, but long term it will not penetrate this barrier of Ama and, therefore, there will be no long term relief. This explains why many people have chronic conditions that western medication is not helping.

Presence of Ama in the body:

Ama has been described as a toxic, heavy, sticky, foul smelling substance in the body. Ama can also be formed by bacterial invasion. Bacteria emit toxic substances into the system which can be compared to Ama. The following are some indications of Ama in the body:

  • Eczema

  • Psoriasis

  • Cysts

  • Swellings

  • Painful or swollen joints

  • Hypercholesterolemia

  • Blocked arteries

  • Mucus conditions

  • Kidney/gall stones

  • Gout, Uric acid deposition

  • Obesity

  • Diabetes

  • Acne/skin conditions

  • Rheumatoid arthritis

  • MS

  • CFS

  • IBS

Signs & Symptoms of Ama in the body:

  • Heaviness

  • Lethargy

  • Irregular appetite

  • Generalised body & joint pains, noticed especially the day after eating certain foods like meat, cheese, desserts & fried foods

  • Skin is dull & lustre-less with blemishes, acne etc

  • Bloated stomach, gases, flatulence

  • Metallic taste in mouth

  • White coating on the tongue

  • Foul smelling breath & sweat

  • Constipation, foul smelling stools which may be sticky, heavy & sink

  • Lack of mental clarity & energy

  • A sense of heaviness in the abdomen, legs or body as a whole

  • Weary & unenthusiastic

  • Blocked feeling anywhere in the body, including constipation, sinus congestion & difficulty in

    breathing

  • One wakes up tired even after a good nights’ sleep

    Symptoms of Ama free physiology

    Once Ama has been treated & eliminated, the following should be noticed:

  • Feel fresh & rested upon waking

  • Skin regains a healthy glow

  • Tongue is pink & clear

  • Body feels light

  • Aches & pains disappear

  • No bloated feeling or heaviness

  • Energetic feeling

  • Enthusiastic & mind is clear

    Ama Pachana

    To rid the body of Ama, we follow a simple cleanse known as Ama Pachana. I offer these as guided cleanses at the juncture of the seasons, where you have group support and access to me throughout the 7 days. See my events page for listings. Read what some of my past group clients have said:

“ Just wanted to put out a HUGE recommendation for Mairead from The Sacred Space for guiding me through an Ayurvedic Autumn Cleanse. It has been the most beautiful, nourishing ‘cleanse’ I have ever done - to the point where I am wondering if I have been doing it right because it has been so enjoyable! Full of beautiful, easy to digest, real food recipes, herbs to support, plenty of self care and lots of herbal teas! I feel so much better after getting into a bit of a post summer slump, full of energy, no bloating and getting that glow back and a few llbs have dropped off in the process!” A Freeman October 2019

“ No headaches after day 1. No constipation after upping my Triphala on your advice. No hunger pangs or cravings. No caffeine, alcohol or refined sugar and I stuck to the prescribed meals and loved them - in fact I could eat that way all the time, so easy! Felt great, energetic, no palpitations, rested in the mornings and lost 3kg, what’s not to love? Oh and my annoying cough cleared up”. H Stewart September 2019

Mairead MoodieThe Sacred Space