Physiological aspect of Upavasa (langhana) w.s.r indigestion (Mandagni/Agnimandhya)

Abstract

Ayurveda, the science of life, has much to discuss diet and fasting. Fasting is going  without food and drink for a while. In Dharmashastra the langhana has been told as vrat which are often  practiced by religious-minded people on certain specific religious days of the month. The verbal meaning  of Agni is fire( digestive fire) and mandhya is decreased or reduced. According to Ayurveda, low or  disturbed digestive fire is considered as the root cause of all the diseases. Agni mandhya is a chronic  disease in which the digestion of food and nourishment of body tissue does not take place properly due to  reduction in the digestive capacity of Agni. The process by which food is broken down into simple  chemical compounds that can be absorbed and used as nutrients or eliminated by the body is called  digestion.