Gastritis - #21474

So you’re dealing with some annoying digestive stuff – the bloating, the reflux after meals that makes you think there's a traffic jam in your stomach. I get how frustrating that can be, especially when things don’t seem clear or get better right away. Let’s look at it through an Ayurvedic lens. Your symptoms suggest Agni (digestive fire) might be low and there may be an imbalance in Pitta dosha, which often relates to acidity and inflammation. When Agni struggles, food sits around like a guest who overstays – uncomfortable and uninvited. We need to fire it up gently without causing more heat (aka more acid). Start with half a teaspoon of ajwain (carom seeds) with a pinch of black salt, chew it after meals to help digestion get moving. Or try mixing freshly grated ginger with a little lemon juice and salt before meals, it's like lighting a healthy spark before eating. Think of food as medicine. Eat at regular intervals, since odd meal times can confuse your body. Go for smaller, more frequent meals – not those massive plates that make you want to nap afterwards. Avoid very spicy, oily, and fermented foods, they can make Pitta imbalances worse. Stay away from cold drinks and ice-cold foods, they dampen your Agni like a bucket of water on a small fire. Room temperature or warm drinks are better. A lukewarm glass of water with a spoonful of honey early morning can be soothing too. Don’t eat late at night, it confuses our internal clock and digestion gets sluggish. And hey, check your stress levels – anxiety and worry, they can literally turn up the heat inside and make symptoms worse. Practicing yoga poses like janu sirsasana (head-to-knee pose) and supta baddha konasana (reclining bound angle pose) help calm the digestive system. Doing pranayama or deep breathing exercises helps reduce stress and aids digestion as well. Remember, if your symptoms persist, especially if they're severe, it's important to keep working with your doc; sometimes the right combination of treatments takes a minute to get right. Ayurveda's all about balance, so small tweaks can make a big difference. Keep your head up!