"In our body there are 13 Agnis ~ Agni is nothing but the digestive factor"

"The agni which is there in the stomach, Pachak Agni, is the main agni which digests the food. After that the digested fluid (rasa) is moving throughout the body, circulating in the body. And from there all the dhatus [seven tissues] they have their own agnis, like rasa agni (plasma), rakta agni (blood)—all have their own agnis. They take their particles and they digest them and they mutate to make the nutrition for their concerned things.

"Similarly, in our body there are five elements ~ jala (water), agni (fire), vayu (air), akasha (space). All these five elements also have their respective agnis and they also take their particles from the food and digest them and nourish each and every dosha [vata, pitta, and kapha, the building blocks of the physiology]." Vaidya Krishna Raju

Strong agni is the basis for proper digestion, which is vital for good health and vitality:

• Weak agni leads to incomplete digestion and buildup of ama (undigested food) in the system, which blocks normal functioning and weakens immunity. Strengthening agni helps to ‘digest’ and eliminate ama (toxins), freeing the immune system to heal and protect. "If we improve our digestive fire properly then the metabolism, dhatus [tissues], and ojas [strength-giving fluid] formation will be very good. Complete digestion of earlier food has to happen properly, then you can start to increase the agni." Dr. Krishna Raju

The role of ama in disease:

• Ama is a sticky substance which forms due to incomplete digestion of earlier food. Even partially digested food has to continue moving through the digestive tract, etc., so ama moves all over the body even though it is heavy and hard to move. Ama settles (gets stuck) wherever there is room (e.g. joints, lungs, sinuses ~ where there is more space).

• The buildup of ama in the body eventually leads to disease in whatever area or bodily system it collects.

"Ama is the number one causative factor for disease." Vaidya J.R. Raju