Ayurveda understands that ama or undigested substances in the physiology are the precursor to many diseases. Although not clearly defined by western medicine, ama can loosely be interpreted as toxins or impurities. Ama can be caused by an unwholesome diet, environmental toxins, chemicals, alcohol and hard to digest food. However even with a healthy diet ama can also occur if the digestive system is weak or if we eat at the wrong times, such as late at night or before the previous meal has been digested.
Ama blocks the passages in the physiology and disturbs the flow of doshas. Ama is responsible for weight gain, blocked arteries, allergies, congestion, indigestion, joint pain, acne, menstrual problems, cysts and even infertility.Its ability to create widespread problems is due to the fact that it can appear anywhere and block the flow of all our bodily functions.The build up of ama can block the tiny channels through which nutrients, oxygen rich blood, hormones and immune cells flow to cleanse and restore every cell in our body.
Ama reduction is a key aspect of any Ayurvedic treatment and there are many ways to remove toxins and impurities from sipping warm water and taking some herbal food supplements to support internal cleansing, to undergoing residential treatments involving 
Ayurvedic massage, steam and elimination therapies called the Vedic Physiological Purification Program or Panchakarma.
Maharishi Ayurveda recommends that we detox at the end of each season to flush out accumulated ama rather than carry it into the on coming season and push impurities deeper into the tissues.
Toxins are a principle factor in most diseases. There are two sources of toxins: sources that bring toxins from outside the body, and sources that generate toxins from inside the body. The majority of toxins and impurities that you accumulate in your body will most likely be from little mistakes in your own metabolism. These mistakes create useless impurities instead of crucial nutrients from your foods. Ayurveda has a name for these internally-created impurities: ‘Ama’-(arma).
The “Land and Seed” Theory of Ayurveda: “Even the strongest seed will not grow in infertile soil.
If you plant a banyan tree, the banyan tree is not going to grow if the land is not fertile. In this analogy , the body is the land while the bacteria, virus, allergen, pollen, etc. are the seeds.
And the environment is another crucial factor. Sometimes the environment is very supportive for the seed and contrary to the land, as during the change of seasons. During the change of seasons, the environment supports the seed to start to sprout even when the land is not very fertile. So we need to take care of the land more diligently. We have to do something to make the land more infertile to prevent the sprouting of disease.
One more factor is fertilizer, which gives the seed a better chance of growing. There are many types of fertilizer for disease, but the most common one is Ama. This is why it is important to try to remove the Ama from our bodies, as Ama helps the seeds (viruses, etc.) to gain strength. With fertilizer, environmental support, fertile land and a seed, we have everything necessary to sprout a disease. This is why it is important to have a good routine, and undertake the steps necessary to remove existing Ama from the body.
For more see also these topics
What is my imbalance, do the dosha quiz, Find a practitioner, Panchakarma rejuvenation programs.
I put on weight no matter what I eat (2.37mins)
A great way to start your day is with stewed fruit . Add this wonderful recipee to your daily diet. Our pear and blueberry sauce(watch a video demonstration and explaination of the benefits of this dish)
