digestive juices. The small intestine absorbs approximately 7 liters (7.4 quarts), leaving only 1.5 to 2
liters to move on to the large intestine. The absorptive function of the small intestine is brought about by
an intricate array of cells within its lining (intestinal folds and villi) that absorb and secrete salts and
nutrients as well as water in order to maintain normal salt and water balance within the body. In a healthy
person, the absorptive function is so efficient that with a natural, balanced diet, over 95 percent of
ingested carbohydrates and proteins are absorbed.
Specific sections of the small intestine perform specific functions. For example, the duodenum plays
an important role in coordinating how the stomach empties and at what rate bile needs to be secreted into
the intestine to optimize the digestive process. The duodenum is also a major site for the absorption of
iron. The jejunum is a major site for the absorption of the vitamin, folic acid, while the end of the ileum
(lower part of the intestine) is the most important site for the absorption of vitamin B 12 and bile salts. The
blood takes up all the nutrients and moves them to the liver for further processing.
The ingested food can be broken down into its basic nutrient components and made available for the
complex metabolic processes in the body only when AGNI, the digestive fire, is strong. AGNI is fueled
by bile, without which none of the other digestive juices would be sufficiently effective to break down
food into its nutrient components. Bile is alkaline. When food that is saturated with hydrochloric acid
enters the small intestine, it first needs to be mixed with bile before digestive enzymes can act on the
food. An intestinal pH-value of high acidity would block enzyme secretion and become a major stumbling
block for the proper digestion of food. Furthermore, in order for them to become activated, pancreatic
enzymes must combine with bile before passing through the ampulla of Vater. To make this possible, the
common bile duct and the pancreatic duct combine to form one short duct before joining the duodenum.
As long as bile secretion from the liver’s bile ducts and the gallbladder remain unimpeded by gallstones,
good digestion is almost guaranteed, provided that the ingested food is fresh and wholesome.
The combination of nutritious food and strong AGNI forms the ideal partnership to help the body
make sufficient amounts of amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, glucose, fructose, trace elements
and other vital substances available to all its parts. This, in turn, produces healthy blood, vital tissues and
a youthful body. The quality of the blood and the tissues of the body, including those that make up the
skin, mostly reflect the condition of the liver and the small intestine.
Toxic Body, Toxic Mind
If AGNI is depleted because of the reasons explained below, even the most wholesome foods can
become harmful for the body. Low AGNI means that much of the ingested food will remain undigested.
Undigested food cannot pass through the intestinal walls into the bloodstream, but must be processed in a
different way. The food becomes a target for destructive bacteria and starts fermenting and putrefying.
These destructive bacteria produce toxins and poisonous gases that can be strongly irritating for the
intestinal lining, thereby reducing the digestive ability even further. Since less and less food is absorbed
and utilized by the body, more and more waste is generated, which increasingly congests the
gastrointestinal tract. At this stage, food turns into poison. Today, one-third of the Western world's
population has been diagnosed with intestinal problems, yet the true figure is much higher when one
considers all the undiagnosed cases. It is estimated that over two-thirds of Westerners are afflicted with
some kind of intestinal trouble.
The small intestine, having the diameter of a large toe, is the most hidden organ in the body and has
no direct connection to the outside world (unlike the colon and the stomach). The mental counterpart of
this “unseen” part of our body is what we may refer to as the seat of the “unconscious.” The stored
memories and hidden beliefs of the unconscious mind exert a strong influence over our thoughts,