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Causes with Symptoms & Signs:
Simple obesity occurs due to
alimentary factors like overeating,
having heavy, sweet, oily foods,
having cold potency, lack of exercise,
sleeping during day time, leading very
relaxed and stress free life, and
hereditary predisposition. But it can
be due to other disorders of
pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, gonads,
pancreas, and hypothalamus.
Pathogenisis of
Obesity
Ayurveda believes that derangement of
agni or digestive power leads to
production of ama, which disturbs
tissue fire of fatty tissue, and
blocks the proper formation of further
tissues. Improperly formed fatty
tissue accumulates in the body causing
obesity. Accumulated fat causes
disturbance to the movement of Vata,
which in turn increases appetitie.
Patient therefore eats more and the
entire food is then converted into
improper fatty tissue, creating a
vicious circle.
Symptoms
Obese people develop excessive hunger
and thirst, weakness, loss of
vitality, loss of sexual power,
excessive sweating with bad or foul
smelling odor, and dyspnoea on mild
exertion. All the tissues in the body
are not properly formed which results
in reduction of longevity, premature
aging and mental confusion. The
deposition of excess fat takes place
on the abdomen and on breasts of
women, hence they become big and move
during walking. Due to excess weight
such people suffer from lethargy and
loss of strength.
If the condition is
not properly treated, various
complications like hypertension, hyper
cholesterol, heart disorders,
hyperacidity, kidney infection,
diabetes, fistula, arthritis, and
lipoma are produced.
Body Type and
Obesity
(1) Kapha Type – Persons having
Kapha constitution, obesity is very
common as their metabolism is very
slow. It has been found that to
relieve strain or depression these
people start eating. These people have
the tendency to retain water. Hence
the excess weight is mainly due to
water retention and not due to
accumulation of improper fatty tissue.
In these individuals usually the
function of the kidney is very weak.
(2) Pitta Type
– Persons having Pitta constitution
usually has excessappetite. However
their metabolism is very rapid, hence
they have fewer tendencies to develop
obesity than Kapha constitution. But
if these people do not take care
regarding excessive over eating sweets
or sugars, then they can develop
obesity.
(3) Vata Type
– Obesity in these people is very
remarkable. There are fluctuations in
gaining weight and losing weight. Many
Vata persons eat to provide security
against their nervousness or anxiety,
which is common in these people.
General
Treatment
Patient of obesity should be given
food that will reduce Kapha and fatty
tissue but at the same time having
anti – Vata property. This means that
all the food substances should be dry
and light in quality, without oils and
fatty substances. (However care must
be taken also that Vata does not get
aggravated at the same time). One
should drink warm or hot water, which
should preferably be treated with
herbs having pungent and bitter taste.
Regular massage with dry herbs and
decoction enemas also help to reduce
excess fat from the body. He should
also be ask to take proper exercise
every day. Remaining awake late at
night and sex also helps to reduce fat
and Kapha. Treatment should be based
on 4 factors: proper diet, exercise,
meditation and use of proper herbs
having hot and penetrating qualities.
To increase the tissue fire of fatty
tissue, herbs like guggulu, Carthamus
tinctoris, Careya arborea, and
shilajatu are used. Formation of ama
is treated by toxin burning herbs like
trikatu and catechu. Aggravation of
vata is treated by medicated enemas of
cleansing type. Channel blocking is
treated by fat reducing – lekhana –
herbs, which have scraping action to
open channels like chitraka and
barberry. Externally the same herbs
are used for massage with Acorus
calamus.
Advisable
Practices
Eat regularly old rice, green gram,
kulattha, bread of yava, kodrav,
horsegram, old honey, lentil, alcohol,
tirkatu, iron oxide, all dry food
substances, sarshapa and sesame oil,
application of agaru paste on the
body, drinking warm water before meals
and consuming shilajatu regularly and
perform lekhana basti repeatedly.
Regular active exercise every day
until there is perspiration on
forehead and axillae is a must. It can
be in the form of cycling, swimming,
jogging, running, or outdoor
activities.Chinta, shrama,
ratri-jagarana, sexual activity,
langhana, exposure to the sun, horse –
riding is advisable.
Precautionory
Measures
Avoid all fried heavy foods,
chocolates, sweets, butter, cheese,
paneer, red meat, as well as cold
drinks and preserved foods. Light diet
is recommended to provide only8 the
necessary energy. Avoid bathing with
cold water, taking rasayana herbs, new
cereals, sedentary job, consuming milk
and its products, jaggery, salty food
and drinks, drinking excess water
after meals, eating meat and fish, day
sleep snehana and vamana karma. |
