Obesity:general information

Synonyms of Obesity: Over weightiness, corpulence, heaviness, stoutness, plumpness, largeness, chunkiness, fatnessObesity is the most common metabolic disorder and is one of the oldest documented
diseases. According to Ayurveda an individual whose increase adipose and muscle tissue makes his hips, abdomen, and breasts pendulous and whose vitality is much less than his body size is considered obese.

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(coughy nature) – 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(warm nature) – 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(gastric nature) – 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.