Food for Health, Obessity, Part-III

[Guest guest]

In earlier posts, the hunger and its satisfaction is discussed.

General rules to choose food were discussed. Todays post focusses on

obessity issues.

 

When people become affluent, the effect is seen on the body. The body

sometimes grows so rapidly, that even walking becomes difficult. The

self weight becomes the major load. It is an ominous sign these days.

When mental tensions and stress did not exist in the society,

Ayurveda indicated the obesity as dangerous. Due to various luxuries

afforded by industrialization, the physical labor has reduced. In the

treatment of obesity, medicines alone do not help. Sugar, sweet

foods, Khoya, deep fried items like potato chips, Bhajji, samosa,

Kachori should be avoided altogether. The author is not against the

practice of non-vegetarianism. But he suggests that the source of

such food and manner in which such food is brought to user, should be

known. Authors friend in "Sarvodaya" movement (started by Shri Vinoba Bhave

years ago) visited the largest slaughter house

in Mumbai, and in order to keep this post crisp, observations are in

a file stored under group file `Mumbai_Slaughter_House.doc'

Vegetarians should not read this file. This file will be available there only

for a week. Due to artificial fattening of

the animals kept for `food farming' by harmonal injections, a

practice prevalent in U.S. and U.K., the non-veggies are picking up

obessity, in addition to kidney diseases. "You become what you eat",

the principal applies here.

 

Yogasanas, swimming, walking, jogging, running, steam baths according

to one's constitution and capacity, melt the Meda dhatu. It leaves

body as sweat. Sweat takes care of water part but earth part can be

burned only by exercise and elimination of Ama. Free flow of

urination also occurs. In naturopathy centres, one loses about 8-10

kg in a matter of 15 days, but most of it returns if diet control and

exercise is not continued. Mild laxatives will also eliminate Ama

stored in intestines and micro channels. Thus detoxification melts

Meda and keeps arteries flexible. This provides adequate nutrition to

heart and brain. Increase of mental tension and reduced physical work

reduces the dhatu balance of body, causing slow rise of Meda dhatu.

This throws additional load on heart. The storage of Meda+Ama in

joints increases pains while going up the staircases and causes

panting in addition.

 

When parents are not obese, the obesity can be traced to engineered

food. In many families, when parents are obese, the children receive

obesity by hereditary characteristics. The treatment of such obesity

is very difficult. When ductless glands become sluggish or

overactive, the obesity develops. In ladies, menses start from 12-14

age and used to continue up to 50, about 20 years ago. In these days,

puberty is attained a little earlier and menopause between 35-40.

Obesity is the characteristic seen in such ladies. Osteoporosis is

another characteristic exhibited by them. Meda is the intermediate

dhatu between flesh and bones. When treating obesity, first action

should be to stop intoxicants. The obese people get tired easily. Due

to lack of energy, enthusiasm, vigor, etc they require more tea,

coffee, nicotine, soft drinks, hot drinks, hard drinks. As a result,

vigor comes artificially. As the effect wears off, body becomes

fatigued again. The digestive `Agni' becomes slow as a result of

intoxicants. Due to reduced secretion of digestive enzymes, dhatus

reduce in a vicious circle.

 

The treatment of obesity is difficult but consistent and continuous

efforts and research on ones own constitution yields results, albeit

slowly. Many feel that rice and potatoes contribute to obesity, but

such people are essentially from South India or Bengal, where rice is

the main food. North Indians and Punjabis eat wheat mainly. Mid

India, Maharashtra, Gujaratis eat wheat as well as rice, dhal, etc

and increase carbohydrates in the diet. Green gram is least sprayed

crop, least engineered crop. For all Indians, the green gram, green

gram soup, can be taken without any fear, according to experience on

patients. The details of various foods in terms of Calories,

Proteins, Vitamins are available on various sites. There are

patients who wanted to put up weight, but could not do so even after

eating more carbohydrates, potatoes etc. On the other hand, obese

patients tend to build fat, whatsoever you give them. That some foods

tend to make you obese is not correct according to author. Fish,

believed to keep you slim, makes some people obese. They have more

water part compared to earth part in their bodies, hence easy to

slim. Proteins last longer in the stomach and therefore cause less

hunger (green gram is an exception), while carbohydrates digest

easily and make you hungry earlier. In the absence of vaidya, one

should find out for himself what is best for him. But one can be

assured that eating original `Desi' grains and vegetables, fruits

with seeds will not cause obesity. Similarly, look for organic

grains. It is better to keep one year stock of grains from known

source.

 

Ayurveda provides many herbal combinations for treating obesity,

according to Prakruti. When consulting a vaidya is not easy,

following recommendations can be tried on self-risk basis.

 

1. Trifla Guggulu, 2 – 2 Tabs 125 mg each, to start with and

make it 3-4 Tabs three times a day after a month.

2. Mednashak Churna: Lohabhasma, Sunthi(Ginger), Black Peeper,

Piper Longum, Harde bark, Amalki, Chavak, Chitrakmul bark, Beed,

Lavan, Saindhav, Black salt, Vidanga, Sajikhar. Take everything 10 gm

each. Mix everything except Loha bhasma first. Lastly mix in

Lohabhasma by grinding in Kharal. Take daily 3 gms with warm water.

Twice daily.

3. Old honey melts med dhatu. Honey 30 gms, warm water 150 ml.

Mix well and drink early morning empty stomach.

4. The Panch Gavya therapy has best nedicines for melting Meda

dhatu. Upto 1.5 kg per month is the best result obtained. Upto 18 kg

lost in a matter of 14 months in one case. Medohar Ark is useful for

men. For ladies, if harmone imbalance is the cause, special harmone

balancer medicines exist. Do not take without the supervision.

Medicines can not act unless morning walk is also taken.

5. In green vegetables, slender ones should make you slender,

was the flash to author once. Though this is not researched anywhere

to the best of author's knoledge, he put it into practice. And many

got benefits. The drum stick is the most slender, next being snake

gourd. Ayurveda praises snake gourd very much. And one more

observations is that most slender vegetables in India are pulses. The

members should try and communicate their experience to group. If you

are fish eater, eat those long ones rather than fat or large ones.

 

6. Cow ghee, especially Indian country cow ghee, is known not to

cause any obessity, up to 2-3 tsp a day spread over two meals. It

reduces the cholesterol.

 

The subject matter of obessity in ladies is more involved, needs a

separate post after few days.

 

With best wishes to those on war with obesity.

Dr. Bhate