A combination of excessive calorie consumption and a sedentary lifestyle are the primary causes of obesity. In a minority of cases, increased food consumption can be attributed to genetic, medical, or psychiatric illness.Generally however the rising prevalence of obesity is attributed to the availability of an easily accessible and palatable diet, car culture and mechanized manufacturing. A 2006 review identifies ten other possible contributors to the recent increase of obesity:
Insufficient sleep,
Endocrine disruptors—food substances that interfere with lipid metabolism,
Decreased variability in ambient temperature,
Decreased rates of smoking as smoking suppresses appetite,
Increased use of medication that leads to weight gain,
Increased distribution of ethnic and age groups that tend to be heavier,
Pregnancy at a later age,
Intrauterine and intergenerational effects,
Positive natural selection of people with a higher BMI,
Assortative mating, heavier people tending to form relationships with each other.
Eating more than one’s hunger specially the heavy, sweet, cold and unctuous food articles.
Abstinence from doing exercise
Abstinence from coitus
Sleeping in day time
To be happy all the times
Absence of mental and psychological disturbances
Faulty genetic make up which carry the obesity causing genes to next progeny
The whole metabolism of our body is dependant on the fire content of the body known as the Agni. There are different types of Agnies which decide the well being of body as a whole.The first and foremost among these is the Jatharagni the digestive fire residing in the digestive tract. It is there in the form of different digestive juices employed for the proper digestion and assimilation of the ingested food articles.
The same fire is residing with in different tissue systems in the form of Dhatvaganies corresponding to seven Dhatus – the tissue systems i.e. Rasagni, Raktagni… and so on. While Jatharagni determines a proper diges tion of food articles, Dhatvagni related to a particular Dhatu acts on that Dhatu so that the next Dhatu can get proper nutrition e.g. Rasagni will work on Rasa – the body fluids of the body including the Dhatu so that Rakta can be nourished properly and in the same way all the Dhatus get their nourishment.
As long as all the Agnies are doing well the person enjoys a good health. Problems appear only when there is some derangement in Agnies.These derangements may be increase (the Teekshnagnai) or decrease (the Mandagni) in the Agni. In context of obesity the Agni which faces the derangement is the Agni corresponding to the Meda Dhatu (which is considered to the fatty tissue of the body).
When because of this or that reason (generally because of over eating specially heavy, sweet, cold and unctuous food articles, lack of exercises, day sleeping, or any genetic defect) the Medagni is not adequate,the produced Meda Dhatu is not assimilated properly and it goes on depositing further suppressing the Medagni.
Excessive sweating – According to Ayurveda sweat is the Mala (unwanted by product) of Meda Dhatu. So increased sweating is just obvious in obesity as a result excess of Meda Dhatu.
Obnoxious smell in sweat – Sweat is an unwanted product of metabolism of Meda Dhatu. When in obesity, there is deranged metabolism as a result of diminished Medagni the produced Sweat starts giving foul smell.
Increased hunger and thirst – As said above the body is not getting the nutrition beyond the level of Meda Dhatu, so the next Dhatus (Asthi– the bony tissue, Majja – the marrow tissue and Shukra – the essence of body)are not getting adequate nutrition, so body feels starved and demands for more and more food.
Lack of enthusiasm and energy – As all the Dhatus are not getting proper nutrition and Meda Dhatu is also in excess, it makes a person to stay relaxed resulting in lethargy and lack of enthusiasm.
Decreased libido – Decreased desire for an intimate coitus and performance during it. Diminished Medagni results in lack of nutrition to the Shukra Dhatu, which is responsible for functioning of the genitals.
As we have seen earlier that the decreased fire content at the Meda level is the root cause of obesity so the main aim of management will be re- ignite it. So that the further deposition of fat can be prevented and deposited could be washed out.
Ayurveda herbs/dietary recommendations useful in obesity:
ayurvedic diet for weight loss
