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Gayatri Pariwar

Get Rid of Obesity — How?

Most of the causes of obesity and related problems discussed in the last issue can be eliminated or controlled by regular regimen of what one eats and what one does. Proper guidelines are available in healthcare centers and also in popular magazines on nutritious and balanced diet and practical ways to exercise and keep fit. However, one should be careful about what is really suitable for him or her and how to adopt it.

Excessive dieting or starving in the name of fast without proper guidance of a nutritionists might help weight loss but might also weaken the body and lead to problems like osteoporosis, in the later age because of deficiency of calcium and other vital elements and vitamins. Moreover, this ‘fashionable’ approach involves risk of disturbing the hormonal system too. 

If one is not regular in the exercises, be that yoga-asanas, aerobics or practices taught in gymnasiums, one is most likely to regain the fat and body-weight lost after long efforts. The reason being that most of these (except yoga-asanas, if accompanied by prañayamas) remedies focus only at lessening the accumulated flesh and fat at the exterior of the gross (physical) body.  Modern physiotherapies and fitness techniques also use ‘liposuction’. In this method, the thick layer of fat in the abdominal region is ‘sucked’ or ‘melted’ (and hence excreted by the body with other fluids) by diathermy or some special machines. Similar effects are achieved by isallotherm treatment, deep heat treatment of steam bath, etc. But all these techniques provide only a temporary solution and the rebound effects of these are more rapid and intense.  Therefore these cannot really be regarded as useful for getting rid of obesity.

It has been a common observation that those suffering from obesity are prone to gaining weight much rapidly than shredding it; they should therefore look for a remedy that attacks obesity at its root; as well.

Among the other causes of obesity discussed in the last issue, disorder of hormonal secretion is of maximum concern. Moreover, the disorder of hormonal secretion has deeper roots in the endocrine system and psychology. It could at times be the side effect of synthetic medicines or physiological disturbances caused by anti-contraceptive pills, steroids, or by pre-menopausal fluctuations, etc. But, more complicated are the cases of psychological aberrations and emotional complexities.

For example, perturbation in secretions from the thyroid, pituitary and pineal glands generates many psychosomatic problems and also leads to uncontrollable loss of weight or, on the contrary, acute obesity.   These and other endocrine glands are very sensitive to mental and emotional states.  Emotional shock, suppression of loneliness in childhood or adolescence also lead to hormonal disturbances in the young age which often give rise to, among other health problems, obesity; hidden tensions are also found to be significant causes of obesity.  In view of this, the healthcare approaches that focus on the emotional core and the mind-body system as a whole and do not cause any disturbance in the natural neuro-chemical, hormonal and physiological processes appear to be more suitable.

Ayurvedic scriptures advise several methods for uprooting obesity and also provide feasible ways for sustaining healthy and hearty life.  These include easy-to-adopt disciplines of food, eating habits and living style and naturally effective medicines like rasayanas and decoctions prepared with the help of selected herbs/plant medicines. Yagya-therapy is prominent among the Ayurvedic methods of curing obesity.  These modes of medication and healing applications cited in ancient Indian healthcare literature have also been found effective as per the findings of some modern laboratory experiments and clinical trials conducted at the Brahmvarchas Research Centre and the Dev Sanskriti University, Shantikunj, Hardwar. We shall cite some of the herbal/plant medicinal preparations in this regard.

Medanaïaka Kwatha (Fat-destroying Decoction):

Ingredients: Equal quantities of  (i) Ânvala (Emblic Myrobalan; Emblica officinalis Geartn); (ii) HaraÃa  (Chabulic Myrobalans; Terminalia chebula Retz);  (iii) BaheÃa (Beleric Myrobalans, Beddanut; Terminali belrica Roxb); (iv) Giloya (Tinospora, Guduchi; Tinospora cordifolia [wild] Miers); (v) Nagarmotha (Nutgrass; Cyperus rotundus Linn);   (vi) Tejapatra   (Tamala tree; Cinnamomum tamala Nees); (vii) Citraka  (White leadwort; Plumbago zeylanica Linn);  (viii) Vijayasara (essence/extract of Indian Hemp Cannabis Sativa, Linn); (ix) Haldi (Turmeric; Curcuma domestica Val);  (x) seeds of CirciÚa or Apamarga (Prickly-chaff Flower;   Achyranthes aspera, Linn). 

Method of Preparation and Dose:

Mix the above ingredients in equal proportion in dry form. Prepare a coarse powder by adequate grinding. Keep the powder in an airtight container. As an average dose for an adult, every day, fresh decoction prepared with five teaspoons (about 15gm) of this herbal powder in half-liter water should be used.  Soak 15gm of the powder in half a liter of water at night. Boil it the next day morning.  The flame of the burner or stove should be kept mild. It should also be stirred in between to avoid burning. Boiling should continue till the solution reduces to its one-fourth. When it cools down to normal (room) temperature, it should be filtered using a fine, clean piece of cloth. Half of this filtered solution, mixed with about a teaspoon of honey should be drunk empty stomach in the morning between 8 am and 10am and remaining half should be taken with one teaspoon of honey between 4 pm and 6 pm the same day. Fresh decoction should be prepared for every day. The honey should be pure; otherwise the decoction should be taken without it, as the sugar mixed, adulterated honey is not good for health. Likewise several other Ayurvedic medicines and the diet norms as recommended by the doctor should also be taken and observed for best results. In general, as it is well known in the case of obesity, fried and oily food, use of cream, cheese and lavish desserts and dry fruits should be strictly avoided. Fresh, green leafy vegetables and fibrous food should be taken instead.  The morning dose of the above decoction should be taken empty stomach and nothing should be drunk at least for half-an-hour after taking this dose; nothing should be eaten until an hour after this dose.  The duration between eating or drinking something (other than water) and taking the second (i.e. the afternoon) dose, should be at least an hour before and after taking this dose.

If this medication is continued with diet and exercise norms as given below, the positive results begin to show fast. Within a month a fat chap would see significant reduction in his fat and body-weight and would feel fit, energetic and active.  

The following ‘anti-corpulence’ herbal medicine restrains the production of fat, helps decomposition of hydrocarbons and production of useful proteins and easily removable juices without disturbing the healthy metabolism.  It can be taken with or without taking the decoction. This together with the decoction is usually advised for those who cannot do sufficient physical exercise or cannot be regular in it because of acute obesity or some other constraints.    

Sthaulyahara (Anti-Corpulence) Powder:

Ingredients:  Ten grams (10gms) each of the following — (i) SaunÚha (dry ginger; Zingiber officinale Roscoe);  (ii) Pipala (Poplar leaved Fig Tree; Ficus religiosa Linn); (iii) Kali Mirca (Black Pepper); (iv) Pipplamula (root of Pipala); (v) Ânvala (Emblic Myrobalan; Emblica officinalis Geartn); (vi) HaraÃa (Chabulic Myrobalans; Terminalia chebula Retz); (vii) BaheÃa (Beleric Myrobalans, Beddanut; Terminali belrica Roxb);  (viii) Cavya (Piper officinarum Cas D.C.);  (ix) Citrakamula (root of white leadwort; Plumbago zeylanica Linn); (x) Kali Jiri (Purple Flobane; Vernonia anthelmintica (wild)); (xi) Bakuci Bija (seeds of Malaya Tea; Psoralea corylifolia Linn);  (xii) seeds of CirciÚa or Apamarga (Prickly-chaff Flower; Achyranthes aspera, Linn); (xiii) Vayavidang (Barbreng; Embellia ribes Burn); (xiv) Sendha Namaka (Minearal Salt); (xv) Kala Namaka (Red or Rock Salt); (xvi) Sada Namaka (Common Salt); (xvii) Yavakïara (a carbonate of potash; potasii carbonas ); (xviii) Kantalauha Bhasm (Ayurvedically processed ‘ash’  of a special kind of ferrous ore).

Preparation and Dose: Mix all the eighteen ingredients in pure dry form. Grind the mixture into fine powder.  Keep this powder in airtight glass bottle or any other airtight glass container. The average dose of this powder to be taken twice a day is –– about half to one gram (half teaspoon) in the morning empty stomach and same dose in the evening at least an hour before dinner and an hour after eating anything else. It is advisable to take this dose of the anti-corpulence powder with two teaspoons of honey. However, if pure, natural honey is not available or is not affordable, it can very well be consumed with little water. 

The diet restrictions remain as in the case of using the decoction; that is, fried and high calorie stuffs should be avoided. An ideal diet is described below. This should be adopted as far as possible in general and is a must in case the disease (obesity) is very advanced or its cause is so intense that no other medication has been effective despite diet restraints.  In any case one should drink sufficient water (minimum twelve glasses per day for an adult).

Ayurveda also advises that, except for heart patients or patients having other serious problems, every adult should take water empty stomach to its full capacity every morning. At least one glassful of water should be consumed 5-10 minutes before taking meals.  The amount of water drunk during and immediately after meals should be kept to a minimum – say few gulps to keep the throat wet.  At least one glassful or two of water should be drunk at a slow pace after about an hour after the meals.  This simple practice prevents acidity and also helps reducing obesity.  Pure drinking water is a rich source of energy and of many vital minerals and vitamins. It is also a necessary medium for many important biochemical reactions including those of metabolism and ionic balance. It thus helps freshening the brain as well. So consuming it in substantial amounts is generally good for healthy and hearty life.        

Regular adoption of this medication starts showing positive results in six to seven months’ time in general. Though at a slow pace, this medicine uproots the cause of obesity forever. Most importantly, it does not have any side effects or risk of prolonged use.

Ideal food for best effects of the herbal/plant medicinal decoction and powder medication described here is an appropriate combination of some of the following items as per their availability in the season:  Chapattis of Barley; wheat cereals in coarse form (porridge) well cooked in steam, a little amount of rice (cooked using old grains of rice), kodo, sanva, neevar, priyangu, kulathi; Grams/pulses like chana (black gram), masur (red lentil), munga (green gram), arhar (yellow gram); vegetables (in substantial amounts, cooked in pressure cooker with no or very little oil and minimum amount of fresh spices like black pepper, ginger, green chili, turmeric and mineral salt) such as – patta gobhi (cabbage), padval (round gourd), torai or lauki (green gourd); gilki (green legume of the family of green gourd), chaulai (kidney-bean), palak (spinach), methi (fenugreek) green leafs, muli (radish) and muli-patta (green leafs of radish); deshi gajar (Indian carrot), baingan (brinjal), kachcha kela (raw banana), karela (bitter gourd), kakadi (cucumber), adarak (ginger); pudina (mint leafs); fruits like angoor (grapes), santara (orange), mausambi (sweet lime), jamun (black berry);  and  other supplements like cream-free and butter-less butter-milk or whey (chacha or maÚha) little amount of pure natural honey.                  

For quick results, minimizing the chances of lethargy and re-accumulation of fat and for generally fit and healthy body and mind, one should also give include long walks and/or some physical labor and balancing relaxation exercises in daily routine. Creative exercises like gardening, swimming at least once or twice a week are also good for those who do not have any health problems in doing so. As per one’s circumstance, time-schedules and health, suitable yoga-asanas and prañayams should be practiced for best effects. The “Pragya Yoga” taught at Shantikunj, Hardwar is an excellent package found useful for most men and women. (Details could be found in the CDs and books available at Shantikunj, Hardwar. Contact: emd@awgp.org or abroadcell@awgp.org).       

Yagya-therapy for obesity is among the principal remedies prescribed in the ancient Ayurvedic texts and has been found very effective in the research experiments at the Dev Sanskriti University and Brahmvarchas center of Shantikunj, Hardwar. We shall discuss it in detail along with other applications of yagyopathy in the new series of articles on Ayurvedic Therapy to be published in this magazine in 2007.