Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Ayurveda has defined Pramana Sharira i.e. ‘normal anatomical proportions of the body and body parts’. Each a part of the physique has a specific amount and it differs between the Prakritis. The physique proportions must be inside the vary of regular proportions in accordance with one’s Prakriti.
Being overtly skinny or excessively overweight, each are out of physique’s regular proportions. Whereas weight problems is above the road of regular physique proportions, emaciation is under it. However each aren’t perfect.
Even amongst each, being skinny is alleged to be higher than being overweight.
Ref – A.H.Su.14/31b-33a
Now, allow us to see via the reference and attempt to perceive extra about this.
Being skinny is best than being overweight!
कार्श्यमेव वरं स्थौल्यात् न हि स्थूलस्य भेषजम्॥३१॥
बृंहणं लङ्घनं वाऽलमतिमेदोग्निवातजित्।
मधुरस्निग्धसौहित्यैर्यत्सौख्येन च नश्यति॥३२॥
क्रशिमा स्थविमाऽत्यन्तविपरीतनिषेवणैः।
Grasp Vagbhata says –
‘Karshya – emaciation (being thin) is better than sthoulya – obesity (being fat). There is no treatment for obese persons. This is because brimhana – stoutening therapies or langhana – lightening or thinning therapies are incapable of destroying atimeda – excess fat accumulation, agni – digestive fire (metabolism) or vata. Emaciation gets cured by use of Madhura – sweet and snigdha – unctuous or fatty foods and saukhya – comfortable ways of living. On the other hand, obesity gets cured by use of foods and activities which are extremely opposite to those mentioned above in the context of emaciation, that too when used in maximum quantity’.
Studying in between the traces
Ati sthula – overly overweight or chubby and Ati Krsha – excessively lean individuals have been counted by Ayurveda amongst ‘Ashta Nindita’ i.e. eight varieties of despicable folks and socially unfit individuals. That is due to anatomical disfiguration in opposition to one’s prakriti. It is because each these situations are troublesome to deal with and even amongst these, Acharya Vagbhata says that there isn’t any therapy for overweight people.
Why is therapy of weight problems troublesome?
Remedy of weight problems is a difficult and difficult factor for the physicians. It is because the therapy of weight problems includes mutually antagonizing ideas. Because the grasp says, extreme fats, elevated agni and elevated vata are large obstacles within the therapy of weight problems. Medicines meant to scale back fats would enhance agni and vata. This is able to enhance extra longing for meals and additional enhance in calorie enter, enhance of fats deposition and worsening of weight problems.
Instance pungent, bitter and astringent tastes or medicines and meals predominant in these tastes are able to destroying meda i.e. fats, however these tastes enhance vata. This elevated vata would enhance agni. Elevated vata and agni is a infamous mixture and can be extremely harmful in the long term.
However, medicines which might lower vata and agni i.e. candy, bitter and salt tastes or medicines wealthy in these tastes would enhance kapha and meda. To seek out some medication or meals which might steadiness all these three elements i.e. lower fats and on the similar time not worsen vata and agni are very uncommon to search out. The choices are only a few and uncommon. This makes weight problems troublesome to treatment.
Additionally, Guru Apatarpana i.e. heavy to digest meals that are additionally non-nourishing in nature must be administered for weight problems, which is good however planning such a weight-reduction plan can also be troublesome.
Weight problems requires a complete planning of therapies, medicines, way of life adjustments, train, behavioral coaching which wants a devoted observe and energetic involvement of the affected person into the method. Many occasions, both the planning fails or execution.
Weight problems will get cured with reverse meals and actions as these prescribed for emaciation i.e. use of katu – pungent and ruksha – dry meals and asaukhya – i.e. strenuous way of life with vigorous train and exercises. All these must be utilized in most amount which may be very troublesome.
Remedy of weight problems includes depleting undesirable issues from the physique, which is troublesome and painful.
Why is emaciation higher than weight problems?
Emaciation includes addition of issues which the physique has misplaced. Addition is straightforward, nurturing the physique is straightforward compared to depletion and subtraction wanted for therapy of emaciation.
Emaciation will be simply dealt with with administration of candy and unctuous meals that are often likable by all individuals and straightforward to devour. Remedy of emaciation calls for a snug life. Affected person can afford a resting, stress-free and sedentary life, in opposition to an overweight one that ought to continuously exercise to trim down his physique and produce it down. The choices of treating emaciation are many.
The therapy precept of emaciation is laghu santarpana i.e. meals that are mild to digest however nourishing in nature. That is simple to manage.
To sum up
Because of the above stated causes, we are able to conclude that, regardless of each emaciation and weight problems being ‘not good body dimensions’, karshya – emaciation is much better than sthoulya – weight problems. However medically, each situations shouldn’t be uncared for because of the intensive systemic hurt they’ll trigger. It’s also necessary to search out out the etiological elements and maintain them away and have wholesome meals and way of life selections and efficient stress administration. There could also be some long-standing ailments within the backdrop of weight problems and emaciation. Treating them promptly will likely be a gamechanger within the administration of those situations.
