Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Ayurveda has defined Pramana Sharira i.e. ‘regular anatomical proportions of the physique and physique elements’. Each a part of the physique has a specific amount and it differs between the Prakritis. The physique proportions needs to be throughout 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 usually are not perfect.
Even amongst each, being skinny is claimed to be higher than being overweight.
Ref – A.H.Su.14/31b-33a
Now, allow us to see by means of the reference and attempt to perceive extra about this.
Being skinny is healthier 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 skinny) is healthier than sthoulya – weight problems (being fats). There isn’t any therapy for overweight individuals. It’s because brimhana – stoutening therapies or langhana – lightening or thinning therapies are incapable of destroying atimeda – extra fats accumulation, agni – digestive hearth (metabolism) or vata. Emaciation will get cured by use of Madhura – candy and snigdha – unctuous or fatty meals and saukhya – comfy methods of residing. Alternatively, weight problems will get cured by use of meals and actions that are extraordinarily reverse to these talked about above within the context of emaciation, that too when utilized in most amount’.
Studying in between the strains
Ati sthula – overly overweight or obese and Ati Krsha – excessively lean individuals have been counted by Ayurveda amongst ‘Ashta Nindita’ i.e. eight sorts of despicable individuals and socially unfit individuals. That is due to anatomical disfiguration in opposition to one’s prakriti. It’s because each these situations are troublesome to deal with and even amongst these, Acharya Vagbhata says that there is no such thing as a therapy for overweight people.
Why is therapy of weight problems troublesome?
Therapy of weight problems is a difficult and difficult factor for the physicians. It’s because the therapy of weight problems entails mutually antagonizing rules. Because the grasp says, extreme fats, elevated agni and elevated vata are massive obstacles within the therapy of weight problems. Medicines meant to scale back fats would improve agni and vata. This is able to improve extra yearning for meals and additional improve in calorie enter, improve 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 improve vata. This elevated vata would improve agni. Elevated vata and agni is a infamous mixture and can be extremely harmful in the long term.
Alternatively, medicines which might lower vata and agni i.e. candy, bitter and salt tastes or medicines wealthy in these tastes would improve kapha and meda. To seek out some drugs or meals which might steadiness all these three elements i.e. lower fats and on the identical 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 remedy.
Additionally, Guru Apatarpana i.e. heavy to digest meals that are additionally non-nourishing in nature needs to 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, life-style adjustments, train, behavioral coaching which wants a devoted observe and lively involvement of the affected person into the method. Many instances, 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 needs to be utilized in most amount which may be very troublesome.
Therapy of weight problems entails depleting undesirable issues from the physique, which is troublesome and painful.
Why is emaciation higher than weight problems?
Emaciation entails addition of issues which the physique has misplaced. Addition is simple, nurturing the physique is simple compared to depletion and subtraction wanted for therapy of emaciation.
Emaciation might be simply dealt with with administration of candy and unctuous meals that are often likable by all individuals and straightforward to eat. Therapy 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 continually exercise to trim down his physique and convey 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 straightforward to manage.
To sum up
Because of the above stated causes, we will conclude that, despite each emaciation and weight problems being ‘not good physique dimensions’, karshya – emaciation is much better than sthoulya – weight problems. However medically, each situations shouldn’t be uncared for as a result of in depth systemic hurt they’ll trigger. It’s also essential to search out out the etiological components and hold them away and have wholesome meals and life-style selections and efficient stress administration. There could also be some long-standing ailments within the backdrop of weight problems and emaciation. Treating them promptly can be a gamechanger within the administration of those situations.
