From Fatness to Fitness; Ayurvedic approach

In clinical practice few patients ask treatment for putting on weight and many come for reducing the weight. Very few are happy with their own physical condition. No doubt that very slim or very obese, both conditions are not healthy. Even then if you look health wise, it is good to be slim than being obese. It is very difficult to trim down when you become obese. Not only it looks ugly but also such people are predisposed to number of diseases like High blood pressure, High cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, Stroke, Gallbladder disease, Osteoarthritis, Heartburn, Snoring, Shortness of breath, some category of cancer, Depression and also infertility. The lifespan of obese is obviously less than slim people. Therefore it is good to be slim than dreaming to put on weight. Overweight makes an individual less active which again tends to increase weight and finally leading to unhealthy situation. The consequences of obesity are well-known to even laymen and hence the obesity clinics have huge number of cases all over the world. It is essential to understand the causes, various treatment modalities, know the effects and side-effects of treatments, diet management, exercise importance and lifestyle modulation for obesity.

Two types of obese personalities: In the society we find people with insatiable appetite and because of over-eating; they tend to put on weight. Another group habitually consumes very less amount of food even then they become obese. Therefore it is essential to understand the constitution before initiating the treatment. Ayurveda has described different approach considering such constitutional variation. The usual anti-obesity herbal formulations have thermogenic effect which naturally tends to stimulate appetite. Adipose tissue (Fats) is like wax which melts on heating and becomes hard when cooled down. The thermogenic (heat generating) herbs are essential while considering obesity regime. In classical textbooks of Ayurveda, out of 29 herbs mentioned for obesity treatment, 20 of them are found in appetite stimulating formulations. It simply proves that anti-obesity formulations may affect appetite in different way. When considering the treatment modality of obesity, it is therefore more logical to consider two factors. The first composition should low down appetite and second to burn the deposited calories in the body. Long-term fasting reduces body weight because the digestive enzymes catabolize the tissues starting with mucous membrane, then muscles and adipose tissue. When such enzymes are stimulated, they will naturally trigger the activity and in turn help to trim down the body weight.

Three way approach: Appetite suppressing herbs are not much known except for Garciania and Hoodia. There are many research papers having controversial views about the efficacy of these herbs. Looking deep into Ayurvedic literature, there are many herbs mentioned for appetite stimulation and “Pitta shaman” group have very activity to reduce the appetite. Various globally acclaimed research journals have also published supportive data to validate the actions of these herbs. The two way approach to overcome obesity problem is therefore very scientific and has also clinically proven benefits. The appetite lowering herbs reduce the enzyme flow, strengthen the mucous membrane of digestive system to tolerate the thermogenic effect of anti-obesity herbs. The appetite lowering herbs also possess the property to lower the serum cholesterol levels in the blood which is an added advantage. The appetite lowering composition works best when consumed within 30 minutes before meals and the calorie burning composition does wonders when consumed within 2 hours after meals. The calorie burning composition otherwise may create some side effects like heart-burn, headache and regurgitation of food but the appetite lowering formula guards the possible unwanted effects. Thus a two way anti-obesity treatment has no side effects but added side benefits while treating obesity.

Why such formulations cause weight gain when the treatment is discontinued? Most of the anti-obesity products possess only thermogenic properties to achieve lipolytic results. As seen earlier, they also stimulate the enzyme secretions. While the treatment is in progress, they inhibit the absorption of fats and effective eliminate it from the body. The effect on the physiological function remains constant. When an individual discontinues the treatment, the accelerated enzyme flow remains constant and thereby the appetite increases. It naturally affects the food intake and weight gain restarts.


How can you tackle obesity?
It is observed that many people advise obese individuals to reduce the food intake and perform physical exercise rather than taking medicines. Here we need to understand 2 aspects:
1. The obese individual possesses more area in the physiological body where oxygen is needed for tissue survival. It is as simple to understand that a bigger joint family requires more grains and grocery. Hence an obese individual can not enjoy a healthy life without adequate intake. Therefore it is near to impossible for the obese individuals to cut down the intake drastically.
2. About physical exercise: Just imagine a healthy man of 40 years whose height is ideal for his body weight is asked to carry 30 kg of weight and walk for 40 minutes on a plain road or climb stairs on 5th floor. It will be extremely tiring and exhausting for him. Same thing happens with an obese individual. Expecting him to walk for 40 minutes daily or climbing is therefore too strenuous for him. Therefore he needs an assistance of medicinal inputs for physiological balancing of caloric intake and caloric expenditure.
3. Another aspect of obesity is hereditary which is linked to genetics. It is true to some extent but it is also important to understand that specific diet habits and lifestyle remains unchanged in families from generations to generations. Therefore blaming genetics only will not solve the problem.

Scientific perspective of CHR’s Slimming Kit
A set of 3 products formulated scientifically for achieving these benefits in short time span and lead quality life.
a) The first one, LIMIN tablets, helps to limit the intake moderately.
b) The second, CALEX tablets, increases caloric expenditure by enhancing the flow of digestive enzymes.
c) Third, GUDLAX powder, which stimulates the intestinal purging and thereby helps proper emptying of the bowel.
Adipose tissue is like wax which melts on heating and solidifies on cooling. Most of the single formulations used for obesity treatment are thermogenic (heat producing). Therefore they help to melt the fat and thereby help to take care for obesity. Ironically, thermogenic ingredients also possess the property of stimulating digestive enzymes and hence simultaneously increase appetite.
The effect of calorie burning and appetite spur work together. Therefore there are following therapeutic actions in the physiological activity:
* Increase the enzymatic flow in the digestive tract
* Burn some extra calories ingested
* Stimulate appetite
* Cause hyperacidity and heart burn
* Increase in appetite may further boost up food intake and in turn again add some calories.
In order to break this vicious sequence, it is judicious to have a better composition to balance the process appropriately. To understand this phenomenon correctly, one should recall the physiology of digestion and then the correlation of therapeutic activity of LIMIN, CALEX and GUDLAX.
The digestive glands that act first are in the mouth; the salivary glands. Saliva produced by these glands contains an enzyme that begins to digest the starch from food into smaller molecules. An enzyme is a substance that speeds up chemical reactions in the body.
The next set of digestive glands is in the stomach lining. They produce stomach acid and an enzyme that digests protein. A thick mucus layer coats the mucosa and helps keep the acidic digestive juice from dissolving the tissue of the stomach itself. In most people, the stomach mucosa is able to resist the juice, although food and other tissues of the body cannot.
After the stomach empties, the food and juice mixture passes to the small intestine, the juices of two other digestive organs mix with the food. One of these organs, the pancreas, produces a juice that contains a wide array of enzymes to break down the carbohydrate, fat, and protein in food. Other enzymes that are active in the process come from glands in the wall of the intestine.
The second organ, the liver, produces yet another digestive juice—bile. Bile is stored between meals in the gallbladder. At mealtime, it is squeezed out of the gallbladder, through the bile ducts, and into the intestine to mix with the fat in food. The bile acids dissolve fat into the watery contents of the intestine, much like detergents that dissolve grease from a frying pan. After fat is dissolved, it is digested by enzymes from the pancreas and the lining of the intestine.
Herbs rich in fiber bind with the cholesterol and thereby help to eliminate the cholesterol from the alimentary tract. The contents of LIMIN act by this way and help not only to minimize the appetite but also regulate the lipid contents in the blood.
Movement of Food through the System
Several factors affect emptying of the stomach, including the kind of food and the degree of muscle action of the emptying stomach and the small intestine. Carbohydrates, for example, spend the least amount of time in the stomach, while protein stays in the stomach longer, and fats stay for the longest. As the food dissolves into the juices from the pancreas, liver, and intestine, the contents of the intestine are mixed and pushed forward to allow further digestion. Since Fats remain in undigested form for longest time, the possibility of re-absorption is higher. Here comes the role of GUDLAX, which helps to eliminate the bowel contents promptly and thereby successfully achieves the 3rd step of weight management.



Importance of diet and lifestyle: It is needles to emphasize the importance of diet and lifestyle while considering successful conquer in obesity. I am purposely avoiding mentioning things like “stay away from sweets, fried food, chocolates etc.” as these are very common and a schooling child would also know about such suggestions. There are small things making exceptional outcome as far as obesity is concerned.
1. Never consume sweets at the end of meals even if it is routine to have desserts at the end. Principally obesity arises due to extra intake and less expenditure of calories. To understand the idea behind this phenomenon, you can perform an exercise. Consume your usual food and then end with a calculated quantity of sweet. Next day, start your meal with same quantity of sweet and then begin your usual food. You will notice that the food intake will be almost half than your normal intake. This is how you can reduce the caloric intake and immediately start feeling lightness of body.
2. Fruits contain good amount of sugar. The peel of the fruit contains astringent properties which balances the sugar. This arrangement is made by Mother Nature to combat the unwanted effects sugar. Hence, as and when possible, it is recommended to consume fruits along with the outer skin for added health benefits. It is easy to have apple, chickoo, mangoes and some grains with the skin. The concept of consuming brown bread (whole wheat bread) is supportive to this statement. The reason of adding saffron or nutmeg to sweets is to compensate the sugar with little amount of bitter or astringent taste which resists the unwanted effect of sugar.
3. Water is essential component for maintaining the electrolyte balance in the body. It also helps for accelerating the digestive process and proper assimilation of food. Cold water obstructs the flow of digestive enzymes and hence leads to digestive disorders leading to obesity. Therefore if you are serious about slimming, avoid consuming cold water intake or even other chilled beverages unless very essential. Some countries in East serve only warm water to household guests or even in restaurants, which is really a good practice for health conscious individuals.
4. Consuming water at the end of meals also leads to more heaviness in the abdomen. It weakens the concentration of digestive enzymes which slows down the digestive process leading to more accumulation of adipose (fat) tissue. If you are serious about slimming, you may drink little amount of water at the beginning of meals.
5. Tea and coffee is offered several times for any walk-in visitor in office or at home. While offering, we also have a tendency to share little amount each time. The sugar intake with such numerous times may lead to high caloric intake unknowingly which may become major health issue in long-term.
6. Avoid sleeping immediately after meals. The calories consumed need mild physical exercise when the stomach is full. Taking rest after meals leads to weight gain.
7. Early to bed and early to rise, that’s the way to be healthy, wealthy and wise. Even if the proverb is pretty old, it is true and good to follow. It is observed that most of the obese people have late sleeping habit and hence they get-up quite late.
8. Milk and other dairy products have substantial amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. These nutrients get converted to fats easily if the body has excess of storage. In short, better to be vegan for slimming.
9. Human body is created by the creator of nature for consuming vegetarian food only. After in-depth study of human physiology, it is evident that man is born to be herbivorous. If at all you are fond of Non-vegetarian food, consume it in moderation, once or maximum twice in a week and that too only during lunch.
10. Sedentary lifestyle is yet another cause of obesity. Keep working, be active, avoid laziness in life which will keep you healthy and fit.
11. Sleeping during day time is extremely unhealthy. It is not only bad for obesity but can lead to many other health complications.
12. The sense of fullness of stomach is signaled by the brain and hence the brain gives the instructions to the body to stop taking food. This sensation is passed on by the hypothalamus of the brain after about 10 to 15 minutes of the capacity of the stomach. Therefore it is good to wait for some time after certain quantity of food intake. The brain will then direct the sense of satiety and prohibit you to accept more food.
13. Form a habit of limited intake. This is especially for those who have the habit for eating huge amount of food. If you gradually reduce your intake, your body will get used to it and then without feeling of weakness, you will succeed in achieving the sense of lightness of the body.
14. There are many controversies about number of intakes in a day. It is a sincere attempt to explain you the right way for better health. Do not keep starving more than a time span of 8 hours and avoid repeat food intake within 4 hours after initial intake.
15. Little but regular exercise is most important rather than performing rigorous exercise for body building. It is observed that apparently healthy and muscular people (those who are keen on body building) have low immunity. They have weak bones and even minor accidents can cause fractures very soon in them. Their intellectual excellence is also seldom seen. They suffer from frequent digestive upsets with negligible changes in food habits. The reason is that the nutritional constituents are utilized by the muscular tissue and other systems in the body remain unattended and remain undernourished. Whereas, individuals performing little but regular exercise have better health profile.
Last but not the least, one should understand that medicines contribute only 5% to health but good diet and regular exercise contributes 95%. Hence it is irrational to depend on medication for health concerns, whether synthetic modern medicines, homoeopathic, Ayurvedic or any other branch of medicine in the world. Ayurveda has identified many such formulations and the summary of the studies is mentioned in the original texts of Ayurveda. Modern research is simply trying to find the mode of action of the herbs and then get a satisfaction of a step of achievement. It is rather impossible for the most sophisticated research laboratories in the world to recognize that how Ayurvedic scientists of the then time would have conducted research activities and gathered such a treasury of knowledge for mankind.

Author
Dr. Santosh Jalukar