An Ayurvedic perspective of Obesity – Sthaulya

The term Sthaulya is derived from the Samskrit word “‘Shula Parbrimhane” which means growth or increase. Hence ”Sthaulya” means the excessive or improper growth of the body.
Various references are found in the Samhitas regarding Sthaulya and Charaka has described in detail the causative factors, signs and symptoms, prognosis and management. The following reasons, concerning obesity, are identified in Ayurveda:
 no excercise – Avyama
 sleeping in the afternoon – divaswapna
 Kapha increasing diet and lifestyle – sleshma ahara vihara
 consuming of sweetened foods – madhura ahara
 psychological factors – manasika nidana

The Ayurvedic pathogenesis – Samprapti
Kapha increasing diet causes kapha vridhhi and an improper digestion due to the impaired digestive fire (agnimandya). This causes the formation of ama.
The accumulated Ama (digestive toxins) obstructs the nutrient channel of the remaining tissues (dhatus) and result in the increase of the meda dhatu (adipose tissue). The symptoms of increased appetite and cravings are explained with the obstruction of vata in the abdomen.
Approach of Ayurvedic treatment
Eliminate the causative factors, undertake a special diet regime with green gram, takra (buttermilk), honey water. Exercise, yoga and meditation are greatly encouraged.
Treatments such as Udvartanam are highly recommended. This is a dry powder massage using medicinal herbs such as triphala, kolakulatha churna and horse gram. A course of an hour a day for 14 days can show great results.
Useful Ayurvedic herbs:
Guggulu – very effective in controlling obestiy and cholesterol, and as a nutritional supplement it aids in the metabolism of the thyroid gland. When combined with triphala it can mobilize and eliminate fat from the body and encourage metabolic changes. Triphala purifies the body of Ama and the guggulu has scraping properties. Other guggulu preparation used are medohara guggulu and navaka guggulu. Other herbs used in the treatment are guduchi, sunthi, pippali and chitraka.
Enjoy a healthy life with Ayurveda

* 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘎𝘈. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘺𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯. 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺, 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴.