Obesity and Homeopathy

January 13, 2013 homeopathy

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Authors

Dr. Nancy Malik BHMS

Image Credit:http://www.nairaland.com/965900/what-obesity
Guest Post Written by Dr. Sayeed Ahmad (The Author)
INTRODUCTION
Obesity can be best described as the most common nutritional disorder especially in the affluent
group of people. But it is now getting fairly common in not-so affluent people also. It is a condition in
which excessive accumulation of fat takes place in the body due to intake of food in excess of
physiological requirements. Therefore, over-nutrition is as much malnutrition as under-nutrition is. An
excess of 50 calories per day can increase about 25 Kilograms (Kgs) in a period of ten years.
Weight bears the relationship with age, sex and bone structure. Obesity or over-weight has been
classified into three types as follows, depending upon the excess in normal weight.
Mildly
Moderately
Very obese: 20% and above.

obese:
obese:

10-15%
10-20%

CAUSES OF OBESITY:
Obesity is generally caused by two factors:
1.

Exogenous Overeating or intake of excessive calories compared to physical work or

exercise
2.
Endogenous Due to inherent metabolic disturbance of the body.

Bad eating habits are also the factors contributing to obesity. Obesity is rarely seen amongst active
persons and it is more common in those with sedentary habits. Obesity can occur both in male and
female at any age.
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF OBESITY:
1.
Obesity reduces the life expectancy.
2.

Obesity may result in the following medical conditions:

1.

Abdominal Hernias.

2.

Varicose Veins.

3.

Flat Feet.

4.

Bronchitis.

5.

Osteoarthritis of Knee, Hips and Lumber Spine.

3.
4.

Due to poor reflexes, liable to fall down on slippery floors.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension): It leads to greater wear and tear of the entire
vascular system and consequently it doubles the risk of cardio-vascular diseases such as
heart attack and stroke. It may also cause damage to kidneys.

5.

Metabolic disorders such as :

1.

Gout.

2.

Cholesterol in Arteries.

3.

Stone in Gall Bladder.

4.

Diabetes Mellitus.

HOW TO REDUCE THE WEIGHT (OBESITY)

It is estimated that an active person will burn about 12-13 calories a day per pound of body weight.
Therefore, a person having weight 140 pounds will need roughly 1700-1800 calories a day to
maintain that weight, and less to reduce it. This can be used as a guideline for planning weight loss
programme, by reducing calorie intake.
It is already stated that obesity is caused by intake of excess calorie and furthermore the lack of
physical work or exercise is also one of the contributory factors. Thus, reducing weight means one
has to reduce calorie intake by reducing his high-calorie diet. It may therefore be suggested to an
obese adult to stick to his daily diet providing 1300 KiloCalorie (Kcal) which may help in reducing
about 0.5 1 Kg a week.
A balanced Diet
A balanced diet contains an adequate amounts of Proteins, Vitamins and Minerals. Once the body
weight comes to the standard level according to the height, the weight maintenance diets (adequate
in Proteins, Vitamins and Minerals) should be taken to keep weight constant i. e. between 17001800 kcal. Therefore, daily diet should contain balanced amount of cereals, pulses, green leafy
vegetables, other vegetables, roots, fruits, milk, fats and oils, sugar and jaggery, and groundnut.
Diet Tips:
1.

You may not eat or drink the following :

1.

Alcoholic Drinks.

2.

Butter, Margarine.

3.

Cakes, Pan Cakes, Cookies, Doughnuts, Pastries, Pies.

4.

Candy, Chocolates, Nuts.

5.

Creams, Cheese.

6.

French Fried Potatoes, Potato Chips.

7.

Pizza, Snack Foods.

8.

Gelatin Desserts, Puddings (Sugar-Sweetened).

9.

Gravies and Sauces.

10.

Jams, Jellies, Sugar and Syrup.

11.

Ice Cream, Ices, Ice Milk, Sherbets.

12.

Muffins, Waffles.

13.

Soda (Sugar-Sweetened).

2.

Cut down on salt and sugar.

3.

Eat from a small plate.

4.

Do not skip meals else being hungry you will overeat at the next meal.

5.

Do not eat while you are out of home

6.

Do not be tempted by prohibited foods. Keep tempting foods out of sight.

7.

Do not eat while reading, watching TV, Video or games, etc.

8.

Control your urge to eat excessive.

9.

Eat little at dinner.

10.

Eat in the same place invariably.

11.

Chew your food completely, never gulp it.

12.

Do not eat between meals except raw carrots.

13.

Drink 7-10 glasses of water a day.

14.

Walk after night meal.

15.

Be vegetarian to lose weight.

16.

Use skimmed milk instead of full fat milk.

17.

Avoid foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol

1.

Set a long term weight loss goal.

2.

Buy a reliable scale to weight yourself and a kitchen scale to weight your

Other Tips

food.
3.

Weigh yourself quite often.

4.

When you are angry, drink water.

5.

Walk and exercise daily in the morning.

6.

Shop only after eating.

HOMOPATHIC MEDICINES
1. AMMONIUM CARB.
Fat patients with weak heart. For women who are tired and weary and take cold easily and lead a
sedentary life. Dry coryza and stoppage of the nose, chiefly at night, with danger of suffocation. With
long continued coryza, can only breathe through the mouth. Women with premature and too copious
menses, with emission of black and acrid blood. Sadness, with disposition to weep. Timidity of
character. Disgust with life. Heedlessness. Great absence of mind and weakness of memory.
Vertigo, on reading in a sitting posture. Chilly patient with great sensitiveness to cold open air, < in
wet, stormy weather ; from washing ; > by warmth.
2. AMMONIUM MUR.
In case the body is fat and legs are thin. With large buttocks. Full of grief, but cannot weep. Irritability
and disposition to be angry. Very severe ulcerative pain in the heel, > by rubbing. The feet get very
cold in the evening in bed.
3. ANTIMONIUM CRUDUM.
Children and young person with tendency to grow fat with coated moist white tongue. The subject
needing this remedy may belch a great deal, and the eructations may taste of the ingesta. Bloating
after eating. < By heat is a marked characteristic. The symptoms are < in the heat of the Sun. Nails
discoloured and deformed. Corns and callous excrescences on the feet. Alternate diarrha and
constipation especially in aged persons.
4. AURUM METALLICUM.
Fat patients with Arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. With fatty degeneration of heart. Patients
with melancholy, hopelessness, profound depression, tendency to suicide and longing for death.
Pain in heart region extending down left arm to fingers. Chilliness predominates ; coldness of hands
and feet, sometimes lasting all night.
5. CALCAREA CARBONICA.
This is the main remedy for reducing obesity. The characteristic symptom is sweating on the
forehead which wets the pillow when sleeping. It should be given in 200 potency with weekly
repetition. This can be prescribed to obese children also. The patients hand is soft, warm, and
moist ; a boneless hand with clammy feet. Great sensitiveness to cold, damp air. Dread of bathing
and water. Great weakness on ascending, on walking and talking.
6. CALOTROPIS GIGANTEA.
This medicine is helpful in reducing the obesity without decreasing the weight i. e. flesh will be
decreased, the muscles will become harder and firmer. Heat in stomach is a good guiding symptom.
7. CAPSICUM.
It is particularly suited to people who are weak of lax fiber and who have little vital heat. The
digestion is poor and they suffer from myalgia (aching and jerking of muscles). They have burning
pains but hate the cold. Often indicated in old people who have exhausted their vitality. This remedy

is very suitable for children also. The mental state shows home-sickness. > From heat is the most
important modality.
8. CARLSBAD.
Its chief fame has been gained by its action on the liver, and in the treatment of obesity and
diabetes. Sensitiveness to cold air ; great liability to take cold. Sweats more easily. > In open air ; on
motion. The breath smells offensive, the tongue is white and feels furry. The patient is self-satisfied,
very talkative and uncommonly good-humoured. Discouraged and anxious about domestic duties.
Absent-minded; heedless; forgets names.
9. ESCULENTINE.
One of the great fat reducers. May be alternated with Phytoline. Both remedies should be used in
mother tincture.
10. FERRUM METALLICUM.
Obesity with anmia, face puffy with pitting of flesh. This remedy is recommended to children also.
Delicate girls, fearfully constipated, with low spirits. The pulse of the patient is full and yielding. <
From eating eggs. This remedy should be given carefully in hmorrhagic phthisis, as it may
aggravate. Rheumatic symptoms, especially of left shoulder and deltoid.
< In cold weather, and > in warm air. Great lassitude and general weakness. Great need to lie down.
11. FUCUS VESICULOSUS.
It is given when Calcarea Carbonica fails. It should be given in drop doses of mother tincture. It is
very effective in cases of indigestion, obstinate constipation and flatulence. It is suitable to people
with enlarged thyroid glands. Goitre has been cured with it.
12. GRAPHITES.
Obesity in females with delayed menstruation. Indicated for fair, fat, chilly, constipated people who
have skin trouble. Helpful to those who have lost desire for sex.
13. KALI BICHROMICUM.
It is especially suited to fair-haired, fat persons, especially fat, chubby children ; fat, sluggish people.
Gastric symptoms supersede rheumatic symptoms. Liability to take cold in the open air. Great
debility, with desire to lie down.
14. KALI CARBONICUM.
This remedy is especially good for older fat people who are characterized by sweat, backache and
weakness. This remedy should be used cautiously in Nephritis (Brights disease) and Tuberculosis.
This remedy is for dark haired persons of lax fibre and inclined to be fat.
15. PHYTOLACCA BERRY.
One of the effective weight and corpulence reducing remedies.
16. PHYTOLINE.
This remedy is a great fat reducer. It is recommended if the patient is having difficulty in walking,
sitting, palpitation, dyspnea on least exertion, nausea, eructations. It is used in mother tincture.

17. THYROIDINUM.
In excessive obesity, it acts better in pale patients rather than those of high colour. This remedy is a
powerful diuretic and is very useful in myx-odema and various types of edema.
HOW I WIN OVER OBESITY?
As a matter of fact, I was also one of the victims of obesity. Control over diets, doing daily light
exercise and taking of Homopathic Medicines greatly helped me to win over this problem. A few
years ago, my weight was 84 Kgs with an height of 5 feet 6 inches and consequently I was obese
and over-weight and presently my weight is about 64 Kgs and fit and fine.