SHATTERING GLASS – MULTIMODAL LIFESTYLE HOMOEOPATHIC INTERVENTION FOR WEIGHT CONTROL

 ABSTRACT

Overweight and obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. This article provides an overview of the aetiology, diagnosis, and appropriate general & homoeopathic management for controlling the weight.

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Many children’s and young people struggle with excess weight. Weighing too many increases the chances that young people may develop some health problems now and later in life.

Clinical obesity is considered to be present when a person has a Body mass index of 30 or over

                          Weight in KG

BMI = ––––––––––––––––

 (Height in meters) ²

WHO Classification of over Weight

Classification	BMI (KG/ M2)	Associated health risk
Under weight	< 18.5	Low ( But risk of other clinical problems increased)
Normal	18.5 – 24.9	Average
Over weight	≥ 25
Per obese	25 – 29.9	Increased
Obese class I	30 – 34.9	Moderately increased
Obese class II	35 – 39.9	Severely increased
Obese class III	≥40	Very Severely increased

 

AETIOLOGY

Many factors lead to overweight and obese like

· Simple: Endogenous – constitutional, Exogenous – Over eating lack of exercise

· Endocrine causes

v Pituitary – Frohlich’s syndrome , Pregnancy, Climacteric both males & Female

v Thyroid -  Hypothyroidism

v Adrenal cortex - Cushing’s Syndrome

v Gonads - Polycystic ovaries

v Pancreas - Islet cell tumors

v Hypothalamus - Encephalitis, Meningo encephalitis, Cranio pharyngioma,   3rd ventricle tumors

· Drugs: Anti convulsants, Anti psychotics, Anti depressants, Cortico steroids, Insulin

Types of body fat distribution

Pear type:  Fat accumulates mainly around hips and thighs (Gynoid distribution) characteristics of females.

Apple type:    Fat storage mainly in the abdomen (Android distribution), found in both sexes.

Effects of obesity (Complications)

· Brain - Cerebro vascular accidents (CVA), mental disturbances.

· C.V.S. - Coronary Heart diseases (CHD)

· Vascular - Hypertension , varicose vein, pedal edema,

· Respiratory - Dyspnoea

· G.I.T - Hiatus hernia, Gall stone, Constipation.

· Joints - OA, Backache

· Endocrine & Metabolic    - NIDDM, Hyper lipidemia, menstrual irregularities,     

                                         Impotence  

· Malignancy - Cancers such as ca.ovary, endometrium, cervix, breast, prostate

· Skin - Rashes

· Pregnancy - Perinatal mortality, per eclampsia, Gestational diabetes,              

                                   Caesarian sections  

· Psychic                   -These individuals are very unhappy. Different psychosomatic                    

                                   problems may also develop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GENERAL MANAGEMENT

Lifestyle changes

 

Successful management for weight loss include setting goals and making lifestyle changes such as eating fewer calories and being more physically active. Drug therapy and weight loss surgery are also options for some people if lifestyle changes don’t work. Set Realistic Goal Setting the right weight loss goals is an important first step to losing and maintaining weight.

Lifestyle Changes - For long-term weight loss success, it’s important to make lifestyle changes like Focus on energy intake (calories from food and drinks) and energy output (physical activity),Follow a healthy eating plan, Learn how to adopt more healthful lifestyle habits. Over time, these changes will become part of everyday life.

 

Healthy Eating Plan - A healthy eating plan gives our body the nutrients it needs every day. It has enough calories for good health, but not so many that gain weight.

Healthful foods include:  Fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products such as low-fat yogurt, cheese, and milk. Lean meat, fish, poultry, cooked beans, and peas. Whole grain foods such as whole wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice. Other grain foods like pasta, cereal, bagels, bread, tortillas, couscous, and crackers.

Fruits, which can be canned (in juice or water), fresh, frozen, or dried. Vegetables, which can be canned (without salt), fresh, frozen, or dried. Canola or olive oils and soft margarines made from these oils are heart healthy. 

Cholesterol is found mainly in Egg yellow yolks, Organ meats such as liver, Shrimp and Whole milk or whole-milk products, including butter, cream, and cheese

Physical Activity

Staying active and eating fewer calories will help you lose weight and keep the weight off over time. Physical activity also will benefit you in other ways.

 In general, adults should follow these guidelines in relation to physical activity.

· For overall health and to lower the risk of disease, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week.

· To help manage body weight and prevent gradual weight gain, aim for 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity most days of the week.

· To maintain weight loss, aim for at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity.

In general, children and teens should aim for at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week.

Behavioral Changes - Changing your behaviors or habits around food and physical activity is important for losing weight. The first step is to understand the things that lead you to overeat or have an inactive lifestyle. A record of your food intake and the amount of physical activity that you do each day will help to inspire you.

Surgical therapy like Gastroplication,  Jejuno ileal by pass and +Starvation therapy  may be helpful sometime

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

 

Homoeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homoeopathy is not only to treat obesity but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several remedies are available to treat obesity and overweight that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensations and modalities of the complaints. For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition

Medicine	Indication
Ammonium  muriaticum	Especially suited to those who are fat and sluggish and whose bodies are large and fat with large buttocks, fatty tumors and thin legs. All mucus secretions are increased and retained. Generally suffering from respiratory troubles and associated affections of liver. Obstinate constipation accompanied by much flatus. Hard, crumbling stools require great effort in expulsion; crumble from the verge of anus.
Thyroidinum	It produces anemia, emaciation, muscular weakness, and sweating, tingling and increased heart rate. It exerts great influence over goiter and excessive obesity and acts best in females with paleness and uterine fibroids or mammary tumors.
Antimonium crudum	Obesity in young people with excessive irritability and fretfulness together with a thickly coated white tongue. All the conditions aggravate by heat and cold bathing. Tendency to grow fat. For children and young people inclined to grow fat, for the extremes of life. Old people with morning diarrhea suddenly become constipated or alternate diarrhea and constipation, pulse hard and rapid. Sensitive to the cold. < After taking cold. Child is fretful, peevish, cannot bear to be touched or looked at, sulky, and does not wish to speak or be spoken to, angry at every little attention. Great sadness, with weeping. Longing for acids and pickles. Gastric and intestinal affections: from bread and pastry; acids, especially vinegar; sour or bad wine; after cold bathing; overheating; hot weather. Worse – After eating; cold baths, acids or sour wine; after heat of sun or fire; extremes of cold or heat. Better – In the open air; during rest; after a warm bath.
Graphites	Tendency to obesity in females with delayed menstruation. The patients are stout, of fair complexion and tendency to skin affections and constipation, fat, chilly and costive. Take cold easily. Tendency to obesity and swollen genitals with indurations of tissues.
Phytollaca	An important remedy for obesity. Reduces fat and false growths. It is preeminently a glandular remedy with glandular swellings –heat and inflammations. Helps to reduce fat and thus reduce weight. It is useful in rheumatism of syphilitic origin where the pains are wandering, shifting and shooting. Burning in throat as from coal fire and cannot swallow hot liquids. General soreness, lameness, bruised feeling over whole body causes the patient to groan. Intense prostration, sitting upright makes him faint and dizzy. Mother tincture is used for weight reduction.
Fucus	A good remedy for obesity and nontoxic goiter (also exophthalmic). Digestion is improved and flatulence diminished. Obstinate constipation. Thyroid enlargement in obese people.
Calcarea arsenicum	Complaints in fat women around climacteric or women approaching climaxis. The females tend to become fleshy and obese around menopause. Chilliness with dropsicalaffections. Cancer of uterus, affections of spleen and mesenteric glands are often found associated. Great mental depression. The slightest emotion causes palpitation of heart
Capsicum	Suits nicely those people who are of lax fibers, weak, diminished vital heat, fat/obese, indolent and have no vital heat or no reactive force. General uncleanliness of body and opposed to physical exertion. Burning pains and general chilliness with marked tendency to suppuration in every inflammatory process are found.
Phosphorus	Persons of waxy, translucent skin, half anemic, young people growing too rapidly, fair, blondes, quick and hemorrhagic diathesis. It affects the nutrition and function of every tissue of body. It causes pseudohypertrophy of muscles. Adapted to tall slender persons of sanguine temperament, fair skin, delicate eyelashes, find blond or red hair, quick perceptions, and very sensitive nature. Young people, who grow too rapidly, are inclined to stoop who are chlorotic or anemic; old people, with morning diarrhea. Hemorrhagic diathesis; small wounds bleed profusely from every mucous outlet. Longs for: cold food and drink; juicy, refreshing things; ice cream > gastric pains. As soon as water becomes warm in stomach it is thrown up. Worse – Evening, before midnight, lying on left or painful side; during a thunderstorm; weather changes, either hot or cold. Cold air relieves the head and face symptoms but aggravates those of chest, throat and neck. Better – In the dark; lying on right side; from being rubbed or mesmerized; from cold food, cold water, until it gets warm.
Lac defloratum	Useful in obesity and where diseases are associated with faulty nutrition. Sick headaches with intense throbbing, nausea and vomiting, prostration and all complaints aggravated during menses.
Kali bichromicum	It is specially indicated for fleshy, fat, light haired complexioned people with scrofulous or syphilitic history. Symptoms tend to increase in the morning and all pains migrate quickly with rheumatic and gastric symptoms alternating. Catarrhal stage of all mucus membranes.
Pulsatilla	It is preeminently a female remedy with tendency to obesity in mild, gentle, yielding females who are sad, cry easily and weeps when talking. The symptoms are changeable and contradictory. The patient seeks the open air and feels better in it. Thirstlessness and chilliness in fat females. Aversion to fatty foods, still grows obese. Adapted to persons ofmild, gentle, timid, yielding disposition – the woman’s remedy. Weeps easily: almost impossible to detail her ailments without weeping. Especially, in diseases of women and children. Women inclined to be fleshy, with scanty and protracted menstrual tion.
Sepia	Obesity in females with weakness, yellow complexion and bearing down sensations. Pains extend down to back and patient chills easily. Obesity in menopausal females with hot flushes and perspirations. Particularly sensitive to cold air, “chills so easily;” lack of vital heat, especially in chronic diseases. Great sadness and weeping. Dread of being alone; of men; of meeting friends; with uterine troubles. Indifferent: even to one’s family; to one’s occupation, to those whom she loves best. Greedy, miserly.
Senega	Especially suited for persons of lax fibers who tend to become obese and also to children who are chubby in appearance. These children usually suffer from repeated respiratory catarrhal affections where rattling cough and profuse mucus but difficult raising are characteristics.

 

Some mother tinctures useful are

Phytolacca. Berry Q (Phytoline Q) - Attended with difficulty in walking, sitting, palpitation, dyspnea on the least exertion, nausea, eructations. A great fat reducer.

Aesculentine Q- Another great fat reducer, may be alternated with phytoline.

 

Calotropis Q – Obesity, while flesh decreases, muscles becomes, harder and firmer

 

Fucus. Vesiculosis Q, 1x, if attended with indigestion and flatulence.  A remedy for obesity and non-toxic goiter, obstinate constipation, thyroid enlargement in obese subjects.

 

CONCLUSION

The aim of homoeopathy is not only to treat obesity but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. A holistic approach considering the lifestyle, personal habits, food habits, inclusion of nutrients and diet, etc. along with homoeopathic treatment helps in overcoming overweight and obesity of individuals.