What is the cause of obesity?
Obesity is an excessive or abnormal fat buildup resulting in weight gain that is a risk to the health of an individual. Body mass index is derived from the height and weight of an individual and is a measure to check the combination of weight of muscle, fat, and bone compared to the height of an individual. A BMI under 18.5 is considered underweight. BMI over 25 is considered overweight, and BMI over 30 falls into the category of obesity. Obesity can occur for genetic or medical reasons, excessive eating habits, or a sedentary lifestyle. It is reported that people with metabolic syndrome are overweight, prone to type 2 diabetes, and at increased risk of heart disease. The metabolic syndrome results in high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and a poor lipid profile. Children of overweight parents may become obese due to genetically inherited hormones. Habits of eating junk food and a lack of physical exercise are reasons for being overweight. Insulin resistance is associated with obesity.
Health problems associated with obesity
BMI greater than 25 or 30 can make an individual overweight or obese, along with various health issues such as a cardiovascular disease like stroke or heart attack, diabetes, osteoarthritis (a degenerative disease of the joints), cancers of the endometrium, breast, ovary, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon. An overweight person will have high blood pressure, a high level of LDL cholesterol, a low level of HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, problems breathing, mental depression, anxiety, and the psychological feeling of being different from others. Obesity results in back pain and difficulty performing various functions. Acute pancreatitis, NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), arthritis, and gout are some of the diseases that are caused by being overweight.
Common causes of obesity
Common causes of obesity are Su-e-Hazam (dyspepsia), Ifraat-e-Naum (excessive sleep), Ifraat-e-Sukoon (excessive rest), or Qillat-e-Harkat-e-Badani (a sedentary lifestyle with an absence of exercise). The reason for being overweight can be hereditary, eating an excessively fatty diet like sweet dishes, meat, etc. (MartoobGhiza), having a cold temperament (Baroodat-e-Mizaj), lacking exercise (Warzishki Kami), or having the habit of excessive eating.
Unani treatment for Saman-e-Mufrat (obesity)
Unani medicine and treatment for overweight and obese people have proven very effective. Certain herbs can help you shed weight naturally:
- Lakh umda (red-coloured resin): 50 grammes
- Zeerasiyah (black cumin) 50 grammes
- Black seeds (Kalaunji) 50 grammes
Grind these until they become powder. Then fill large capsules with the powder. Take 1 or 2 capsules with water before meals. This will help you shed your excess weight. The results of this experiment were done on an overweight woman, and around 17 pounds were lost in 45 days.
Luk-e-Maghsool, Muqil (Commiphoramukul Linn.), Kharkhask (Tribulusterrestris Linn.), Haldi (Curcuma longa Linn.), and ZeeraSiyah (Carumcarvi, Linn.) are some of the highly effective herbs used by Unani for treatment of obesity.
A nutritious breakfast daily, regular meals that include fruits and vegetables in your lunch, remaining active in your routine, drinking plenty of water, eating high-fiber foods, not stocking junk food to avoid the temptation to consume it, and lots of exercise will help you reduce your weight if you are obese or overweight.
