Over eating results to fatal disease (Ayurvedic View)

Over eating results to fatal disease (Ayurvedic View)

Everybody is well known that over eating is not good for health. Some may have experienced too that overeating has always created the problem. Here I shall discuss the difficulties that are created due to overeating from the Ayurvedic point of view. It is best described in the Matrasiteeo Adhyaya (chapter of Doses or quantity) of Astanga Sangraha by Vagbhatt.

Over eating can be called as consumption of high quantity of food. “High”, in a sense, that the body needs for its normal functioning. If less, it is obvious that body cannot perform its normal functioning and if high the body may get affected with the following disease. However, modern disease call them as the symptoms, but whatever they are called, these factors cause dis-ease in the body.

1. Alsak : This is the condition that the food we eat is neither excreted out nor it gets out of the body through vomiting. The food is trapped inside the alimentary canal. Symptoms: there is obstruction in the faecal discharge and obstruction in vomiting too. One may feel unconscious. One may feel thirst and hiccups.
2. Visuchika: In this disease the person feels the pain as if the needle is pierce in the skin. All three doshas are vitiated. Different types of pain are experienced by the body. There may be cramping of muscles of stomach too. Some other Symptoms are unconsciousness, diarrhea, vomiting, thirst, burning sensation in the body etc.
3. Ajeerna: There are further five types of Ajeerna viz. Aama Ajeerna, vistabdhajeerna, visagdhajeerna, bilambika, and rassheshaajeerna. There are caused due to Kapha, vata, pitta, Aama and vata, and rasa accordingly.
4. Dandaalasak: Due to the Aama(The remnant of ahar during digestion), the doshas are obstructed and vitiate. These vitiated doshas are distributed all over the body and the elastic property of the body is lost.
5. Aama–dosha: This is caused due to ingestion of food that have different properties and harm in the body (Viruddha anna). It is also caused when heavy food is further taken when one already have Ajeerna. Aama Dosha is converted into Aama visha when one does not care about. The victim of Aama Visha can be identified by observing his appearances. Victim’s nail, lips and teeth goes black. Dim eye and the unconsciousness can be also seen in the victim.

Treatment: It is well known fact that “ Prevention is better than cure”. So avoid excess eating itself is a main formula. However if this line is crossed, here are some treatment procedure.

1. For Alsak and Visuchika procedure like Vaman(vomiting) and Virechana(laxatives) can be done. In Visuchika, there may be muscle cramping, so the massage with the medicated oil is preferred.
2. For Ajeerna also the treatment procedure is similar. Total rest shall be taken after having very light food.
3. Dandaalasak is marked as incurable (Asadhya).
4. Aama–dosha has the special treatment procedure called Aaptarpan Chikitsa i.e treatment within the digestive fire. Aaptarpan Chikitsa is completed in following three procedure viz. Langhan, Langhan-Pachan, and Aawasechan. Aama–dosha, if not cure converts to Aama-Visha and that is incurable.