Digestive Fire: The Obesity Problem and Ginger Pickle
A recent article on obesity in the Atlantic points to the frustration that we as a technological society are being confronted Nobody in the weight treatment industry buys into the calorie balance theory(excess calories in and not enough out = weight gain) these days since it's been shown to be ineffective as a solution to the problem But if that fails what else can we measure to find a solution to this pandemic problem
A now popular obesogen theory which the article talks about describes three groups of food additives that are correlated with obesity Fructose causes us to eat more than we need; BPA(bisphenol A) causes changes in fat metabolism(more about that later); and organotins cause the increase in number and size of fat cells
Can We Continue To Blame Molecules?
It's indeed true that the study of the molecules and their effects is the current way we do science Another way to describe this approach is as a system of measurement If measuring calories is not helpful perhaps a better approach would be to identify molecules that have ill effects
This quantitative nutritional approach that is used in present day practiced medicine has great advantages in healing Ask any person who has had a brush with cancer and been cured by surgery
But the discipline has an Achilles heal It doesn't offer us a system of disease prevention And that's what the obesity pandemic is all about It's a disease that can be prevented but unfortunately we are asking the quantitative model to deal with a problem that is beyond its capability
Origins of Disease
One of the greatest gifts that energy science medical and nutritional model from the Ayurvedic tradition gives us is that of prevention The reason for this is actually quite simple The model is based on the origins of disease
The contemporary matter science or quantitative(molecular) nutritional approach looks for the origins of disease in the measurement of calories or molecules that seem to fit the bill for the reason for disease It's taking pot shots at various aspects of reality and saying "There that's the problem molecule"
The qualitative approach to disease takes us to the place where decisions are being made that begin to tweak the physiology and start the downward spiral that eventuates into disease such as obesity
Another significant gift of the energy science is our understanding of metabolism and its role in disease particularly in such problems as obesity
The Metabolic Fire and Its Role in Obesity
Slow metabolism has been an oft overlooked aspect in the obesity problem since the quantitative science doesn't know where to put it But it's an oft described aspect of the obese person's life "I just look at food and gain weight" As a way to study slow metabolism BMR(basal metabolic rate) has been used in the quantitative nutritional science
Nonetheless it is indeed the case that digestion can becomes so sluggish that there is no possibility to lose even with small amounts of caloric intake One of the easiest ways to lose weight is by exercise And interestingly exercise enhances digestive fire or metabolic rate from an energy science perspective
Besides exercise here are other ways to stoke that digestive fire(DF) or metabolism
Avoid foods that put the fire out
Avoid incompatible food combinations
Use spices that will stoke the digestive fire
Use ginger pickle before each meal made with slice of ginger lime and salt This will kindle DF
Just try one of these suggestions for 6 weeks and you'll be amazed at the results
Until next time To health as a Skill Love DrBill
