HOW GOOD METABOLISM HELPS TO TREAT HEALTH PROBLEM?

Metabolism is the chemical reaction in the body cells that changes food into energy. The metabolism process help in growth and reproduction and help in maintaining the structure of living organisms. Two processes occur in metabolism are catabolism or anabolism. Catabolism helps in breaking down larger organic molecule into smaller molecule and releases energy. Anabolism involved in building up or synthesizing compounds from simpler substances required by cells. This process requires and store energy.

In Ayurveda it is compared with agni which means digestive fire. Enzymes, hydrochloric acid are the factors involved in digestion are termed as agni. Agni is important for metabolic physiology or pathology.  Agni determines our vitality, life force, strength, energy, clarity of mind. Agni is one of the panchmhabhuta  and is referred to as “Teja Mahabhuta. Agni keep us alive if agni extinguished a person dies. To balance agni deepan pachan drugs is used. Deepan means balancing the digestive fire and eliminate toxins from the body. Pachan means to digest, burn or neutralize ama. Almost all diseases are caused by malfunctioning of agni. When the food is not properly digested and metabolized is known as ama and the undigested food particles act like as toxins. The most important agni is Jatharagni. It is located in the stomach and duodenum area. It plays an important role in digesting food by converting into minute particles which is assimilated by body tissue and cell. Jatharagni is classified into four types.

1. Sama agni: Digestive function is proper there is no episode of acidity and constipation. It maintain equilibrium and seen in individual who have balanced dosha.
2. Vishama agni: Digestive fire is disturbed by vata dosha. Changes in vata dosha there are episodes of alternating cycles of irregular appetite, abdominal distension, variable digestion or indigestion.
3. Tikshana agni : Digestive fire is disturbed by pitta. In tikshanagni pitta and agni have same properties so that there is episodes of excessive eating.
4. Manda agni : Digestive fire is disturbed by kapha dosha in which there are poor appetite, sluggish metabolism and tendency to weight gain.

CAUSES OF IMPAIRMENT OF AGNI :

• Excessive starvation.
• Contaminated food.
• Irregular habit of eating
• Excess water intake.
• Cold food.

FUNCTION OF AGNI:

• Transformation
• Digestion, absorption, assimilation
• Tissue nutrition
• Skin color, complexion, glow
• Mental clarity.
• Intelligence, joy
• Patience and longevity.

HOW GOOD METABOLISM HELPS IN VARIOUS DISEASES:

1. OBESITY: If metabolism is high than the person burn more calories at rest or during physical activity .
2. DIABETES: Metabolism plays an important role in managing or preventing diabetes .
3. ATHEROSCLEROSIS: Alteration in metabolic enzymes carry the potential to influence plague progression or stabilization becoming potential immunometabolic modulation in atherosclerosis .
4. WILSON’S DISEASE: Copper accumulation and deficiency are reciprocally connected to lipid metabolism. It is caused by genetic loss of function of copper transporting P-type ATPase beta ,copper accumulates mainly in the liver and lipid metabolism is disregulated.
5. GAUCHER’S DISEASE: It is a type of lipid metabolism disorder.if you do not have enough of enzyme called glucocerebrosidae this causes too much of a fatty substance to build up in liver, spleen, lungs.
6. ACIDITY: Stomach acid facilitates the breakdown and absorption of nutrients essential to elimination and detoxification of stored fat tissue.

TIPS FOR MAINTAINING  AGNI AND METABOLISM:

1. Eat three healthy meals in a day.
2. Eat largest meal of the day when pitta dosha increases in body.
3. Drink ginger tea.
4. Avoid cold food items.
5. Don’t overeat.
6. Get 6-8 hour of sleep.

HERBS TO IMPROVE METABOLISM:

1. Fenugreek
2. Ginger
3. Black pepper
4. Ginseng
5. Cinnamon
6. Cumin
7. Garlic