Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Manasa S, B.A.M.S
The Pure and Supporting Fat
Sneha – fat have an excellent impression on common well being and it’s a vital ingredient of our day-to-day meals. Sneha can be an necessary part of the physique. Pitta and Kapha have Sneha in them. Dhatus like mamsa, meda and majja are wealthy in Sneha and so is rasa and shukra dhatu. The wastes are simply expelled from the physique if we take Sneha repeatedly. Sneha retains the agni intact and energetic and is antagonist to Vata. By maintaining a examine on Vata, Sneha retains the intestine and the whole physique unctuous.
We devour oil and ghee and another meals substances like sesame seeds and so on and fish and different animal merchandise which provide our physique with important fat to assist the fats inside us.
The operate of medas – the physique fats, is snehana – to offer and keep unctuousness and lubrication within the physique, so that every one actions happen simply. The Sneha of pure and wholesome muscle tissue is named vasa which can be a Sneha. Majja – bone marrow is a Sneha by itself.
The fats we devour will get transformed into fatty acids, which assist many capabilities within the physique and in addition helps the fat naturally current within the physique.
The Omega Pattern
Fatty acids are integral components of our physique and are an important a part of our cell membranes. They’ve a powerful impression on our well being and its steadiness. The exterior supply of fatty acids like Omega-3 Fatty acids are both from animal – fish or plant – walnut, flax seeds and so on. origin. They assist the fatty acids in our physique. They’re the constructing blocks of the fats in our physique – the ‘medo dhatu’ or ‘medas’ part. Fatty acids in our physique can be correlated to Snehamsha – the pure unctuousness or oiliness in tissues and membranes.
Associated Studying – ‘Omega 3 Fatty Acids for Intestine Well being and Constipation, Fashionable and Ayurveda ideas’
Sources of Sneha vs Sources of Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Ayurveda has defined Sneha Yoni – the supply for the fat we eat. They too are of two classes – sthavara – from plant or vegetable merchandise and jangama – from animal merchandise.
Among the many sthavara Sneha, the most well-liked ones talked about are – Tila – sesame seeds, Priyala – Buchanania lanzan, Eranda – Ricinus communis (castor), Sarshapa – mustard, Atasi – Linum usitatissimum – flaxseed (linseed) and so on. (Charaka Sutra 13). All these are sources of Omega 3 fatty acids besides Eranda, which is a supply of Omega 6 and 9 fatty acids, that are equally good for well being and intestine well being.
Among the many Jangama Sneha, has been talked about fishes, milk, curds, ghee, meat, muscle fats and bone marrow of animals and birds like deer and so on. fats of animals like boar, tiger and so on. (Charaka Sutra 13).
The reason appears to be so near the reason of sources of fatty acids like Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Although all issues talked about in Ayurveda texts may not include Omega 3, however the fundamental therapeutic concept is to offer fatty acids to the physique and this stuff positively has Sneha – vis-à-vis Omega 3 Fatty Acids and different helpful fat which would offer and improve snehamsha within the physique.
Motion of Sneha and Omega 3 Fatty Acids
If Omega 3 fatty acids might be taken beneath the dialogue of important Sneha materials (sources) used to assist the snehamsha of the physique, Sneha and Snehana process will bestow many therapeutic advantages and the similarity might be discovered with therapeutic motion and advantages of the talked about fatty acids. So, Ayurveda had its personal methods and ideas of administering Sneha. Snehana is run in lots of types in Ayurveda.
1. Shodhana Sneha – administered in massive doses to saturate the physique with fat and as preparatory process of Shodhana – cleaning therapies. In a approach, Sneha helps in cleaning the physique other than cleaning the intestine. It’s because when Vamana and Virechana are administered, they not solely cleanse the physique however may even cleanse the intestine since each these procedures happen by the gastrointestinal tracts.
2. Shamana Sneha – administered in average amount, to pacify and nullify the hyperactive doshas within the physique, primarily Vata. Vata causes dryness within the gastrointestinal tract and in addition within the tissues. Shamana Sneha would management the hyperactivity of Vata within the physique, thrust back the dryness, induce unctuousness and restore the physique power, mobile unctuousness and assist in increase power and endurance.
3. Brmhana Sneha – administered in small portions together with meals, to nourish and strengthen the physique and in addition to advertise bulk of the physique.
All these capabilities are additionally rendered by Omega 3 fatty acids, however Ayurveda methods of administering Sneha are broad spectrum ones with immense therapeutic advantages.
Sneha can be administered as Vasti – therapeutic enema and as Nasya – nasal set up of medicated fat.
Omega 3 fatty acids, when administered and supplemented within the type of meals, that are its sources, will fall beneath a particular kind of Sneha i.e. Vicharana Sneha. This type of Sneha contains administration of Sneha with meals or components having Sneha as meals inclusions.
Vata may cause many gastrointestinal illnesses together with constipation, flatulence, distension of stomach, bloating and dreadful circumstances like gulma, udavarta and so on. Principally, aggravated vata causes dryness within the colon. Enemas will attend to the vata and would deliver it to steadiness, when administered by a rectal route within the type of enema. Colon is the chief seat of vata. Lubricating the seat of vata and controlling it there, is the same as controlling the opposite subtypes of vata current in all places within the physique by a suggestions mechanism.
Position of Sneha in Intestine well being
Acharya Vagbhata mentions two key advantages of sneha pertaining to intestine well being,
– Dipta antaragni – which suggests kindling the core intestine fireplace and maintaining it in a state of steadiness. The simplest option to perceive that is ‘to activate the digestive system, right and steadiness the core metabolism and preserve the intestine wholesome and as an prolonged profit, preserve the general well being intact and optimum’.
– Parishuddha Koshta – cleanses the alimentary tract
Acharya Charaka has talked about ‘Krura Koshta’ as a sign for administering oil for snehana. Krura Koshta means arduous bowel actions. Krura Koshta can be a sign to be used of Majja – bone marrow as Sneha. Likewise he has talked about ‘obstruction within the srotas of the physique brought on by aggravated vata’ among the many indications for administering muscle fats (vasa) for snehana. (Cha.Su.Ch13)
In Siddhi Sthana Chapter 1, Acharya Charaka has talked about ‘Malanam vinihanti sangham’ amongst the motion / therapeutic advantages of snehana. It means ‘Sneha eliminates the obstruction of waste supplies within the physique’ which incorporates faeces and urine.
Vata, Mutra, Mala Sanga – i.e. obstruction of fart, urine and faeces (flatulence, urinary obstruction and constipation) are indications for Asthapana (Niruha) and Anuvasana (Sneha) Vasti, each types of enema having Sneha in them.
The opposite indications of Vasti and Sneha in enema in direction of intestine well being are –
– Adhmana – distension of stomach, flatulent distension,
– Krimi kostha – worms within the intestine (intestine infections)
– Udavarta – upward motion of vata inflicting many troublesome signs and circumstances like constipation and so on.
– Shula – stomach colic
– Vishamagni – erratic digestive actions attributable to agni being influenced by aggravated vata