Preksha Dhyana Human Body Part 2

Author(s): Jethalal S Zaveri
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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may have a specific organic cause-a disorder involving thyroid, pituitary or other glands. When it also tends to run in family, it suggests that a hereditary factor may be involved. Since the hunger and satiety centres which regulate the food intake is in the hypothalamus, its abnormality may be involved. Children who are overfed by anxious mothers, develop more fat cells and have problems when they are adults.
A compelling reason to avoid overweight is that it increases the probability of a premature death. Excess bodyweight puts a constant strain on the heart in several ways. It must pump harder to supply enough blood to the muscles which must work harder to move the extra weight. The fat deposits require copious blood supply. Millions of extra capillaries are formed adding resistance to the circulation and raising the blood-pressure. Fat persons are more prone to the hardening of arteries, gall stone formation, kidneyinflammation and other diseases.
The most reliable way to lose weight and to keep it off is to make a drastic change in eating habits. Our food today is not what our ancestors normally ate. Not only has a great deal of its value been removed, but almost all the food we buy has been processed and contains some kind of preservative.
The diet of our ancestors contained a relatively small amount of sugar supplied mainly by fruits. Refined cane sugar (sucrose) did not become a significant factor in the human diet, until about 200 years ago; since then sugar consumption has risen steadily. According to some researchers, sugar may be the main culprit in the development of atherosclerosis. For those who have not been fortunate enough to inherit a strong pancreas, continual high intake of sugar can "burn out" glandular cells of this organ1, leaving it unable to regulate the body's carbohydrate metabolism.
1. For the function of pancreas, see Part I of this book.
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