A voice for
herbal medicine

We share traditional, scientific and practical insights written by experienced herbalists and health experts from the world of herbal medicine and natural health

← Back to Insights

The lipid layer: Medas dhatu, health and balanced weight

  • Sebastian Pole
    Sebastian Pole

    I am a registered member of the Ayurvedic Professionals Association, Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine and a Fellow of the Unified Register of Herbal Practitioners. I qualified as a herbalist with the aim of using the principles of Ayurveda (the ancient art of living wisely) and the Herbal tradition to help transform health. I have been in clinical practice since 1998.

    Having co-founded Pukka Herbs in 2001 I have become experienced in organic herb growing, practitioner grade quality and sustainable value chains. I am a Trustee of the FairWild Foundation, a Director of The Betonica School of Herbal Medicine and an Advisor to The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and The Sustainable Herbs Project. Fluent in Hindi, a qualified Yoga therapist and passionate about projects with a higher purpose, I am on a mission to bring the incredible power of plants into people’s life. And that is why I started Herbal Reality and what it is all about.

    I live in a forest garden farm in Somerset growing over 100 species of medicinal plants and trees. And a lot of weeds!

    Author of Ayurvedic Medicine, The Principles of Traditional Practice (Elsevier 2006), A Pukka Life (Quadrille 2011), Celebrating 10 Pukka years (2012) and Cleanse, Nurture, Restore with Herbal Tea (Frances Lincoln 2016).

    Listen to our Herbcast podcast with Sebastian as the host.

  • 11:02 reading time (ish)
  • Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine Digestion & Nutrition Energy Mobility & Fitness

Written by Sebastian Pole

What role does good fat play in the body? Our lipid layer protects, comforts and nourishes our whole body. Here we delve into deep Ayurvedic thoughts on the role of fat.

We need to have a good supply of good quality (sara dhatu) fat tissue (medodhatu) to be healthy.

What is the lipid layer?

Our fat, or ‘lipid layer’ protects us, comforts us as well as helps to carry fat-soluble nutrition into our body and brain. According to Ayurveda our fat tissue is made from a combination of the Water and Earth elements that bring protection to our organs, bones and tissues.

However, if we have too much or too little or poor quality fat tissue then health can become imbalanced. Too little fat tissue then we can be too thin with cracking joints, joint weakness, tired and brittle hair, bones, nails and teeth. Too much and there can be obesity, excess fat tissue around the breasts, abdomen and buttocks, sexual debility, asthma, poor mobility, fear, hypertension and diabetes. If the fat is of poor quality and the doshas (Ayurvedic constitutions) invade it then there can be multiple symptoms from hard and small lumps, excessive sweating, kidney infections, diabetes, fibroids and other growths dependant on the causative factors.

Sebastian Pole

I am a registered member of the Ayurvedic Professionals Association, Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine and a Fellow of the Unified Register of Herbal Practitioners. I qualified as a herbalist with... Read more

Sign up to our Newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the very latest in herbal insights.

Sign up to our newsletter