The pursuit of attaining that perfect body weight or a lean body has people following weird diets. The low-carb high-fat keto diet, boiled egg diet, raw food diet, cabbage soup diet, lemon water diet, 5:2 or 16:8 IF diet… the list is long and ridiculous. The problem with all these diets is that they limit the types of foods that can be eaten, thereby depriving the body of vital nutrients. There are some Ayurvedic secrets to weight loss that should help you greatly improve the quality of your life and health.
These diets recommend the intake of nutritional supplements, to meet the body’s nutritional requirements, but it isn’t a healthy way for the body to receive essential nutrients. The other drawback of the diets is that they are not sustainable. And once dieters go back to their regular eating habits, the weight piles on again.
The doctors at Hindusthan Ayurvedic, one of the leading Ayurveda hospitals in Kerala recommend a healthier and sustainable diet regime, as prescribed in Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda, diet plays a significant role in keeping the mind and body healthy. A healthy body and mind is the most fundamental requirement for a healthy existence. Our physical health is an outcome of what we eat. It is a simple equation, eat wholesome foods and make necessary lifestyle changes for a healthy life.
Ayurvedic treatment for weight loss
Ayurveda claims that obesity and excessive weight are a result of an imbalance in the five elements of the body and the doshas. A sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition slows down the metabolism and allows toxins to build up. However, according to Ayurveda, a change in diet and an increase in physical activity, will not help burn fat unless the imbalances in dosha are managed simultaneously.
Ayurvedic therapies for weight management create a balance between the digestive system and the liver, and that helps in the elimination of excessive toxins (Kapha), the leading cause for weight gain. Ayurvedic treatment for weight loss consists of therapies that boost the pitta (fire) in the digestive system and reduce anabolic metabolism. The treatment consists of oral medications and massages, using herbal powders. The therapy improves the fire in the gut, which in turn enhances catabolic metabolism, necessary for weight loss.
The ayurvedic treatment for weight reduction includes the following therapies:
- Pranayamas, yoga, and meditation: Breathing exercises and postures are known to complement weight loss therapies and maximize their effectiveness
- Abhyanga: A warm herbal oil massage therapy that stimulates the body and sets it on fat-burning mode
- Swedana: A treatment wherein herbal steam is used for the removal of toxins from the body
- Pizhichil: This is a herbal oil bath, known to tone muscles, especially in the abdomen region
- Elakizhi: Warm herbal pouches are used for massaging the body
- Kizhi: Similar to Elakizhi, the treatment involves fomentation using medicated potions
- Udvarthanam: This is a dry powder massage that helps eradicate cellulite
Home remedies to Weight reduction
Weight loss management is a multi-pronged procedure. Ayurvedic therapies help in the removal of toxins, improve metabolism and enhance the body’s fat-burning capabilities. However, these therapies work best when lifestyle changes are adopted, alongside.
Adopt the following lifestyle for weight loss:
- Eating right: Ayurveda recommends eating three square meals a day. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast, have a nutritious lunch and include healthy foods in your dinner. Doing so will boost your metabolism. Get health tips from experts to improve your workouts, diet plans to keep you healthy and fit.
- Say no to junk food: There is no place for junk food in the Ayurveda weight loss plan. Remove processed foods from your plate and quit the habit of snacking in between meals. You will burn more fat with this one change.
- A platter of different flavours: Your meals must comprise of six distinct flavours as prescribed by Ayurveda, namely bitter, sweet, salty, sour, pungent and astringent. Bitter foods have detoxifying properties and eliminate toxins. Green leafy vegetables fall into the category of bitter foods. Sweet foods include dairy products, cereals, grains, and rice. Moderate intake of these foods is good, as they provide energy and increase strength and muscle. Salt is added to foods for better absorption of minerals and enhanced digestion. The best salts, based on Ayurveda recommendations are Himalayan salt, rock salt and sea salt, and fish. Sour foods such as lemon and other citrus fruits, pickles, vinegar, tamarind and kokum help kindle appetite as well as clean the body. Pungent foods include spices, and other condiments such as onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, etc. These foods are excellent appetite boosters and also stimulate metabolism. Astringent foods have cooling properties and are good for fighting inflammation. Beans, ladyfinger, grapes, and cranberries are examples of astringent foods.
- Dinner before 7 pm: The last meal of the day must be before 19:00 hours. That gives the body enough time to process the food. There are no incidences of flatulence, bloating and indigestion when food is eaten early. The meal should preferably be light comprising of salads, and soups.
- Home-cooked food is the best: Choose home-cooked meals over ordering foods online or eating out. Eat natural foods instead of foods from packets. Natural foods are nutrient-rich and absorbed easily, while processed foods are difficult to digest and lack nutrition.
- Drink hot water: Drinking hot water is good for the digestive system, as it flushes out toxins. You may add a dash of honey and squeeze half a lime to a glass of hot water to make it palatable and more effective.
- Sleep pattern: Sleep is vital in a weight loss journey; eight hours of rest is mandatory. Go to bed by 10 pm and wake up before 6 am. Sleep helps the body recover and promotes better digestive health. Improper sleep patterns cause the accumulation of toxins in the body.
