How to Reduce Weight ? Obesity or sthoulya as it is known in Ayurveda is a medical condition involving abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual’s ideal body weight. This excess weight may have a deleterious effect on health leading to increased health problems and/or reduced life expectancy. A stressful life coupled with improper dietary habits and life style is the root cause for metabolic disorders like obesity. It may also be due to genetic factors, abnormalities in endocrine functions, psychological factors and certain medications.
According to Ayurveda, imbalance in the metabolism of meda dhatu (adipose tissue) leads to sthoulya. When the factor known as agni (fire) which is responsible for metabolism is aberrant, digestion and absorption is incomplete and improper, thus leading to an accumulation of ama (toxin). The ama in turn impairs the flow of nourishment leading to obesity. Commonly, foods that are high in caloric value and a sedentary lifestyle leading to unutilised calories is observed in such cases. Ayurveda literature details symptoms obesity like premature ageing, unpleasant body odour, excessive sweating, breathlessness on exertion, difficulty in breathing, intense food craving, excessive thirst, difficulty in walking, tiredness, general debility, mental confusion and lack of zeal or enthusiasm for living, diabetes, fistula, lipomas, arthritis, hypertension, hyperacidity, etc.
Various treatments are prescribed in Ayurveda for the management of obesity including internal medication, detoxifying procedures like udvartana (massage therapy using herbal powders or pastes), swedana for the whole body (steam bath), vamana (therapeutic emesis) virechana (therapeutic purgation), basti (enema therapy of lekhana variety) etc. Appropriate dietary and lifestyle changes including regular yoga along will be advised by our physician/s to tackle this problem.
Every individual needs to follow a diet and exercise schedule that suits his/her requirement. It is advisable to avoid/curtail food that is very sweet, sour and salty, products like butter, cheese, refined flour, black gram, white/refined sugar, alcoholic beverages, fried foods, junk foods and fast foods, pickles, red meat, cold drinks and concentrated fruit drinks. Food that is bitter, pungent and astringent, grains such as millets(like ragi, jowar, bajra etc.), amaranth(rajgira), oats, corn, bran, brown/red rice, fibrous vegetables, fruits like apples, pomegranates, papaya, Indian gooseberry, honey, spices, roasted or cooked food, warm water for drinking help to reduce weight. It is also very important to consume food at regular intervals routinely and reduce the portion size as the day progresses.
For more details and booking:
Contact:
M S Ramaiah Indic Centre for Ayurveda and
Integrative Medicine (MSR ICAIM)
A unit of Gokula Education Foundation (Medical)
New BEL Road, MSR Nagar
Mathikere PO
Bengaluru – 54
Tel: +91-80-22183456
Mob: +91-99005812303/+91-9632128544