What is obesity?
Obesity is rising all around the world, and it’s becoming one of the world’s most significant health issues. Recent reports suggest that it might soon overtake cigarette smoking as a significant health risk. Caution is warranted because obesity increases the risk of many related health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, gallstones, fatty liver, infertility, depression, sleep, and other associated conditions
Obesity occurs due to an excess of body fat within the body. It’s a state where the natural energy reserve stored in the fatty tissue increases to a point where it’s associated with certain health conditions or increased mortality. Being obese isn’t purely a cosmetic problem. Obesity isn’t a sign of a man being out of control. It’s a severe medical disorder that affects more than a quarter of adults in the USA, and about 14 percent of children and teens. A report by the National Audit Office concluded that obesity could shave an average of nine years from our life span.
Ayurvedic view of obesity
Obesity is caused by eating more than the body needs. Other factors that lead to obesity are hereditary factors and hereditary disorders, an underlying illness, eating disorders, ingestion of certain medicines, leading a sedentary lifestyle, a high glycemic diet, and anxiety.
The Tridosha: In Ayurveda, every human being is a unique occurrence of cosmic energy, which manifests itself believed the three primary elements or the “Tridosha” — Vata — Air, Pitta- Fire and Kapha — Water. Each person’s constitution has a unique balance of these three energies. Doshic imbalance causes harm to normal bodily functions leading to different health ailments. An imbalance in Kapha causes obesity. Ayurveda views people with a Kapha (Water) constitution are more likely to gain weight through excessive fat compared to a Pitta (Fire) or Vata (Air) person. Individuals with an imbalance in their Kapha energy need to pay that little extra attention to avoid putting on those unwanted pounds.
– Fat and Ayurveda: From the Ayurvedic texts,’Charakacharya’ has described eight ‘Nindya Prakriti’ (undesirable constitution) of the body; obesity is among these and is called ‘Medoroga.’ In obese people, individual Medas (Fat) is overly sterile, and staying other Dhatus get malnourished. Kapha gets collected in between. When Kapha increases in a strange style, fat metabolism becomes hampered, and an individual becomes obese.
Ayurvedic Treatment For Obesity
Root cause reasons for obesity
From an Ayurvedic perspective, the critical cause is found in erroneous lifestyle and diet choices or habits. After the body’s calorie intake exceeds the number of calories burned, it contributes to the storage of excess calories as body fat.
• Absence of physical action
• Daytime sleep
• High food intake ( Kapha-increasing foods, e.g., rich in fat, red meat, sweet, salty, or fatty foods).
Ayurveda Obesity Treatment
In Ayurveda, obesity has been treated not just for weight reduction, but also concerning adjusting metabolic processes by reducing Ama and the extra fat to regulate the role of Kapha without vitiating Vata. Proper metabolism requires to strengthen the tissue and digestive fire. It is essential to improve dietary habits and reduce the effect of stress. The Ayurvedic weight loss plan, aside from the immediate weight-loss, cleans out toxins from the body and allows it to work more effectively, promoting a general sense of health and wellness. Specially designed yoga and diet programs prevent its further accumulation. Appropriate Panchakarma therapies are also administered depending on the requirement of the person. Walking and regular exercise can help in maintaining good health.
Ayurvedic root cause treatment for obesity is achieved via a mix of:
– Panchakarma treatment — Includes five kinds of therapies, which are primarily used for elimination or removal of toxins. For weight loss, Virechana (Purgation Remedy ) or Basti (Medicated Enema) are recommended, based on the individual wellbeing. Dry deep tissue massage (Mardanam and Udwarthanam). Deep massage (Mardanam), massage using the Triphala and Musta herbal powders (Udwarthanam). The Udvartana treatment is the most frequent Ayurvedic therapy recommended to cure obesity in which herbal powders (in the kind of oils or dry powders) are utilized to remove the blockages and stiffness of the body. Sesame oil, together with other herbs, is used to decrease the fat tissue and take care of the softness of the skin. This oil and herb paste opens the pores, removes vessel blockages, increases tissue heat, and stimulates fat metabolism.
Abhyangam treatment with specific oils (Triphala oil, Kaphaghna oil, Eladi Thailam, Valiya Lakshadi Thailam, Saindhavadi Thailam) followed by a steam bath is advised. The steam bath uses medicated herbs to eliminate toxins and excess water through profuse sweating. The steam also permits the herbal glue to penetrate deeper into the body. Besides reducing cellulite and subcutaneous fat, Panchakarma therapies also nourish the skin and eliminate body odor.
Medicated Enema (Basti): An Ayurvedic practitioner can recommend Lekhana Basti with Triphala per the body constitution. Kapha and Meda will be removed without raising Vata, which represents the primary treatment of obesity. Basti is a remedy to encourage the Vata energy; an enema ready with fat and oil, which would be the sharp properties of Vata, helps to reduce Kapha, remove Ama toxins, and correct fat metabolism without vitiating Vata.
– Ayurvedic Diet: Diet control isn’t merely the quantity of food that’s important, but also the sort of food one eats. An individual should eat the proper food, cooked the Ayurvedic way in the right amount and at the appropriate time. When food is consumed carefully, the mind perceives the taste, odor, and kind of food and helps release enzymes and digestive juices to digest the food. Obese patients should be given food to reduce Kapha and extra fatty tissue. Food should be light and dry to digest, without an excessive amount of oil or fat. Eat according to your body constitution and choose well-processed foods blended with unique herbs to burn fat, such as turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and coriander. Raw veggies, e.g., cabbage, are permitted for individuals with a Pitta constitution when their digestion is currently regular.
– Udvartana Massage – Here herbal paste and powders are applied all over the body and deeply massaged with specific motions. This massage removes cellulite, loosens fat molecules, tones the skin, and removes them from the sub-cutaneous amount and eliminates Kapha toxins in the body. Ayurveda treatments for obesity also include synchronized massage using specific oils (Abhyanga), deep, dry massages with herbal powders and pastes (Udwarthana), and herbal steam bath that help purify the accumulated fat.
– Herbal supplements – Medicines can be of great advantage in weight control with no unwanted side effects of conventional drugs. These medications improve fat metabolism in an obese individual. Herbs that are useful for eliminating Ama include Triphala (mix of Amalaki, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki), Turmeric, Trikatu (ginger, pepper, and Pippali combination), Guggulu (herb for successful purification based on Ayurveda).
– Therapeutic Yoga – Yoga not only helps you lose weight but also enhances the healing potential of Ayurveda. These are carried out depending on the practitioner’s recommendations and in the presence of specialists. Dhanurasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabasana, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Trikonasana, and Vakrasana are some of the asanas or yoga postures for losing excess fat. This will be effective when practiced with pranayama and an appropriate diet.
– Pranayamas — Are the Ayurvedic breathing methods, which bring about enormous benefits, such as increased vitality, higher perception, and growth of various brain faculties.
– Fluid Intake Adjustment: Replace sweet drinks like carbonated beverages, fruit juices, and cold beverages with fresh warm water with a temperature of 35-36 degrees. Sipping hot water (at least 48 minutes ) before meals ignite the digestive fire and assists combating pseudo-hunger by enabling the free movement of Vata.
– Fasting with Hot Water: Fasting once a week helps the gut and tones the digestive tract. The breakdown of these harmful leftover unabsorbed food particles begins in the digestive fire.
– Sleep: The practice of sleep is quite essential, just like doing exercise to fight obesity. Insufficient sleep accelerates eating habits, leading to increased energy intake. Your Ayurvedic specialist can train you on how you can improve your sleep without excessive energy loss, which is appreciated in a profound sleep. Do not try to deprive yourself of sleep since this is frequently the reason behind obesity, hypertension, higher acidity, diabetes, and several other metabolic syndromes.
– Aampachan (Eliminating Ama): Ayurveda suggests it is very difficult or maybe impossible to eliminate weight in the existence of Ama. Because of this reason, people don’t lose weight even if they restrict their food intake. Consequently, it’s crucial to eradicate Ama first and then focus on losing weight.
– Other remedies:
– Keep away from rice, refined wheat flour, and fat-rich foods, including milk products like paneer, cheese, butter. Natural means of weight loss is the perfect way to lose out the excess fat from the body.
– Brisk walk for about 30 minutes during the morning will help in burning fat and keeps fresh also.
– Drink a glass of warm water with lemon juice and honey everyday morning on an empty stomach.
– Eat smaller meals and eat after every 3 hours. Increase the number of fruits and vegetables and low-calorie foods.
– Salad of raw vegetables like carrot, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes, and fruits such as papaya and pineapple are great. Use powdered cumin seeds, green coriander leaves, a little salt, and some grated ginger blended in the buttermilk.
– Physical Exercise: Physical exercise helps burn calories stored in the body, e.g., fat. Additionally, it also alleviates body strain and energizes the muscles. Walking each day is the best exercise to get ready for jogging, swimming, or cycling.
Yoga asanas for obesity
Yogasanas for obesity
– Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) to keep Decent metabolism
– Tadasana (mountain pose) should be utilized to correct the body posture
– Paschimottanasana: sitting posture by bending the body towards the thighs
– Pawanmuktasana (wind relieving pose) stimulates the organs in the pelvic cavity like the intestine, urine bladder, uterus, etc
– Bhujangasana (cobra pose) is helpful to tone the organs in the lower abdomen
– Dhanurasana (bow pose) helps reduce abdominal fat
– Essential Methods for Treating Obesity
Ayurvedic medicines for obesity
These classical ayurvedic products help obesity:
Varanadi Kashayam, Trivril Leham, Brahmi Caps, Ayaskriti, Varadi Kashayam, Gandharvahastadi Kashayam, Triphaladi Churnam, Kolakulathadi Churnam, Hinguvachadi Churnam, Avipathi Churnam, Vidangadi Churnam, Aswagandharishtam, Kumaryasavam
Studies in ayurveda for obesity
In a 2016 study, seventy obese subjects were randomized into four groups.[25] Ayurvedic drug treatments were given for three months, while one group received a placebo. Physical, clinical, and pathological investigations were carried out at regular intervals. A substantial weight loss was observed in drug treatment groups in comparison to the placebo. Body measurements like skinfold thickness and hip and waist circumferences were significantly diminished. The researchers found lower levels in serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. No side effects were observed throughout the treatment period.
