Reduce Weight Naturally
In ayurveda, Charak Samhita
describes eight different types of bodies that are disease prone. Out of
these, the obese body is described as the one afflicted with the most diseases
and troubles. Obesity is the condition or physical state of the body when
excessive deposition of fat takes place in the adipose tissue.
Extra fat puts a strain on
the heart, kidneys, liver and the joints such as the hips, knees and ankles
and thus, overweight people are susceptible to several diseases like coronary
thrombosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gout, liver and gall
bladder disorders. Chief cause of obesity is overeating, irregular eating
habits and not following the rules of eating or mixing non-compatible food
items in one meal.
To decrease weight and get
rid of obesity three things must be kept in mind:
Controlling eating habits.
Regular exercise.
Avoiding the causes of weight
gain
Diet recommended to lose
weight
Early morning
Juice of half a lemon mixed
in a glass of warm water and a teaspoon of honey.
Breakfast
Wheat or Mung bean sprouts
and a cup of skimmed milk.
Midmorning
A glass of orange, pineapple
or carrot juice.
Lunch
Salad of raw vegetables
such as carrot, beet, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes. Steamed or boiled vegetables
Whole grain bread or whole
wheat chapatis (Indian bread) and a glass of buttermilk.
Roasted cumin seeds, green
coriander leaves, a little salt and some grated ginger mixed in the buttermilk.
Mid-afternoon
Coconut water
Dry fruits
Lemon tea
Fresh vegetable soup
Dinner
Whole grain bread or chapatis
Steamed vegetables
Seasonal fruits except banana
and apple.
Home Remedies for Losing
Weight
Increase the quantity of
fruits and vegetables and low calorie foods.
Avoid intake of too much
salt as it may be a factor for increasing body weight.
Milk products like cheese,
butter etc. and non-vegetarian foods should be avoided as they are rich
in fat.
Mint is very beneficial
in losing weight. A chutney of green mint with some simple spices can be
taken with meals. Mint tea also helps.
Spices like dry ginger,
cinnamon, black pepper etc. are good for loosing weight and can be used
in a number of ways.
Regular intake of carrot
juice.
Avoid rice and potato, which
contain a lot of carbohydrates. Among cereals wheat is good.
Vegetables like bitter gourd
(Karela), and bitter variety of drumstick are useful in loosing weight.
Honey is an excellent home
remedy for obesity. It mobilizes the extra deposited fat in the body allowing
it to be utilized as energy for normal functions.
Dosage: One should start
with small quantity of about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water
early in the morning. A teaspoonful of fresh lemon juice may also be added.
Fasting on honey and lime-
juice is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without the loss
of energy and appetite. For this, mix one teaspoon of fresh honey with
the juice of half a lime in a glass of lukewarm water.
Dosage: Take several times
a day at regular intervals.
Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits
the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is
of great value in weight reduction.
Exercise is an important
part of any weight reduction plan. It helps to use up calories stored in
body as fat.
Walking is the best exercise
to begin with and may be followed by running, swimming or rowing.
The gum of Commiphora Mukul
called 'guggulu' is the drug of choice for the treatment of obesity.
Preparation of Home Remedies
According to ayurveda home
remedies are prepared in the same way and with the same purpose as other
ayurvedic medicines. The main aim is to obtain the maximum therapeutic
benefit while making it palatable.
Some common methods of preparing
home remedies are:
Juice
The juice may be taken from
the fresh leaves, flowers or stems of the herb. The part of the herb used
should be crushed or ground in a mortar and pestle, to make a paste. This
paste should be put in a piece of cloth and squeezed to take out the juice.
Dosage: One to two tablespoons
twice a day.
Powder
Dried herbs are used for
powders. The herbs are usually dried in a cool, shady and well-ventilated
place, although some herbs are dried in direct sunlight. The herbs are
then ground into a fine powder and stored in a dry, airtight bottle. The
powder may be taken with water, or if specified, with milk or honey.
Dosage: Half to one teaspoon
twice a day
Decoction
A decoction is prepared
by boiling the herb in water (ratio: 1 part herb to 16 parts water). The
herbs are broken into pieces and soaked in water overnight. This mixture
is then boiled until it reduces to one quarter of the original volume.
It is then filtered and stored in a glass bottle.
Dosage: One to two tablespoons
twice a day.
Infusion
Herbs are soaked in water
to make an infusion (ratio: 1 part herb to 8 parts water). Hot infusions
result from adding herbs to hot water, or gently heating but not boiling
the mixture. This is strained and taken internally. Herbal teas are forms
of hot infusions. Cold infusions are made from soaking the herb overnight.
Honey can be added.
Dosage: half to one cup
once or twice day.
Paste
A paste can be made from
either fresh or dried herbs. The flowers, roots, stems, leaves or bark
are ground and mixed with water. Pastes are mainly used for external application,
in cases of cuts, burns and swellings. The paste should be thick enough
to be applied in a layer to the skin.
Tablets
The herbs should be first
dried separately and then mixed together in a powder form, in fixed proportions.
Water or herbal juice can be added to this powder to make a paste, from
which tablets of a specific size or weight are made. Tablets remain potent
longer than juices, powders, pastes or decoctions.
Dosage: 1 or 2 tablets twice
a day.
Medicated ghee and oil
Ghee is cooked with herbal
juices, decoctions or pastes. The ghee should be heated with the herbal
mixture at a moderate, controlled temperature. High temperatures can easily
burn the ghee or oil, destroying its effectiveness. Medicated ghee and
oils are either used internally or massaged externally.
Dosage: Half to one tablespoon.
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