How To Treat Obesity The Ayurvedic Way?
Some people eat to live while others live to eat. The latter often find themselves overweight and suffering from obesity. An obese person typically has excessive fat deposits on his or her abdomen, breasts, thighs and buttocks. Apart from overeating, a lack of exercise and bad sleep habits also contribute to obesity. If left unaddressed, obesity can increase a person’s risk of heart disease, diabetes, liver damage, kidney issues and arthritis. Some of the symptoms of this condition include:
According to Ayurveda, obesity is also known as Medarog. The aggravation of Kapha dosha is considered responsible for this condition. Kapha can be described as cold, wet, sticky, dense and slow in nature. The kapha dosha is responsible for weight management and formation of tissues, blood, fat, bones, muscle and nutritive fluids. When the kapha dosha is aggravated, it can cause an accumulation of toxins in the body or more specifically, the Medovahi Srotas or fat channels of the body. This causes the amount of fat tissue to increase thus increasing a person’s weight.
Thus to treat obesity, Ayurveda focuses on pacifying the kapha dosha. This is achieved in two ways. The first step is to avoid any food that could aggravate the kapha dosha. This includes carbohydrates like white rice and potatoes, any kind of processed food, oily or fried food, and dairy products made from whole milk. These may be replaced with brown rice, whole wheat flour, steamed foods and skimmed milk products. An ayurvedic diet to combat obesity also advises an increase in fruit and vegetable intake with special mention of bitter vegetables like bitter gourd and drumsticks.
The second step to dealing with obesity is to cleanse the Medovahi Srotas. This can be achieved with the help of cleansing herbs. Starting each day with a glass of warm water mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a spoon of honey can be very effective towards achieving this aim. Additionally, you could also drink a tea made by steeping a few mint leaves in hot water. Herbs such as guggul, haritaki, amla, bibhitaka and kumbhajatu can be very helpful in cleansing the body.
In addition to eating the right food in the right quantity, regular exercise is also a must. Ideally, you should exercise for at least half an hour each day. Going for a long, brisk walk, running and swimming are ideal exercises for weight loss. Along with helping you lose excess weight, exercising also tones your muscles, reduces stress and increases your stamina.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
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