Charak Samhita Ayurveda text describes eight different types of bodies (Ashtnindniya Purush) 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 three things must be kept in mind:
1. Regulate the eating habits.
2. Exercise.
3. Avoiding the causes of weight gain

Food recommendation for weight loss

• 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 weight loss

• 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. 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 losing 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 losing 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Author:

Dr Nirav Joshi, Ayurvedacharya