Stress is one of the leading causes of weight gain in today’s society, apart from being its leading silent killer. Therefore, it’s no surprise that fad diets come and go in popularity as often as seasons come and go. People are looking for ways to lose weight in a healthy way.
Might there be a way we can get away from the old paradigm of crash dieting, binging, and purging we’ve all been so accustomed to? Turns out, Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine that emerged in India over 5,000 years ago, might have the answers to that question.
Ayurveda focuses on bringing the doshas, or the qualities believed to be responsible for a person’s physiological, mental, and emotional health.
When these doshas are in equilibrium, so is the metabolism and function of the body, leading to a healthy, disease-free body.
Ayurveda-based weight loss tips
For weight loss, Ayurveda focuses on diet and lifestyle changes to bring about the desired balance. Here are some Ayurvedic weight loss tips.
- Never skip meals and take them regularly with several-hour gaps in between.
- Ideally, meals should be home-cooked, and you should eat according to your Prakriti or your prime material energy so that your doshas are in equilibrium.
- Refrain from drinking water immediately before and after meals.
- Refrain from eating refrigerated, processed, or stale food, as well as carbonated drinks and alcohol.
- Replace unhealthy fat sources with healthy ones such as ghee.
- Taking a cup of warm water with lemon juice in the morning can help detoxify your body.
Ayurvedic medicine also features a whole host of natural herbs and spices that may help contribute to weight loss, such as the following:
- Turmeric. Turmeric is rich in curcumin, which has shown potential in suppressing the growth of fat tissue. Furthermore, curcumin helps regulate blood sugar levels, therefore preventing insulin resistance. Turmeric may be consumed with milk or taken as a dietary supplement in a tablet or capsule form.
- Triphala. Triphala is a celebrated Ayurvedic herbal remedy featuring the fruit of three Indian herbs. It is thought to prevent disease, improve complexion, and provide a boost of energy. It’s also used to treat constipation and inflammation.
- Cinnamon. Cinnamon enhances metabolism, therefore helping in weight loss. Cinnamon is used in a wide array of culinary and medicinal preparations and tea and powdered forms to derive its optimal benefits.
- Ginger. Ginger appears to suppress obesity in lab rats on high fat, high cholesterol diets. Ginger also helps regulate blood sugar, prevents inflammation, and has thermogenic, fat-burning properties.
- Guggul. Guggul has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for ages to aid for healthy weight loss and increase energy. Guggul has been used to regulate cholesterol and triglyceride content in the body, as well as helping in detoxifying the body. That’s not to mention its anti-inflammatory qualities — guggul is being studied for its effect on inflammation-related illnesses such as acne, psoriasis, and arthritis.
- Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is one of Ayurveda’s star herbs, prized for its stress management and testosterone-boosting capabilities. Moreover, ashwagandha possesses antioxidant and antibacterial qualities and can help relax the body.
- Cardamom. Cardamom is a popular Indian spice that has thermogenic, fat-burning properties that might contribute to helping your cut down your weight. Cardamom also inhibits the creation of bloat and discomfort-causing gas.
- Cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper elevates body temperature, which also increases your metabolism. The higher your metabolism is, the more calories you burn.
These are just some of the various herbs and spices in Ayurveda that may help you lose weight. There’s a whole world for you to discover yet. That said, you can’t just go all-in by incorporating Ayurvedic medicine in your routine and expect it to work miracles in a few days. Ayurveda works best when paired with physical activity, such as walking, yoga, or running. This increases the overall metabolism of the body, helping you shave off the extra pounds.
One more aspect that should be considered is the amount of stress you are under and how you manage it. Chronic stress might be related to various factors such as work problems, financial problems, relationship issues, and the like. In order to achieve efficient weight management, you should try to reduce the overall stress you put yourself into by pursuing stress-fighting activities such as meditation, listening to music, reading a book, among others. Because when you’re happy, you’re most likely healthy.
Conclusion
In closing, obesity may develop into the root cause for other chronic, debilitating disorders you might contract if you don’t take concrete steps to manage your weight — and fast. Diet and lifestyle changes are essential keys to losing weight but don’t count Ayurvedic herbs and medicines. When taken together with a healthy routine of proper diet and exercise, these herbs will help balance your doshas and detoxify your body and improve its metabolism. It’s definitely worth talking to your doctor about.
