Ayurveda to lose weight

Losing weight will be effective and easy when you combine Ayurveda with Yoga practices. Ayurveda resets your body and mind to regulate the functions of its own by calming the mind and enhancing the digestive fire.
Treatment for overweight and obese in Ayurveda differs from person to person according to ones own body constitution (Prakriti).People with Kapha constitution are more prone to obesity and over weight.

Causes of obesity/overweight in Ayurveda:
- Lack of physical exertion (avyayama)
- diet and life styles which increase Kapha
- Sleeping in day time
- Consuming sweet and fatty food
- genetic factors

Our Gastro-intestinal tract is clogged by toxins,unwanted fats and undigested food. This results in poor absorption of necessary nutrients to the body. This is called 'Ama' in Ayurveda. Ama tends to clog up the circulatory, lymph, and other channels of the body. People who are overweight almost always have an excess of ama in their bodies. Getting rid of the body of its ama is a main strategy of Ayurvedic treatment. That is detoxification with shodhana therapy.


Ayurvedic ways to lose weight:
-Follow Dinacharya (Daily lifestyle regimen) and diet according to your constitution
-Start a diet with which ignites your digestive fire like
Soups and herbal chutneys with some herbs and spices like ginger, black pepper,turmeric and asafoetida(hing)
- Use herbs and spices those are bitter, or astringent, pungent like cumin, ginger, mustard seed, cayenne, and black pepper. Use them generously in your cooking.
-Instead of having coffee and tea have home made herbal teas using the same spices.
-Fasting once in a while with only liquids(like fruit juices,milk and water) is also useful in reducing weight.
-Practice yoga and meditation according to your body type.

- Make lunch your main meal of the day

-Sleep less. Avoid sleeping in afternoons which helps to increase burning calories. This avoids slowing of basal metabolic rate.
-Substitute rice with wheat,Ragi and Barley.
-Barley taken along with "Methi" reduces the excessive fat from the body.
-Use Garlic in your diet since it reduces the blood cholesterol
-Have a steam bath once in a while.
-use of drumstick leaves, radish, cucumber,raw cabbage,spinach,bitter gourd in diet reduces fat.
-Drink butter milk everyday to reduce weight.You can make sweet or spicy lassi and enjoy.
-Avoid sweets,chocolates,ice creams,carbonated drinks,alcohol,deep fried junks. Eat fresh and hot food with vegetables and fruits.

However treatment of obesity in Ayurveda is complete only when it includes

- Udwartana(massage with herbal paste) & Swedana (steaming)- To reduce the meda lipids
-Abhyanga Mardana & Swedana with Vata-kapha pacifying oils
- Basti (Lekahn Basti)
-Herbal supplements and Teas
- Diet control
-Yoga / Exercise program/meditation/pranayama