Treatment
modalities for weight loss in Ayurveda
Weight gain or excessive weight is
referred to as sthaulya in ayurveda. It is one of the
ashtha-maha-gada (the eight major diseases). Treatment of weight
loss is considered to be more difficult than weight gain. A constant
and determined effort on the part of the patient is a necessary part
of treatment for weight loss. This is because the weight loss is
gradual but permanent if proper treatment regimen is
followed.
The treatment modality can be broken
up into four parts.
1) Proper diet and daily regimen
(aahar-vihar)
2) Oral treatment
(Kaya-Chikitsa)
3) Purificatory procedures
(Panchakarma)
4) Mind Control (Yoga, meditation
etc.)
1)
Aahar-Vihar – After studying factors
such as prakriti (constitution), lifestyle, food habits etc. the
patient should be advised on proper diet. This should include easy
to digest and light foods such as jwari, bajri etc. Reduction in
kapha producing foods like wheat, rice, potato, pulses like black
gram seeds (urad), non-vegetarian food, oily or deep-fried foods,
sweets, milk preparations etc. should be recommended. Also proper
control of matra (quantity) should be advised. If patient is in a
profession or work which is sedentary in nature, proper exercise
regimen should be recommended. The exercise should be such that the
patient can do it on a regular basis. Swimming, cycling, jogging and
any other exercise which requires stamina and uses up calories
should be recommended. Aerobic exercises also are beneficial but the
important word here is regular exercise not vigorous
exercise.
2)
Oral treatment – After proper
examination of the patient oral medications can be recommended
depending on the cause of the weight gain. Substances like Guggul,
Shilajit, Kumbha etc or medicinal preparations containing such
substances can be recommended. Ayurveda considers increase in meda
dhatu and kapha to be the cause of weight gain. The important factor
in oral treatment should be to improve digestion and ensure removal
of excessive medha dhatu and reduction of increased kapha. Also in
some cases the increased kapha and meda leads to obstruction of the
strotases (channels supplying the various nutrients of the body)
which further causes various body nutrients to get accumulated
leading to further weight gain. Oral treatment should ensure removal
of these obstructions and smooth flow of all the
nutrients.
3)
Purificatory procedures – As mentioned
before accumulation of meda and kapha leads to blockage of
strotases. To remove this blockages and also to reduce the increased
meda and kapha purificatory procedures of ayurveda known as
Panchakarma can be used. This will include powder massage using fat
reducing substances like triphala, sweat induction by using various
svedan procedures like steam bath or sauna. Also depending on
individual cases basti (medicated enema) can also be
used.
4)
Mind Control – As mentioned before a
constant and determined effort on part of the patient is very
essential. To achieve this you need good mind control. Though there
are many methods to do this the closest to ayurvedic mindset is
yoga. Along with asanas which individually also can show good
results the procedure of dhyan (meditation) is very useful in
helping the patient to maintain the enthusiasm and determination in
achieving the aim of weight loss.
Weight loss achieved using the
above modalities will vary in extent of results for different
individuals. For some it might show fantastic results within weeks,
for some it might take months. However once the weight loss is
achieved it is almost permanent as long as the patient keeps on
following proper aahar-vihar, mind control and an occasional
panchakarma session.
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