Obesity and Overweight Treatment, Management through Yoga and Ayurveda

Childhood obesity

It is supposed to be a gift of modern civilization. People get obese due to faulty lifestyle, wrong eating, and mistaken standard of living. Nowadays, children, youths, females, and adults, all can be seen suffering from this disorder. It is sad when the vast options of the affordable care act (ACA) have to include extensive coverage for diabetes and other overweight-related conditions. Childhood obesity and weight control are too common due to lack of physical activity, exercise, and sedentary lifestyle. Childhood overweight is becoming an epidemic health problem globally. The increasing number of obese patients shows that we are getting away from Nature. This condition can be treated effectively by balanced nutrient intake and rational use of alternative medicine like Yoga, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, and Unani. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a judicious choice for a healthy life.

How to measure obesity (BMI)

It can be measured by Weight in Kg /Height in Meter square, of your body that is termed as Body Mass Index (BMI). The various numerical values of BMI and its associated conditions are: when BMI is <18.5 Kg/ m², it is underweight. Value between 18- 24 Kg/ m² called Normal, 25-29 Kg/ m² called Overweight and > 30 Kg/ m² termed as Obese.

Symptoms of Obesity

The main symptoms and signs of it are as under:

• Fatty and disproportionate body (imbalance between height and weight)
• Breathlessness after work
• More perspiration
• Pain in back or joints/trouble moving
• Laziness
• Excessive sleep
• Snoring
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Size of waist increase
• Experiencing hot
• Sign of rashes in the fold-up of your skin

Obesity causes

The main causes and reasons behind this may be as under:

• Digestive disorders
• Lack of hard work
• Lazy and sedentary lifestyles
• Lack of exercise
• Hormonal imbalance and an unhealthy diet
• More intake of heavy and oily food items i.e. fast food
• Overeating and more intakes of fat calories
• Improper assimilation of food
• Heredity (children of obese person has high risk)
• Excessive use of alcohol and smoking
• Drugs like steroids and some antidepressants may cause excessive weight gain
• Age (generally people above 40 started gaining weight)
• Psychological factors like boredom, sadness, or anger decreased activity level
• Slow metabolism leads to fat deposits and increases weight
• Diseases like hypothyroidism, insulin resistance are also contributors to the disorders

Complications of Obesity

If a person is obese, he may experience the following health hazards

• Osteoarthritis
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Depression
• Metabolic disorder
• Sleep disorders
• Blood abnormalities
• Cancer
• High level of cholesterol
• Breathing problem
• Stroke

Diagnosis of Obesity

If you are Overweight or Obese, the following tests or exams may be recommended by the physicians for the purpose of treatment.

• Assessing your health history like weight loss or gain, dieting habits, stress, etc.
• Reviewing health problems like blood pressure, heart disease
• Measurement of BMI (Body Mass Index) circumference of your waist
• Blood and Urine tests for extra sugar

Yoga for obesity prevention

The disease is supposed to be a gift of the modern lifestyle and it’s a breeding ground for so many diseases. Yoga poses like Asanas, Pranayama, meditation, and relaxation techniques are helpful for weight loss, lessening of body fat, and weight management. Shedding off excess fat and attaining an ideal body can be achieved by practicing yoga. Yogic exercises or therapy is highly effective in the control and management of it. The different yogic practices and yoga tips for treatments of the disorder are:

• Sarvangasana( Shoulder stand pose) improves the efficiency of the thyroid glands, which is responsible for correcting body weight and normalize the endocrine system that too controls the condition.
• Padahastasana (Forward bending asana) improves the metabolic process of the body by acting on the thyroid and pituitary gland, thus control it.
• Dhanurasana (Bow pose) helps to burn excessive fat in the body.
• Paschimottanasana (Back stretching pose) helps to remove excess fat in the abdominal region tones all the abdominal organs.
• Ardha-Matsyendrasana (Half spinal twist pose) treats ailments like diabetes, indigestion, overweight, and constipation.
• Bhujangasana (Cobra pose) massages the abdominal organs, increases the flexibility of the back, and also regulated the thyroid gland. Good for childhood overweight.
• Pavan Muktasana (Wind releasing pose) reduces abdominal fat.
• Viparita Karni relieves the disorders related to thyroid and parathyroids glands.
• Practices like Kunjal and Shankha Prakshalana are quite effective in treating fat-related problems.
• Regular practice of, Kati Chakrasana, Halasana, Matsyasana, and Ushtrasana along with Surya Namaskara is highly beneficial for such patients.
• Suryabhedi and Bhastrika Pranayama are also found useful in weight reduction.
• Such patients should start their daily routine early morning with a brisk walk.

Ayurveda treatments for obesity

Ayurveda is an alternative natural herbal treatment to cure overweight conditions by balancing the body. The top Ayurveda medicine for weight reduction is:

• Guduchi helps in the proper canalization of fats in the body thus used as an effective ayurvedic treatment for fat reduction.
• Guggulu reduces fat accumulation in the body and gives a leaner physique.
• Indian Gooseberry contains vitamin C that disintegrates fatty buildup in the body and a good example of an ayurvedic remedy.
• Consuming 2 teaspoons of honey + 1 glass herbal tea can be used as an herbal remedy for the obese person and weight reduction.
• 1 tsp guggul + ginger + honey, an ayurvedic alternative for fat management.
• 1/2 teaspoon of chitrak + kukti + trikatu is used as ayurvedic medicine for weight reduction.
• For Ayurveda weight management, fresh pineapple juice, hot peppers juice, and pimentos must be used to get the benefits.
• As an Ayurveda weight control, Triphala (3-5 gm) or aloe gel can be used.
• Use of devadaru, musta, triphala, takrarishta and honey are recommended as a natural herb cure for overweight.
• Powder of yava and amalaka is an excellent formulation for reducing fat in the body.
• Shilajita along with the juice of Agnimatha works well.
• Take honey water early in the morning.
• Use powder of Vidanga, Sunthi, Aamalaki, and Loha is good for the disorder.
• Herbs like amla are haritaki are also quite effective.
• Mix parts of turmeric, triphala, trikatu, and honey is useful in managing fat.
• Using green gram and horse gram.

Homeopathy medicine for obesity

• Calcarea carb is a homeopathic treatment for weight control. It helps to reduce it by reducing fat and a large belly.
• Cinchona off is used especially for weight treatment to reduce gluttonous appetite.
• Lycopodium decreases the craving for sweets and loss of appetite.
• Calotropis gigantea is an effective homeopathy remedy for overweight and to reduce fat.
• Phytolacca berry is for weight reduction.
• Ignatia is generally prescribed if you are anxious and fearful, and tend to overeat.
• Coffea cruda is indicated if you are excitable and nervous and eat primarily to calm down.
• Ferrum metallicum: fat with anemia and puffy face.
• Ammonium muriaticum: suitable for those who have large buttock, fatty belly, and thin legs.
• Thyroidinum: Playing a bigger role with excessive fat accumulation.
• Antimonium crudum : This product is used when young people are suffered from overweight.
• Phytollaca: help to reduce fat thereby fruitful for reducing weight.
• Fucus: A preparation to reduce fat.
• Another important Homeopathic medicine to reduce fat and overcome weight is Ammonium Carb, Ammonium Mur, Aurum Metallicum, Calcarea Carbonica, Calotropis Gigantea, Capsicum, Carlsbad, Esculentine, Ferrum Metallicum, Fucus Vesiculosus, Graphites, Kali Bichromicum, Kali Carbonicum, Phytolacca Berry, Phytoline, Thyroidinum, etc.

Naturopathy to treat obesity

Fat accumulation is the most common nutritional disorder in modern times. It has been aptly saying “Longer the belt, Shorter the life”. The people who suffered from the disease should give sufficient place to hard work and exercise in their daily routine. Stress, anxiety, tension, and taking alcoholic beverages too caused it. To manage this condition with naturopathy, the patients are advised to take the following measures.

• Fasting, especially with juice for 4-5 days is an effective natural remedy for it.
• Mudpack is a traditional method of healing.
• Warm-water enema
• Steam and Sauna bath restore the natural way of living and help in reducing it.
• Hip bath
• Full tub bath
• Sunbath
• Hotfoot bath and
• Massage is given by using oils like mustard and coconut to have good impact on the patients.
• A whole-body massage is useful.
• Swimming is also helpful in reducing weight.
• Stay away from high-calorie food.
• Daily walk 3-4 km is recommended

Unani medicine for obesity

Unani medicine has a long successful record of treating obese people. The most important aspect of Unani is its quality coordinating with the body system.

• Safoof e muhazzil hamrah arque zeera( 2 tola twice a day)
• Shahed khalis and jamun ka sirka humwazan + arque lemon ( twice a day)
• Aksir e rewand aqabi idrari (safoof e jiger)

Siddha treatments for obesity

• Medicines like ponkoranti , kollu, Pazham puzhi, and Avarai roots reduce excess body fat and cholesterol.
• Salacia roots used for it.
• The antioxidant property of garlic is famous for weight loss.
• Seenthil + Triphala + Parpadakam + honey, useful for obese people.
• Indian gooseberry is an effective herb for the treatment of weight management.
• Guggulu reduces fat from the body.

Top 10 home remedies for overweight

1. Honey is an excellent product to reduce it. It can be used as an herbal remedy.
2. Lemon water in the morning is an effective weight loss remedy.
3. Avoid sleeping during the day.
4. The use of hot water throughout the day is beneficial for the melting of fats. Generally, it is used as an overweight home remedy treatment.
5. Tea with ginger dissolves fat acts as a natural home remedy.
6. Fasting is also one of the aspects to control.
7. Follow the exercise regime regularly.
8. Yeast brewer is the substitute for sweet.
9. Bee pollen also enhances metabolism.
10. Identify and avoid food triggers

How diet reduce weight naturally

Excellent therapy to reduce weight is less eating and more exercise. Such patients should start their treatment with a liquid diet. During the juice diet, a glass of water mixed with half lemon juice should be taken 3 to 4 times a day. After a liquid diet, a time fruit diet and one-time Dalia and vegetables should be taken for a week. Thereafter, whole wheat chapatti and boiled vegetables should be taken. This process should be repeated after every 15 days. Prefer more fruits and vegetables, salad and sprouts to overcome the weight problem. As weight control advice, restrict the use of sweets, heavy and oily foods. With the diet therapy and diet chart alone, the treatment of overweight is incomplete. Diet can combat fat accumulation.

Diet tips to control weight

The following diet information is an effective natural diet for weight management.

• Morning: One glass water +lemon juice + 2 spoon of honey, consider as a weight loss diet.
• Breakfast: Sprouts (Moong + Methi) or anyone seasonal fruit or fruit juice.
• Lunch: Whole wheat roti – 1 or 2 + boiled vegetables (Lauki, Tinda, Taroi, Parval, etc.) without spices+ Salad, + Chhachh (1 glass).
• Mid-afternoon: Coconut water or dry fruits or lemon tea or vegetable soup.
• Evening: One glass water + lemon juice + honey (2 tsp) or Veg. Soup (1 glass).
• Dinner: As in lunch

Obesity prevention and precautions

• Follow the traditional system of medicine
• Make positive changes in eating, living, and thinking habits.
• Regular exercise combined with a morning walk, yoga, balanced, and controlled natural diet shows good results.
• Avoid fast and junk food.
• Follow your weight regularly.
• Stick with your diet pattern or chart.
• Avoid aerated drinks and excess water after meal.
• The intake of fat and carbohydrates should be restricted.
• Foods that are excessively rich in carbohydrates must be avoided.
• Obese people must avoid preserved foods.
• Avoiding sleeping in the afternoons helps to increase the burning of calories.
• Excessive smoking and alcohol consumption should be avoided.