14 Natural Ayurvedic Medicines For Weight Loss
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Are you serious about weight loss, but at the same time want to improve overall health? Then opting for ayurveda is the best answer. Today I would like to share the quick fix Ayurveda alterations that you can make to your lifestyle to help with sustained weight-loss.
Before knowing more about weight loss through Ayurveda, let’s understand Ayurveda first. Ayurveda is derived from two Sanskrit words Ayur and Veda. Ayur means life or longevity, while veda means Science. In other words, Ayurveda is a Science of Life. Originated in India, an ancient medicine system, which has now gained scientific backing for most methods, unlike other conventional methods.
Does Ayurveda Really Help With Weight Loss?
Without a doubt, it does help with weight loss, or dealing with any other health problem for that matter. Besides, Ayurveda deals with identifying and treating the root cause of the problem, resulting in a permanent solution.
Ayurveda has underlying principles for every problem, with all the diseases being classified under different body types. There’s no universal solution in Ayurveda and the medicines are suggested based on one’s body type, problems, symptoms and various other factors. There are several Ayurvedic medicines for weight loss, which you can try. It is important to understand it is not a quick fire solution, rather, effective and comprehensive weight loss aids that offer definitive benefits slowly but steadily. The best part is that, the weight lost using Ayurvedic methods are permanent, as long as you adhere to the suggestions.
Tips To Follow During Weight Loss With Ayurveda:
Before going into the medicines, let us take a look at the suggestions for maintaining ideal body, and tips to follow during weight loss efforts.
Early To Bed And Early To Rise:
The principal tip is to sleep early and rise early. The best time to hit the bed is 10 PM, at most 11PM, and rising at 5 AM or by 6 AM is a must. Our body functions in an organized way in line with nature and adhering to the natural cycle, works the best. Our body functions active during the day and rests at night. When we follow this routine, many health problems, including obesity is tackled naturally.
Three Meals:
Eating three meals is ideal, unless you have low blood sugar levels. Having multiple meals is not advised in Ayurveda, unlike what many health care professionals claim today. Instead, a healthy breakfast, scrumptious lunch and a light dinner are recommended. Our liver is at its best during noon, so your heavy meal should be at noon. This way, the body assimilates what is ingested. Also, for healthy and natural detoxification, our liver should have enough rest at night (to detoxify the body), a reason why dinner should be light.
Go Natural:
Nature has everything we need, though we hardly realize it. Seasonal fruits and veggies are for a reason. Our body needs food according to the different seasons and that’s why, our body craves seasonal foods during those seasons. Besides staples like rice, wheat and other fruits and veggies, seasonal fruits and veggies should be part of our diet during their respective seasons.
Water:
Lastly, drinking water soon after or before a meal is not advisable. While water is good for overall health and weight loss, consuming it with food dilutes stomach acids that aid with digestion. This is the reason many are obese, since food is not broken down or assimilated properly. Built-up toxins, hormonal imbalance, improper digestion, etc. are just a few contributing factors of weight gain and obesity. On the contrary, sipping water throughout the day, in particular, warm water is ideal and aids with digestion and detoxification.
Now that the most confusing concepts are cleared, let’s move on Ayurvedic medicines for weight loss.
[Read: Herbs for Weight Loss ]
Ayurvedic Medicines For Weight Loss:
There are many options when it comes to weight loss in Ayurveda. Here, we would know the common medicines for all body types, irrespective of the body type. Since we can’t figure our body type at home and need help, which is not possible, we are going to cover medicines that are suitable for everyone.
1. Lemon & Honey:
The most common remedy is lemon with honey. Every morning, the first thing you consume right after brushing should be warm water with lemon juice and honey. This is a delicious drink too! This potent combo reduces appetite, detoxifies the body and aids with weight loss without affecting your health. Many fear lemons, due to cold. If you fear so, you can use hot water to combat it.
2. Pepper:
While lemon and honey will do the trick, adding pepper powder makes it more potent. Though it is not a compulsion to have early morning, you can have it once during the day. Also, if you fear lemons are going to give a cold, the pepper will combat it!
3. Cabbage:
Cabbage can be consumed raw, or cooked. When it’s raw, it is more potent. Eat a bowl of cabbage every day to boost fat burning. You can have it before food, or substitute it as a snack.
4. Digestive Aids:
Weight gain is often due to improper digestion, or lack of digestion fire according to Ayurveda. Increasing foods that increase digestive fire works wonders with weight loss. Foods that boost digestion and enhance your digestive fire include ginger, papaya, bitter gourd, garlic, chilli, etc.
5. Spice Up Your Food:
Lack of spice can reduce digestion fire. Pungent, bitter and astringent foods are important for retaining digestion fire in one’s body. Adding cumin, cayenne, mustard and pepper are ideal. You can substitute pepper for chilli in most recipes, or combine both. It is important to understand pepper does not aggravate acidity, rather it cools down, unlike chilli.
6. Get Rid Of Ama:
Ama is the term used to denote the byproduct of incomplete digestion in Ayurveda. Accumulated ama clogs lymph channels and triggers weight gain, besides leaving an individual tired. Without getting rid of it, it is difficult to deal with weight gain. Hence, consuming foods that aid with elimination of ama is important. Turmeric, Triphala (a potent combination of amalaki, haritaki and bibbitaki), trikatu (a potent combination of ginger, Indian long pepper and ginger in equal proportion), Barberry and Guggulu, all help in eliminating ama. You get these in capsule form, and you can also use powders.
7. Fasting:
Fasting once a week is recommended in Ayurveda for detoxification and efficient functioning of digestive system. You can have water, green teas (ginger tea, tulsi tea, mint tea, etc) and clear vegetable soups..
8. Concoction:
Mix Kutki (Scrophulariaceae), chitrak (Plumbago zeylonica) and trikatu in equal proportions. Blend well and have about ½ spoon of this mixture with a gulp of warm water. You need to swish this mixture once and then swallow. Have it once a day if you are overweight, and twice if you are obese or morbidly obese.
9. Herbs:
Other common herbs suggested in Ayurveda for weight loss include Haritaki, Bibhitaki, Amalaki, Licorice, Tulsi, Aloe Vera, Vrikshamla, etc. Most of these herbs are now available in capsule form for ease of use.
10. Ginger:
Consuming fresh ginger, with or without honey is also suggested to burn fat in Ayurveda. You could have this in the morning, since it increases body heat.
11. Horse Gram:
Many Ayurvedic experts suggest horse gram when you want to lose weight. You have to soak a cup of horse gram overnight, and boil it around afternoon. Once cooked, add chopped onions and rock salt to taste. Take this for 45 days, without skipping even one day! Follow this with a glass of buttermilk and see how fat is burned steadily.
12. Aloe Punch:
Another way is to prepare a drink with Aloe juice, turmeric powder, cumin powder, Tinospora cordifolia Powder and Terminalia Chebula Powder, in a glass of water. You can use warm water, as well. Add a spoon of honey to taste and drink it. Wait for at least one hour, before you eat anything. You can continue this drink till you lose adequate weight.
Here Are The Measurements To Prepare Aloe Punch:
- Turmeric Powder: a pinch
- Cumin Seeds Powder – a pinch
- Aloe Vera Juice – 1 – 2 Tbsp
- Tinospora cordifolia Powder – a pinch
- Terminalia Chebula Powder – a pinch
13. Digestive Tea:
Take equal quantity of cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds. About ½ spoon should do for one person. Now, add this to a bowl of water and bring it to a boil. Close the lid and boil for about five minutes. Transfer it into a flask and keep sipping it during the day. This tea will aid with digestion and weight loss.
14. Six Tastes:
Foods are classified based on their taste, namely astringent, sour, bitter, salty, sweet and pungent (spicy). It is important to ensure you get all these tastes every day, for proper functioning of the digestive system and for weight management. So remember to include a variety of foodstuffs to ensure you get all tastes and nutrients.
Ayurveda advocates almost a vegan diet for staying fit and healthy. While they don’t advocate skipping meat altogether, consumption is considerably less. Besides, all processed foods and overcooked or fried foods are to be avoided.
So start skipping refined salt and sugar and find natural and healthy substitutes like rock salt, honey, licorice extract, etc. When you follow these tips religiously, besides adopting the above given remedies that are available, weight management will become a reality.
So what is your intake from this post? Do not forget to share your valuable thoughts with us.
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