Losing weight can be a real challenge. Some people succeed easily, while others have great difficulty losing weight. In Ayurveda, this difference is explained in particular by the constitution of people, their doshas. Indeed, in people with strong Vata dominance, weight loss is easier than in people with Kapha dominance. Since each individual is different in Ayurveda, it is very important to adapt to the diet when you want to lose weight. Before seeing how to lose weight with Ayurveda, it is important to understand how the body works in cases of excess weight and obesity according to the ancient medicine of Ayurveda.

Understanding Overweight

Overweight or obesity (Sthaulya) is a common metabolic disorder and one of the oldest documented diseases. In Ayurveda, from 1500 BC AD, Charaka Samhita describes overweight as a disorder of fat metabolism. Overweight may be the result of overeating heavy, sugary and fatty foods, lack of exercise and hereditary predisposition, as well as lower cultural, social, psychological and emotional conditions. Some obesity may be due to disorders of the pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands, gonads, pancreas and hypothalamus. Other causes may include food allergies, environmental toxins, or unbalanced metabolism.

Excess overweight or obesity can reduce longevity, premature aging, unpleasant odors, excessive sweating, shortness of breath during moderate exertion, excessive hunger and thirst, weakness, loss of vitality, loss of sexual power and mental confusion. If left unresolved, various complications such as hypertension, high cholesterol, lipomas, heart problems, hyperacidity, kidney infections, diabetes, fistula and arthritis may occur.

Ayurvedic Definition of Overweight

According to Charaka, a person is « obese » when fatty and muscular tissues drop the hips, abdomen and breasts and his vitality is less than the size of his body.

Symptoms

According to Ayurveda, an altered digestive fire produces Ama (toxins), which disrupts adipose tissue and blocks their good reform. The adipose tissue then accumulates in the body and causes overweight or obesity. The accumulation of fat aggravates Vata, which increases the appetite. So the person eats more and the vicious circle continues. Overweight can occur in people of any constitution.

Signs of presence of Vata
Many Vata people eat to protect themselves from the nervousness or anxiety that characterizes Vata prevalence.

Signs of presence of Pitta
In people with Pitta constitutions, obesity is impressive, but rare, and the weight usually fluctuates a lot. People with Pitta constitutions usually have a significant appetite. However, their metabolism is fast and they are less likely to develop obesity than people with the Kapha constitution.

Signs of presence of Kapha

People with a Kapha constitution are the most susceptible to obesity because their metabolism is very slow. Since their renal function is often weak, they tend to retain water. Excess weight is therefore mainly due to water retention rather than the accumulation of inappropriate adipose tissue. In addition, Kapha people often relieve stress or depression by eating.

Type of Diet to Be Adopted in Case of Overweight

Pro-Agni diet that involves increasing the digestive fire. Anti-Kapha or anti-Pitta diet, depending on the symptoms of the person.

Foods for weight loss in Ayurveda

The diet will be rich in astringent and spicy rasa. The spicy flavor can be found in spices, while astringency is brought by some fruits, leafy vegetables and herbal teas.

It is very important to maintain a sufficient digestive fire in the case of overweight and even at all times. This is one of the first steps. For this, drink ginger and fennel herbal teas after meals and start with a tincture of bitter plants to start the meal. Place a few drops under the tongue 15 minutes before the meal to allow the liver to evacuate enough bile to capture the fat of the next meal and digest them well.

It is advisable to observe a fast of approximately 14 hours in Ayurveda, and this, for all Ayurvedic constitutions. If you sleep between 22h and 6h (so 8 hours), you just have to spread 6 hours of fasting before or after these 8 hours of sleep or the stomach is empty. This technique, known to some as intermittent fasting, allows the body to release more easily toxins in the body.

Variety of Food

Use bitter foods to stimulate liver and gall bladder work to properly digest fat and filter out toxins. Each meal can be started with a salad of rockets, spinach, parsley or sorrel.

Add apple cider vinegar as seasoning. For Kapha, the foods that speed up the metabolism is preferred: yerba mate, coffee, tea, ginger, garlic, turmeric and all other heating spices.

Do not nibble and finish your plate. Often, the portions of overweight people are above their digestive capacity. If this is the case, it will be important to reduce the portions by starting to leave a little food on the plate. As time goes by, the person will use less and the portions will decrease.

Foods to Avoid

Sweet rasa foods. Sweet and cold foods are strictly not recommended. Refined sugar is absolutely forbidden while carbohydrates are to be reduced as much as possible. Potatoes, root vegetables and whole wheat cereals are long digestible and do not make it easy for Agni to work in a case of obesity. We must avoid them.

Fatty foods are also to be avoided. No frying, trans fat, hydrogenated oils can be consumed. Avoid heavy foods, such as all animal proteins (milk, egg, meat, fish, cheese), as well as food combinations that are difficult to digest.

In the same meal, do not mix meat with carbohydrates. The meat will combine with vegetables. Carbohydrates will also combine with vegetables.