WEIGHT LOSS – Ayurvedic Treatment, Diet, Exercises, Research Papers, Yoga & Pranayama

Weight loss is the reduction in the total body mass. It generally occurs due to malnourishment or an underlying disease. It may also occur without underlying pathology.

• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• CAUSES OF WEIGHT LOSS
• PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF WEIGHT LOSS
• DIAGNOSIS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• TREATMENTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• PROGNOSIS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• COMPLICATIONS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• WEIGHT LOSS  AND AYURVEDA
• NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF WEIGHT LOSS
• PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF WEIGHT LOSS
• CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• HOME REMEDIES FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR WEIGHT LOSS
• YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Weakness
• Loss of appetite or increased appetite
• Fatigue
• Reduction in body mass

CAUSES OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Dieting
• Exercise
• Hyperthyroidism
• Infections
• Side effects of certain medications
• Autoimmune diseases
• Cancer
• Bowel diseases
• Diabetes
• Mental and physical stress
• Malnutrition

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Weight loss is triggered by many factors. In the case of infections, the immune system sends white blood cells to fight off the infection, which leads to fatigue.
• Psychosocial factors like stress are also contributing to weight loss.
• The deficiency of nutrients along with other disease conditions becomes a part of the pathogenesis of weight loss.

DIAGNOSIS OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Proper history taking
• Physical examinations
• Laboratory tests
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• X – rays
• Body mass index

• BMI Categories:

Underweight = <18.5

Normal weight = 18.5–24.9

Overweight = 25–29.9

Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

• Formula:

Weight (kg) / [height (m)]²

• Blood tests – to measure the level of thyroid hormones, blood glucose level etc.

TREATMENTS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Treatment of underlying pathology
• Nutrient supplementation

PROGNOSIS OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Prognosis is based on the cause of the disease, duration  and condition of the patient

COMPLICATIONS OF WEIGHT LOSS      

• Chronic fatigue syndrome

WEIGHT LOSS AND AYURVEDA

• In Ayurveda,weight loss falls under ‘dhatukshaya’, ‘ojokshaya’ and ‘karshya’.
•  The causes and pathogenesis of diseases caused by the vitiation of dosha, in general, are the exclusive cause and pathogenesis ofweight loss.

NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Excess consumption of ununctuous, unwholesome food
• Excessive physical exercise.
• Suppression of natural urges.
• Trauma
• Injuries
• Agantu factors(infections)
• Fasting

PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF WEIGHT LOSS

• The feeling of tiredness (ksheena)

SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Vata, pitta and kapha dosha move through all channels of circulation. Due to the subtle nature of vata it impels the remaining two doshas.
• The aggravated vata having provoked these two doshas, exacerbated and fills up the empty channels and moves greatly inside them or by getting enveloped by the other doshas.
• The aggravated doshas reside in the body and combine with dhatus leads to weight loss and fatigue.
• Medo dhatu and mamasa dhatu kshaya occur in weight loss.

LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Karshya – reduced body mass
• Sada – weakness
• Aruchi – loss of appetite

AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF WEIGHT LOSS

• Symptoms are manageable with proper ayurvedic therapies.
• Weight loss due to chronic diseases needs special attention.

CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Ayurvedic local treatment for weight loss

• Abhyanga – oil massaging
• Shirodhara

AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Treatment of dosha vitiation
• Treatment for dhatu kshaya
• Treatment for agni
• Rasayana seva
• Ashtachurna
• Draksharishtam
• Chyvanaprasam
• Dhanwantharam ghritam
• Aswagandha tablet
• Brahmi ghritam

 AYURVEDIC SHODHANA TREATMENT FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Sneha vasthi, yapana vasthi  – Medicated enema

COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Internal administration

• Ashtachurna
• Draksharishtam
• Chyvanaprasam
• Dhanwantharam ghritam
• Aswagandha tablet
• Brahmi ghritam

External application

• Snehadhara – with balaswagandha tailam and ksheerabala tailam
• Shashtika Sali panda sweda

HOME REMEDIES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Proper rest
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Bathing in warm water
• Body massaging

DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Avoid food items that produce dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
• Consume easily digestible food items, cow’s milk
• Avoid heavy exercises which further aggravate the conditions.
• Oil massage on the whole body advised.
• Consume a balanced diet

YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Nadi Shuddi Pranayam   

The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.                             

• Savasana – relaxes body and mind