Gangling/lanky/skinny people are taken as lucky and envied, for they can gorge any amount of food they want and like, without growing FAT. On the other hand, these people strive for a fitter body. According to scientists, fat storage is genetic and gender-based. For underweight people, fat storage didn’t happen underneath the skin but deposited elsewhere within the body (especially visceral fat), so they don’t appear fat but may have the same quantity or even more fat than the healthy looking people.
In the Ayurveda, there are three “doshas” namely, vata, pitta, kapha. The doshas are the energies that make up an individual, and they are unique for all. They have a prominent role in the physiology of an individual. For a person who is underweight is determined to be “vata dominant”. Imbalance in the doshas leads to physiological abnormalities.
Other factors leading to an underweight condition
- Skipping meals on a regular basis
- Excess physical exertion
- Stress
- Malabsorption
- Hyperthyroidism and etc.
- Fasting more than the acceptable limit
- Lack of sleep
Health risks for being underweight:
- Osteoporosis (risk greatly in women)
- Infertility (risk greatly in men)
- Anaemia
- Irregular periods
- Premature birth and miscarriages
- Impaired growth
- Hair loss, dry skin
- Getting sick frequently, feeling fatigued
- Weak immune system
Weather underweight or overweight people, both are vulnerable to diseases caused due to obesity like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure etc. It is more important to be healthy. Ayurvedic technics for weight gain holistically balance your body mass to a healthy limit. There is a particular weight for every age and height, so an optimum weight gain is required.
Various Ayurvedic doctors suggest natural ways for weight gain with dietary supplements, exercises, yoga, proper sleep, massaging and eating process. These will help gain balance in the doshas, hence keeping you healthy.
In order to balance the vata dosha, specific ingredients in the diet are necessary, like dairy products, sweeteners, oils, grains, fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, meat and fish.
- Include milk, curd, ghee, rice, wheat, black gram, sugarcane etc. in your daily diet.
- Have heavy fruits such as mango, banana, avocados, papayas, custard apple etc. Reduce dry fruits
- Have vegetables cooked and not raw
- Include spices like cardamom, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, garlic
- Consume raisin and fig
- Avoid food containing a high amount of sugar and white flour
Exercising regularly helps to metabolise your food and gain balanced weight
Adequate sleep is important for at least eight hours
Reduce stress and avoid depression as these can cause drastic weight loss.
Massage with herbal oils. It helps in blood circulation, which will carry nutrients to all parts of your body.
Eat at a normal speed to stimulate the salivary glands which help in your digestion.
While eating, avoid all distractions like watching television, using mobile phones.
Don’t drink excess water before and after eating as it will hinder your digestion.
Do yoga
If you are suffering from any disease as a resulting in weight loss, take the respective measures as prescribed by the doctor.
Therapy recommendation: Brimhana therapy.
People who lost weight because of chronic illness, regular medicine usage, alcohol addicts, depressed, increased physical exertion, increased vata, lactating mothers, underweight children, aged people are only applicable.
This therapy is a “natural weight gain therapy” involving massaging, vata balancing diet, non-strenuous physical activities, stress reduction, proper sleep and providing ayurvedic herbs like brimhana rasayanas
AYURVEDIC WEIGHT GAIN SUPPLEMENTS
- Ashwagandha
- Chyawanprash
- Shatavari
- Vasant kusumakar ras
- Yashimadhu
- Swamala compound
- Badam pak
- Draksharist
- Alfalfa
All of the above mentioned supplements provide weight gain. These are commonly suggested by ayurvedic doctors and are easily available. Each has its own specific dosage according to age and must be followed to avoid side effects. Go the natural way for a healthy life with the gift of Ayurveda.
