My daughter is 15 years old and has accumulated a lot of fat around her stomach. She practises yoga and exercises regularly but this has not helped her lose the fat. Please suggest a remedy.
DK, by email  

You have not mentioned her weight and height so it will not be possible to calculate her BMI.

An excess of intra-abdominal fat is known as central obesity, in which the abdomen protrudes excessively. Whether it's because of heredity or due to hormonal changes, gaining fat in your abdomen is particularly unhealthy when compared to fat on other locations in the body. Excess belly fat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers.

The best way to shrink your waist size is to lower your total body fat through healthy eating and exercise. Regularly walk for an hour. Target deeper abdominal muscles by doing abdominal hollowing. Tone the lower abdomen by doing pelvic tilts and pelvic lifts. Reduce her portion sizes. Replace junk food with healthy foods that contain fewer calories. Replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats. Increase complex carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, and reduce simple carbohydrates like white bread and refined pasta. Meet a doctor to rule out any underlying hormonal problems. An Ayurveda doctor can prescribe you herbs to support her efforts to lose weight. As a supportive home remedy, take 5-10 grams of Triphala powder mixed with water at bedtime.

I am 15 years old and weigh 56 kg. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with appendicitis and underwent surgery. Since then, I have not been able to eat anything. If I eat a little in excess, I feel nauseous. Due to this condition, I have lost a lot of weight.
AA, by email 

Vomiting, the forceful ejection of stomach contents, is generally a protective mechanism to remove harmful ingested substances, but can occur from many unrelated infectious and inflammatory conditions in the body. Vomiting must be differentiated from regurgitation.

Appendectomy is the common surgical procedure for appendicitis, which is the surgical removal of the infected appendix. While nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of appendicitis, appendectomy might not cause nausea or vomiting on a longer term. Meet a doctor to rule out any underlying causes like chronic constipation, gastro-paresis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcer, and gall bladder conditions, parasitic manifestations etc. Take an expert opinion from your surgeon. You may try the home remedies mentioned below:

  • Consume a teaspoon of ground curry leaves (Murraya Koenigii) mixed with water or buttermilk every day.
  • Take two pinches of dried ginger powder mixed with ½ teaspoon ghee (clarified butter) or water before meals.

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