Ask the expert: weight issues
I want to lose weight but it’s difficult because I have health problems
I’m a 50-year-old woman, 1.70cm tall and weigh 92kg. I want to lose weight but it’s difficult because I have health problems. I’m diabetic, anaemic and have high blood pressure. Can you please advise a balanced diet I can follow?
Dieting alone cannot help you to lead a healthy life; what you need is a personalised Ayurvedic treatment.
According to Ayurveda, being underweight and overweight are signs that your vata, pitta, and kapha systems – the life energies that are present in all of us – are out of balance. This is irrespective of how much or how little food you eat. Obesity is most commonly found in people with predominantly kapha-type constitutions. Kapha is the life force that holds cells together and forms muscle, fat, bone, and sinew. People with a kapha predominant constitution may also suffer from asthma, diabetes and depression.
An Ayurveda diet for weight loss aims to normalise your digestion and metabolism. As a result your body is able to absorb more nutrients (which can improve your iron and vitamin D deficiencies, which could well be responsible for your low haemoglobin count) and can also effectively break down and eliminate stored fat. Poor digestion creates toxins that contribute to weight gain. To rid the body of such toxins and assist in weight loss, you should undertake a panchakarma (purification) therapy. This includes a deep, dry stimulating massage with herbal powder. It is very effective in breaking up fatty tissue and promoting weight loss.
The key concept for your new lifestyle is balancing the life energies. To achieve overall balance and health, try to maintain regularity in sleeping, exercising and eating.
Try consulting an Ayurvedic physician who can guide you specifically through a personalised treatment plan.
