ABSTRACT
The obesity and overweight rate have doubled throughout the world and now is tripling and the reason is simple. Fast food trends, food challenges, and unhealthy cravings these days are not sparing anyone and people are falling more and more into the obese and overweight category. Lack of time to prepare healthy home meals, excessive workload, mental stress, disturbed personal life and lack of physical activity is the major reason for people being obese and getting prone to multiple health issues. In this article, we are going to have a look at some aspects of losing weight including the introduction, the pros and cons of weight loss, the BMI, and Waist Circumference concept, measures to lose weight, homoeopathic, ayurvedic, and modern options for the same.
INTRODUCTION TO WEIGHT LOSS
The World Obesity Federation says that out of every seven men, one is obese. In India also a large chunk of the population is obese including infants and children as well. Being overweight or obese is considered when an individual has consumed a lot of sugary and fatty food over time and now has excessive body fat, a higher waist circumference, and a BMI of 30 or more. Being overweight is associated with multiple serious health disorders that can be fatal for the individual. Timely management of increased weight and unhealthy lifestyles is important to prevent obesity in the future. There are a lot of solutions available in the market like steroids, bariatric surgeries, and pills but they have a lot of side effects as well.
OVERWEIGHT VS OBESE
There is a very minute line between being obese and overweight as both of them are considered as fat accumulation in fat. An individual is said to be obese when he/she is having a BMI of more than 30 but below 30 and up to 25 are considered overweight. For children who are aged less than 5 years, being overweight is weighing 2 standard deviations as mentioned in the WHO Child growth standards, and for those above 5 years, it is 3 standard deviations above the WHO child growth standards. Being overweight can lead easily to obesity if not controlled at the time and also an overweight individual doesn't need to always land in obesity.
PROS AND CONS OF WEIGHT LOSS
Weight loss is always associated with being healthy and having a great physical appearance but this is not always true as there might be some health issues underlying weight loss. If someone loses a dramatic amount of weight in the short term that might lead to excessive weight gain later and also along with this comes a range of health issues that trouble the person.
Pros
- Improved blood pressure,
- Improved mood,
- Less risk of heart disease,
- Low levels of triglyceride level,
- Improved insulin resistance
- Low risk for cancers
- Confidence boosts up
Cons
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Hair and Muscle loss
- Constipation
- Menstrual Irregularities
- Gallstones
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Electrolyte Imbalances
ETIOLOGY OF BEING OVERWEIGHT/OBESE
Overweight or obesity is observed when the amount of calories that are consumed exceeds the calories that are burned and these extra calories are then accumulated in the body in the form of fat. Obesity is a series of complex issues and there can be multiple etiological factors playing a role in this. These can include:-
- Calories:- A normal man with good physical activity requires 2500 calories/day and a women 2000 calories/day but eating food rich in calories (e.g. milkshake, fries, and a burger that have a total of 1500 calories in one serving) will lead to fat accumulation that leads to overweight and later obesity if not taken care of.
- Diet:- Consumption of processed foods (having high fat and sugar), overdrinking of alcohol, eating huge meals like food challenges, consumption of sugary drinks, comfort eating, and having meals at restaurants frequently.
- Lack of Exercise:- Having less physical activity means burning fewer calories and storing them as fat in the body which not only leads to obesity but also decreases endurance and stamina. Sedentary lifestyles like sitting jobs. Watching excessive TV or social media, and playing online games is also one of the reasons for being overweight and obese.
- Genetics:- A lot of cases of obesity or being overweight can be seen as genetic in some cases there is a habit of huge appetite and in some cases, the body structure is broad making one look overweight but these things do not make losing weight impossible. Prader-Willi syndrome (high hunger, low body muscle, and inability to perform physical activity) is also a known genetic disorder in which an individual gets obese.
- Medical Conditions:- Certain medical conditions involve the consumption of steroids and antidepressants which directly affect the weight of an individual. Conditions like Arthritis (inability to do physical activity), Cushing syndrome, Pregnancy, and Hypothyroidism can also contribute to weight gain.
- Addictions:- Smoking and alcohol consumption can also lead to weight gain and deterioration of overall health.
- Aging:- With ageing there is a change in hormones which can lead to slow metabolism and weight gain but with regular physical activity weight can be managed.
- Social and Economic Status:- In the company of obese people one is often noticed as becoming obese. Also, a lack of knowledge to prepare food according to health conditions and a lack of resources can lead to weight gain in some cases.
- Mental Stress and Lack of Sleep:- Stress and lack of sleep can lead to energy deprivation and lack of willpower to do any exercise. Also in cases of overstress, people tend to go for comfort foods which can become a habit and can lead to a huge amount of weight gain.
DIAGNOSIS OF OBESITY/OVERWEIGHT
Diagnosing obesity and overweight requires some tests and physical examinations and these can include the following:
- History Taking:- This will include proper questioning regarding diet, eating patterns, mental condition, physical activity, medical history, family history, etc.
- Physical Examination:- This will include height and weight measurements, listening to heart and lungs to rule out any pathology, Temperature measurement, blood pressure measurement, and vitals check.
- BMI Check:- BMI is also measured and BMI anywhere more than 30 is considered as obesity. BMI should be calculated at least once every year.
- Waist Circumference:- Risk of heart disease and diabetes increase if abdominal/visceral fat exceeds normal. A waist circumference of more than 40 inches for men and more than 35 inches for women is considered as high.
- Diagnosing Underlying Pathologies:- A proper checkup is necessary for diagnosing underlying disorders that might be the cause of weight gain.
TREATMENT FOR OBESITY/OVERWEIGHT
The main goal of treating a case of overweight or obesity is to induce weight loss that would help to improve health. Initial goals shall not involve strict/difficult diets, extreme weight loss goals, and unnecessary restrictions. The following steps can be followed to combat obesity and overweight: -
- Counseling for Mental Disorders:- This will help boost self-esteem and help with any mental issue ongoing and also help to gain willpower to lose weight.
- Weight Loss Goals:- The goals set should be more realistic and practical and not too hard for the sufferer. Initially, small goals like 4-5 kg weight loss shall be followed with increasing values later on.
- Diet Change:- This plays a major role in weight loss journeys and requires the following inputs -
- Full on less:- Eating foods with fewer calories in bigger portions will help to avoid hunger pangs and unhealthy cravings and keeps one full for a long time.
- Cutting on calories:- This will require analysing the diet and looking for foods that can be eliminated from the diet so that calorie intake can be reduced. An average of 1200 to 1500 calories for women and 1500 - 1800 calories for men is advised.
- Choosing healthy foods:- Opting for lean proteins, less fats, and more plant-based foods with help in losing weight. Avoiding excessive sugar and salt along with carbohydrate-rich foods is also advised.
- Physical activity:- Burning more calories than consumed will help to lose weight if done consistently. Working out at least three days a week is recommended. 10,000 steps daily shall be a set goal for keeping the body healthy.
- Medications:- Many supplements are available in the market claiming weight loss but side effects are also numerous, therefore, proper guidance from an expert shall be taken regarding which medication to be followed. These include:-
- Hydroxycut,
- Caffeine,
- Raspberry ketones,
- Glucomannan,
- Green tea extracts,
- Meratrim, etc.
- Surgeries:- Weight loss surgeries known as bariatric surgeries are known to decrease weight as they limit the food intake and decrease the absorption of food and calories. These surgeries include:-
- Intragastric balloon
- Gastric aspiration
- Vagal nerve blocking
- Sleeve gastropathy
- Gastric banding
- Gastric bypass
- Gastric sleeves
- Homeopathic Solutions:- Homoeopathy provides an easy solution for weight loss that is effective and safe to use and also helps in balancing mental health along with physical. The following medications can be consumed to lose weight:-
- Natrum muriaticum:- This medicine is very effective in:
- People who have lower body fat accumulation, especially in the thigh and buttocks,
- People who have heat radiation along with uneasiness,
- People who are depressed
- People who are anaemic
- Calcarea carbonica:- This medicine is very effective in:
- People who suffer from abdominal fat accumulation,
- People who suffer from chronic constipation
- People who suffer from thyroid disorders
- Obese children
- Children who get hungry after eating and have shortness of breath.
- Natrum phosphoricum:- This helps to lose weight in patients who:
- Have constant acidity and sour taste along with belching.
- Phytolacca:- This remedy helps in:
- Improving the metabolism of the body.
- Normalises the hunger pattern which leads to better digestion and normal pH.
- Lycopodium:- This remedy helps:
- people who gain weight due to overeating very easily, especially in their buttocks and legs.
- Fucus vesiculosus:- This remedy can help in:
- Improving digestion,
- Relieves constipation thereby reducing the extra weight.
- Ayurvedic Solutions:- In Ayurveda, it is believed that disturbance in Medo dhatu functioning and low agni can lead to toxin accumulation in the body that leads to weight gain or obesity (also known as Sutholyam) which leads to vitiation of vata dosha and blockage of channels which later on due to vitiation of kapha leads to deposition in form of fat. Various herbal medications can be taken in cases of obesity or overweight:-
- Punarnava/Boerhaavia diffusa helps in getting rid of extra fluid and toxins accumulated in the body which leads to weight reduction gradually.
- Amla or Indian gooseberry is the best antioxidant that helps to get rid of toxins in the body that lead to weight gain and keep the body away from diseases. Amla is having a high amount of fiber as well which helps in losing weight.
- Brahmi or Bacopa monnieri help to get rid of toxins from the whole digestive system and also helps with hormonal weight gain.
- Garcinia cambogia or Malabar tamarind helps to get rid of unnecessary hunger pangs and keeps fat production under control.
- Guggul or Commiphora mukul help to remove the accumulated fat from the body and control the appetite hormones and unhealthy cravings.
Fad diets or crash diets shall be strictly avoided as they might help to lose weight but they will eventually lead to regaining of the weight when stopped.
As easy as it sounds these surgeries can later in life also lead to deficiencies and eating disorders.
MEASURES TO LOOSE WEIGHT
Being on highly restrictive diets along with a bad mindset can have a profound impact on the metabolism and hormones causing an imbalance of both and ultimately weight gain. The following measures can be followed to lose weight:-
- Get examined for any underlying pathologies that can lead to weight gain including thyroid disorders, heart disease, diabetes, etc.
- Regular exercising in the daily routine to achieve an energy balance.
- Avoid skipping breakfast.
- Including protein in the diet will keep appetite under control and keeps the stomach full.
- Regular monitoring of weight can help to keep an eye on weight gain.
- Monitoring the carb intake.
- Stop having cheat meals and cheat days as it can break the willpower and cause cravings to increase.
- Staying hydrated can also help a lot in losing weight.
- Taking proper sleep throughout the day is also very necessary as sleep deprivation can lead to a lack of energy for exercise and increased cravings for comfort foods.
CONCLUSION
Mental stresses from jobs and relationships, sedentary lifestyles, bad eating habits, and underlying health issues make it difficult to maintain BMI and adequate body weight, and losing weight is a very complex process that cannot be done without strong determination and consistency. Proper guidance and diagnosis of underlying disorders is very necessary to lose weight safely. One might think of supplements and surgeries as an easy choice but side effects are uncountable. Planet Ayurveda provides a 100% safe solution for losing weight without any side effects, addictions, and after-effects as all solutions are herbal and based on ancient wisdom.
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