While Western approaches to weight loss often involve counting calories or slashing carbs, Ayurveda--a holistic health system native to India--offers a different perspective on slimming down. In Ayurvedic philosophy, excess weight is a symptom of health imbalances and requires customized diet and lifestyle adjustments to resolve, according to HolisticOnline.com. Although some Ayurvedic recommendations lack scientific support, the weight-loss tips Ayurveda offers may help you achieve a slimmer figure.
Digestion
In order to lose excess weight, Ayurveda recommends altering your dietary habits to increase your digestive strength. Digestion-boosting foods include ginger, papaya, mango, bitter melons, pineapple and dark, bitter greens, HolisticOnline.com says that adding these items to your daily menu may help to increase your digestive function. Other methods for improving your digestion for weight loss include sipping on hot water, drinking ginger tea two to three times per day, chewing a fresh slice of ginger root before each meal and making liberal use of spicy seasonings such as cumin, mustard seed, cayenne and black pepper.
Honey
According to the Ayurvedic health resource AllAyurveda.com, honey may be useful for shedding unwanted pounds. Ayurveda considers honey capable of helping the body "mobilize" and burn stored fat, AllAyurveda.com explains, and consuming 1 tbsp. of honey per day--especially mixed with hot water as an early-morning drink--is believed to encourage weight loss. However, while Ayurveda embraces honey as a slimming food, no scientific research has confirmed its fat-burning properties.
Beverages
Ayurveda considers several beverages to be conducive for weight loss, and recommends drinking them frequently when trying to trim your figure. According to Ayurvedic Marketplace, helpful weight-loss beverages include fresh carrot juice and mint tea. Native Remedies suggests drinking orange or pineapple juice 30 minutes before lunch as a fat-shedding technique, as well as consuming beverages made with the traditional Ayurvedic herbs such as rhubarb, licorice, garcinia, bhibitaki, guggulu, gokshuraseed, shilajit and triphala. Although Ayurveda considers these herbs safe for consumption, consult a medical professional before drinking herbal beverages in order to avoid drug interactions and other unwanted side effects.
Diet
Ayurveda teaches that avoiding specific foods may enhance your weight-loss efforts. According to the Ayurvedic health and cooking website IndiaCurry.com, foods to eschew while slimming down include red meat, high-fat dairy such as cheese and butter, rice, potatoes, white sugar, refined grain products and refined oils such as corn oil and soybean oil. In addition, IndiaCurry.com recommends limiting your consumption of fish, poultry and cold meals. When embarking on a weight-loss regimen, consult your physician before making significant dietary changes.
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