Ayurveda is an ancient system of holistic medicine originating in India more than 6,000 years ago. Ayurveda focuses on food choices and lifestyle habits that foster harmony between different functions and organs of the body as well as between the human body and the natural environment. Ayurvedic weight loss programs work to optimize health while shedding pounds, ensuring vibrant energy and lifestyle changes that will keep excess unhealthy weight from returning.
Maharishi Ayurveda Program
The Maharishi Ayurveda weight-loss program focuses on five lifestyle habits rather than on specific menus or counting calories, advises Dr. Nancy Lonsdorf, a practicing physician who has studied with Ayurvedic leaders worldwide and currently serves as the medical director for the Raj Ayurveda Health Center in Vedic City, Iowa. The first of these habits is to eat a light, easily digestible dinner, preferably a vegetarian soup. The second is to eat the largest meal of the day at noontime, with a variety of cooked foods. The third is to drink hot water frequently each day. The fourth is to never save leftovers, but only eat freshly prepared foods to maximize nutritional content and vitality. Lastly, exercise at least a little everyday, preferably walking after each meal.
Digestive Fire
The Ayurvedic key to weight loss is a strong "digestive fire" advises Claudia Brachtl, a licensed acupuncturist and founder of The Prana Center, an Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine healing center in Santa Barbara, Calif. Boost metabolism and digestive effectiveness by eliminating snacks between meals, allowing the prior meal to fully digest and be eliminated before taking in additional food. Many spices common in Indian cooking also aid in kindling the digestive fire: fresh ginger, cumin, fennel and coriander help the body properly digest food, while their rich flavors add to the feeling of satiation. Grated lemon or orange zest also adds a fresh flavorful punch to foods, Brachtl suggests, while adding positively to the digestive process.
Eating in Rhythm
Working with your digestive rhythm is an Ayurvedic key to effective weight loss, according to Shreelata Suresh, a yoga instructor and writer focusing on the areas of yoga, Ayurvedic practice, and Indian culture in the San Francisco Bay area. A rhythmic Ayurvedic weight-loss program involves eating regularly, three meals a day, without fasting or skipping meals, Suresh advises. Never eat more than the quantity you could hold in two hands, so that your digestive system is not over-burdened. Eat lightly in the evening at least two hours before going to bed, and get a good night's sleep every night to help banish poor eating habits and a sluggish metabolism.
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