Weight Gain Program Ayurvedic Treatment

Loss of weight without trying is a health issue of concern if a person has lost more than 5% of body weight within 6-12 months. Consult a physician to identify the reason and correct it at the earliest. A number of causes are there for unexpected weight loss. No every weight loss is life-threatening (eg: due to continuous tiring works, excess travelling etc).

Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of weight loss vary according to the cause. The common causes are:

Cause	Signs and symptoms
Muscle wasting/ atrophy	Weak muscles, any of the limbs looks thinner than the other, loss of wight, common among those who don’t do exercise/ doing desk job/ bedridden etc
Hyperthyroidism	Weight loss, fatigue, increased heartbeat, anxiety, sleep issues, shivering of hands, heat intolerance, irregular periods etc.
Diabetes (type 1)	Frequent urination, increased hunger, dehydration, fatigue, loss of weight, excessive thirst, vision problems etc
Cancer	Unexplainable weight loss, fatigue, pain etc
Tuberculosis	Persistent cough lasting for more than 3 weeks, reduced appetite, weight loss, chest pain, night sweats, fever, chills etc
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)	Reduced hunger, weight loss, abdominal bloating, diarrhoea, fatigue, stomach ache, blood in stool
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)	Breathing difficulty, mucous secretion from throat, cough, weight loss, wheezing, tightness in chest
Endocarditis	Fever, reduced appetite, weight loss, chest pain, cough (with or without blood), abdominal pain, heart murmur, back pain, breathing difficulty, night sweats, headache etc
Depression	Feeling sad/ depressed for more than 2 weeks, reduced or excess appetite, loss of weight, fatigue, loss of enthusiasm, irritability, disturbed sleep, poor concentration etc
Rheumatoid arthritis	Joint pains, swelling, weight loss, joint stiffness

Weight Gain Program Ayurvedic Analysis

Ayurveda describes karshya (emaciation) as an extremely difficult to cure situation, because it occurs at the end stage of almost all diseases. It occurs when vata is increased in body and kapha and medas reduced. The person may have reduced muscle bulk over arms, thighs, legs, chest, neck, face, abdomen, buttock etc. They cannot withstand exertion, hunger, thirst, satiety, extreme cold or hot climate, and are prone to kasa (cough), swasa (breathing problems), udara (liver diseases or diseases of intestine), pleeha (diseases of spleen), arsha (haemorrhoids), kshaya (tuberculosis), gulma (abnormal growths in intestine), grahani (digestive complaints) etc. sometimes, it may be a symptom of underlying health condition like gulma, krimi (certain microbial infections) or lohitakshaya (a kind of gynaecological disorder).

Causative Factors (Ayurveda)

The causes of karshya in Ayurveda are vatakopa (increased vata), aging, meda kshaya (reduced fat tissue), skipping of meals, increased consumption of dry food and drinks, eating very less amount of food, extreme grief, anger, sleeplessness, chronic diseases etc. Some may have lean body by prakruthi (body nature). Suppression of hunger for long periods also will cause karshya along with body pain, tastelessness, fatigue, abdominal pain and giddiness. Vatakopa in rakta (blood) is another cause of karshya.

Possible Complications

Electrolyte imbalance, muscle weakness, nutritional deficiency, gall bladder stones, loss of energy etc.

Other systemic diseases and precautions to be taken

Know the exact cause of weight loss and treat accordingly.

Weight Gain Management with Ayurveda Treatment

Santarpana (nourishing therapy) should be done in weight loss. Panchakarma should not be done as they cannot withstand it. All the treatment must be focused on nourishing- like abhyanga (oil massage over body), anuvasana vasti (decoction with suitable oil), cold bath, udwarthana (massage with powdered medicines) using oil, rasayana and aphrodisiac drugs. Seasonal purification of dosha should be done. Sleep is the best medicine to gain weight. Use comfortable mattress for sleep. Avoid over-thinking and stay happy.

Diet

The diet must contain more polished rice, wheat, milk, dairy products, ghee, curd, meat, fish, egg, sugar, jaggery, black gram etc. Avoid over consumption of spicy/ bitter/ astringent tastes. Fruits and fruit juices are good to take.

Exercise

After regaining the satisfactory amounts of muscle mass, mild exercises can be done as per the suggestion of physician. Extremely lean person cannot withstand exertion. Cooling pranayama are also beneficial to gain weight.

Preventive Aspects

Avoid over-exertion, continuous travelling, skipping of meals, increased consumption of spicy/ bitter/ astringent tastes. Take adequate rest and sleep well. Use a comfortable bed and pillow to sleep. Include more milk, dairy products, meat, fishes, egg etc in diet. Avoid over-thinking, stress, anxiety etc. Take proper care of other diseases (eg: diabetes). Bath daily in cold water. Apply suitable oil all over the body before bath. Stay happy and think positive.

Importance of Diet

Nutritious diet is very essential to increase muscle mass and regain lost energy. Select the right food to tackle the weight loss.

Lifestyle

Lean people should avoid exercises or tiring physical activities. They should take adequate rest and sleep well. Avoid mental stress, anxiety, over thinking, sadness etc. Follow a regular food time and take nutritious and tasty food which helps to increase muscle mass. Limit the intake of alcohol and quit smoking. Drink plenty of water.