Simple but effective recommendations,

for the elimination of excess weight

Dr Cristina Cimpean, ayurveda lecturer

Excess weight is considered a real chronic disease in our society, especially in so-called civilized and industrialized countries, where an increasing number of adults and even children become obese (studies show that in recent decades obesity in children has increased in the USA by 500%). It often even affects self-image, leading to many inferiority complexes and difficulties with poor social integration, which is why weight loss cures have become sought after and famous, although some are fraught with risks and lead to other problems.
Excess weight is considered a real chronic disease in our society, especially in so-called civilized and industrialized countries, where an increasing number of adults and even children become obese (studies show that in recent decades obesity in children has increased in the USA by 500%). It often even affects self-image, leading to many inferiority complexes and difficulties with poor social integration, which is why weight loss cures have become sought after and famous, although some are fraught with risks and lead to other problems.

Specialists propose the following formula to calculate the ideal weight: G = 50kg+0.75*(T-150)+0.25*(V-20) where T is the waist or height expressed in centimetres and V is the age in years. Normal weight is the ideal weight with a variation of +\- 10%. A person who weighs more than 10% of the ideal weight is overweight, and if their weight is more than 20% above the ideal weight, they are obese. Grade 1 obesity is between 20 and 30% overweight, grade 2 between 30 and 50% overweight, and grade 3 over 50% overweight.

What makes us obese or 10 reasons to lose the extra pounds:

1. Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and chronic pancreatitis: Type II diabetes mellitus is known to be almost non-existent in those of normal weight. The mechanism by which it occurs in the obese is very interesting: often the pancreas secretes insulin, the hormone in the presence of which all the body's cells assimilate glucose, but the cells no longer want to take it, i.e. in medical terms they become insulin resistant. But this phenomenon is a real message from our body telling us that it no longer wants "glucose", i.e. anything sweet and pleasant, or even comfortable. Well, it shows us that it is tired of doing and eating only what we like without doing what is necessary, often out of too much convenience.

2. Cardiovascular disease: atherosclerosis, which gradually leads to ischemic heart disease and hypertension. Atherosclerosis consists of fatty deposits on the walls of blood vessels, deposits that can gradually even completely block blood circulation, leading to myocardial infarction or ischaemic heart disease if it occurs on the vessels of the heart. Obese people also have an increased risk of sudden cardiovascular death, probably through cardiac arrhythmias. Since cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in general, doctors often insist that such patients urgently lose the extra pounds.

3. Memory disorders, irritability or depression: reduced oxygenation of the brain during sleep due to repeated interruption of breathing and even repeated waking up because of this, has serious effects on mental functions, generating chronic fatigue, decreased performance, decreased learning ability, memory disorders and irritability, aggressiveness, depression.

Gout and kidney stones: in obese people, and especially in those who consume alcohol, there is an increase in uric acid, which leads to hyperuricemia, gout and kidney stones with urates. Alcohol stimulates the generation of uric acid and slows down its normal renal elimination.

5. Varicose veins: due to blood circulation narrowing (vascular atherosclerosis and hyperlipemia which increases the vascularity of the blood) the walls of the veins are very stressed and lose their elasticity faster.

Degenerative rheumatism: excessive weight affects the joints, especially the spine, which age faster due to overstrain.

7. Cancer: some forms of cancer, such as breast and endometrial cancer, as well as prostate and colon cancer, are much more common in obese people and are directly linked to high blood lipid levels.

8. Reduced potency in men: testosterone levels drop in men, which can create serious problems related to reduced potency and fertility.

9. Menstrual disorders and decreased fertility in women: the first menstrual period occurs early, cycles are often irregular, fertility is reduced, and menopause sets in early, bringing with it all the specific problems.

10. Thyroid gland disorders.

We propose 10 simple, natural ways to reduce the "excess weight" of body, mind and soul:

Since it is the way of life that has led to this state of affairs, sometimes even for many years, it is necessary to understand urgently, as it is very clearly presented in the traditional AYURVEDA system, that living in the same way as before will not change anything for the better. This is also the reason why those who refuse to give up the old way of thinking and acting and the harmful eating habits too deeply rooted, even if they do a so-called drastic slimming cure, get fat again after they finish it, because they go back to the old way of life before the cure. So a deeper transformation is needed, but perfectly possible and even easy, if we think of the problems obesity can create over time.

So let's let go of the "excess weight" wherever it may be hiding in us. To this end, in the ancient AYURVEDA system, it is very wisely recommended to first eliminate the weight of the mind and the soul, so that the body will be able to get rid of the extra kilos much faster. Once this process is started, the "lighter" diet will be really effective and its results will be stable over time. Otherwise, whatever diet we follow, the body cannot lighten up, as long as the "mind and soul" do not allow it.

1. Get up as early as possible in the morning and get out of bed as soon as you wake up. This is very important because as our elders used to say, "a good day is known in the morning". You will find that this start will make your whole day much better.

2. "Today I help those around me". The weight of the mind radiates from the slowness with which we make decisions and especially with which we decide to help those around us or even to do anything else. So from today we will give it up. Let's start the day by asking ourselves what we can help our fellow man with today and with the determination to make it happen. You can start by helping your loved ones, then your friends, your neighbours, your colleagues. You will discover countless reasons to be happy.

3. "Today I am happy". The heaviness of the soul often feels like a heavy despair, a silent discouragement. But by helping others, you easily discover that true happiness lies in giving to others, and less in receiving. When you feel that you are floating with happiness, it means that you have already become very "light" and soon the body will be too, if you maintain this inner state long enough.

4. "Today I am dynamic". Be lively! Let go of the weight of climbing out of the house! Get up early in the morning, exercise daily or run through the park, go to the market, do your work full of enthusiasm, visit your friends. You will find that at the end of the day you are much happier and "lighter" than if you had spent half a day in front of the TV, passively watching other people's lives. Live your life to the fullest!

5. From today, eating means losing weight! There are some foods that use so much of the body's energy to digest that they actually dry it out. They have a slower digestion and for this reason you will not feel hungry when eating them regularly. On the other hand, they provide few calories and therefore reduce weight. So is the famous cabbage soup, which you can eat daily or 2-3 times a week, but also foods rich in vegetable fibre, especially whole grains (whole wheat flour, whole buckwheat, whole barley, brown rice, whole oats, whole millet, whole rye), which are recommended to be more than one year old. Vegetable fibres are essential for treating obesity and preventing type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, colon cancer, diseases which, as mentioned, are frequently associated with obesity. Some vegetables and fruits rich in vegetable fibre are also recommended: cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and other root vegetables, apples, strawberries, citrus fruits.

6. Eliminate alcohol (it provides a lot of calories, increases uric acid production and delays its renal elimination), soft drinks sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners (such drinks increase obesity among children by 60% much, according to a recent US study of 11-12 year olds), meat, animal fats and refined oils (they greatly increase the incidence of obesity, colon cancer, type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease).

Little habits to effortlessly stop getting fat:
7. Until 1pm, consume only natural, home-made fruit or vegetable juices or fruit or vegetable salads.

8. Have your last meal at 8 pm at the latest.

9. Drink a glass of warm water before eating, it will ease your hunger and help you eat less.

10. Eat only one type of food at a meal (dissociated diet): only cereals, only fruit or only vegetables, to which you can add spices, a little extra virgin olive oil, ground almonds, sweetened honey, if necessary.

What foods we use to "lose weight by eating":

• black bread instead of white bread
• whole grains (older than 1 year) instead of pasta, bakery products made from refined flours, freshly harvested cereals
• cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, gullies, lettuce, lobo, green beans instead of kidney beans, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils
• apples, citrus, strawberries, cherries instead of bananas, pears, apricots, peaches
• unsaturated fats (extra virgin olive oil, linseed oil) instead of saturated fats (meat, animal fat, refined oils)
• almonds instead of walnuts, peanuts, peanuts, sunflowers
• kefir, low-fat yoghurt instead of sweet milk, sour cream, cheese, cottage cheese
• old honey (sweetened) as sweetener instead of sugar, fresh honey (liquid) as sweetener
• natural, homemade juices squeezed from fresh fruit and vegetables instead of alcoholic drinks, sugar-sweetened soft drinks or other artificial sweeteners

Remedies:

To further help this process of "drying" the body and our entire being, a number of herbs that help cleanse and drain the entire body are also useful. These include detoxifying and purifying plants (coriander, gentian, dracilla, sage, hyssop, rosemary, dandelion, turnip greens, red clover, endive, strawberry-leaved strawberry, chicory, obligonia, sanziene, sorrel tail, turmeric, neem, etc.), hypolipidemic plants (tumeric, artichoke, etc.) and other plants that help to reduce blood fat.) and diuretic and laxative herbs that promote the renal and digestive elimination of waste matter from the body (birch, chicory, volbura, fennel, senna, crusin, etc.).

It may seem hard at first, but each step is a success, which itself will give you the motivation and strength to continue. And the goal makes the effort worthwhile.