ayurveda weight lossWhen considering weight gain, weight loss, and digestion issues, it is important to remember what the oldest medical systems teach about the real solution to weight imbalances.  According to the ancient medical science of Ayurveda, the root cause of all disease is improper digestion. That is why Ayurveda strongly recommends eating a diet appropriate to your particular constitution to treat any imbalance.  In traditional Chinese medicine as well, the first line of all of treatment is diet.  Most people think of acupuncture and Chinese herbs as the main pillars of treatment, but in the ancient texts, food cures are the top priority. With optimal digestion and overall balance as the goals, it’s possible to enjoy a healthy, sustainable weight you truly feel good about.

Treating the Root Instead of the Branches

Traditional medicine aims to treat the root cause of an imbalance, not merely the branches.  More often than not, when someone is trying to lose weight, they look for a supplement that will burn fat and boost metabolism.  This approach is an example of addressing the symptom, not the root cause.  As a result, any pounds they may lose often are gained right back once the diet program is stopped.

In Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, our digestive fire needs to be stoked and tended to regularly in order for it to do its job properly.  When our central fire is strong, it can properly metabolize and assimilate nutrients and build strong energy and blood.  When we have plenty of vital energy and rich blood, all of our organs and functions systems work well.  In this balanced state, our appetite is good, and our cravings are for the appropriate, whole foods we actually need. In this optimal picture, we also eliminate toxins regularly because of the powerful detoxifying effects of  beneficial green foods in our diet and regular use of gentle cleansing herbs.

If our digestive fire is neglected and overburdened, many imbalances result.  We gain excess weight and fat, we store toxins in our digestive tract that clog our absorption pathways, and our energy feels low.  More serious illness results if this goes on for too long.  Carrying extra weight is the least of the problem when digestion is severely compromised.  That’s why the healthy way to losing weight and keeping it off is actually to address the improper digestion and toxic accumulation.

Ayurvedic Diet

ancientayurvedaAyurveda recommends that in order to achieve overall balance, it’s crucial to eat a diet appropriate to your Ayurvedic constitution. Balance means something different for each of us, depending on our particular constitutional makeup. Ayurvedic dietary treatment is based on the principle of opposites.  People with more earth and water elements in their constitution should focus on foods that are lighter and contain more space and air elements.  Fiery people should eat a more cooling diet. Eating a diet appropriate to who you are, and what you have going on right now, is a very powerful way to improve your digestion and your overall health. Read more about Ayurvedic diet here.

Balancing Breakfast

One of the most important things for stoking the digestive fire is to eat the right kind of breakfast.  Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda recommend starting the day with a whole grain, hot porridge called congee.  Choose the type of grains appropriate to your Ayurvedic constitution, and this cereal will create a roaring fire for the day.  You may feel hungrier at first, but that’s a good thing because it means your metabolism is increasing.  Eating congee for breakfast is actually one of the most profound things you can do to lose weight effectively and sustainably.  Whole grains nourish the earth element which rules our digestion.  They are high in fiber and minerals.  Their natural sweetness satisfies our innate need for the sweet taste.  Your cravings for sugary sweets will disappear the more you eat whole grains.

Daily Detox

ayurveda triphalaA top priority when balancing digestion, and thereby losing weight, is to clean out the digestive tract.  No matter how healthy your diet is, if your absorption pathways are clogged, you aren’t getting all the nutrients out of your food.  Many factors contribute to toxin accumulation: long-term antibiotic use, eating under stress, eating late at night, eating a diet inappropriate for your constitution, the season or the time of day, or exposure to actual industrial chemicals or heavy metals.  Cleansing is very trendy right now, and some cleanses are beneficial and some are too depleting.  I prefer the traditional Ayurvedic daily cleansing formula called Triphala.  Triphala is a combination of three Ayurvedic fruits that have the unique action of actually scraping old toxins out of the small crevices in the large intestine.  Triphala is also very high in Vitamin C and strengthens the intestinal wall.  Triphala is a gentle, effective way to cleanse and detoxify in order to improve assimilation and elimination.

In the introduction to this article, I mentioned that, according to Ayurveda, the root cause of all disease is improper digestion.  This is the physical cause.  On a subtle, spiritual level, Ayurveda says, the real cause of all illness is acting against our own innate wisdom.  When we act in ways that are misaligned with what we know and want for ourselves, this causes an inner stress that inhibits the optimal functioning of our whole system.  Staying in touch with our inner knowing, our real desires, and our true cravings, keeps us in balance.  The stress of not being true to ourselves is the biggest stress of all.  Whether you struggle with extra weight or some other health issue, the first step toward healing is loving-kindness toward yourself.  In this practice, you will find the innate wisdom to live by.  In this practice, you will find balance on a spiritual level that will overflow into the physical.