How to lose weight with Naturopathy

There are several ways you can lose weight, be it dieting, exercise, drugs, or surgery, but usually some or the other problem prevents weight being lost properly. Issues like water retention, poor digestion, constipation, poor liver function, deficiency of essential nutrients, food sensitivities or even mental and emotional issues, can make your weight loss program go awry.

More than simply losing weight, what becomes necessary when you’re planning to a weight loss program is that you take care of all the aspects of up-keeping your health. And that is where Naturopathy comes into play. As the name suggests, naturopathy is the science of healing the natural way. It is a body-mind-spirit system of healing that stimulates the body’s healing power and treats the underlying cause of disease without the use of drugs.

How naturopathy works for weight loss

Excess calorie consumption and insufficient working out is just one small reason for gaining weight. The equation, if calories in is less than calories out then it amounts to weight loss, is an oversimplification for most people to trying to reduce weight, according to naturopaths.

Naturopathy is not a one-size-fit-all healing system, so naturopathic solution differs from person to person. That said, from a naturopathic perspective, determined by delving deep into the root cause of the disorder (yes, weight gain and obesity is a disorder), major causes of weight gain are –

• Blood sugar imbalance or insulin resistance
• Low basal metabolic rate due to thyroid problems
• Improper liver function
• Low stomach acid
• Not enough of good fats

These are common causes why you can gain weight. Stress and depression are emotional causes that could also lead to weight gain.

Your naturopathic doctor will determine the cause through your medical history, your family history, physical, mental and emotional condition, quality and quantity of sleep, exposure to toxins, as well as through various tests you might be asked to get done.

Says endocrinologist Diana Schwarzbein, ‘It is first necessary to be healthy in order to lose weight and not that losing weight makes for health. Healing the metabolism must happen before weight loss, or more accurately, fat loss, can occur’. [1]

So, depending on how out of balance you are, your naturopath will chalk out an overall, long-term plan that emphasizes:

• A balanced diet of whole foods to improve insulin sensitivity
• Nutrient supplementation to repair and rebuild structural proteins and fats
• Getting enough sleep since hormones critical for repairing body tissues is released when you are asleep
• Stress management to deal with issues such as self-image, emotional connections with food, and state of mind when eating.

Understanding of your stress level is also critical for developing a treatment program. This is because stress influences sleep quality and duration, food choices, levels of insulin and glucose, and digestion and assimilation of food, all of these affect your weight problem. [2]

The mind-body connection does not end there. Your doctor will guide you to being present with yourself, in a way that fosters self-awareness, self-acceptance and the ability to change. For example, your naturopath will guide you to become aware how you eat your food, on the run, or absentmindedly in front of the TV, or while driving, etc. Once you start paying attention and start having an internal dialogue that arises around food choices or cravings, you will be advised to do breathing/relaxation exercises or learn a mindfulness meditation. This is just one tiny example of how your naturopath will proceed with your treatment.

Your naturopath will also help you by charting out a diet plan for you, creating an individualized exercise regime, and prescribing medicinal herbs and supplements to you.

Common medicinal herbs for weight loss

Supplements and botanicals are also an integral part of naturopathy. Some of the common herbs that are prescribed for weight loss are listed here.

• Mangosteen: A study revealed that a blend composing extracts of the flower heads from Sphaeranthus indicus and the fruit rinds of Garcinia mangostana was effective in inhibiting new fat cells from forming while promoting break down of existing fat cells.[3] Apart from weight loss, mangosteen has many other health benefits as well. It has antioxidants that help fight cardiovascular diseases.

• Betel leaves: Right from maintaining oral hygiene to treating gastric ulcers to controlling blood sugar levels, betel leaves are highly versatile. And now research says that these leaves are useful in weight loss as well. Animal studies have shown that extract of betel leaves along with cowpea (seed) could significantly reduce body weight and BMI. [4]

• Caralluma: This succulent plant (cactus) found wild in India and consumed as cooked vegetable or pickle, has been found by Australian researchers to decrease appetite, consequently contributing to weight loss, as well as curb abdominal obesity. [5]

• Gymnema (gurmar): This herb is an effective natural remedy for diabetes, besides being used for arthritis, diuretic, anaemia, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, asthma, constipation, microbial infections, indigestion, and anti-inflammatory.The herbal extract is used in dietary supplements since it reduces body weight, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. [6]

• Coconut oil: Switching over to coconut oil (or even olive oil) may help you shed some pounds. Coconut oil contains fewer calories as compared with other oils and in addition have antibacterial and antifungal properties. They are also thermogenic, which means, they increase the body’s metabolic rate, leading to burning morefat and consequently reduce weight.

• Milk thistle: If the root cause of your weight gain is liver problem, milk thistle may be the medicinal herb for you. Milk thistle extracts are useful as medicinal herbs in the treatment of liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis (liver inflammation), and gallbladder disorders. Treatment claims also include lowering cholesterol levels; reducing insulin resistance; reducing the growth of cancer cells in breast, cervical, and prostate gland cancers; and antiviral activity.

• Bitter melon (karela): Do you have type-2 diabetes? Then bitter melon might help reduce weight by help curbing the diabetes progression. Bitter melon is known to improve insulin sensitivity and also help lower cholesterol.

Similarly, cinnamon, fenugreek, bilberry, vitamin C, Maitake mushroom, omega-3, green tea, green coffee, and host of other spices and condiments, and supplements such as vitamin C, chromium, zinc, etc. are useful as far as weight loss is concerned.

Side effects of naturopathy for weight loss

There are no adverse effects as such of using naturopathy for weight loss. But some medicinal herbs that may otherwise help with weight loss can have adverse reaction in some people. For example, bitter melon (karela) can stimulate menstruation and induce abortion. So it is a clear no for expectant mothers. In some people it may reduce blood sugar levels drastically which is not a good sign. Also people with poor liver function should avoid using bitter melon for weight loss.

Another example is that of chromium supplement. Although it is safe for most people even for long term use, it is not advised for people with kidney disease or liver disease as it damages the organs further. This trace element supplement can cause impaired thinking, and lack of coordination in some people, and skin irritation and headache in others.

So, use medicinal herbs only when prescribed by your doctor, even if they are seemingly safe ingredients such as green tea and omega-3.

When can you expect to see results?

Your naturopath will advise you to aim for a slow but steady weight loss of about 1 to 2 pounds (450 gm to 900 gm) per week. Thus your total treatment period will depend on how much weight you want to drop. And then there is a maintenance period, and most probably by the end of it, you will make it your lifestyle..

You may also like to read:

• 6 home remedies for weight loss
• Lose weight by adding these 6 herbs to your diet
• Revealed — betel leaf home remedy for weight loss
• An Ayurvedic diet plan to keep you fit and healthy

Photo source: Shutterstock.com

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References:

1. Schwarzbein D. The Schwarzbein principle: the program: losing weight the healthy way: an easy, 5-step, no-nonsense approach.Deerfield Beach (FL): Health Communications; 2004.

2. Sutherland E. Healing Metabolism: A Naturopathic Medicine Perspective on Achieving Weight Loss and Long-Term Balance. The Permanente Journal. 2005;9(3):16.

3. Stern J, Peerson J, Mishra A, Mathukumalli V, Konda P. Efficacy and Tolerability of an Herbal Formulation for Weight Management. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2013;16(6):529-537.

4. Sengupta K, Mishra A, Rao M, Sarma K, Krishnaraju A, Trimurtulu G. Efficacy of an herbal formulation LI10903F containing Dolichos biflorus and Piper betle extracts on weight management. Lipids Health Dis. 2012;11(1):176.

5. Astell K J. et al. A pilot study investigating the effect of Caralluma fimbriata extract on the risk factors of metabolic syndrome in overweight and obese subjects: a randomised controlled clinical trial. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2013;21(3): 180 – 189.
6. Tiwari P, Mishra BN, Sangwan NS. Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Gymnema sylvestre: An Important Medicinal Plant. BioMed Research International. 2014;2014:830285. doi:10.1155/2014/830285.

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