Obesity, bulkiness or overweight are now a concern in both men and women especially with mentally engaging sections of society who do not have time to do any physical activity to maintain their physique. Due to prolonged sitting, their metabolism slow down, in turn fat starts to accumulate under their adipose tissues, around waist, under shoulder and of course it takes the form of stubborn belly fat, most of the people suffer from. As per Ayurveda, Obesity is regarded as a disorder of adipose tissues and slow metabolism. There is no wonder if we consider obesity as a serious disease related to a number of complications such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, joint pain, hypertension, oedema, electrolyte imbalance, cholesterol and many more. Obesity is also defined as having the Body Mass index (BMI) greater than 30, while a BMI between 25 and 29.9 suggests that a person is overweight. Obesity might be the result of some genetic factors, environmental effect, personal diet and physical activity.
Managing a healthy weight is a Herculean task with such a hectic schedule, but there are a couple of ways that can help you easily achieve your goal toward perfect and confident personality.
Weight loss can’t be achieved at once with halfhearted consent, it needs diligence, discipline and dedication along with balanced diet, healthy lifestyle, regular exercise and proper mental relaxation.
Guggul or Commiphora Mukul
Guggul is also known as Indian Bedellium and guggulu, gum guggul, guggula, or gugulipid is basically extracted from the gum resin of “Commiphora Mukul” tree, which is native to different regions of India, Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Middle East etc. Guggul was first discovered in 1966 by an Indian medical researcher for the treatment of atherosclerosis. In 1986 it was approved in the market as a drug to lower cholesterol level.
Guggul is a medicinal herb with potent anti-inflammatory anti-microbial, and antioxidant properties and comes from Burseraceae family, major species of it include Commiphora wightii, Commiphora gileadensis, Commiphora mukul, Boswellia serrata, and Boswellia sacra. The active ingredient of Guggul extract is guggulsterone, which is well known to treat disorders associated with obesity, like hyperlipidemia and diabetes. Guggul is packed with many steroids, essential oils, lignans, flavonoids, carbohydrates, and amino acids which is helpful in effective weight management and improve various health issues. Previous researches suggest that guggul shows positive effects on the appetite-regulating hormones ghrelin and leptin (suppresses appetite leading to less food intake) and promote weight loss by cutting down on fatty tissues volume in the body.
Fenugreek seeds
Another herb in line to lose weight is Fenugreek seeds obtained from a plant belonging to legume family known as “Trigonella foenum-graecum”. Fenugreek seeds are very effective when it comes to lose body fat by boosting digestion and improve metabolism, which may result in rapid weight loss. Fenugreek, or Methi is an important natural medicinal herb that triggers the burning of fat from the belly and other adipose tissues.
Several researches proved that fenugreek seeds may help suppress appetite and reduce food intake to increase weight loss. It is stated that drinking warm water mixed with fenugreek seeds will melt the fat rapidly if used regularly with some sort of mild exercises. Besides losing fat mass, there are multiple health benefits of using fenugreek seeds such as this culinary herb improves the condition of hyperlipidemia, lowers down blood glucose, strengthen heart and treats many gastric ailments such as nausea, indigestion, bloating and stomach ache. Due to its high fiber and saponins content, fenugreek improves digestion, increase peristaltic movement of the villi, cleanse the bowels and excrete out harmful metabolic toxins which in turn prevent constipation. Fenugreek or Methi is enriched with many useful vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and protein etc. A water-soluble fiber known as Galactomannan is the main element which increases metabolism and makes you feel fuller for a long time, also accelerates burning of extra fat layers all around the body and put you back in shape.
Ginseng
Ginseng is basically the root plant used abundantly in Chinese medicine manufacturing, it is said to be very effective in losing body weight (especially fat) and slim you down amazingly if used in correct proportion along with some physical activity and balanced diet. Ginseng comes from Panax family and used in both forms powdered and root itself. There are two varieties of it including American ginseng, and Asian or Korean ginseng, which is more common. Ginseng has been reported to increase rapid weight loss with its active “ginsenosides” content, which boost metabolism and shows its effect on leptin, insulin and adiponectin (hormones responsible for metabolism of fat), it improves the number of gut microflora (healthy bacteria inside gut) which alters and speed up the pace how body burns and utilize fat as energy. Not only for losing weight, this tremendous herb work side by side to improve cardiac system, immune system, act as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mild stimulant and anti-microbial agent and prevents cancers, cholesterol, anxiety and diabetes as well. Ginseng is safe to be consumed in any form tea, powder or extract. For an instance, 200 to 400 mg is recommended to quest your desire of having an ideal body weight.
Caralluma Fimbriata
Caralluma fimbriata also termed as Caralluma Adscendens var. finbriata is a native plant to India and Africa, it is an edible cactus plant originated from the Apocynaceae family. This efficacious herb is renowned for body weight management and used as the key component to manufacture many of the weight loss medicines, it is eaten raw in salads, main dishes cooked with spices and also act as preservative in various canned food products. Caralluma Fimbriata contains high amount of fiber, which is vital component for healthy digestion, it suppresses hunger and thirst, accelerate metabolism, facilitate nutrients uptake and absorption, and protect from various gastric disease. This powerful herb is rich in many active components effective in weight loss such as appetite suppressants (Pregnane glycosides), antioxidants (Flavone glycosides), anti-inflammatory (Megastigmane glycosides), immunity boosters (saponins) and polyphenols etc. In addition to weight loss, it increases the uptake of glucose by increasing the production of Insulin, checks the formation of hunger promoting neuropeptide Y (NPY) by reducing the secretion of Ghrelin, and prevent fat accumulation by blocking ATP citrate lyase enzyme which delays the production of Acetyl CoA and malonyl CoA (building block of fat). As far as dose is concerned, it is permitted to be taken 1-2 gram a day combined with healthy diet and light exercise.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is one of the aromatic and culinary spices that offers a wide range of health benefits having anti-inflammatory, antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties. There are mainly two varieties of cinnamon named a Ceylon and Cassia. Out of these two types Cassia Cinnamon (also called True Cinnamon), is more common and grows largely in Sri lanka.This culinary spice is useful to improve overall health but its main attraction reflects in melting down excess stubborn body fat, which is the root cause for many other serious illnesses like adult’s onset type diabetes, high blood pressure, narrow lumen of vessels and many more. If taken regularly in right amount, cinnamon curbs hunger with its active compound “cinnamaldehyde” and lower down blood sugar level by increasing the secretion of insulin, which in turn loses body weight gradually. Cinnamon is a rich source of polyphenols, Vitamins, minerals and of course fiber, which is a must to clean bowels and excrete unnecessary waste out of the body.
Dr Anju Sood (Nutritionist from Bengaluru) says, “Cinnamon can boost the metabolic rate of the body. Often times, when a person’s insulin become resistant, sugar doesn’t get metabolised and it gets converted into fat. Cinnamon can help stimulate insulin and metabolise sugar from the foods ingested.”
Cinnamon is the staple spices in almost every kitchen and used to sprinkle on some snacks, cakes and desserts. Cinnamon prevents tissue damage, oxidative stress, tooth decay and fights many fungal and bacterial infections, also reduces the risk of osteoporosis and arthritis. You can use cinnamon tea or simply its powder (approx. 1 teaspoon a day) to burn down extra fat layers inside your body.
Green coffee bean extract
Green coffee beans or raw beans are coffee beans that have not been roasted yet and readily used to make extract, to manufacture weight loss medicine and supplements. This effective extract is in rouge nowadays to melt excess tires and bulges (Stored fat) from the body. Green coffee beans contain Caffeine which directly works to increase basal metabolic rate (the rate energy expenditure while at rest to maintain vital functions of the body). Green coffee extract has high amount of chlorogenic acid (group of antioxidants compounds), which is the active component to lose weight by increase glucose utilization, metabolism and reduces CHO absorption. It also has some polyphenols that help to burn fat easily, it lowers LDL cholesterol, triglyceride level and improve the production of obesity related hormone “leptin”
Aside from fat loss, this natural remedy blocks free radicals and reduces the risk of oxidative stress, soothes heart and lungs, strengthen immune system and help in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Green coffee beans were first mentioned on the Dr. Oz show in 2012. As per Dr. Oz “The green coffee bean that burns fat fast and claims that no exercise or diet is needed”.
Green coffee extract is now available in tablet form as well, and should be consume 60 to 185 mg per day along with sensible dietary pattern and physical activity.
Cumin
Cumin is the most common ingredient in Indian cuisine used to impart aroma and distinct flavor, it is a flowering plant of Parsley family and cultivated largely in India, China and Maxico. It is prepared from the dried and grounded seeds of “Cuminum Cymium”. Cumin is well known for its key factor termed as “Thymoquinone”, it has powerful antioxidants which remove harmful free radicals and loses body weight rapidly. Cumin seeds have anti-microbial properties, cancer fighting properties, positive effect on digestive health and fat burning. Cumin seed is a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), copper, iron and manganese. Its efficacy is evident in reducing inflammation induced obesity with its anti-inflammatory properties. The easiest way to use this drink is by soaking (1 teaspoon in 1 glass of water) overnight, strain it in the morning and just drink at once on an empty stomach. Cumin seeds enhances the production of CHO (Carbohydrates) breaking enzymes (ptyalin and insulin), detoxifies body, increase peristalsis inside bowels, prevents bloating and indigestion and yes, it burns fat remarkably.
Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus tea is a kind of delicious herbal tea prepared from dried extracts of the hibiscus plant (Rosa Sinensis), which is rich in anthocyanins, phenolic compounds and flavonoids, it reduces the fat cell size (adipocytes) and boost fat elimination leading to weight loss.
Previous researches proved several health benefits of Hibiscus tea, it suppresses appetite, maintains blood pressure and fight against bacterial and fungal infection, also prevents cell damage with its powerful antioxidants. Hibiscus tea increases the production of HDL (good) cholesterol and decrease total LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Another impressive property of Hibiscus lies in protecting liver cells by producing ample amount of bile (enzyme that break down fat) thus checks accumulation of fat in the liver. Several studies suggest taking hibiscus tea or extract on regular basis may result in reduced body weight, stored fat, volume of adipose tissues, body mass index and waist to hip ratio. Hibiscus comes with anti-cancer properties having rich polyphenol content, and prevents the onset of bronchitis, pneumonia or urinary tract infections. Hibiscus tea is sour in taste, and can be consumed in both hot or cold state with some added sweetener like honey to balance the sourness.
Oregano
Oregano is an herb from mint or Lamiaceae family which is famous as pizza herb, it is loaded with useful bioactive compounds like polyphenols and flavonoids, both these elements alleviate insulin function and totally justify the fact that high metabolism and lesser blood glucose level may result in rapid weight loss. The name oregano comes from the Greek words “oros,” means mountain or hill, and “ganos,” means joy. Oregano possesses thymol, limonene, terpinene, ocimene an caryophyllene, its active element is Carvacrol, which prevents diet induced obesity and reduces constipation. Aside losing weight, oregano treats condition like inflammation, cancer, auto immune arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and hyperlipidemia. It also regulates the gene expression affecting fat and CHO metabolism and restore damaged hepatic cells and nephrons. Oregano can be used in dried leaves form or as oil to achieve your goal of getting slimmer body.
Coriander
Coriander is an annual herb belonging to the Apiaceae familys also known as dhania, Chinese parsley and cilantro. It is one of the oldest condiments in Indian food system in both forms fresh leaves or as seeds.
Food writer Marryam H. Reshii in her book ‘The Flavour of Spice’ writes, “the oldest coriander seeds have been excavated at a pre-pottery era Neolithic site in Israel that dates back to 7000 BCE.”
Coriander extract is very effective in weight loss, it is said that regular consumption of coriander juice accelerates glucose consumption, bowel movement and improve digestive health by regulating enzymes and juices for proper digestion.
Coriander leaves comes with quercetin and fibre, which helps to boost metabolism, cleans bowels, removes metabolic toxins, and hereby helps in weight loss. Coriander can work as a detox drink and help you feel lighter and contribute to weight loss. Coriander is helpful to boost immune system with antioxidants present in it which also reduces free radical activity in the body
This miraculous herb is a great source of vitamins like Vitamin K, C, and A, and play significant role for providing glowing skin and stronger hair. To make coriander drink, collect some fresh leaves, blend it with water, add honey or lime as per taste, and it’s all done to enjoy.
