Ayurveda - Weight Gain vs Healthy Weight Gain

Do you struggle to gain weight despite trying? You likely have a lighter constitution, and your body cannot absorb nutrition from your food. Ayurveda provides various natural strategies to recalibrate your metabolism and enhance your body’s ability to absorb nourishment. It also emphasises balancing Agni to facilitate deep tissue nourishment for healthy weight gain.

Weight loss or weight gain in Ayurveda is often linked to Vata-related disorders.

Vata is dry and light, and a person with a Vata-dominant constitution reflects similar physical attributes. Therefore, it is essential to focus on pacifying vitiated Vata dosha, which can be accomplished by eating an oily, substantive, and stabilizing diet.

Ayurvedic Way to Weight Gain

Ayurvedic therapies for weight gain work on multiple levels to drive holistic, sustainable results. While it is relatively safe to go the Ayurvedic way to gain weight, it is recommended to consult your doctor to avoid any probable interference with your ongoing medication or underlying health concerns.

With that out of the way, here are a few natural ways to gain weight.

Centre Your Mind

When your mind is on high alert due to stress or constant worrying, it impairs your body’s ability to derive nourishment from what you eat. Therefore, it is essential to calm your mind and foster a sense of stability to make your body more receptive to nutrition and naturally support weight gain.

Also read: Managing Stress Naturally: Remedies and Diet

Follow a Routine

Any discord between your body clock and nature can cause dosha vitiation. When you are attuned to the cyclic patterns of nature, your internal processes enter a mutual harmony to function optimally.

That said, having a predictable routine avoids nervous system unrest and thus allows your body to receive nourishment as it should.

Practice Yoga Daily

Yoga is one of the effective ways to rejuvenate tissues, cleanse metabolic pathways, and eliminate toxins from the body. Yoga combines moderate stretching and gentle breathing exercises to provide the dual benefits of mental and physical wellness.

Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana), in particular, can help soothe the nervous system, pacify Vata, improve mental disposition, and redirect vital resources to the deep tissues.

Take Proper Rest

Eating a proper diet is good, but giving your body adequate exercise and rest is critical to fully absorbing the nourishment.
 
If you pivot between pulling all-nighters and waking up early, your sleep pattern will likely be messed up. Not sleeping properly can throw you off your biological clock, resulting in mental health concerns and poor metabolism. Therefore, it is essential to get 8 hours of sleep every day.

Eat at Least Three Complete Meals Daily

Creating predictability around your meals is necessary to ensure your body gets adequate nourishment. As much as having a routine for your meal is beneficial, a lack of routine can trigger deeper imbalances. Three complete meals nourish your body and fill your energy reserves to power through the day.    

Herbs for Weight Gain

Ayurveda recommends a herbal approach to weight gain when appropriate for your situation and goals. Here are a few Ayurvedic herbs for weight gain:

• Ashwagandha
• Triphala
• Yashtimadhu
• Chyawanprash

These herbal formulations have substantive and nourishing qualities that help with weight gain. For instance, Ashwagandha is the key ingredient in Ashwagandhadi Lehyam, which is used as an Ayurvedic medicine for weight gain as well as improving muscle strength.

Ghee as a Remedy for Ayurvedic Weight Gain

Ghee is a natural fat, considered a healthy addition to every weight gain regime. As one of the effective home remedies for weight gain, it helps boost your appetite, supports Agni, and pacifies Vata dosha. The most common way of consuming ghee is with chapati or pouring it over curry and lentils. And the best time to eat ghee for weight gain is during or before meals.

Food & Diet

Regarding weight gain, what you eat is more important than how much exercise you get daily. Here are some simple foods you can incorporate into your diet for visible results.

Banana

Rich in calories, eating two bananas daily can help you achieve your weight gain goals and improve your mood.

Potato

Full of carbohydrates, vitamins, and plant protein, eating boiled potatoes is one of the best ways to gain healthy kilos.

Dry Fruits and Nuts

Take almonds, raisins, peanuts, and figs with milk to fast-track your weight-gain regime.

Dairy Products

Full-cream milk, cottage cheese, butter, and other dairy products can help you gain weight healthily.

Also read: Guide to Weight Management in Ayurveda

Promoting appetite through Exercise and Yoga

Contrary to mainstream notions, exercise and yoga can help you gain weight when combined with an appropriate diet. It increases appetite, recalibrates your metabolism and promotes natural detox.

Takeaway

Whether you are underweight inherently or trying to reset your body after a debilitating illness, healthy weight gain is pretty much possible with Ayurveda.

• Create a meal and sleep cycle routine and follow Ayurvedic tips for weight gain.
• Consume healthy foods to gain weight, especially those rich in carbohydrates, healthy fats, and plant protein, such as bananas, potatoes, ghee, and nuts.
• Taking herbal supplements like Triphala, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, etc. can also help you with your weight gain goals.