Obesity is caused due to the excess fat present in the body, which can cause many health problems. How is obesity measured? The body mass index is used to find the ratio of body weight and height, and for a normal person the body mass index is not more than 30 kg per meter square, whereas, in obese person, the body mass index will be greater than 30 kg per meter square.
Obesity is not a problem, but there are many health risks, which are directly linked to obesity. Some of the common diseases caused by obesity are diabetes, osteoarthritis, cancer and heart diseases.
1. Obesity can be caused by excessive eating (overeating)
2. Eating junk or unhealthy food
3. Lack of physical exercises and stress
4. Hereditary causes
5. Insufficient sleep
6. Smoking
7. Medicines, drugs or some illness
8. There are other reasons for obesity such as slow metabolism, in which, people may gain weight even if they eat less. In such cases, people should eat food, which cannot be easily digested.
1. Honey and lemon juice mixed in lukewarm water taken early in the morning before breakfast, helps in reducing weight. Adding a pinch of pepper powder to the drink is also helpful.
2. Drink soups and eat lots of salads, before lunch and dinner, and boiled water should be taken during the meal, instead of cold water.
3. Reduce intake of salt and sugar in food.
4. Eat tomatoes before breakfast.
5. Avoid eating food, which contains fat such as cheese, butter and meat.
6. Guggulu (also known as Commiphora wightii) can be taken to control cholesterol level in the body and it also effective against obesity. It helps in regulating lipid metabolism and it can be taken with ginger and honey at least two times in a day.
7. Cabbage juice is extremely helpful in reducing weight. It contains a high amount of tartaric acid, which prevents the conversion of carbohydrate and sugar into fat, and helps in reduction of fat accumulation in the body. Cabbage juice is also helpful in healing stomach ulcers and speeding up digestion processes.
8. Reduced physical exercise can cause obesity and in such case, one should always go for a walk after taking a meal. Exercise early in the morning.
9. Mint juice taken with powdered cumin seeds is effective in cleaning the bowel. A glass of the juice can be taken just before lunch or dinner.
10. Sliced ginger helps in controlling overeating habit and ginger can be mixed with lemon drops in lukewarm water.
11. Guava, peaches, grapes, French beans, carrot, papaya, bitter guard, egg white, mango, asparagus, figs and peaches are high in fibre and it can be taken to reduce weight. These are fat burning food items.
1. Avoid junk food and tinned food, which is high in sugar, preservatives and chemicals. Do not drink carbonated drinks and fruits juices high in sugar.
2. Do not skip meals because many people, who skip meals, eat more than required in the next meal compensating for the skipped meal, in an unhealthy way.
3. Eat steamed food instead of oily fried food.
4. Reduce intake of dairy products high in fat, sugar or salt.
5. Drink a lot of water to prevent fluid retention.
6. Eat only boiled or baked meat or fish, to burn the fat present in these food products.
7. Eat only freshly prepared homemade food.
