In Ayurveda, weight management is more about the manner in which food is processed by our digestive system and the liver’s impact on anabolic metabolism. These can lead to accumulation of toxins from drinks and food items (ama and kapha) over a period of time. While weight gain is caused due to an imbalance in kapha, excessive build-up of ama causes a person to become underweight.

Some of the Panchakarma treatments that are used for weight loss purposes are:

Swedana

This helps in the release of toxins from the body using herbal steam therapy

Kizhi

This one’s a hot fermentation therapy with the help of medicated pouches

Udvarthanam

This Panchakarma therapy aids removal of excessive cellulite deposits from the body through dry powder massage

Abhyanga

This treatment involves warm oil massage that causes body rejuvenation

Pizhichil

In Pizhichil, the person is given an oil bath for muscle tone balancing

Elakizhi

In this treatment warm pouches consisting of herbs are used for therapeutic massaging