Diet Cure for Thinness - Home remedies, symptom, cause, treatment of Thinness

What is Thinness?

Underweight, like overweight, is a relative term, being based on the ideal weight for a given height, build and sex. A person can be regarded as moderately underweight if he or she weighs 10 per cent below the ideal body weight and markedly so if 20 per cent below the ideal.

Approximate body weight is among the most important physical attributes and has a deep influence upon the health and personality of an individual. For a healthy body, weight slightly above the average is favourable upto the age of 30 years, as it serves as a good defence measure against certain diseases, especially tuberculosis, which are widely prevalent among the adolescent and the young. Between 30 and 40 years of age, weight should be maintained at the average level as during this period, many future diseases have their beginning. After the age of 40, it will be advisable to keep the weight slightly below the average, so as to lighten the burden on the heart, kidneys and other vital organs.

What are the symptom of Thinness?

Underweight due to an inadequate calorie intake is a serious condition, especially in the young. They often feel easily fatigued, have poor physical stamina and lowered resistance to infection. Diseases like tuberculosis, respiratory disorders, pneumonia, circulatory diseases like heart disorders, cerebral haemorrhage, nepthritis, typhoid fever and cancer are quite common among them. The occurrence of the complications of pregnancy in young women may result from malnutrition due to an inadequate energy intake.

What are the causes of Thinness?

Thinness may be due to inadequate nutrition or excessive bodily activity or both. Emotional factors or bad habits such as skipped meals, small meals, habitual fasting and inadequate exercise are some of the other causes of thinness. Other factors include inadequate digestion and absorption of food due to a wrong dietary pattern for a particular metabolism ; metabolic disturbances such as an overactive thyroid and hereditary tendencies. Disorders such as chronic dyspepsia, chronic diarrhoea, presence of parasites like tapeworm in the ailmentary canal, liver disorders, diabetes mellitus, insomnia, constipation and sexual disorders can also lead to thinness.

Dietary Treatment of Thinness and home remedies

Diet plays an important role in building up health for gaining weight. Nutrients which help keep the nerves relaxed are of utmost importance as nervousness causes all the muscles to become tense and the energy which goes into the tensing wastefully uses up a great deal of food.

Although all vitamins and minerals are required for relaxation, the most important ones are vitamin D and B6, calcium and magnesium. The richest sources of vitamin D are milk, cod-liver oil and sunshine. Calcium is also supplied by milk and yogurt. Magnesium can be obtained from green leafy vegetables such as spinach, parsley, turnip, radish and beet tops. These vegetables should preferably be taken in salad form or should be lightly cooked.

All refined foods such as products containing white flour and sugar should be avoided, as they destroy health. Excessive intake of refined carbohydrates and fats may help the individual to put on weight but this will be detrimental to general health. The diet should be tilted towards alkaline-forming foods such as fruits and vegetables. Alkaline food should comprise 80 per cent of the diet. The other 20 per cent should consist of acid- forming foods such as cereals and lentils. Beverages containing caffine like soft drinks, coffee and tea should be curtailed. Smoking should be given up. Water should not be taken with meals but half an hour before or one hour after meals.