Triphala For Weight Loss: How Does It Help?

In today’s age and era, weight loss is the most profound battle that people are fighting. Thanks to a hectic lifestyle added with binge eating of fatty, junk and sugary food; coupled with no exercise people are either overweight or heading towards it. Weight gain not only adversely affects a person’s overall health but it also slows down the performance of the individual in ways more than one. That is when medicines like Triphala come to our rescue when everything else looks bleak. Let us take a look at how Triphala can help those looking to lose weight as well as how beneficial it is to us in general.

What is Triphala?

Triphala, as the name suggests contains three herbal dried fruits. It is an Ayurvedic medicine containing 3 main ingredients by the names of Amalaki or Indian gooseberry, bibhitaki or Terminalia bellirica and haritaki or Terminalia chebula. Indian gooseberry is rich in antioxidants, Terminalia bellirica assists in regulating cholesterol levels and Terminalia chebula acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Ayurvedic doctors use Triphala to treat a large variety of ailments. It contains antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties all of which are immensely good for a person’s health and immune system. Consuming Triphala also helps to get rid of toxins from the body. It is available in liquid form, powder form, as pills and as health supplements. Before consuming Triphala one must follow the guidelines as advised by an Ayurvedic expert and strictly consume only the recommended dosages. The powder form can be mixed with honey in case one finds it too bitter for their liking.

How Does Triphala Support Weight Loss

Various studies conducted on mice have substantiated how Triphala has reduced the excessive weight in some overweight rodents. Therefore, consuming Triphala does benefit those looking to lose unwanted fat and subsequently get rid of their excess body weight. The best part is that it is an all-natural treatment. What Triphala does is that it helps to keep the small intestine, large intestine and stomach toxin-free by getting rid of the excess toxins from the body. It also betters the health of the colon thereby strengthening the colon tissues. Triphala also promotes better bowel movement and helps to fight constipation. It also helps those suffering from inflammation of the digestive tract by curbing the same. Another benefit that Triphala has is that it helps to reduce the cholesterol level in a person. This in turn removes excess water weight which occurs as a result of bloating. All of this works towards reducing a person’s body weight significantly. Doctors recommend consuming about 10g of Triphala powder either before having one’s breakfast or after eating dinner followed by washing it down with a glass of lukewarm water. In supplement form, one must follow the enclosed leaflet to know the recommended dosage and follow the instructions strictly. The recommended dosage may vary depending on the manufacturer. In any case, consuming a balanced diet is always highly recommended followed by working out on a routine basis. Therefore, in order to attain the best results from consuming Triphala, one must step out of their comfort zones and hit the gym or follow any exercise routine that best suits their lifestyle and hectic schedule.

How To Use The Various Forms Of Triphala 

1. Triphala Powder with cinnamon and honey – to a glass of water add one tablespoon of Triphala powder and a stick of cinnamon. Allow this to soak overnight and in the morning drink this concoction with one tablespoon of honey.
2. Triphala powder with warm water – Soak overnight a glass of warm water mixed with one tablespoon of Triphala powder. Then in the morning boil this concoction until the quantity halves. Let it cool for a bit and then gulp it down.
3. Triphala powder in room-temperature water – in a glass of water add 2 tablespoons of Triphala powder, mix it well and leave it overnight. the next morning drink it in a single gulp.
4. Triphala Pill – considered best to take during night-time, before going to bed, consume a single Triphala pill with either cold or warm water.
5. Triphala tea – in a saucepan pour in a cup of room-temperature water, boil it for about 30 seconds and to this add 1 tablespoon of Triphala powder. To this add a tablespoon of flaxseed powder, squeeze in a little lime. Consume the tea whilst it is still hot.

Health Benefits of Triphala

Triphala is said to have various health benefits, some of them being:

• Out of a study conducted taking 34 people as subjects who were given Triphala for constipation, it was concluded that most of them experienced improved bowel movements, lessening of the feeling of incomplete evacuation as well as better digestion.
• Triphala study conducted on 60 female subjects showed that it helped to improve their existing conditions of gingivitis as well as plaque formation proving triphala is good for oral health.
• Those suffering from diabetes when given triphala were shown to reduce the blood glucose level. Out of the 150 diabetic patients who were chosen as study subjects, majority of them showed positive signs in this regard.
• In terms of skin health, Triphala is known to boost the production of collagen. It can also be used to treat skin injuries wherein it forms a protective layer on the epidermis and dermal fibroblasts.
• Triphala is believed to prevent chronic diseases thereby improving the longevity of the person.
• Triphala helps those suffering from bloating and hyperacidity.
•  Studies are underway for using Triphala to treat cancer for it contains phenolic compounds that help in removing free radicals, owing to its antioxidant properties.
• Triphala is known to induce calmness thereby helps those fighting anxiety and stress.
• In studies conducted on hypercholesteremic rats, Triphala considerably reduced triglyceride as well as LDL cholesterol levels.

Who Should Not Take Triphala

Although Triphala is an excellent herbal medicine to improve one’s health and wellbeing, it is not advised to give Triphala to pregnant and breastfeeding ladies, babies and little children as well as the elderly. Just as in the case with other medicines, Triphala may also interact with other medications taken for existing health conditions therefore never take any medicine unless approved by a healthcare expert.

Conclusion

Taking into consideration the fact that Ayurveda being a centuries-old treatment method, one can without any fear opt for medicines like Triphala for the purpose of weight loss. But it would be advised to do so only after the approval of a doctor provided one also opts for an overall improvement in one’s lifestyle as well as life habits. Weight loss is not an illness and as long as one practises self-discipline and remains committed to their weight-loss goal, it is not a mountainous task to achieve as long as one stays consistent. Also, better to opt for medicines like Triphala than go for crash-dieting as it may do more harm than good.

Triphala can be purchased online or at stores selling ayurvedic products. Always remember to purchase your medical supplies from trusted brands and pharmacies; and never go for cheap bargains at alternate sources for you never know the genuineness of the product in question, after all health is true wealth.