Holistic Protocol for Gaining Weight Naturally
The human body possesses the capacity to heal itself. When we abuse our bodies, or don’t give it what it needs to achieve optimal health we see symptoms such as illness, disease, chronic pain, inflammation etc. Our amazing self-healing body is ever changing to stay in balance. It is of the utmost importance to educate ourselves, to help create an environment in which the body heals itself.
It is imperative that you consult with your physician before making any changes. You must take the necessary precautions to avoid complications with the pharmaceuticals that you are currently taking. Seeking the guidance of a healthcare provider, who is aligned with your medical needs and beliefs is extremely important. Together you can create a proper environment for your body to heal itself.
If you are having trouble gaining weight, ask you doctor to check/test that you do not have any digestion problems. For example: people with leaky gut syndrome may eat properly, but due to intestinal malfunctions, nutrients foods are not properly absorbed into the body, causing deficiencies, weight loss, and disease.
There are no quick fixes, and for most people it is a matter of trying many new things & coming up with the perfect combination of natural remedies in order to achieve your goals.
It is necessary to:
- Eat a healthy well-balanced, nutrient dense, whole food, organic diet. Unfortunately, there is a lot mis-information that you are bombarded with, often it is hard to know what is healthy, and what isn’t. We would love to help you find your perfect nutritional plan. Following the Mediterranean diet (pictured above) is a well balanced diet to follow. For those who are trying to gain weight naturally foods that help promote healthy weight gain are:
- Eat enough protein. Eat lean red meats, chicken, and turkey. Avoid pork, canned meats, and processed meats (cold cuts, deli meats, hot dogs, sausage, and bacon). You should not eat more protein than is recommended for your body weight. (For example: 130Lb person should be eating about 77 grams of protein.) Our body naturally balances itself out, when you provide your body with the proper nutrition, it naturally finds a homeostasis. Eating too much protein will result in the body being at dis-ease.
- Eat a portion of whole grains, such as oatmeal, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice. Avoid simple carbohydrates such as white flour and white rice. You should not overeat carbs to gain weight.
- Eat healthy fats. We need good cholesterol to help our nervous system, and good fats which assist our brain to function properly. Olive oil, flax seed oil (unfiltered, first cold pressed), avocados, nuts, and seeds are an important part of our diet. Try Ghee in place of butter. Avoid vegetable oils, soybean oil, corn oils, canola oil, and seed oils (like sunflower & safflower).
- Eat vegetables with every meal. (At least 6 servings of vegetables daily). Try to eat a rainbow every day. Eating different color foods provide the body with different nutrients. Try rainbow carrots and rainbow radishes, mulit-color peppers. Eat artichokes, broccoli, spinach, kale, swiss chard. Eat salads with a variety of different lettuces. Cucumbers have soothing properties that can help reduce acidity, and may ease an upset stomach.
- Eat 2 portions of fruit daily. Again, using the eat a rainbow model. Berries, apples watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, grapes, etc. Dried fruits, such as apricots (5 per day is great for providing the body with potassium and are a great source of fiber). Avoid overeating Bananas, ½ of a banana provides just enough sugar to the body, while still getting the healthy nutrients from bananas.
- If you find yourself with a loss of appetite, you can eat foods like ginger, cruciferous vegetables, and grapefruit (if you are taking statin drugs like Lipitor, be sure to consult with your physician, as grapefruit can have an effect on this drug.)
2. Exercise daily. Sit with a personal trainer to discuss ways to build bulky muscles, rather than exercise that burns a lot of calories & creates lean muscles. For example, you may want to use weights to build muscle, rather than running on the tread mill or the elliptical. Seek a professional that can assist you in safe exercise.
3. Drink a minimum of 64 ounces of pure clean water daily. This sounds simple, but for most people this is very difficult. If you need suggestions of how to increase your water intake, contact us
4. Sleep at least 8-10 hours a night. We use holistic medicine & alternative therapies to aid in sleep, contact us if you need advice.
5. Manage your stress. In my experience, stress is the #1 cause of disease. People learn to cope and/or compartmentalize the stressors in their lives, it may not always be realized and can have a real impact on your health. Even if you believe you are a person who knows how to relax, you can still benefit from meditation.
- There are many basic ways to help you reduce stress. Meditation and/or Reiki are great complementary Alternative therapies to lower stress.
6. Find an Acupuncturist; specifically, one who specialized in 5 Element Acupuncture (AKA 5 Phase Acupuncture). Five Element theory has been used for more than 2,000 years as a method of diagnosis and treatment. Rooted in ancient wisdom, it is an effective and unique system of medicine that diagnoses and treats the cause of disease.
7. Find a Chiropractor; specifically, one who specializes in pediatric care or neurology. A licensed Chiropractor will address health conditions associated with the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Using gentle, noninvasive and drug free, chiropractic adjustments to treat, resolve and prevent a wide range of health problem.
Boost your body’s immune system.
8. Take a good probiotic. Zen Medicine has created Purecell Probiotics. The most comprehensive combination of unique strains of probiotics, prebiotics, and phytobiotics.
9. If you have recently taken an antibiotic, we suggest a B Complex and a vitamin K supplement. Antibiotics deplete the body of biotin, folic acid, inositol, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin K, and therefore it is necessary replenish your body with those vitamins to restore optimal health. Consider a B12 injection that will provide your body with all the nutrients needed. Call Zen Medicine for more information.
Additional holistic methods to promote healthy weight gain include.
10. Ginger essential oils used topically, mixed with a carrier oil (like coconut oil), applied to the stomach area, has shown to improve and ease digestion.
11. For a homeopathic treatment:
- Alfafa Tonic, it may increase your appetite and improve digestion.
- Lycopodium, helps with digestive imbalance. If you have not been able to gain weight due to weakening liver function.
- Calcarea Phosphorica, if you have suffered from a disease that caused weight loss. Anemic children, those with feeble digestion should investigate using.
- Aleo Socotrina, may help those suffering from abdominal problems like feeling full, or pain during bowel movements.
12. Bach Rescue Remedy can help if your loss of weight is rooted in your emotions. Depending on you mood/emotional state choose the remedy that best suits you needs at the moment. Click here to find the perfect remedy for you.
13. Aloe and Sovereign Silver may help intestinal disturbances. Consult with your physician before embarking on this treatment, as it can interfere with medications you are currently taking.
14. Drink an infusion of ginger tea. Steep 1 teaspoon of grated ginger (or premade teabag) in hot water for 10 minutes. For maximum therapeutic results drink 3 cups per day.
15. Download the APP MYfitnessPal by Under Armour. The app is free, you can choose your plan of action (how much weight you want to gain & set goals). It is easy to log your water intake, exercise habits, and food. It calculates all the information & lets you know if you are eating enough calories to make the energy necessary for your lifestyle. This calorie counter is great for people who think they are eating enough and still loosing weight. (Perhaps you don’t consume enough calories to meet your exercise needs, and therefore you keep losing weight.)
It is important to look at your body as a whole and find the root of the problem. Recognize that everything is connected. What you eat and drink, how you exercise, how you manage your stress, the amount you sleep you get each night, your job/career and your social life; it all effects and affects your health. Tracking the root issue, and using a variety of modalities can assist your body in healing itself, and can prevent suffering from similar issues in the future.
As always it would be our honor to assist you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.