To address your weight loss and constipation following illness with a vegetarian diet, a balanced, nourishing approach is essential. From an Ayurvedic perspective, improving digestive strength while focusing on nourishing the dhatus (tissues) is crucial. Your primary focus should be on restoring your agni (digestive fire) and pacifying any Vata imbalance, which often contributes to weight loss and constipation.
Start your day with a warm glass of water, adding a pinch of ginger powder helps stimulate digestion. Focus on easily digestible foods that are warm, moist, and grounding. Incorporate cooked grains like rice or oats, as they’re easier on the digestive tract. Khichdi, a staple in Ayurveda, made with rice, mung dal, and ghee is highly nourishing, boosting digestion and helping with weight gain. Ghee enhances digestion and metabolism; include a teaspoon with meals.
Favor cooked vegetables over raw — carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes are grounding and supportive for Vata. Add nuts and seeds: soak almonds overnight, peel and consume them in the morning for nourishment. Seed butters like tahini and almond butter provide healthy fats.
Fruits like ripe bananas, mangoes, and figs are rejuvenating. Aim to include a spoon of soaked raisins, it’s not only soothing for the digestive tract but also helps gain weight. Include milk, if you tolerate dairy, it can be consumed warm with a pinch of turmeric at night, aiding rest and tissue building.
Spices like cumin, coriander, and fennel favorably aid digestion, reducing bloating and enhancing nutrient absorption. Regularly consume them with meals as a simple spice mix.
Aim to eat at regular intervals to keep digestive fire balanced. Avoid snacking too much as it can weaken digestion, rather focus on full meals. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and avoid stress, engage in gentle yoga or light walking exercises to support digestion and overall health.
If constipation persists , consuming a small dose of Triphala powder before bed aids regular bowel movements. Remember, Ayurveda emphasizes individual differences, so adjust these suggestions to fit personal comfort and effectiveness. Seek professional guidance if symptoms don’t improve.
Avoid oily, spicy and processed foods. Regular exercise. Increase intake of raw vegetables and fruits. Tab. Erandbhrushta haritaki 0-0-2 With lukewarm water at bedtime. Ashwagandhsrishta 15ml twice after meal Tab. Gokshur 3-0-3 Follow up after 4weeks.
Include nuts and fruits in your diet. Frequent meals plan will definitely work.
Always include a protein like chana, peanut, etc in each meal.
Do regular exercises.
If you are interested in taking medicines 1. Satavari choornam 1 tsp at morning with milk. 2. Aswagandha choornam 1 tsp with warm milk at night
Start your David, warm water and 1 teaspoon of ghee to support bowel moment and improve absorption for breakfast, choose soft high calorie, easy diet, Asian foods like Mudal with coconut based chutny idlis with ghee oats with milk with few soaked raisins and almonds Take banana after breakfast for steady , weight gain
Mid morning, take a banana Smoothie made with two dates and peanut butter blended in milk or soy milk
For lunch, take 1.5 to 2 cups of rice with ghee moong dal And soft vegetables Add half cup of curd Avoid Raw salads for now Evening can take besan chills Peanut chikki with warm milk Or sprouts
Dinner should e light can take ashwagandha churna 1 teaspoon with warm milk For weight gain include ghee vl banana peanuts curd
For constipation can take erand brisht Haritaki 1 tsp with warm water at night
You can take Ashwagandhadi lehyam 1 tsp with warm milk at night Include cow ghee milk nuts banana in diet Chywanprash 1 tsp at morning Drink plenty of fluids Include more fibre in diet
Hello Aaron Start with Tablet Liv-52 1-0-1 after food with water will improve your digestion. Ashwagandha churan 0-0-1tsp at bedtime with cool milk, will improve strength, build muscle, also stress buster, nerve rejuvenator. Include black dates, prunes. Peanuts , bananas in your diet daily. Soak Black currant, Raisins, dry fig in a glass of water at night, morning mix and drink this smoothie, This will help form fibers and ease your constipation naturally. Take shiva tablet 1-0-1 after food with water Tablet Nityam 0-0-1 at bedtime with water. Include fresh green vegetables not raw in your diet. Do pranamyam lom -vilom bhastrika daily for 5-10mins twice Include 2-4 tsp of cow’s ghee in your diet,
Focus on this advice -
Daily Diet (3500–3800 kcal) 6 AM: 1 glass warm milk + 1 tsp ghee + 2 dates. 8 AM Breakfast: 2 paneer paratha + 1 bowl curd + 1 banana. 11 AM Snack: 1 glass banana milkshake (milk + banana + 1 tsp peanut butter). 1 PM Lunch: 2 bowls rice + 1 bowl dal + 1 bowl aloo-gobi sabzi + 1 tsp ghee + buttermilk. 4 PM Snack: 1 bowl suji halwa + 4 soaked almonds. 7 PM Dinner: 2 veg pulao + 1 bowl raita + 1 sweet potato. 9 PM: 1 glass warm milk + 1 tsp Triphala churna (for constipation).
Constipation Medicines Abhayarishta: 15 ml + 45 ml warm water after dinner. Gandharva Haritaki: 3 gm at night with warm water.
Weight Gain Boosters Badam Pak: 10 gm morning with milk. Shatavari Churna: 3 gm nightly with milk.
Lifestyle Walk 15 min after meals. Vajrasana 5 min post-dinner. Sleep 10 PM – 6 AM.
Regards Dr Gursimran Jeet Singh MD Panchakarma
Hello Aaron, I completely understand how distressing it can be to lose weight after illness — especially when constipation adds to discomfort. Don’t worry, with proper nourishment and Ayurvedic regulation of your digestive fire (Agni), you can regain healthy weight, strength, and vitality naturally.
✅DIET PLAN FOR HEALTHY WEIGHT GAIN
Follow this meal structure daily for 4–6 weeks:
✅Morning (6:30–8:00 AM)
Drink 1 glass of warm water with 1 tsp ghee – lubricates intestines and eases bowel movement.
Breakfast options –Moong dal chilla with ghee –Oats cooked in milk with chopped dates, almonds, and raisins –Ragi porridge with jaggery and ghee
✅ Mid-Morning Snack (10:30–11:00 AM)
1 ripe banana or 1 mango (seasonal) 1 glass milk with 1 tsp Ashwagandha powder or Shatavari powder
(Ashwagandha helps rebuild muscle and increase healthy weight.)
✅ Lunch (12:30–1:30 PM)
1 cup brown or red rice / khichdi made with moong dal + vegetables + ghee 1 small bowl curd or buttermilk with cumin powder 1 tsp ghee over food for lubrication and nourishment Add soft, warm foods – soups, dal, cooked veggies like pumpkin, carrots, ridge gourd
✅Evening Snack (4:30–5:30 PM)
1 cup herbal tea (ginger + cinnamon + fennel) to aid digestion Handful of nuts and dry fruits soaked overnight (almonds, dates, raisins, figs)
✅ Dinner (7:00–8:00 PM)
Soft khichdi or vegetable dal soup with ghee Avoid raw salads at night (can worsen Vata). After dinner: ½ tsp Triphala powder with warm water – for constipation and colon cleansing.
✅ Before Bed (9:00 PM)
1 cup warm milk with ½ tsp ghee + pinch of nutmeg powder for better sleep and Vata balance.
✅ Lifestyle & Remedies
For Constipation Relief
Take Triphala churna 1 tsp with lukewarm water at bedtime.
Perform Abhyanga (oil massage) 3 times/week with Dhanwantaram Taila or Ksheerabala Taila.
Light yoga asanas daily – Pavanamuktasana, Vajrasana, Malasana help stimulate bowel movement.
Stay hydrated (2.5–3 L/day), preferably with warm water or cumin-fennel tea.
✅AYURVEDIC MEDICATION
1 Chyawanprash – 1 tsp daily in the morning with milk (improves immunity and strength) 2 Ashwagandha Lehyam – 1 tsp twice daily 3 Triphala Churna – for gentle bowel regularity 4 Shatavari Kalpa 1 tsp with warm milk daily once – for nourishment and tissue regeneration
❌Avoid
Cold or raw foods (fruits straight from the fridge) Fried, dry, or overly spicy items Skipping meals or fasting Excess tea, coffee, or refined sugar
Wishing you a good health😊
Warm regards, Dr. Snehal Vidhate
HELLO,
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CONDITION With the chronic illness and chronic constipation, your body has moved into what in Ayurveda is called Vata aggravation with Agni weakness, along with Dhatu depletion. This means the digestive fire, Agni, which works to convert the food into vital tissues called Dhatus, is weakened. When this happens, even good food doesn’t convert efficiently into nourishment — leading to loss of weight, muscle, vitality, and overall strength.
Two-month constipation will eventually dry the colon and body channels, or Srotas, thus aggravating Vata further. Thus, our first job is to pacify Vata, rekindle Agni, and then gradually rebuild the strength of tissue through Brimhana therapy, or nourishment.
MORNING ROUTINE AND DIGESTIVE STIMULATION Start your day with something warm and hydrating to awaken the digestive system upon waking. One or two glasses of warm water, preferably with a few drops of lemon juice, will help clean the intestinal passage and gently spark up Agni. At this stage, avoid cold water or juices. To help lubricate the intestines and alleviate chronic constipation, take a teaspoon of ghee (clarified butter) in a little warm milk.
In cases of stubborn constipation, you may substitute one or two teaspoons of castor oil in warm milk once or twice a week — this acts as a mild Virechana (purgation) that clears old accumulations. Another alternative is half to one teaspoon Triphala churna at bed time in warm water; it tones the colon and promotes regular elimination without dependency. This includes a warm oil massage (Abhyanga) two to three times a week, preferably using sesame oil. Anoint the entire body, especially the abdomen and the legs, leave it on for 15–20 minutes, and then bathe in warm water. This nourishes tissues, balances Vata, and supports proper bowel movements.
DIETARY PRINCIPLES The food should be warm, moist, slightly oily, and freshly cooked. Avoid dry, raw, cold, or heavily spiced items. Food should be grounding, strengthening, and easily digestible. Begin your day with a light but wholesome meal. Soft, well-cooked moong dal khichdi prepared with rice, split yellow moong dal, ghee, cumin, and turmeric is ideal. Alternatively, you may consume oats or ragi porridge cooked in milk sweetened with jaggery and enriched with soaked almonds, dates, and a pinch of cardamom or cinnamon. These provide good carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein, while being gentle on digestion. If you prefer fruits in the morning, choose stewed apples or pears rather than raw fruit. Cook them lightly in a little water with cinnamon or cardamom — this makes them easier to digest and helps regulate bowel movement. Use plenty of ghee throughout the day, at least two to three teaspoons a day. Ghee is one of the best Vata-pacifying foods; it lubricates the colon, helps the absorption of nutrients, and aids in the tissue regeneration process. Along with ghee, warm milk, paneer, curd (as buttermilk), and mung dal are your best allies. Consume soft, cooked grains like rice, broken wheat (dalia), or millets with easily digestible lentils such as moong or masoor dal during main meals. Add vegetables: pumpkin, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, spinach, carrot, beetroot, or zucchini-simmered and only lightly seasoned with ghee, cumin, ginger, and turmeric. Avoid raw salads or cold dressings, as these weaken Agni further and promote dryness. A small portion of homemade paneer, mung bean curry, or soft tofu will contribute valuable protein. Drink a little thin buttermilk-one part curd churned with three parts warm water, spiced with roasted cumin and a pinch of rock salt-after your main meal. This aids digestion, prevents bloating, and helps restore gut flora. In the evening, take light foods that are warm and soothing, like vegetable soups, rice gruel, or soft dalia with milk and ghee. Before bedtime, drink a glass of warm milk with nutmeg and ghee. This is a very nourishing combination, sleep-conducive, and regulates bowel movements automatically. Between meals, if you feel hungry, snack on soaked almonds, raisins, dates, figs or sesame–jaggery laddoos. These are rich in iron, calcium and good calories. Fresh, ripe fruits like bananas, mangoes or avocados (in season) can also be taken as milkshakes for gentle weight gain — but never combine milk with sour or citrus fruits. ⚕️ HERBAL SUPPORT Some Ayurvedic supplements can help speed up the recovery process when taken under guidance: Chyawanprash: 1–2 teaspoons a day after breakfast. It strengthens immunity, restores the vitality of tissues, and supports weight gain. Ashwagandha powder or lehya - half to one teaspoon with warm milk, twice daily: it promotes the growth of muscles and diminishes weakness. Shatavari churna: half a teaspoon with milk once or twice a day is excellent for nourishment and balancing Pitta. Triphala churna – to regulate night time elimination. Avipattikar churna - only if acidity or burning accompanies constipation. These plant-based formulations start a gradual balancing process that rebuilds the body from the inside. HYDRATION AND DIGESTIVE SUPPORT Drink plenty of warm water throughout the day, instead of a lot of chilled water. You can also prepare herbal teas made with cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds, or a mild ginger tea to keep digestion active. Avoid iced drinks and processed fruit juices. ???♂️ LIFESTYLE AND YOGA Avoid vigorous movements. It is not advisable to exercise with a lot of vigor since this drains all the energy the body needs during convalescence. Instead, do some light yogic exercises and walk around. Sitting in Vajrasana after meals for five to ten minutes helps in proper digestion. Stretching every morning and yoga poses such as Pavanamuktasana, Bhujangasana, and Supta Baddha Konasana relieve gas, support bowel movement, and increase blood flow to the digestive organs. Adequate sleep is essential. Go to bed before 10 PM, wake up early, and keep a serene and regular rhythm. Stress and overthinking, or maintaining irregular schedules, increase Vata and obstruct recovery. ??? FOODS AND HABITS TO AVOID Avoid cold, dry, or processed foods like cold milk, bread, chips, crackers, popcorn, and raw vegetables. Reduce caffeine and fried foods, refined sugar, and carbonated drinks. Do not skip meals, late-night eating, or overuse of lentils like chana or urad, which will cause gas. Avoid long gaps in meals; eat only when genuinely hungry, not because it is time to eat. ⭐️ project recovery track Once your digestion becomes regular and efficient, the process of rebuilding tissue will occur naturally. You can observe an improved appetite, better bowel movements, and steadier energy within two to three weeks. Gradually, you will notice a weight gain over the next couple of months, approximately half to one kilogram per week, as strength and vitality return. This is a gentle but steady process; the aim is to restore the balance, not to artificially increase body weight. Overview of the approach Start your day with warm hydration, internal lubrication, and mild detoxification. Eat freshly cooked, warm, nourishing meals enriched with ghee, milk, and easily digestible grains. Include natural sources of protein like moong dal, paneer, and nuts. Utilize herbs such as Ashwagandha, Shatavari, and Triphala to balance Vata and rebuild tissues. Support digestion with light exercise, regular rest, and oil massage. Avoid cold, dry, and processed foods.
THANK YOU
DR. MAITRI ACHARYA
Here is a complete schedule for you to help you in your weight gain journey.
Breakfast 8-9.30 am Upma, Poha, Idli, Dosa, Moong Dal Chilla, Vegetable Paratha (Potato paratha once in a while) with a cup of buffalo milk
Mid Snack 11-11.30 am 1 fruit which ever you like
Lunch 12.30-1.30pm A bowl of Dal A bowl of vegetable Roti Rice 2 tsp of ghee
Hi Tea 4 -4.30pm 1 cup of milk with any breakfast item you like. You can have a fruit as well but than avoid milk.
Dinner 7.30-8.30 pm 1 bowl of dal 1 bowl of vegetable Roti Rice 2 tsp of ghee
❌Things to Avoid❌ Processed food Oily food Ready to eat food Maida Desserts
✔️Must do✔️ Exercise is must Have a fruit after exercise best prefered banana You can replace fruits with boiled eggs Twice a week swimming or running Weight training if possible Surya namaskar daily atleast 10. Start from whatever is possible.
Exercise will increase your hunger and you will notice your appetite increasing.
💊Medication💊
Syp. Drakshasav 3 tsp twice a day before food Tab. Liv 52 DS 1 tab twice a day before food Tab. Ampachak Vati 2 tabs twice a day before food.
Full body massage with lukewarm sesame seed oil followed by exercise.
Take Tab. Bandy Plus (deworming medication) 1 tab at night before you start your medication.
Remember you will not see effect in one or two days but you will notice changes within 15 days.
A blend of exercise n healthy food will help you in your weight gain programme.
Also please get HbA1C test done as so much weight loss in a small time suggest of raised sugar
“Diet Plan” (Vegetarian)---- Focus on snigdha (unctuous), guru (heavy), and nourishing foods that are easy to digest and build dhatus (tissues):
Morning (7–8 AM) - Jeera-ajwain water (1 glass warm) to stimulate digestion - Cooked banana with ghee and honey - Soaked almonds and walnuts (overnight soaked, peeled)
Breakfast (9–10 AM) - Moong dal chilla with paneer stuffing - Ragi porridge with jaggery and ghee - Ashwagandha powder (1 tsp) with warm milk
Mid-Morning (11:30 AM) - Fruit smoothie (banana + dates + soaked figs + milk + a pinch of cardamom)
Lunch (1–2 PM) - Khichdi (moong dal + rice + ghee + vegetables like carrot, pumpkin) - Beetroot or bottle gourd sabzi - Buttermilk with roasted jeera and mint
Evening Snack (4–5 PM) - Dry fruit laddoo (dates, figs, almonds, sesame, ghee) - Herbal tea (saunf + ajwain + ginger)
Dinner (7–8 PM) - Soft roti with ghee + mashed sweet potato or green gram curry - Rice with ghee and dal - Triphala churna (½ tsp) with warm water before bed for constipation relief
Ayurvedic Supplements: 1.Chyawanprash 1 tsp with warm milk empty stomach in the morning 2.Ashwagandha capsules 1 cap twice daily warm milk 3.Shatavari capsules 1 cap twice daily with warm milk
🧘♂️ Gentle Daily Routine - Abhyanga (oil massage) with Bala Taila or Dhanwantharam Taila 3x/week - Yoga: Gentle poses like Pawanmuktasana, Vajrasana, Bhujangasana - Sun exposure: 15–20 mins daily for vitality - Sleep: Early bedtime (10 PM), avoid screen time post 8 PM
