Obesity in children refers to higher than standard weight that is considered normal as per the height and age of the child. BMI (body mass index) is a tool to find out whether a child is healthy, underweight, overweight or obese. BMI is calculated by taking into consideration the height and weight of the child. A child having BMI at 95^th percentile or higher when compared to children of the same age and gender, is considered obese. Obesity in childhood has chances of being carried into adulthood. Obesity in children can lead to poor self-esteem, depression and anxiety. Childhood obesity also predisposes a child towards early onset of puberty. It also puts them at an increased risk of certain health problems in the long run with the passage of time. For example, obesity increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, snoring, sleep apnea (momentary pauses in breathing during sleep), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), joint pains and certain forms of cancer.

Causes of Obesity in Children

Eating more food than what is required for normal growth of child, combined with very little physical activity, leads less burning of calories. The extra unburnt calories get stored and with time obesity may result if above behaviour of eating excessive amount and doing little exercise continues for long. In today’s times, outdoor activities are being replaced by electronic gadgets, like using smart phones, tablets, television. To make it worse, snacking while using these gadgets piles up more calories in the body. More calorie intake than required, accompanied by less physical activity, is the major culprit behind childhood obesity.

Other than this, multiple factors play a role in childhood obesity. Having a family history of obesity increases risk of obesity in a child. Secondly, poor food choices contribute to obesity. Poor food choice means food high in sugar and fat content and lacking in nutrients, like fast food, chips, pizza, burger, candies, chocolates, frozen and canned food, baked food items, cookies and soft drinks.

Besides, some medical conditions might also lead to obesity in children. For example, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland in which thyroid gland is unable to produce enough amount of thyroid hormones required in the body for proper functioning) and Cushing’s syndrome (a disorder occurring from too much cortisol hormone in the body). Psychological issues like stress, depressed feeling may lead to excessive eating and may result in obesity. Lastly, use of certain medicines (like steroids) can also contribute to childhood obesity.

Homeopathic Management

Homeopathic medicines, along with change in eating habits (means switching to healthy eating habits) and an increase in physical activity, can prove very effective in managing obesity in children. Homeopathic medicines work in these cases by increasing the metabolic rate of the body. There is no specific medicine in homeopathy for managing childhood obesity that can be given in each and every case. Rather homeopathic medicine for obesity are selected from various available medicines in homeopathy as per each individual case. For selecting a homeopathic medicine, constitution of a child is studied in detail. Constitution includes the totality of physical and mental make-up of a person. Medicines are prescribed after a detailed analysis. The best part of these medicines is that they are safe to use as they are 100% natural with zero side effects. It is advised to take any of the homeopathic medicines after consulting a physician. In no case, self-medication should be done.

Homeopathic Medicines For Obesity In Children

1. Calcarea Carb – Top Most Medicine

Calcarea Carb is the most frequently used medicine in homeopathy to manage obesity in children as well as adults. It suits children who are fat and chubby. Though they grow fat and heavy, but look pale and are not strong. They look dull, lack energy and lack the desire to play. They feel weak while walking or climbing stairs. They usually have a tendency to feel chilly. Excessive sweating may be felt. Sweating is most marked in the head and chest during sleep. They also have a tendency of sour smell from body discharges like from sweat and stool. They have an increased appetite, especially for eggs, sweets and ice creams. They have a dislike for milk. They may have a craving to eat indigestible things like chalk, dirt, pencils etc. Children needing this medicine may be sad, unhappy, self-willed, and obstinate. Besides, Calcarea Carb is a well-known medicine to manage hypothyroid-related problems.

2. Antimonium Crudum

Antimonium Crudum is the next best medicine to manage childhood obesity. This medicine is indicated for children who show excessive irritability. They have increased appetite and eat beyond the digestive capacity of the body. However, they do not get enough strength from the food eaten. They specifically have a craving for sour food, pickles, etc. They may complain of bloating after eating and experience frequent burping.  A very characteristic feature is that the tongue is coated thick white in cases needing this medicine. Skin may be rough, scaly along with horny patches on the body.

3. Capsicum

Capsicum is another medicine for managing obesity in children. This medicine is prominently indicated for children who are fat, weak and lazy. They have a dislike for physical activity or exertion. They have sensitivity to cold and damp weather. They do not like a draft of air or open air. They have an irritable nature and get angry and offended easily.

4. Ferrum Met

This medicine is indicated when children though they look strong, are very weak. They frequently suffer anaemia. They have weakness, have aversion to walking and desire to lie down. They look pale. They have a desire to eat a lot of food and can have a craving for sweets in particular, bread and butter frequently.

5. Baryta Carb

Baryta Carb can be considered in children who are obese and have short height. They are very lazy. They do not wish to play, just want to sit down all the time. Their abdomen may be large, hard and tense. They have weakness of body as well as mind. They may have a very shy nature. They may have weak memory, are slow in mentally grasping an idea in studies or otherwise, and have difficulty in concentration. They feel chilly and have a tendency to catch cold easily. They may also suffer frequent sore throat and tonsillitis. A tendency of excessive sweating on the foot can be there. The desire for eating sweets may be present in children needing this medicine.

6. Kali Bichrome

Kali Bichrome is indicated for fat, chubby, short-necked children who have lack of energy and are quite inactive. They may have tendency to suffer cold frequently. Here a characteristic feature is thick, yellow or green, stringy, ropy discharge from nose or dripping of such discharge from the back of the nose into the throat called PND i.e. post nasal discharge. There may also be a tendency of swollen tonsils.

7. Belladonna

Belladonna is a great medicine for managing number of health concerns in children. Its use is also recommended to manage obesity in children. Children needing it usually have cravings for sour food and sweets. They have desire for cold water. They have a tendency to suffer sore throat and tonsillitis frequently. They also might have a tendency to have red, swollen glands in different body parts.

Infographic on Homeopathy for Weight Loss

Obesity is one big health issue that is a reason for distress for people of all age groups. If the popularity of slimming centers and continued patronage of weight loss pills and diet plans is any indication, then obesity is a huge problem. There is no miracle treatment for obesity, though homeopathy has been successfully employed as a mode of treatment for many years now in Europe and South Asia. The homeopathic treatment for losing weight is constitutional. It requires a detailed case history of the patient and its evaluation for selecting a suitable constitutional remedy. The main causes of weight gain include hypothyroidism, depression, the slow activity of intestines, and a sedentary lifestyle. Women with polycystic ovarian disease and those around menopausal age are prone to weight gain. In this article, various  medicines to loose weight are mentioned, but again the selection depends solely upon the constitution of the patient. There are no such things as homeopathic supplements for weight loss, neither is there any homeopathic diet for weight loss.

Do I need to Exercise and Control My Diet while using Homeopathic Medicines for Weight Loss ?

Exercise is very essential for weight loss. Homeopathic medicines are no substitute for exercise. In Fact, exercise along with medicine can accentuate weight loss. controlling diet is a must for weight loss. Low Carb diet is suggested can be beneficial.  Please note that these medicines are not ” fat dissolving ” by nature. They work by stimulating your body’s metabolism to burn more fat.

Top 5 Homeopathic Medicines to Lose Weight

1. Calcarea Carbonica – It tops the list of homeopathic weight loss medicines. This medicine is mainly given when there is excess fat in the abdomen and the metabolism is working at a very low pace, resulting in obesity and weight gain. A patient requiring this medicine is fatty and flabby. In order to be eligible to use this medicine to lose weight, the constitutional symptoms shown by the patient are given utmost importance. For instance, the patients who require this medicine usually have a tendency to perspire profusely, especially on the head. These patients cannot tolerate cold air. Certain peculiar eating habits are also found in these patients. The eating habits include craving for boiled eggs, and strange things like chalk, clay, pencils, lime, etc. Due to a sluggish metabolic activity, the patients are almost always constipated. This medicine can also be considered if the excess weight gain is due to thyroid problems.

2. Natrum Mur:  Natrum Mur is also a significant remedy that is employed to lose weight. This medicine is recommended when there is an excess of fat mainly in the thighs and buttocks as compared to other parts of the body. This medicine gives wonderful results if the person has gained excess weight due to long-continued stress or depression. The constitutional symptoms are always considered in the case of this medicine as well. The important constitutional symptoms include excessive heat in the patient’s body and intolerance towards the heat of the sun. The patients who require this medicine usually suffer from anemia. Another important symptom seen in patients suited to this medicine is the craving for extra salts in the diet. In essence, a person eligible for this medicine comes across as a person with weeping tendencies, especially when alone, worsens when someone consoles him/her and reserved nature.
3. Lycopodium: It is one of the most useful homeopathic remedies for fat loss . This is also used mainly when the thighs and buttock areas have excess fat, just like the above-mentioned medicine Natrum Mur. But again the constitutional symptoms that are unique to using Lycopodium differentiate between these two. The patients who require Lycopodium are chronic sufferers of gastric troubles like flatulence and constipation. They have a tendency to crave for sweet foods. They also indulge in hot drinks and hot food. They show a tendency to eat far beyond their capacity with resulting bloated abdomen and weight gain. Mentally, the person requiring this medicine is very irritable and easily roused to anger, especially on being contradicted.
4. Nux Vomica: Nux Vomica is recommended for persons who have gained excess weight due to sedentary habits. The first important symptom in persons requiring this medicine is that they are chronic sufferers of the most obstinate constipation. Such a person has a continuous urge to pass stool, but only a little stool is ejected at a time. The second symptom is intolerance to cold air. The third most important symptom is the eating habit – a person in need of Nux Vomica  for losing weight likes spicy food, fatty food, and stimulants like coffee or alcoholic drinks. Mentally, the person is extremely sensitive to external impressions and gets angry to an extreme degree too.
5. Antimonium Crudum: This is mainly a  prescribed for obese children in order to help them lose weight. A suitable candidate for this medicine is a child who possesses extreme irritability, very cross nature, and an aversion to being touched or be looked at. These children also have a marked aversion to cold bathing. The significant indicator of using this medicine to lose weight is craving for acidic things like pickles in the child. The child’s tongue in this case is usually thickly white-coated and the stomach is deranged with alternate diarrhea and constipation due to a habit of overeating.

 Ignatia and Natrum Mur – for losing weight when depression has lead to obesity and excess weight gain.

Ignatia works effectively to decrease the weight in an overweight person when depression is the cause of weight gain. The persons requiring Ignatia usually eat to a great extent due to sadness and consequently gain weight. They have a very fickle mood that changes from sadness to happiness and from laughter to tears. Natrum Mur is prescribed to those overweight patients who weep a lot in depression and have an increased appetite.

Calcarea Carb and Lycopodium for weight loss in persons who have gained excessive weight due hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism refers to a condition in which the thyroid gland of the body that controls the metabolism becomes under-active. As a result, various problems arise in the body owing to a sluggish metabolism; weight gain is a major health concern out of these problems. Weight loss in persons with hypothyroid through homeopathy depends on the basic constitution. The above-mentioned medicines can be of great help in reducing weight. The constitution of persons requiring Calcarea Carb is fatty and flabby. Such persons are sensitive to cold and have profuse sweating, especially on the head. The patients requiring Lycopodium, on the other hand, have weight problems along with gastric troubles. The gastric troubles may include constipation or excessive flatulence in the abdomen. Such patients may also show a strong craving for sweets and hot drinks.

 Alumina and Nux Vomica-   for Obesity  when Intestinal Functioning could be the Reason

In this case, all the medicines mentioned above efficiently aid weight loss but the selection of the proper medicine depends upon the individual symptoms presented by the patient. The persons requiring Alumina have constipation and they go many days without passing stool. In fact, they do not have an urge to pass stool for many days. This is because their intestines work at a slower pace. The second medicine Nux Vomica suits those overweight persons who are constipated but the urge to pass stool is very frequent. The stool passed out of the body is insufficient and unsatisfactory.

 Graphites and Sepia- for weight loss in women who have gained excess weight around menopause.

Menopause is a stage where the monthly cycles end in a woman; this period basically marks a cessation of reproductive ability in women. The Hormonal changes that take place at this stage are responsible for weight gain in menopausal women. The women experience bulkiness and heaviness in their bodies. Graphites and Sepia are both natural medicines that help menopausal women lose weight without any side effects. Graphites for weight loss -Graphites mainly suits women who remain sad, cannot tolerate cold air, and suffer from chronic constipation. Sepia suits women who are irritable and indifferent in behavior towards their family. These women may also complain of hot flushes. A prominent feature that serves as a clear indicator that Sepia is required for treatment is a bearing down sensations in pelvic organs of the woman.

 Calcarea Carb, Natrum Mur, Pulsatilla and Sepia for weight loss in obese women who suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Disease

Women suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Disease mainly face problems such as suppression of the periods and weight gain. Calcarea carb, Natrum Mur, Pulsatilla, and Sepia can all be used as medicines for weight loss in this case. The medicine is selected after proper evaluation of the case history provided by the patient.

 Natrum Mur and Lycopodium- Remedies for weight loss in overweight persons having excess fat in thigh and buttock area

Both Natrum Mur and Lycopodium are  for weight loss that help overweight persons with excess fat deposits in thigh and buttocks. The constitution of the patient suggests the selection of the medicine out of these two. Some important features that stand prominent to select Natrum Mur are excess heated sensation, craving for salted food, and reserved nature. For the selection of Lycopodium, the few guiding symptoms are excessive flatulence in the abdomen, craving for sweets and hot drinks, and irritable nature.

Ammonium Carb and Antimonium Crudum for weight loss in overweight persons having excess fat in the upper body as compared to legs that are usually thin.

Ammonium Carb works well for obese persons who are sluggish and always feel tired and weak. These people usually have a sedentary lifestyle. They also show marked sensitivity to cold air.  Antimonium Crudum suits people with a habit of eating far beyond their capacity. They usually suffer from gastric troubles. Alternate loose stool and constipated stool are often their commons complains. Thickly white coated tongue is a prominent symptom in persons requiring this medicine.

Antimonium Crudum, Baryta Carb and Calcarea Carb-  for weight loss in obese children

To select the suitable medicine out of above mentioned medicines for overweight children, the entire constitution of child is taken into consideration.  Antimonium Crudum suits those obese children who are very irritable and cross. Such children are in a habit of over eating and generally crave pickles in diet. The next medicine, Baryta Carb, suits those obese children who are timid and dull. They are mentally and physically dwarfish, and also have tendency to catch cold easily and suffer from recurrent throat infections. The last homeopathic medicine, Calcarea carb, is mainly given to fatty and flabby children. The constitutional symptoms indicating its use are sensitivity to cold environment and excessive perspiration on head. Another prominent guiding feature indicating the need of this medicine is a craving for boiled eggs and indigestible things like chalk and pencils.

Post pregnancy Weight Gain – Role of Calcarea Carb in reducing it.

Calcarea carb is very effective in reducing weight gain that has occurred  during pregnancy . Constitutional symptoms indicating the use of Calcarea Carb must be present in the patient for  Calcarea carb to be used. A typical patient of Calcarea Carb is constitutionally sensitive to cold ,  tends to be more obese around waist and is usually slow in movements . They can be emotionally very sensitive .

Can Calcarea Be used for Weight Gain due to Hypo-Fuctioning of Thyroid Gland ?

Yes, Calcarea Carb is also very effective in reducing weight gain that has occurred  due to hypothyroidism . It might also help in setting right the hypo-functioning of thyroid gland