Underweight

A person is regarded as moderately underweight if he or she weighs about 10% below the ideal body weight for given height, built or sex. He or she is marked as underweight if the weight falls 20% below the ideal weight.

Symptoms
The patient often feels exhausted. They have poor stamina and have low resistance to infection.

Causes
An underweight person has an inadequate nutrition while overworking the body. Similarly, bad eating habits such as eating small meals, skipping meals, and habitual fasting; lack of physical exercises; and certain metabolic disturbances such as an overactive thyroid all leads to improper digestion and absorption of food.

Young people who are thin have inadequate calorie intake, which makes them prone to certain diseases such as cancer, cerebral hemorrhage, circulatory, or respiratory system disorders, heart disorders, nephritis, pneumonia, typhoid fever and tuberculosis.

Heredity and certain disorders such as constipation, chronic diarrhea and dyspepsis, diabetes mellitus, insomnia, intestinal worm infestation, liver disorders, and sexual disorders can all make a person underweight.

Home Remedies
Musk Melon: Take 3 kg of musk melons everyday for 3 days. Add more 1 kg daily until the patient is able to appease hunger. Continue treatment for 40 days or more. Choose fruits that are still sweet and fresh for best results. If properly done, this can result to a rapid weight gain.

Mango and milk: Eat 2 medium-sized mangoes first while drinking a glass of milk. Then proceed to eat ripe and sweet mangoes 3 times a day – in the morning, afternoon and evening. Take an exclusive mango and milk diet for 1 month to improve health, bring back vigor and gain weight. Mango is rich sugar but lacks in protein while milk is rich in protein but lacks sugar. Therefore, a combination of the two are definitely effective as remedy.

Milk: For a start, undergo a warm water and limejuice diet for 3 days to cleanse the system. Drink a glass of milk every 2 hours from 8am to 8pm on the first day. Drink a glass of milk every 1 ½ hour the 2nd day and 1 glass every hour the 3rd day. Increase milk intake up to a glass every 30 minutes from 8am – 8pm if the patient can tolerate it.

Figs: Soak 3 dried figs in water and take it twice daily. It contains high percentage of sugar that can be easily assimilated by the body and help gain weight.

Raisin: Take at least 30 gm of raisin everyday to gain more weight.

Vitamins: Vitamins D and B6, calcium and Magnesium can prevent tensed muscles caused by nervousness. Rich sources of vitamin D are sunlight, cod liver oil, and milk. Calcium can be found also on milk and then yogurt. Magnesium can be taken in the form of parsley, spinach, radish, turnip, and green leafy vegetables. Serve these foods either in vegetable salads or cook it lightly before eating it.

Diets
Eat several small meals to prevent being full quickly.

Add more 500 calories to your daily calorie needs to gain weight for about ½ kg weekly.
Avoid white flour and sugar products for it makes the body sick and prone to illnesses.

Further Suggestions
Perform light exercises such as walking and dancing.

Meditation and body massages will also help in relaxing the body, therefore reduces stress and induce a good sleep.

Yoga asanas such as sarvangasana, halasana and matsyasana will also help.