Being thin or underweight like being overweight, is a relative term, being based on the ideal weight for a given height built, and sex. A person can be regarded as moderately underweight if he or she weighs ten per cent below the ideal body weight and markedly so if the weight is twenty per cent below the ideal. It is sometimes extremely difficult for those who are underweight to gain weight due to various factors such as a genetic predisposition, certain hormonal imbalances, and even some health conditions. Underweight children are often fussy eaters and their lack of weight gain can often be attributed to malnutrition caused by poor eating habits. A child may suffer from various underweight problems if the parents do not take adequate measures to stabilize the child’s weight. While being underweight does have an impact on an individual’s physical appearance, it is also important to note that there are several medical underweight risks for both children and adults. Some of the most common medical conditions associated with underweight adults include bone loss, heart irregularities, and infertility. On the other hand, children who are underweight are generally at a higher risk of suffering from nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and lower immune levels. These children have underdeveloped immune systems and so they are more susceptible to infection. Therefore underweight children are at a very high risk of suffering from infections such as respiratory infections and skin infections.
Underweight Symptoms
Fatigue Feeling
They often feel easily fatigued, have poor physical stamina and low resistance to infection. Feelings of lethargy and listlessness are extremely common underweight symptoms in children and can hamper the overall growth of the child. Underweight children may also have lower energy levels which would prevent them from playing games that are physically strenuous. The lack of physical exercise would then result in inadequate muscle strength and this too would hamper the child’s overall health.
Underweight Causes
Underweight Symptoms, Causes, Remedy and Diet
Thinness Due to an Inadequate Calorie Intake
Thinness due to an inadequate caloric intake is a serious condition, especially in young people. Diseases like tuberculosis, respiratory disorders, pneumonia, circulatory diseases like heart disorders, cerebral haemorrhage, nephritis, typhoid fever, and cancer are quite common among them. An extremely low calorie intake is generally associated with eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. These eating disorders have a tremendous negative impact on an individual’s health and require extensive guidance and counseling for the person to make a full recovery. Most people tend to disregard eating disorders but it is important to note that suffering from such a disorder can severely shorten a person’s lifespan and in some cases it can even be fatal. It is important to treat such conditions as soon as they are identified as they are progressive in nature and become so restrictive as to prevent a person from eating something as simple as a slice of an apple. Eating disorders generally affect adolescent who see thinness as being a desired and appealing form of physical beauty. These teenagers are often influenced by the magazines they read as well as the programs they watch and so it is important to ensure that a teenager suffering from an eating disorder is provided with literature pertaining to their condition. Books and articles written by people who have battled such a condition would go a long way in helping the individual accept their condition as well as seek help.
Inadequate Nutrition or Bad Eating Habits
Thinness may be due to inadequate nutrition or excessive bodily activity, or both. Emotional factors or bad eating habits such as skipping meals, small meals, habitual fasting, and inadequate exercise can also cause it. Parents must understand the health risks of underweight children and their causes so as to deal with the problem in a timely fashion. Forcing your child to eat his/her meals may not be the best way to deal with an underweight child as this could foster an aversion for food. Instead, it would be wise to cook meals that contain the child’s favorite foods. One of the best ways to help your underweight child gain weight is to puree small quantities of foods that the child does not like and add it to the child’s meals. For instance, if your child does not like broccoli, you can steam it lightly, puree it, and then add it to a dish like spinach and cottage cheese where it would be perfectly disguised. You can start to add larger quantities of the vegetable to the meals as your child gets used to the taste and soon you will be able to discontinue this method altogether as your child accepts the vegetable as part of his/her meals. You could follow a similar method by adding a puree of vegetables to a dip or a mince pie as this will also help to ensure that your child gets the nutrition that he/she requires.
Inadequate Digestion, Metabolic Disturbances and Disorders
Other factors include inadequate digestion and absorption of food due to a wrong dietary pattern for a particular metabolism, metabolic disturbances such as an overactive thyroid, and hereditary tendencies. Disorders such as chronic dyspepsia, chronic diarrhoea, presence of intestinal worms, liver disorders, diabetes mellitus, insomnia, constipation, and sexual disorders can also lead to thinness.
Home Remedies for Underweight
Underweight home remedies and natural cures, Questions and answers
Underweight Treatment using Musk Melon
Musk melon is one of the most effective home remedies for thinness. If the melon cure is properly carried out, a rapid gain in weight can usually be achieved. In this mode of treatment, only musk melons are taken three times during the day for forty days or more. In the beginning, only three kilograms of melons are taken daily for three days. Then the quantity is increased by one kilogram daily till it is sufficient to appease the hunger. Only the sweet and fresh fruits of the best variety are used in the treatment. It would be advisable to discuss this method of treatment with your doctor. Additionally, you can follow this method for just a week or so, before including other fruits and vegetables in your diet for variety. You should also add plenty of avocados to your fruit platters as this fruit contains several healthy fats. One of the simplest ways to gain weight fast is to add a handful of crushed nuts to your meals and this method can be used by both men and women. Nuts are rich in several fats and vitamins and will help you to increase your weight in a healthy manner. You can also include crushed flax seeds in your meals as they are rich in omega fatty acids.
Underweight Treatment using Mango-Milk Cure
The mango-milk cure is also an ideal treatment for thinness. For this mode of treatment, ripe and sweet mangoes should always be selected. They should be taken thrice a day-morning, afternoon, and evening. Two medium sized mangoes should be taken first and then followed by a glass of milk. Mango is rich in sugar but deficient in protein. On the other hand, milk is rich in protein but deficient in sugar. The deficiency of one is made up by the other. Mango thus combines very well with milk and an exclusive mango-milk diet taken for at least one month, will lead to improvement in health and vigour and gain in weight
Underweight Treatment using Milk Cure
An exclusive milk diet for rapid gain of weight has been advocated by some nature cure practitioners. At the beginning of this mode of treatment, the patient should fast for three days on warm water and lime juice so as to cleanse the system. Thereafter, he should have a glass of milk every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the first day, a glass every hour and half the next day, and a glass every hour the third day. Then the quantity of milk should be gradually increased so as to take a glass every half an hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., if such a quantity can be tolerated fairly comfortably
Underweight Treatment using Figs
Figs are an excellent remedy for increasing weight in case of thinness. The high percentage of the rapidly assimilable sugar in this fruit make it a strengthening and fattening food. Three dried figs soaked in water should be taken twice daily
Underweight Treatment using Raisins
Raisins are a good food for those who wish to gain weight. Thirty grams a day may be taken for this purpose
Underweight Treatment using Nutrients
Nutrients which help to keep the nerves relaxed are of utmost importance as nervousness causes all the muscles to become tense, and the energy which goes into the tensing wastefully uses up a great deal of food. Although all vitamins and minerals are required for relaxation, the most important once are vitamin D and B6,calcium, and magnesium. The richest sources of vitamin D are milk, cod-liver oil, and rays of the sun. Calcium is supplied by milk and yoghurt. Magnesium can be obtained from green leafy vegetables such as spinach, parsley, turnip, radish, and beet tops. These vegetables should, preferably, be taken in salad form or should be lightly cooked.
Pregnant mothers who are underweight will require additional care and a personalized diet plan. It is important for pregnant mothers to discuss any dietary changes or remedies that they wish to employ with their doctors. The issue of Underweight pregnancy is especially important as it concerns the health of both the mother and her baby. If you are underweight and trying to conceive, it would be advisable to talk to your doctor about the risks of being underweight and pregnant and you can then make a few dietary changes as well as lifestyle changes in order to increase your weight before you conceive. If you need to gain weight during pregnancy, there are several underweight pregnancy weight gain options that will help you reach your optimum weight without placing undue stress on your system. There are several women who try to maintain a low weight during their pregnancy as they are worried about their physical appearance, but it is important to understand that there are also health risks that must be taken into consideration.
Underweight Diet
Underweight : Home Remedies suggested by users
Underweight Diet
Diet plays an important role in building up health for gaining weight. Underweight persons should eat frequent small meals as they tend to feel full quickly. The weight-building quality of a food is measured by the number of calories it contains. To gain weight the diet should include more calories than are used in daily activities so as to allow the excess to be stored as body fat. The allowance of 500 calories in excess of the daily average needs is estimated to provide for a weight gain of half a kilogram weekly
Food to Avoid When you are Underweight
All refined foods such as products containing white flour and sugar should be avoided, as they destroy health. Those who are elderly and need to gain weight may experience a little difficulty as we tend to lose weight easily as we age. Individuals with diabetes who need to gain weight may also face a few problems due to the restrictive nature of their diet. However, before making any changes to one’s diet, it is important o consult a doctor.
Other Underweight Treatment
Exercises and Yoga
Regular exercises like walking, dancing, yoga, meditation, and massage are also important as they serve as relaxants, reduce stress, and induce good sleep. Yogasanas which are especially helpful are sarvangasana, halasana, and matsyasana
