According to Ayurveda, anyone who has put on too much weight and allowed it to accumulate has "deviated" from his or her nature, falling into the state of "Vikriti" in Sanskrit. In other words, the state of physiological imbalance that precedes illness, whether physical or psychological...
Coleus, an elegant, supple plant, blooms in spikes of mauve flowers above decorative green and dark red leaves.
In phytotherapy, coleus is considered a major remedy in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, which uses it to treat a wide variety of ailments, from obesity to heart disorders, eczema and hypertension. In short, so many illustrations of the magnificent adaptogenic potential of this original.
According to Ayurveda, if you've put on too much weight and let it creep on, you've "deviated" from your nature, falling into the state of "Vikriti" in Sanskrit. In other words, the state of physiological imbalance that precedes illness, whether physical or psychological... However, Dr Deepak Chopra* reminds us that Ayurveda does not believe that our body is merely a fixed anatomical structure, established in time and space: "our body is a constantly evolving river of intelligence, information and energy". Who, then, better than the adaptogenic plant - and here, precisely, Coleus, with its marvellous potential for plant intelligence - will be able to find such echoes and such correspondences with human health? Losing weight with Ayurveda means taking charge of your health, and taking up the challenge of transforming yourself until you rediscover your true inner balance, the one that makes you beautiful... inside and out!
Coleus as a slimming food supplement
Coleus gently revolutionizes the "slimming food supplement" approach, simply because it symbolizes (by its chemistry, or by its indications) the very approach to "weight control" according to Ayurveda. Indeed, the adaptogenic plants of Indian pharmacopoeia all have actions concerning the body and mind, respectful of the individual, always considered in its full dimension. Choosing Ayurveda phytotherapy to accompany a slimming strategy also means approaching the subject with the assurance of combining safety with effectiveness!
The Coleus cure allows you to start losing weight, never losing energy. Better still, you'll optimize the functioning of most of your body's key organs at the same time. In India, for example, Coleus is used to relieve heart problems, congestion, shortness of breath and edema. The plant is also known to support and stimulate the organs of digestion and elimination. The use of Coleus, either as a one-off treatment or as part of a maintenance program, in higher doses, has a real positive impact that can be verified by tests and analyses, notably by regulating cholesterol and blood pressure, which in turn boosts motivation and general fitness (and soon, fitness too!).
But how does this incredible coleus work, to make so many people around the world melt, whatever their dosha or overweight (slight or very disabling)?
Coleus action on the body
Among the various active ingredients found in Coleus is a molecule with qualities that are well recognized and studied in nutrition: the terpene, more precisely a di-terpene, Forskolin. Forskolin continues to make headlines, confirming the accuracy and precision of the indications of traditional Indian medicine... In fact, in the body, Forskolin effectively stimulates the action of a vitally important enzyme, "adenylate cyclase", simultaneously improving another irreplaceable sympathetic "chemical" reaction, the action on proteins (AMP).
And so, under the combined action of Forskolin, fatty acids in their "free" form are put back into circulation, on the way to elimination... All these actions take place at the very scene of the "crime": at the level of adipocytes (i.e. fat cells). The result is undeniable weight loss, successfully targeting existing localized fat deposits. Taking Coleus also has an impact on the distribution of muscle mass and fat mass, giving a slight or more pronounced opposite effect, depending on the situation, dosage and duration of treatment, but always noticeable.
In fact, Coleus seems to have an almost ideal mode of action: it stimulates and increases lipolysis, i.e. the body's invaluable capacity to dissolve existing fats within it (through the bolus of food or action on the sites most loaded with adipocytes), and at the same time acts to protect against any risk of serious organic disorders. It supports the heart, which is often put to the test by dietary errors or poorly balanced diets, and boosts circulation when it's not working on blood pressure, which it can also regulate and lower. Other active ingredients in Forskolin, involved in bronchial asthma and allergy, are very positive in the case of irritable bowel syndrome, which Coleus tends to improve, just as it gives good results in the fight against candida albicans, an increasingly widespread intruder that is very difficult to dislodge.
Borrowing from Ayurvedic phytotherapy, we are offered the chance to discover a plant that really works, without ever endangering health. It proves to be a real springboard for weight management, and unexpected in terms of results. The experience is made all the more tempting by the fact that the plant is suitable for all doshas (temperaments), and lends itself to great flexibility of use: the dosage will therefore need to be adapted according to whether you are taking a short course of treatment for moderate weight loss, or whether you are starting the first straight line of a weight management approach in a situation of real overweight, or even obesity.
* Endocrinologist, lecturer and writer, specialist in Ayurveda
