Obesity or weight gain is becoming an increasingly common health problem.

This is as a result of modern lavish living with high consumption of fatty foods and alcohol. Many of us are born with a genetic tendency to weight gain. Ayurvedic medicine attributes weight gain to watery/earthy body type (Kapha type) predominance of water and earth elements and not having enough fire metabolism (agni). Pills to loose weight are unsatisfactory and cause side effects. The definite way to loose weight and feel healthy is to eat less than you can burn up and do regular exercise. Why do we eat and drink too much? Often it's just to satisfy our insatiable palate, but depression and stress also cause comfort or binge eating which the main cause of weight gain. Low self esteem and lack of confidence are often the underlying causes comfort eating.

Some common causes low self-esteem and self-denigration relationship problems with dominant criticising partners, bullying by peers family members, and work problems. The holistic way to start on a natural path to blissful weight is:

Rational Emotion and thinking therapy: learn to rationalise your emotions and belief systems. Use global philosophy to reassure yourself. Remind yourself of all your strengths and positive attributes and all the things you can do and enjoy. Remind yourself that you are a part of this grand scheme of creation just like everyone else.

Work out your calorie requirements accurately and eat a well-balanced with all types of foods you enjoy within the limit you can burn off.

Eating plenty of vegetables, celery, spinach, broccoli, leeks, aubergines and wholemeal bread and soups provides high roughage and nutrition. Include warm herbs like ginger, black pepper, parsley, sage, basil and marjoram in your food to help stimulate the metabolic "burner" in the body make your food tasty. According to Ayurveda eating foods containing all the six tastes sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent balances the body's metabolism weight control.

Do regular yoga and meditation control the mind and emotions, stretching exercise, jogging, and deep vigorous body massage with warm oils to mobilise the fat. Consult your doctor to rule out medical conditions.