Diet control is not the same as eating less

In the last 3 years, I have gained 14 kg weight. I am not suffering from any ailment. Is there an easy way to address this? —Jyoti A: Nothing is as easy as you would want it to be nor is it as difficult as you think it to be! What you need to do is to bring about a diet and lifestyle change. Remember, diet control/change is not the same as eating less. On the contrary, you still eat well but you just eat smart.

Replace the fat and carbohydrates in your diet with green vegetables, salad, and fruit juices. Eat smaller portions 6 times in a day instead of 3 big meals. Cut out sugar, salt and oil to a bare minimum.

Get up before sunrise and drink 1-2 litres of water. Take walks (30 minutes-brisk), both in the morning and evening. Do not sleep during the day (no naps either). Take 15 grains of guggulu (you will get them in any ayurvedic medicine shop), ask the shopkeeper to ensure it is purified, and have it with warm water 4 times in a day. Practice kapalbhati pranayaam (10 minutes) and vahya pranayam (3 sets), twice every day. Kindly guide me how to handle my son who is addicted to liquor and loses his temper very quickly. He is taking medicine to get rid of it but still unable to resist it. —AK Since you have not mentioned how old your son is, I am going to assume he is an adult and also that he stays with you. First and foremost, you need to understand the root cause of this alcoholism. While alcohol is physically addictive, combined with temper issues, it points to certain deeper causes. Talk to him about these when he is sober (NOT when he is drunk) or get him to talk to a counselor. Next get him away from people he might be drinking with and this would require a series of steps. Get toxic people out of his life, get him to change his phone number, social media accounts etc so that the alcohol enabling environment gets pruned. Get him to participate in physically tiring activities like sports, gym (and you could give him company and help him be with people who are into sports etc). Finally, never clean up after him (let him see and clean his own mess if he pukes etc) or let his habits take a toll on you. Continue living your life as well!

Have any questions about life, management, philosophy, education, literature, yoga, mountaineering in India, or psychological issues or all of these? Ask Himanshu Rai. He is a professor at IIM Lucknow, an author, mountaineer, yoga enthusiast and a Sanskrit scholar. Mail at askhimanshu@htlive.com Disclaimer: The responses in this column given by me are based on my learnings and experience. They should, by no means, be taken as a substitute for medical/professional help.