Payal Kothari embarked on her health and wellness journey at a very

young age, as she struggled with gut imbalances. Her interest in self-
healing attracted her to health and preventive care and inspired her to
acquire national and international certifications as an integrative
nutritionist and gut health coach. She has over 250 published articles
under her belt from prestigious publications such as The Times of
India, Vogue, Indian Express, Hindustan Times, GQ and ET Panache.
She is the founder of an all-natural gut wellness range of products
called Gutavatar and the creator and founder of India’s only holistic
health and wellness nutrition school, INUEN, which certifies students
to be integrative nutrition health coaches.
Payal is one of the most sought-after speakers on gut wellness and
integrative nutrition at schools, colleges, universities, corporate offices
and several prestigious forums. She is a master coach who ensures
faster and sustainable results from her workshops. Her workshops
help people reboot their gut, lose excess body weight and lead
unconditional happy lives. Her 12-week gut reboot programme has
helped hundreds of clients globally.
 Praise for the book
In The Gut, Payal has beautifully captured the importance of how our
gut plays an important role in the well-being of our entire body and
lives. This book will help you realize that good health begins from the
inside. The Gut is greatly informative and Payal has given simple and
easy-to-follow solutions to our everyday concerns. My family and I love
the range of Gutavatar products, which have helped us build our
immunity and health.
—Dolly Ritesh Sidhwani, Entrepreneur
 Published by
Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd 2021
7/16, Ansari Road, Daryaganj
New Delhi 110002

Copyright © Payal Kothari 2021

The views and opinions expressed in this book are the authors’ own and the facts are as
reported by her which have been verified to the extent possible, and the publishers are not in
any way liable for the same.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-93-90547-01-2

First impression 2021

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent,
resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated, without the publisher’s prior consent, in any form of
binding or cover other than that in which it is published.
 CONTENTS
 

1. Title Page
2. Copyright Page
3. Contents
4. Introduction
5. Part I

Gut and Your Weight Loss Connections

1. 1. Getting Started on Your Gut Journey
2. 2. Everything You (Did Not) Know About Your Gut
3. 3. Meet the 100 Trillion Game Changers in Your Gut
4. 4. You’ve Got the Magic in You!
5. 5. You’ve ‘Gut’ a Second Brain
6. 6. Gut Health and Fad Diets: At Loggerheads
7. 7. Your Diet Failed, Not You
8. 8. Bacterial Takeover
9. 9. Leaky Gut and Brain: The Signs
10.
10. Gut and Your Immunity
11.
11. You’ve ‘Gut’ Connections!
12.
12. Your Weight Loss Goals: The Secret Solution
6. Part II

Access Your Gut Feelings, Intuitions and the

Subconscious Mind
13.
1. Your Gut Feeling: Are You Listening?
14.
2. The Gut and Your Subconscious Mind
15.
3. Your Gut, Love and Karma: The Three Propellers of
Health, Passion and Courage
16.
4. Causes of Chronic Health Problems
17.
5. Decide: The Magic Word
 18.
6. Modern Science Meets Tradition
19.
7. Prebiotics and Probiotics: The Game Changers
20.
8. The Seven-Day Gut Reboot Diet
21.
9. 50 Cheat Codes
22.
10. Healthy Recipes to Love
7. Acknowledgements
List of pages
 

1. i
2. ii
3. iii
4. iv
5. v
6. vi
7. vii
8. viii
9. ix
10. x
11. 1
12. 2
13. 3
14. 4
15. 5
16. 6
17. 7
18. 8
19. 9
20. 10
21. 11
22. 12
23. 13
24. 14
25. 15
26. 16
27. 17
28. 18
29. 19
30. 20
31. 21
32. 22
33. 23
34. 24
35. 25
36. 26
37. 27
38. 28
39. 29
40. 30
41. 31
42. 32
43. 33
44. 34
45. 35
46. 36
47. 37
48. 38
49. 39
50. 40
51. 41
52. 42
53. 43
54. 44
55. 45
56. 46
57. 47
58. 48
59. 49
60. 50
61. 51
62. 52
63. 53
64. 54
65. 55
66. 56
67. 57
 68. 58
69. 59
70. 60
71. 61
72. 62
73. 63
74. 64
75. 65
76. 66
77. 67
78. 68
79. 69
80. 70
81. 71
82. 72
83. 73
84. 74
85. 75
86. 76
87. 77
88. 78
89. 79
90. 80
91. 81
92. 82
93. 83
94. 84
95. 85
96. 86
97. 87
98. 88
99. 89
100. 90
101. 91
102. 92
103. 93
104. 94
105. 95
106. 96
107. 97
108. 98
109. 99
110. 100
111. 101
112. 102
113. 103
114. 104
115. 105
116. 106
117. 107
118. 108
119. 109
120. 110
121. 111
122. 112
123. 113
124. 114
125. 115
126. 116
127. 117
128. 118
129. 119
130. 120
131. 121
132. 122
133. 123
134. 124
135. 125
136. 126
137. 127
138. 128
139. 129
140. 130
141. 131
142. 132
143. 133
144. 134
145. 135
146. 136
147. 137
148. 138
149. 139
150. 140
151. 141
152. 142
153. 143
154. 144
155. 145
156. 146
157. 147
158. 148
159. 149
160. 150
161. 151
162. 152
163. 153
164. 154
165. 155
166. 156
167. 157
168. 158
169. 159
170. 160
171. 161
172. 162
173. 163
174. 164
175. 165
176. 166
177. 167
178. 168
179. 169
180. 170
181. 171
182. 172
183. 173
184. 174
185. 175
186. 176
187. 177
188. 178
189. 179
190. 180
191. 181
192. 182
193. 183
194. 184
195. 185
196. 186
197. 187
198. 188
199. 189
200. 190
201. 191
202. 192
203. 193
204. 194
205. 195
206. 196
207. 197
208. 198
209. 199
210. 200
211. 201
212. 202
213. 203
214. 204
215. 205
216. 206
217. 207
218. 208
219. 209
220. 210
221. 211
222. 212
223. 213
224. 214
225. 215
226. 216
227. 217
228. 218
229. 219
230. 220
231. 221
232. 222
 INTRODUCTION
This book is a reflection of my own health and soul-searching journey. I
sincerely wish that it helps you resolve confusion with regards to
mental and physical illnesses, holistically, from its root cause—your
gut. The book will also help you dive deeper and unfold the mysterious
galaxy of the 100 trillion microbes inside your gut and their connections
with the rest of your body.
Through this book, I intend to show you how an integrative,
preventive and bioindividual nutrition plan can help address your daily
nagging problems of acidity, bloating, obesity, depression, thyroid,
heart diseases and even cancer.
From debunking expensive and dangerous fad diets to suggesting
ways to boost immunity during a pandemic, this book covers a wide
range of subjects. Packed with new, bold and refreshing possibilities,
every chapter contains nuggets of authentic information that I have
learnt/acquired over 35 years and which I have applied on myself and
my clients. I have tried to relearn and rediscover the secret scrolls of
nutrition and wellness, and clear out the fog of marketing and
dependency on medication toxicity, to the best of my ability.
This book offers to-do lists for almost everything you need to
transform your life. It empowers you to rightfully take back the power to
heal your body, naturally. Using simple yet efficient resources and tools
such as replacing medicine with food, mastering the art of listening to
your gut feelings, breaking up with sugar and gluten, choosing meals
of your own liking and so on, you can become the master (read CEO)
of your health.

MY PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY

My mentor once told me that being an empath is a gift—an aching yet
beautiful gift that I use as a medium to transform thousands of lives. I
am not sure if I chose the profession or if the profession chose me. My
gut feeling goes with the latter.
 The most motivating factor whilst writing this book has been the
ease of the process and how connecting with it on a subconscious and
gut level broadened my horizons as an integrative nutritionist and a gut
health coach.
Given half a chance, your body can heal itself—this belief has
transformed my life. My journey as a research nerd has helped me on
different levels and a few lines of introduction may not do justice to my
personal transformation as a coach. However, I am willing to take that
chance. This entrepreneurial journey as a coach has let me employ
empathy and overcome many hurdles, helping me become the person
I am today.
I wrote this book during the lockdown, when we were faced with the
biggest challenge of our times, COVID-19—the pandemic that shook
the world. Being at home brought back old, unpleasant memories—
from being a sick two-year-old with tuberculosis (TB) to a teen who
was body shamed, from having to undergo multiple in vitro
fertilizations (IVFs) in my 30s to facing huge financial struggles. I
suppressed these emotions, which affected my gut and emotional
wellness, in the long run.
It dawned upon me that it was the antibiotics I was prescribed for TB
that destroyed the ecosystem of my digestive tract. The imbalance
made me a malnourished child, with food intolerances. The very sight
of food would make me cringe. Even if I did manage to eat one-fourth
of the meal, I would throw up. All of this made me the poster child for
low immunity, infections, viruses and gut-related problems. It was a
bittersweet journey of recovery.
Puberty brought along with it a surge of hormones and sugar
cravings to an otherwise malnourished body. All the white sugar,
sodas, cakes and junk food and without any effort, I moved towards
obesity. I gained 25 kg in three years (between the age of 13 and 16). I
was out of shape. From being a student with a double promotion, I
deteriorated to failing miserably in school. I was living a vicious cycle,
suffering an emotional rollercoaster, thanks to all the sugar and junk
food. I was battling mental issues such as anxiety, depression, low
self-esteem, fear and brain fog, and I was perpetually hungry. I felt
helpless, but I was also done being a victim of sugar. Finally, I said no
to syrups, syringes and supplements. I was done crying and decided
to take my health into my own hands. Yoga and meditation helped me
release stress and integrative nutrition helped me heal my gut.
I eliminated processed foods, such as breads, cakes, pizzas and
deep fried spicy snacks from my diet. I began to eat only home-cooked
alkaline, natural foods such as fruit bowls, vegetable broth, mashed
vegetable khichdi, fermented rice, coconut water, herbal concoctions
(ayurvedic jadi butis), and carrot and apple shots to reboot my
digestive system by keeping it light, yet nourished.
The best resources at my disposal during the healing, gut-rebooting
period were health magazines such as Health, Shape and Prevention,
Readers Digest, and biology books from a private library. These
formed my support system and helped me find weight-loss solutions.
And within a period of five months, I became a much better version of
myself. I was chosen to be on the cover of Health magazine in
December 2005. I am also a certified national and international clinical
nutritionist and gut health coach. With my own experience behind me, I
was resolved to help people facing similar issues. In the 12-week
transformation programme at my nutrition institute, my clients eat
wholesome meals, heal their gut and reverse the occurrence of
diseases.
This book is for people who struggle to get through their work day,
people who want their life back, people who are suffering gut health
issues and are unaware of it.

HOW TO OPTIMALLY UTILIZE THIS BOOK

This book is a manual, providing solutions for gut healing, immunity,
weight loss, mental wellness, thyroid, acidity, pregnancy, brain health,
and curbing sugar and gluten addiction. Make notes and write down
your gut feelings whilst reading. Those are the changes and triggers
that you need to heal. These will benefit you and help shift your
perception from finding solutions only through synthetic medications to
looking at natural ways of healing.
PART I
GUT AND YOUR WEIGHT LOSS
CONNECTIONS
1
 GETTING STARTED ON YOUR GUT
JOURNEY
Your gut is your inner compass.
—Oprah Winfrey

Getting obese, depressed and quarantined are probably the most

common problems of the twenty-first century, especially in the wake of
the coronavirus pandemic. Not only in India, but globally as well, there
is a double burden of malnutrition and obesity. More than half the world
is poor, starving and malnourished, whereas, the other half is
overindulging, obese, sick and emotionally disturbed because of
chronic stress, take-outs, excessive intake of sugary beverages and a
sedentary lifestyle.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states, ‘Overweight and
obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic metabolic
diseases, like diabetes, thyroid, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Once considered a problem only in high-income countries, overweight
and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and-middle income
countries’ and India is one of them.
Modern science and medicines may have given us plenty of
technical advancements, promising health and longevity, but, sadly,
with it came a sudden surge of illnesses, both physical and emotional.
It has managed to treat symptoms only, and that’s as much as
chemicals can do.

MODERN HEALTHCARE: A ‘ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL’ THEORY

Modern healthcare is based on the concept that the same line of
treatment fits all instances. Pharma companies are making millions of
dollars by simply pretending to cure us. Medicines only take care of the
superficial pain, they are not the final solution to your problem.
Today, many people are opting for holistic and natural line of
treatments. If you have been repeatedly treated by conventional
medicine and yet not found a cure, it’s time to explore integrative
medicine. In ancient times, people suffered lesser aches and pains
because they used natural remedies to treat their illnesses.
Modernization and scientific development has led to a pharmaceutical
tsunami, with chemical preparations in the form of syrups, pills,
injections and capsules taking over the market. The reach and
overflow of these medicines started a trend of prescribing generic
‘conventional medicines’ for any illness, disregarding the food habits,
stress levels and the lifestyle of the patient.

WHAT IS INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION?

Individuals have unique bioindividual needs that medicines cannot
address, holistically. Integrative nutrition is the practice of applying
core techniques and principles for one’s health by providing tailor-
made mind-body solutions from ancient wisdoms and world cultures. It
covers a huge spectrum of integration and balances the missing links
of wellness that encompass nutrients, mental health, hormones, sleep
and hydration. There are also other underlying, deep-rooted mental
blocks and belief systems that need to be focused upon.
In order to begin your journey of discovering gut wellness, there are
a few important questions that you need to consider.
i. What if integrating nutrition and wellness helps you rediscover a
brand new you?
ii. What if you found a better way to cure/treat your nagging problems
such as headaches and acidity without popping pills?
iii. What if the solution to all your problems was right within you?

INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION AND CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE

Integrative nutrition (IN) is now mainstream, clear and out there. The
transformations are outstanding and the only way to experience it is to
make that switch.
i. IN is healthcare for the twenty-first century. It heals from the root
cause instead of treating individual symptoms. Conventional
medicine (CM), on the other hand, superficially treats only the
symptoms, which is actually like looking at the tip of the iceberg.
ii. In IN, an individual’s state of mind is given equal importance in
diagnosing the problem. However, in CM, an individual’s opinion
is discounted and the medicines are expected to resolve their
issues without considering the option of counselling.

Integrative Nutrition

Conventional Medicine

iii. In IN, the gut is considered the gateway to mental and physical
wellness. In CM, the gut is not even mentioned, forget being
considered!
iv. In IN, we look at our body as one system while establishing the
source of the problem. In CM, the body is looked as a collection of
independent organs divided to perform different functions
individually.
Listed below are a few questions that probably bother us all the time:
i. Why are people from all age groups falling sick all the time, and
why are there longer queues in clinics?
ii. Why is mental and emotional health not considered before
prescribing medicines?
iii. Why isn't nutrition, gut, exercise, sleep, sex life, stress and
hydration not being emphasized enough?
iv. Why are girls getting their periods much earlier than before, at the
age of eight and nine? Why are more girls diagnosed with
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at the tender age of 14? Why
are women suffering more from infertility, low sex drive, and
breast and cervical cancers?
v. Why are jobs more stressful, demanding and soulless?
vi. Why are children being prescribed antidepressants?
Imagine an integrative nutrition clinic where there is:
i. An integrative nutritionist to guide patients about real natural foods.
ii. An emotional wellness life coach who has natural, fun tools to help
you manage stress and your raging hormones.
iii. An authentic yoga and meditation guru who has the common
sense to align your chakras to genuinely unite your mind and
body.
iv. A cafe serving wholesome, delicious and nutritious food bowls
and smoothies made from organic produce.
As an IN catalyst, I have been able to transform over 2,000 individuals
who had come to me for weight loss. They were treated with IN
solutions focused on their gut health. It is unfortunate that 70 per cent
of my patients are young adults, between the age of 14 and 40. They
should be at the peak of their health, but are obese, have low self-
esteem and feel anxious, depressed and helpless after having tried
multiple fad diets.
Looking at the current health pattern and lifestyle, I have curated a
unique health solution that shifts the focus from counting calories to
naturally healing the gut and body from within.
2
 EVERYTHING YOU (DID NOT) KNOW
ABOUT YOUR GUT

The journey of understanding gut wisdom has been intriguing for me.
In this book, I have tried to explain the same to you.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE GUT?

Your ‘gut’ is your safety vault for optimal health. If guarded well, it can
make you healthy, and even wealthy and wise. If not taken care of or
abused, it can become a host for all your immunity, hormonal,
emotional and obesity-related problems. The gut is the most incredibly
complex, sophisticated and brilliant organ of your body. The most
important role in your body has been given to the gut. It’s the one that
orchestrates the entire body’s functioning with clever planning and
performance.
Your small and large intestines, which are part of the gastrointestinal
canal (GI tract), are together called your gut. The GI tract is a long
twisting tube starting at your mouth and ending at your anus, and
includes the mouth, pharynx (throat), oesophagus, stomach, small
intestine, large intestine, rectum and the anus.

THE ANATOMY OF THE GUT

Your gut is made up of three layers of soft muscle tissues, which
facilitate the execution of a very complex digestion process. In this soft
tissue is your gut’s very own nervous system called the enteric nervous
system (ENS), which along with the sympathetic and parasympathetic
nervous systems, constitute the autonomic nervous system. This is
where your so-called ‘gut feelings’ take birth.
The ENS is lined with a single layer of epithelial cells. This cellular
mucosal layer represents a critical interface between your inside world
and the outside world—your immunity. Often, when people complain of
stomach issues, the real problem is in your gut.
Your gut, an asymmetrical tube, folds in your abdomen to give you
maximum surface area while also allowing itself to do its task in a
synchronized manner at any given point of time.
Here are the four key roles of your gut:
i. Assimilation and absorption of the food that we eat
ii. Digestion
iii. Nutrient absorption and transportation
iv. Detoxification and elimination of wastes

THE JOURNEY OF YOUR FOOD:

FROM FIRST ACCESS TO TOILET TEXTING

The Five Senses: The First Access

The sight and aroma of a freshly baked thin-crust pizza served on your
table in a pizzeria travels all the way from your five senses to your gut
and brain. The image activates the brain cells and causes a series of
chemical reactions in your body, with many systems working in
synchronicity and orchestrating salivation and eventually making you
joyfully reach out to grab a slice. At this moment, your entire body is
acknowledging the production of digestive juices in anticipation of the
pizza getting into your mouth. A matrix of systems are involved as soon
as you see and take in the aroma of the pizza.
The Mouth
The most powerful muscles in your body are in your jaws. No wonder
the shark movie was named Jaws! However, without the tongue, your
jaw would be chewing the same foods again and again, uselessly. The
tongue is truly a super-smart organ which along with saliva plays an
important role in mastication, which is moving food particles and larger
chunks of food stuck in corners of the mouth, for chewing. This helps
the mouth to chew the softest as well as the hardest food bitten by our
teeth.
The Pharynx
The pharynx, or throat, is like a passageway or aerobridge leading the
food from the mouth to the oesophagus. This movement is robust and
can sometimes even help pop the ear open.
The Oesophagus
The oesophagus is an important muscular tube through which the
chunks of swallowed pizza is now going to move into the stomach.
Both ends of the oesophagus are closed off by muscular constrictions
known as sphincters. At the anterior, or upper end, is the upper
oesophageal sphincter, and at the distal, or lower end, is the lower
oesophageal sphincter. The upper end closes as soon as the food is
passed down to prevent any of it from going back (thus to avoid reflux).
Contractions from the muscles in the oesophageal wall help move the
food down the oesophageal tube. The food is further pushed down by
the wall muscles creating a wave-like motion until it reaches the lower
end of the oesophageal sphincter. At this end, the oesophageal
sphincter opens up, allowing food to pass into the stomach and then
closes to prevent the stomach’s gastric juices and content from re-
entering the oesophagus.
The Stomach
The stomach, a lopsided pouch towards the left side of the upper
abdomen, sits right below the heart and lungs. The mixer of food here
is a sac-like expansion of the digestive system. It is like a storage bag
for food and is elastic, like freshly made dough. The stomach
accommodates the food that comes down the oesophagus, and
relaxes and stretches for as long as the food keeps coming; it will
literally make room for as much as we eat. The stomach expands to
accommodate the comfort foods that we reach out to on bad days, or
contracts when it’s been a busy day and you forget to eat your meals.
Now, the pizza can be churned and tossed around to be broken down
in the stomach, taking anywhere between an hour to six for digestion.
The Small Intestine, aka the Gut
The small intestine, which is a pinkish, long and meandering tube,
measures about three to six meters. When the mini-morsels reach the
small intestine, each square millimetre of its surface protrude 30 or
more finger-like projections called the villi, which help in digestion.
The real digestion begins here and as food passes down this
twisting and turning tube, it is completely absorbed and it disappears
into the walls of the small intestine, from between all the villi. The villi
greatly increases the surface area for food absorption and adds
digestive secretions to aid digestion. Villi are close-knit and partially
semi-permeable structures that allow only valuable nutrients to pass
through the immunity wall and be transported to the other side of the
blood stream and organs.
After digestion, which takes two hours on an average, the small
intestine leaves no residue of the food ingested—almost like a
homemaker who cleans up the kitchen after a meal is prepared. After
the few hours of intense work (read digestion), we have happy and
clean intestines. Habitual snacking can disrupt this cleaning process,
as it will not let the GI tract relax. That is why intermittent fasting can
help detox.
The Large Intestine, aka the Gut
The last leg of your pizza’s journey in your body is in your large
intestine and part of your gut. The large intestine, or colon, is a tranquil
home for your gut flora and is also comparatively relaxed than the
small intestine, although a lot of work gets done here too, but at the
pace of the large intestine workers, i.e., your bacteria. These workers
are the gut bacteria/microbiome, which work collectively at their pace.
They also have to deal with anything that sneakily gets swept into the
large intestine in whole chunks, undigested. Several players work here
to make sure everything gets digested well and finally gives a shove to
the concentrated food mush and bulk into the rectum, pushing it
forward through your anus.
It is estimated that almost 90 per cent of serotonin and 70 per cent
dopamine is produced in the gut. You’ve ‘gut’ an ‘Oscar-winning’ gut,
folks! It does more than what it is given credit for.
Why Is Gut Health Important?
A large number of microorganisms reside on the surface of the body,
but, many are also found in the gut! These bacteria work day and night
and communicate with all the systems of your body via their very own
nervous system, the ENS, in conjunction with 10 other systems of your
body—the central nervous system, circulatory system, vascular
system, endocrine system, reproductive system, immune system,
lymphatic system, muscular system, renal system and urinary system.
These microbiomes, when in a good habitat, start to colonize your gut,
hair and skin from the moment you are conceived.
KNOW THE REAL TRUTH
According to the WHO, ‘It is expected that by 2020 in developing
countries, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will account for 69% of
all deaths, with cardiovascular in the lead. The prevalence of diabetes
mellitus will almost double in the next 25 years and at least 75% of
those affected will be in developing countries.’1
These statistics consistently point to a staggering rise in diseases,
early deaths and mental illnesses. Poor nutrition, lack of sleep and
pretentious exercise can lead to reduced immunity, increased
susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and emotional
development and an overall diminished productivity.
Remember sticking labels on notebooks in school? It’s human
nature to label everything. But do they describe the truth or do they
create it? Labels like ‘you are diabetic and you have PCOD, high
choletrol or ADHD’ are something we need to be wary of. Today, a
normal person has so many medical labels stuck on them, one
wonders if they describe or create diseases. India, the world’s largest
democracy with the double burden of malnutrition and obesity, has
witnessed children as young as two years old being affected by
psychological, physiological and biochemical problems.
It is heart-breaking and gut-wrenching to see children suffer from
illnesses that parents can’t even pronounce the names of—attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attention deficit disorder (ADD),
dyslexia, anorexia, autism, hyper tension, depression, polycystic ovary
syndrome (PCOS), juevinile diabetes and obesity, among others.
Adults are also in the same rocky boat. Our country is the largest
consumer of allopathic medicines and is the largest market for giant
pharmaceutical companies’ lab-tested chemicals. Patients consume
these medicines, no questions asked. They want relief from pain and
uneasiness, increasing their dependency on meds.
Today, very young children, even before they start school, are on
medication—steroids for eczema, heavy doses of antibiotics, and
sugary syrups for colds, coughs and flus. Children as young as 12 are
diagnosed with obesity. Girls are diagnosed with PCOS at 14. Kids
suffer anxiety by 16 and are labelled ‘depressed’ even before they turn
18.
Then follows the phase of adulthood and the problems that
accompany it. Young adults sometimes lean towards alcohol and
drugs to combat office pressure. People suffer irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) at 28, low libido at 35, blood pressure by 40, and high
cholesterol and heart problems by 42. Eventually, they are put on
medication that is prescribed for a lifetime—blood pressure and
cholesterol meds, insulin injections, antacids, digestive enzymes,
vitamins for hair, nails and skin, collagen supplements and laxatives.
I always believed that people usually fall sick with age, but that is no
longer the case. Young people are equally susceptible to illnesses due
to a bad lifestyle and unhealthy diet. COVID-19 has been a huge eye
opener. Many people around the world have succumbed to COVID,
while a few have recovered. Many have still not contracted the virus. I
would like to believe that more than luck, our diet, immunity, mental
health, lifestyle and precautions have a much larger role to play in that.
Given below are a few factors that can help you identify what is
affecting your health, more specifically gut health.
i. Junk food and ‘invisible’ sugar consumption: Those dieting at
home to later binge on roadside foods such as vada pav, burgers
or Maggi noodles, your gut health can get sabotaged. These meals
multiply all the bad bacteria, bugs, pathogens and yeast in the
body to outnumber the good bacteria, and thus disrupt the
ecosystem and balance of the gut. Swapping sugary sodas for
water and consuming plenty of hidden refined white sugar in
cookies, brownies and waffles are the biggest enemy of the gut
bacteria and its digestion.
ii. Fad diets: Hopping from one diet to another, eliminating one or
more essential macronutrients makes the body confused and, in
turn, leaves you frustrated. Fad diets are dangerous and may
cause depression and claustrophobia by hampering and
unbalancing the gut. Fad diets do not work and only leave you
craving for food.
iii. Frequent use of antibiotics and pill-popping: Suppressing
symptoms of ailments with antibiotics and steroids can also affect
your gut as these are artificially made, harmful chemicals. These
are the acid bombs that kill the good bacteria in the body and your
digestion gets affected leading to various gastric problems such
as acidity, gas, bloating and weight gain.
iv. Stress: Chronic stress alters your gut nervous system,
imbalances the bacteria and is the main cause of a leaky gut.
v. Exposure to a toxic environment: Working and spending time
in toxic environments and inhaling toxic fumes can damage the
synergy of the microbiome.
vi. Excessive alcohol consumption: Consuming an excessive
amount of alcohol can also cause an imbalance of gut bacteria,
with an overgrowth of potentially harmful bacteria and a reduction
in beneficial bacteria. This may eventually cause inflammation in
your gut lining.
vii. Emotional trauma/tragedy: A natural calamity or any other
traumatic situation faced in childhood or even as an adult can
also be the reason of a weak gut. Children who have faced abuse
(physical/mental) is one such example.
viii. Random or inconsistent exercise routines: Lack of exercise is
bad for your gut health and mental health. But an irregular and
abrupt exercise regime can also be harmful to your body.
ix. Disturbed sleep: Late nights, sleeping with negative thoughts
and excessive amount of screen time can damage gut health and
imbalance your bacteria, making you feel tired and lethargic all
day. People who do not get adequate sleep depend on coffee to
stay awake and alert and that is the root cause of mental illnesses
like schizophrenia.
x. Lifestyle: Sitting is the new smoking! A sedentary lifestyle and
very less movement make the gut and brain sluggish and
impaired. Obesity, one of the major results of an inactive lifestyle,
is the second-largest disease plaguing humans after diabetes.
xi. Surgeries: Post-surgery stress is real, but often not taken as
seriously as the surgery itself. Why doesn't anyone look into gut
health post surgeries?
Here are a few tell-tale signs that your gut health is not in great shape:
i. Bloating: If your feet or other parts of the body feel bloated on a
daily or weekly basis.
ii. Gas: If you are able to suffocate people around you with your
smelly farts, then it’s a sign that you are suffering from gas for
sure!
iii. Diarrhoea or constipation: Regular hard stools and going to the
washroom too often to defecate are signs of toxins stuck in the
colon.
iv. Autoimmune conditions: Thyroid, lupus, arthritis and many
such illnesses are autoimmune conditions that require a thorough
check of your gut health.
v. Food intolerances: If you have a feeling that eating certain foods
such dairy, wheat or soy gives you allergic reactions or chronic
migraine, your gut feeling may be right.
vi. Skin irritation: Skin conditions such as eczema, acne and even
psoriasis are indicative of a damaged gut resulting from an
unhealthy diet and bad lifestyle.
Here are a few other hard-to-believe gut-affecting realities of this
century:
i. Cooking is a chore; nobody finds value in it anymore. No more love-
soaked home-cooked meals.
ii. Sleep is a luxury, since FOMO, ‘fear of missing out’, is a bigger
emotion to tackle than getting sleep.
iii. Fad diets are so alluring and the ‘before-and-after’ images seem
so real that it’s very tempting to take the short cut. There are
plenty of labels available in the market to lure us into a fad diet—
from low-carb, low-fat, high-protein food, to baked chips.
iv. Ordering food online or through apps has become the order of the
day. Such a habit can wreak havoc on our gut health and mental
wellness and lead to obesity.
v. Household chores such as making the bed, folding dry clothes or
organizing the cupboard are now handled by professionals.
vi. Exercise is less of a fitness initiative and more of an excuse to sign-
up for a fancy gym membership or buy branded fitness gear. The
 purpose is completely lost.
vii. Gadgets have become kids’ new best friends.
viii. Easy remedies and caffeinated energy drinks have gained
importance.
ix. Health check-ups have become exorbitant.
x. More stress, no exit plan. An unhappy, dissatisfied life.
1
Bulletin of the World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/88/4/09-
065847/en/, last accessed 6 January 2021.
3
 MEET THE 100 TRILLION GAME
CHANGERS IN YOUR GUT

WHAT IS BACTERIA?
Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms of different shapes
that thrive in diverse environments, such as the soil, oceans and most
importantly, inside and outside the human body. Our relationship with
bacteria has been a love-hate one. Love because it is capable of being
intelligently helpful and certain good ones such as Lactobacillus
acidophilus play a huge role in the complex functions of the body. Hate
because there are also a few life-threatening bacteria that cause
infections from regular cold, cough and SARS, to the ones causing the
deadly pneumonia methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) and, of course, coronavirus. These bacteria can reproduce
and replicate themselves depending on their environment and
ecosystem. Certain bacterial viruses can be killed with an alcohol-
based hand sanitizer, but if contracted in a body with low immunity, it
can prove fatal. Building and boosting immunity for survival is the most
important and valued proposition today.

Gut microbes

Bacteria has proven to be a game changer and it depends whether

you are using them to your advantage or disadvantage.

THE DAWN OF THE MICROBIOME

Originally, we belonged to the great apes family, but we have evolved.
Yet, have similar diversity of the bacteria. Let’s ‘unfold’ the genius of
the microbiome and outstanding role it plays in your body.
The great apes were diverse such as orangutans, gorillas and
chimpanzees, but they had one thing in common—they all had a
simple, colourful and natural diet essentially comprising fruits, leaves,
roots, shoots and flowers. We still resemble our ancestors, for
instance, our ways of learning are just like theirs. As soon as we are
born, we learn by mirroring and modelling or ‘aping’ each other and we
hang out in groups, just like them. The only thing that has changed is
the diet and movement. What has caused this change and how can we
bring back our simple eating habits?
Did you know that there are zillions of bacteria or microbiome inside
your body? These microscopic bacteria or microbes were the first life
form on our planet and will probably be the last ones to become
extinct. They are the most resilient, intelligently outnumbering all the
species alive on our planet today.

THE INVISIBLE FORCE OF THE 100 TRILLION BACTERIA IN THE

GUT
From boosting immunity to cognitive fitness, you will need plenty of
microbiomes, in the millions in fact. They are scattered in different
parts of the body, such as in the surface or deep layers of the skin
(skin microbiota), the mouth (oral microbiota), the vagina (vaginal
microbiota) and most importantly, in the gut (gut microbiome, gut
microbiota or gut flora).
The human digestive tract is home to multiple strains of bacteria.
Nearly two million genes and other tiny organisms such as viruses and
fungi form the most complex and intelligent microbiota community in
the digestive tract. It is a lesser-known fact, but they cause a ‘360-
degree turn’ in body–mind transformations.
Just like your unique fingerprints, each person’s microbiota is
different. Your mix is different from your siblings’ mix of microbiota. The
types are mainly determined by the mother’s microbiota and later by
many external factors.
The Magnanimity of Your Gut Microbes
Clusters and colonies of microbes made up of nearly one quadrillion
cells are to be found inside your gut and GI tract, i.e., 10 times the
number of cells in the human body. The control of these microbes over
us is unimaginable. And you thought you were just made up of cells!
Of course you are, but the number of bacteria (more than a 100 trillion)
on and in your body exceeds that of human cells (40 trillion).
Out of a 100 trillion gut microbes, two-thirds are found in the small
and large intestines, the large part of your gut weighing as much as
your brain—two pounds.
As you now know that there are more than a 100 trillion microbes
living within us, we are never alone. Don’t worry, it's a good thing (even
if the idea is unnerving). They are helping us thrive. These tiny
microbes in your body can make a huge and positive difference to your
immune system, waistline and brain health.
Here are seven super microbial facts:
i. Waistline: The number of healthy bacteria in your gut determines
how tiny your waistline can get.
ii. Discharge: Your regularity of your bowel movements and moods
basically depend on these bugs.
iii. Depression: Good bacteria help in treating anxiety and
depression.
iv. Diversity: The more diverse the microbes, the better your gut
health.
v. Biological: Gut bacteria pass from mother to child in the womb, in
the vaginal canal during child birth and also via breast milk.
vi. Scientific facts: The gut is also called the second brain by
scientists.
vii. Neurological facts: The majority of the neurotransmitter
production also happens in the gut.
4
 YOU’VE GOT THE MAGIC IN YOU!

From a flat tummy one day to a bloated one the very next day. Really
happy one day to feeling extremely low and depressed the very next
day. From sudden hunger pangs and cravings to internal dialogues.
Where do you think all these messages and feelings are coming from?
Your body is constantly communicating with you, from the depths of
your GI tract and that’s why it’s important to listen to our gut feelings.

LOOK INSIDE NOW

Unfortunately, today even for the smallest problem, we rely on outside
help instead of looking inwards.
The therapists, magicians and the magic are inside you. All you
have to do is trust yourself and look inwards. It is important to know
that all your happiness can be produced in the gut itself.
Listed below are four complex functions of the microbes in your gut:
i. Metabolites: Magical bacteria produce metabolites, which are
necessary for metabolism and which have healthy effects on all
your organs.
ii. Weight loss: These bugs are not the cough or cold-causing ones
and won’t make you sick. Instead, they help fight harmful germs,
keep you healthy and help manage the optimum weight.
iii. Self-sustaining: Microbiomes are self-sustaining. Natural foods
help them thrive in the gut.
iv. Communication: The gut communicates bi-directionally through
your brain and all other systems of the body, which no other
system can. The body’s defence and immune function,
metabolism, digestion and absorption, satiety, mood, and pain
and pleasure are all gut functions.
5
 YOU’VE ‘GUT’ A SECOND BRAIN

Hidden in the walls of your gut is your second brain. The bacteria
found in the small and large intestines alone together weigh as much
as your brain—two pounds. That’s not the only reason why the gut
(small and large intestine) is called the second brain. Its tremendous
capabilities and intelligence are also reasons for the moniker. I would
like to say that in many ways, your gut is as vast and mysterious as the
Milky Way.
In school, biology only taught us the importance of the brain and the
central nervous system (CNS). It missed mentioning that the gut also
has its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system (ENS).
The small intestine alone, excluding the rest of the GI tract, is home
to as many neurons as the spinal cord. Your gut nerve cells produce
90 per cent of serotonin, and every class of neurotransmitters in your
brain also resides in your gut. It actually outnumbers the brain
neurotransmitters. It is these cells and the miraculous microscopic
microbes in the gut that communicate with your brain, the heart and
other parts of the body in the form of feelings, signs and symptoms.
Your ENS might not be able to help you with making timetables,
writing a love note, detangling those knots of your hair or removing
your eyelashes. However, what it does is even more crucial: it heals
you.

HOW YOUR TWO BRAINS ‘TALK’ TO EACH OTHER

Think of your best friend who knows every single detail about your life
—your best profile angle, your first crush and everything else. Imagine
a scenario: she couldn’t make it to prom night as she had the flu and
now texts you every second asking for detailed info on the night.
Similarly, the endless wireless messaging between your second
brain (gut) and your brain is like being on WhatsApp between your
best friend and you. Your gut and brain communicate at all times. They
are inseparable and they’ve got each other's back all the time, like best
friends do!
Technically, your gut and brain communicate through a neural
network called the gut-brain axis or the GBA.

THE GUT-BRAIN AXIS

The GBA is a bidirectional link between the brain’s central nervous
system (CNS) and the gut’s enteric nervous system (ENS). This axis
involves a complex channel of communication between many systems
of the body. As it involves direct and indirect pathways between
cognitive processes such as reading and emotional centres in the
brain and the gut, the axis plays a mammoth role in states of gut
feelings and decision-making.
Your gut plays a vital role in communication via its own neural
network through a complex system of about 100 million nerves that are
found in the lining of the gut, making it competently your second brain.
Exactly how your first brain has its neural pathways of communicating
with the spine and other parts of your body.

Like your first brain, the second can’t balance a checkbook or make
a presentation for you. But, along with digestion and secretion of
hormones, your gut’s biggest role is to make you all ‘gutsy’, allowing
you to make quick and smart moves. This activation is the ‘fight or
flight’ response mode.
Thus, the role and importance of the gut can’t be emphasized
enough.
THE VAGUS NERVE: CONNECTIONS
The CNS of your brain communicates with the ENS of your gut via the
parasympathetic vagus (Latin for ‘wandering’) nerve. This is a very
important nerve of the human body and connects the brain and colon.
True to its name, the vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve. This
nerve is so alert that it can pick up the tiniest signals from any part of
the body and nothing goes unreported.
The vagus nerve is like the chief minister of the body’s systems. It
runs all the way from the brain stem to the colon, noticing everything
that is taking place in the body—diet, sleep, thoughts—and
simultaneously reports it to both your brains. Food, exercise and sleep
play a huge role in balancing this communication between the ENS
and the CNS. Both external and internal factors affect the gut-brain
axis.

THE GUT-BRAIN CONNECTION: ARE YOU FEELING IT YET?

Don’t you agree that the gut–brain connection is incredibly important?
They work together or send out red flags (symptoms) to each other
when they sense danger and all we need to do is listen to that
communication from the gut.
Whether to take that job or not, eat that cookie or not, be friends with
that weird neighbour or not, or to fight or flight from a situation, this
connection is constantly sending you signals.
6
 GUT HEALTH AND FAD DIETS: AT
LOGGERHEADS

Your gut health and modern-day fad diets are incompatible and
contradictory to each other. Gut health requires stability and a balance
of all essential food groups, eliminating only those which you are
intolerant to. Whereas fad diets and superficial dietary
recommendations are imbalanced, unsustainable and eliminate one or
more essential macronutrients, such as fats or carbs, from your daily
meals.
If you follow fad diets simply because your neighbour or a friend
started one and you too want a quick fix to lose weight, your body
misses out on essential macronutrient/s. Most fail to consult their inner
doctor, their gut instinct, and do not think critically. Maybe your friend
or neighbour has lost some weight, but at what cost? I am not talking
about the cost of the diet or the consultation fees of seeing a dietician,
I am talking instead about the compromise made in terms of gut and
mental health, hair and skin, and your overall health.

FAD DIET: WHAT IS IT?

A fad diet is nothing but a gastronomic hotchpotch. These diets usually
cut out major macronutrient/s, mostly carbs and/or fats. Hundreds of
such diets are promoted to make a quick buck. They promise ‘100 per
cent results’ and are usually marketed as the best way for quick weight
loss. People anyway fall easily for labels such as gluten-free, fat-free,
sugar-free and so on, so it comes as no surprise that these fad diets
are immensely popular not just with celebrities but with the masses as
well.
An extreme diet is not easy to sustain, as they are not balanced.
They either advice you to eat freakish amounts of only one particular
food or eliminate an entire food group. Fad diets never come with
disclaimers or warnings. Imagine someone selling a fad diet
mentioning the side effects—nausea and headaches, dementia, hair
loss, muscle loss, constipation, weakness and fatigue, dehydration,
withdrawal symptoms and crazy mood swings, to name a few. Would
you fall for it? No, you would not, for obvious reasons. That fine print is
smartly left out for us to discover, experience and later regret.
They are called ‘fad diets’ for a reason—they are incomplete in their
nourishment and are quick fixes with short-term results but long-term
damage/side effects. A client of mine, unfortunately, lost her father to a
fad diet. He was only 50.
A few examples of fad diets that eliminate essential food groups are
fat-free diet, sugar-free diet, no/low-carb diet, high-protein diet and
high-fat diet. A few examples of diets that focus only on one particular
food item are smoothie diet, juice diet, popcorn diet, cabbage soup
diet and watermelon diet.
Missing out on any food group is unhealthy and can be hazardous to
your body in the long run. The number of permitted food groups in fad
diets are either too high or too low. These diets are not recommended
by major health organizations such as the Indian Public Health
Association, WHO and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, among
others.
Most fad dieters are happy with temporary solutions and quick fixes.
They are short-sighted. Their weight is always yo-yoing depending on
their next goal, which could be a destination wedding or a milestone
birthday. Their weight loss and weight gain are drastic and they start to
look much older than their age. While following fad diets, gut health
gets highly compromised in the bargain and such drastic dietary
changes send confused signals to the body. It often leads to indecisive
behaviour, food cravings and lack of focus. Hair loss, due to vitamin
and mineral deficiency, and sagging skin in low/no fat diets are
common. Fad dieters are always hungry. They also feel emotionally
unstable. High-fat diets usually give rise to a host of health problems
such as acid reflux, gas, migraine, diarrhoea, indigestion and
constipation. Even immunity gets affected. People on a fad diet have
hormonal imbalances and diminished cognitive function. They lose
more muscles as compared to fat per cent. Being on a fad diet can
also lead to dehydration, depression and weakness. Such diets make
one feel trapped, unhappy and socially awkward. In short, a fad diet is
a diet without common sense.
Let us now discuss one of the most popular fad diets today—the
keto diet. The ketogenic diet, or in short keto diet, has captured the
entire world’s attention with its ability to help chronic dieters lose
weight and cheese lovers to eat all the cheese they want or can. What
the endorser conveniently forgot to mention was ‘fresh’ cheese only!
The keto diet may be a new diet to most people, but it was
developed in the 1920s to treat epilepsy! Surprised? Yes, the so-
called classic keto diet is a special high-fat, low-carb diet that helps to
control seizures in some people suffering from epilepsy. When doctors
at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota noticed that some patients with low
blood sugar had fewer seizures and were more stable because of low
carbohydrate intake, this diet was suggested to patients. The diet was
closely monitored by doctors and the side effects were reviewed by
professionals.

HOW DOES KETO WORK?

Our body and brain use glucose as the primary source of energy.
When on a keto diet, the dieter stays off the sugar from the
carbohydrates. The brain then panics and thinks it’ll crash from the
sugar cravings. The body instead starts using another macronutrient—
fats—to generate sugar in order to cope with the cravings. It starts to
metabolize the ingested fats into fatty acids and glycerol and then into
simpler compounds that can be used by the body. Fats, when broken
down, turn into ketones in the liver, which supply energy to the brain so
that the body can get into a ketosis mode. A urine strip check is
important to check ketone levels in the body.
So, eating only fats in your meals will break down the fat for fuel and
the weight loss begins. Phew, so much trouble to lose weight! This
kind of a diet is an extreme method and an excuse to eat the wrong
fats. If you ate any carbs even in one meal during this diet, your body is
no more in ketosis and you have to start all over again.
Keto drinks, keto flour, keto cookies, keto granola bars and keto
almond flour are in huge demand. It is a trend to follow a fad and then
shop for expensive foods, turning a blind eye to the damage done to
your gut, liver, kidneys and brain health.
Massive reduction in blood sugar and insulin levels help with weight
loss and diabetes to a certain extent, but at the cost of eliminating all
complex and healthy slow carbs such as grains, natural sugars and
fruits. This is the biggest challenge of this diet. How does a keto dieter
plan to get natural prebiotics from starchy and fibrous fruits and
vegetables? For how long can you not eat the most essential
macronutrients that provide energy and the satisfaction of a holistic
meal? Eliminating any macronutrient completely is quite drastic and
can have potentially serious side effects in the long run.
Let us discuss here four major reasons why the keto diet is
dangerous.
i. Doubling up on fats: When on the keto diet, almost 90–95 per
cent of calories come from fats—not just good fats; it can be trans
fats, saturated fats, injected fats and toxic fats. Most people are
not well-versed with their fat intake. Our most favoured dishes are
butter chicken, processed cheese and red meat, which increase
the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) levels, blocked arteries and heart attacks.
Breaking down the fats in the body is a lot of work, as our body is
not used to metabolizing excess amounts of fats. Most of it goes
undigested, as it is out of the ordinary for the body to take such a
heavy load. Overloading of fats leads to the digestive system
malfunctioning. Unabsorbed fats get into the small intestine and
colon, either causing constipation (clogging) or extracting more
water from the body, thus resulting in diarrhoea. Some suffer the
‘keto flu’ for weeks and some, diarrhoea, thus the healthy bacteria,
which are needed for immunity and the smooth functioning of the
body, are flushed out of the body.
ii. Low essential nutrients: Imagine a scenario where there are no
mangoes or potatoes on your plate, only broccoli—broccoli ki
sabji, broccoli soup and steamed broccoli with cheese. Cutting
down on short-chain fatty acids, which are fibres found in fruits,
 grains and vegetable starches, puts the gut out of whack, as the
gut flora feeds on these.
According to research, your gut can take quite a hit when you
take drastic measures to lose weight. Too much of the same
nutrient and none of the others can make your gut confused and
irritated. This can upset your digestion and brain health and
further deteriorate several other organs and their functioning.
It may seem to help diabetics temporarily but does not cure it,
as the diet claims. In fact, a problem called ketoacidosis may
occur in which high ketone levels in the urine may damage the
kidneys, brain and the liver or even cause diabetic coma, or
death. You may lose way more than just weight here!
iii. Dependence on artificial sweeteners: Limiting carbs means
limiting sugars. Sugar-free keto cookies, sugar-free keto brownies
and sugar-free aerated drinks, again the damages are never
mentioned. In a keto diet, artificial sweeteners are used to replace
sugar. Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, maltitol and xylitol don’t
get digested in the gut and pass down undigested to the large
intestine, thus wiping out a lot of the beneficial bacteria. This, in
turn, repeatedly disrupts digestion in addition to damaging other
organ cells, specially your brain cells. Just like cigarette packets
come with a disclaimer—smoking kills, these products, too,
should come with a disclaimer—brain damage. Our children are
consuming these gut- and brain-damaging foods and drinks.
Selling these should be made illegal.
iv. Diarrhoea: Consuming way too much fat than you can digest can
give you diarrhoea, thus flushing out a lot of the gut flora vitamins,
ions, electrolytes and minerals from your large intestine. This will
leave you feeling weak and prone to infections and depression.
v. Weight gain: You are likely to gain more weight post a fad diet
than lose it or get slimmer. Are you shocked? This is quite the
paradox, isn’t it? This is because fad diets are imbalanced,
suffocating and once you give up the diet, which you are likely to,
sooner or later, you will quickly gain back all the weight you have
struggled to lose, and in fact, gain even more. Don't allow wrong
dietary systems to damage your ENS and CNS. You may never
 recover from the damages, and everything can collapse like a
house of cards.
Once you quit a fad diet and have starved your body of essential
macronutrients, your brain immediately starts damage control by
releasing more hormones and storing up all the food as fat. Your body
adopts a camel-like attitude, which stores excess water to survive in a
desert. Similarly, your body overcompensates for the loss and primes
itself for more future stupidity. It is quite paradoxical that the side effect
of diets is weight gain!
All said and done, your body is your temple and you must keep it
clean and healthy and treat it with respect.
Natural foods give us confidence, determination and spirit. People
who always eat a balanced diet and have wholesome meals are able
to sail through rough waters. Balanced eaters make 80 per cent
healthy choices and only 20 per cent of guilt-free indulgences. Their
weight loss is steady and sustainable, and is the result of a healthy and
balanced diet. Their gut health is strong, and they have a smart
exercise routine to balance out when indulging in cheat meals. They
have naturally glowing hair and skin, thus looking youthful and
energetic. People who have a balanced approach towards food rarely
have digestive problems, and even if they do, they are able to make
quick recovery. Such eaters almost never require antibiotics or pain
killers. They have rock-solid immunity, balanced moods and
hormones, and a sharp focus. Balanced eaters build lean muscle that
boosts metabolism and controls body fat percentage. They are
motivated, active, happy and are able to give and receive abundant
love.
7
 YOUR DIET FAILED, NOT YOU

People trying one diet after the other probably have had some really
bad experiences. Chances are that some of the diets have worked out
in the short run and some have been utter failures. It is but natural to
feel dejected and like a failure when a particular diet fails, but guess
what, it was the diet that failed, not you!
The logic behind losing weight by dieting is that you lower the
amount of calorie intake. You eat less and burn more. Sounds like the
perfect fix for weight loss, doesn’t it? Technically and logically this
should work, but more often than not, it does not!

PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND DIETS AND WHY YOUR DIET FAILED

Evidence suggests that each person’s dietary habits are acquired over
several years. What you eat and how much you eat depends on
multiple factors, such as your nature, preferences, lifestyle, culture,
schooling, income and habits, which are developed over years. Then
how can a common diet plan work for people living in different
continents?
The cookie-cutter approach or ‘one-size-fits-all’ theory is being used
by everyone to help weight loss. That’s what fails, the approach, and
not you. Read this paragraph twice to relieve yourself of the guilt.
Not being able to follow a strict diet and arrive at the desired weight
can make anyone feel like a failure. If you are unable to follow the diet
or speak about your emotions, it will affect you emotionally and
physically. You will gain more weight out of emotional stress and guilt.
It can feel like a stab in your gut and if this wound is not taken care of,
the pain can persist for the rest of your life. Dysbiosis in the gut, thanks
to a diet, can really hamper all bodily functions.
8
 BACTERIAL TAKEOVER

 Just like in any story where there are good guys and bad guys, it’s
the same with your gut too.

DYSBIOSIS OVER SYMBIOSIS

Dysbiosis refers to quantitative or integrative changes of the intestinal
microbiota or gut flora. Bad bacteria in your gut can multiply because
of excessive intake of antibiotics, sugar, fast food, dairy and gluten, as
well as due to chronic stress. They wreak havoc in your gut and the
domino effect is felt in all the areas the gut is connected to, which is
practically each and every part of your body. Salmonella, Helicobacter
pylori, E. coli and Staphylococcus Aureus are harmful bacteria.

Symbiosis refers to the healthy and balanced gut flora that maintain
a state of harmony within your body’s multiple microbiomes. The useful
bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus reuteri,
Bifidobacterium and Bacillus coagulans are bacteria that promote
good health.
A few common causes of dysbiosis or imbalance in your microbiome
are overuse of antibiotics and medicines, chronic stress, poor diet with
low fibre intake, chronic constipation, diarrhoea, surgeries,
dehydration, smoking, and excessive intake of artificial sweeteners,
sugar, aerated drinks, junk food, alcohol and gluten.
A few everyday signs and symptoms of dysbiosis include:
i. Digestive problems such as gas, acidity, acid reflux, heartburn,
ulcers, bloating, flatulence, burping, irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS), constipation, gastric and food intolerances.
ii. Autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Hives, Celiac disease
and Colitis.
iii. Hormonal imbalances such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS),
PCOD, Candida overgrowth, infertility and low libido.
iv. Mental ill-health such as erratic mood swings, neurological
disorders, depression, brain fog, anxiety, ADD and ADHD.
v. Poor immune system leading to seasonal allergies, Asthma,
Sinus flare ups, cold, cough, flu and skin rashes.
vi. Physical problems/diseases such as migraine, thyroid (Hypo
and Hyper), Crohn’s disease, diabetes, colon cancer, chronic
fatigue, yeast overgrowth, high blood pressure, heart diseases,
high cholesterol, brain malfunction and fibromyalgia.
Your complex gut is now in the spotlight and has more superpowers
than you assumed. When your gut is working in optimal condition, this
gut-based immune system will identify and destroy the minutest
bacterial invader to protect you from infections and diseases. But at
the same time, when it is out of order, it becomes weak and
susceptible to low immunity and illnesses.

FACT VS MYTH
Myth: Gut bacteria and its diversity can never be changed or
multiplied. Once damaged, your gut lining can never be restored.
Fact: Your gut lining can heal in less than two weeks with Omega-3
fatty acids and with an elimination diet of allergens.
Myth: Drinking energy drinks is good for your gut microbes.
Fact: Energy drinks are disguised sugar, which destroys gut bacteria.
Myth: You can never eat sugar and gluten.
Fact: After the culprits are exposed, your nutritionist can reintroduce
foodstuff.
Myth: What works for you, works for all.
Fact: Uniqueness should be emphasized and addressing individual
food intolerances is key.
9
 LEAKY GUT AND BRAIN: THE SIGNS

 Just like the captain of the ship, who holds control over the ship and
senses the slightest danger to the passengers and the vessel, your gut
also sends out signals through aches and pains if it is leaky. Treating
only the symptoms is just the tip of the iceberg.

THE GUT AND WOMB

A womb is nature at its purest—a human safely and warmly cocooned
inside a human. Your gut journey begins from conception. Sucking
your thumb peacefully, protected and secure in your mommy’s pear-
shaped womb, the amniotic sac allowed you buoyancy and sheathed
you from the outside world. Along with the outer layer of your skin, your
internal organs were protected as well. Everything from genetics to
microbiota is inherited from your parents.
Nature was preparing you for nine months before you were exposed
to the outside world. Your skin was covered with protein and bacteria-
rich amniotic fluid.
Did you know that you miss out on that bacterial diversity if you are a
C-section baby or if you were not breastfed?
Your nutrients reached you through the supply line, i.e., the umbilical
cord. But immediately at birth, the skin flora and you got exposed to
the outside world, and your gut took over the job of absorbing and
transporting nutrients and immunity through a semi-permeable gut
lining, taking care of your immunity. First, your genetic predisposition
decides your ability to make antibodies and your immunity, but as you
grow older, your gut, diet and lifestyle are the deciding factors.
Dangerous chemicals such as organophosphates, flame retardants
and phthalates are pretty much everywhere around us, even in our
homes, in the form of cleaners, detergents, cookware, carpets, soaps,
shampoos, artificial aroma oils, deodorants, agarbattis and plastic
containers. The chemicals used in these products can damage the gut
and disrupt the brain and hormones.

WHAT IS A LEAKY GUT?

Leaky wall villi

A leaky gut, which is the main reason for several illnesses, is very
underrated. Not many of us pay enough attention to it. Also known as
increased intestinal permeability of the gut barrier, it is a condition in
which the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged and gaps in
the intestinal walls start to loosen, thus making it easier for foreign and
larger substances such as toxins and undigested food particles to
cross over and leak into your bloodstream. These foreign substances
and pathogens entering the blood stream can cause an autoimmune
response in the body including inflammatory and allergic reactions
such as migraine, eczema, thyroid and IBS.
 When the gates of the gut wall and villi open up and hyper-
permeability occurs, everything is left unguarded. The villi allow only
micronutrients to pass through to nourish your cells and organs. In
order to regulate this tight junction structure and function, your gut
cells release Zonulin, which holds the wall strong and guarded.
Research has shown that higher levels of Zonulin induces the
breakdown of tight junctions between intestinal epithelial cells and
increases permeability. Elevated levels of Zonulin have been
associated with several autoimmune, inflammatory and neoplastic
diseases, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, juvenile non-alcoholic fatty
liver, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and inflammatory
bowel disease.
When foreign substances slip through the wall gaps of your
intestines into your bloodstream, they attach themselves to healthy
working cells or organs, basically anything they can attach themselves
to, causing a flare up, i.e. an inflammation in your immune system and
the entire body. It compromises your immune system and the white
blood cells, which are in charge of protecting your body against
infections, diseases and foreign entities. These pathogens and toxins
attached to your cells remain floating around in your blood and
damage other organs of your body, one after the other. A leaky gut
may be the cause of an entire system damage.
You can think of your gut lining of the intestines permeability as a
filter, a muslin cheesecloth holding back all the food within it and
allowing only the right nutrients to pass through it.
Did you know that autoimmune diseases are a cause of a leaky gut?
In such diseases, our own warrior cells start fighting against each
other, mistaking them for the enemy.
The condition of your gut impacts you far more than you think. Listed
below are daily life scenarios suggesting that you may have a leaky
gut:
Scenario 1: If four days a week, you are in discomfort or pain,
unhappy with your health and feeling low about life, feeling exhausted
and tired even after taking your regular multivitamins.
Scenario 2: If you are constantly whining and messaging your doctor,
asking him/her to prescribe some new pills for you to feel better.
Scenario 3: After trying out various fad diets and drinking exotic green
smoothies, you still feel bloated or constipated.
If you have a condition similar to any of these scenarios, you may want
to check with your doctor or nutritionist about a leaky gut. You need to
take your gut health seriously; you may be missing some friendly flora.

THE LEAKY-GUT SYNDROME

A syndrome is a combination of problems, signs and symptoms of
medical and mental conditions. A leaky gut syndrome may be making
you irritable, moody and even depressed.
Inside you, there is an extensive intestinal lining covering a huge
surface area, which has over a hundred trillion gut bacteria (also called
gut flora or microbiomes). When these are imbalanced, all hell breaks
loose and you may have what is called a leaky gut.
Mentioned below are 12 factors that could contribute to a leaky gut:
i. Stress: Whether resulting from exams, failed relationships or
financial setbacks, chronic stress is a huge contributing factor to
multiple gastrointestinal disorders, including a leaky gut.
ii. Eating packaged and fast foods: Eating packaged and fast
foods too often can lead to a leaky gut.
iii. Acidity: If you are suffering from acidity, acid reflux, heart burn or
stomach burn, then chances are that there is an excess secretion
of acids in the gastric glands of the stomach. This results in gas,
bad breath and stomach ache—very common signs of a leaky
gut.
iv. Inflammation: Chronic inflammation due to stress and a bad
lifestyle is at times passed from mother to child. Stress and acidity
are the primary reasons for a leaky gut.
v. Consuming antibiotics, antacids and other medicines: When
you take acid blockers, you only supress the acid coming up the
food pipe, but it will remain in your body, inhibiting absorption of
essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium and zinc. This
eventually leads to a leaky gut.
vi. Consuming excessive gluten: Hate to say this but the biggest
concern I have is millennials consuming excessive gluten in
wheat, breads and processed fast foods. Its negative effect on gut
health cannot be overlooked.
vii. Consuming too much sugar: Consuming excessive white sugar
in desserts, bagels, waffles and kulfis lead to an increase in the
number of harmful bacteria in our body, thus harming our gut.
viii. Dehydration: Not drinking enough water can dehydrate the cells
and organs and the bile gets more concentrated than needed,
causing acidity, inflammation, constipation and microbial
imbalances.
ix. Exposure to excessive screen time: Your cell phone emits
radio frequency which may eventually lead to microbiome
imbalance and even cancer. Too much screen time can lead to
irregular sleep patterns and disturb the circadian rhythm of the
body.
x. Consuming aerated beverages: Aerated beverages are like
acid bombs for your gut lining as they are loaded with artificial
sweeteners, especially aspartame, which leads to acidity, gut and
brain dysfunction.
xi. Yeast overgrowth: Yeast is naturally present in the body, but an
imbalanced diet feeds the wrong microbes and leads to an
overgrowth of yeast. Candidiasis, thrush and diaper rash are
common examples of fungal infections. When an infection goes
unnoticed, it makes you weak and susceptible to a leaky gut.
xii. Consuming alcohol and drugs and smoking: Excessively
engaging in any of these activities ruins the good bacteria; even
second-hand smoking or vaping is dangerous and results in a
leaky gut in teenagers.
Given below are the red flags of a leaky gut. Tick the box if you
have any of these symptoms.
Digestive issues such as gas or IBS
Diarrhoea and stomach cramps
Overnight bloating
Constipation
Diabetes
Obesity
Common cold, cough and/or flu
Autism
Autoimmune diseases
Widespread inflammation
Cancer
Dementia
Alzheimer’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Low immunity
Migraine
Throbbing headaches
PCOS
Thyroid
Unbearable PMS
Lupus
Asthma attacks
Food allergies and intolerances
Skin allergies such as acne and pimples
Eczema
Crohn's disease
Celiac disease
Rheumatoid arthritis
Hashimoto’s disease
Erratic mood swings
Depression
 Difficulty in concentration
Suicidal thoughts
Anxiety
Sugar/salty food cravings
Frequent pill popping to feel better
ADD
ADHD
Addictions
Now that you are aware of these red flags, the next step forward is to
break up with a few habits or urges. The first is to break up with
gluten and, most importantly, sugar. In order to transform the
mechanism of your gut, break up with excessive sugar and gluten
before it’s too late. The two most dominant factors affecting the gut are
sugar and gluten. A majority of the foods being consumed are
unnaturally and extremely high in sugar and gluten. Diets high in sugar
are linked to obesity and overweight, both increase the likelihood and
prospect of diabetes. There is a strong link between obesity and
mortality.
Robert Lustig is a paediatric endocrinologist at the University of
California, who specializes in the treatment of childhood obesity. In a
90-minute talk titled, Sugar: The Bitter Truth2, Lustig argues forcefully
that fructose, a form of sugar ubiquitous in modern diets, is a ‘poison’
culpable for America’s obesity epidemic. However, I would like to add,
‘globally’.
Be it any continent, for any person, sugar is sugar! It is addictive and
your bad bacteria loves an addiction; it’s a party for them, but a
nightmare for your gut. The imbalance in the microbiome makes you
an addict. It’s a chain reaction. How can we blame kids for pestering
us for ice cream every night or a waffle for their school snack? They
crave sugar to feel satisfied. If denied, it may lead to anxiety or even
depression. Added sugars are on your table every day—in ketchups,
salad dressings, breads, cakes, chips and coffees, to name a few. I
can’t think of any food items that don’t have sugar as the main
ingredient, except natural foods of course. Till the government imposes
restrictions on the sale of such products, it is impossible to wage a war
on sugar.
Five ways in which excessive sugar intake can cause harm are:
i. Sugar causes glucose levels to spike and plummet.
ii. Sugar increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, gut leakiness and
heart conditions.
iii. Sugar accelerates ageing and the appearance of wrinkles.
iv. Sugar affects cognitive fitness in children as well as adults.
v. Sugar multiplies and imbalances microbes.
Now, let us understand what gluten is. Most of us riding the gluten-free
diet bandwagon don’t even know what gluten is. Interestingly, the term
‘gluten’ is derived from the glue-like property of wet dough which
makes the dough elastic and soft and gives bread the ability to rise
during baking. It also provides a chewy, satisfying texture.
Gluten is a family of proteins found in grains including wheat, rye,
spelt and barley. Of the gluten-containing grains, wheat is by far the
most common. The two main proteins in the gluten of wheat are
glutenin and gliadin. Gliadin is responsible for most of the adverse
health effects of gluten. The elastic texture of bread or naan would not
be possible without gluten. A chef can toss pizza dough in the air
thanks to its stretchiness, which allows it to land back on his hand
without breaking.
Studies show that gliadin increases the levels of Zonulin produced
by your cells, thus resulting in increased gut sensitivity, permeability
and microbial imbalance.
What is gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance? If a gluten-sensitive
person eats too much of gluten-rich processed wheat products, their
gut allows this protein to pass through and create inflammation in the
entire body. Your body turns into a battlefield and becomes
susceptible to celiac, gluten sensitivity, wheat allergies, dermatitis
herpetiformis (DH), migraine, eczema and various other illnesses. The
wheat that we consume today can thus make people sick.
Wheat was earlier stored in its kernel form. Thus, its nutritional
bounty was released only when the seed was pound and prepared
fresh, and was hence full of vital nutrients. Wheat is otherwise a useful
grain, but thanks to revolutionization in the way it is being grown,
processed and consumed (in the form of croissants, bagels and
breads), it has become more damaging than nourishing.
A few problems that can occur due to gluten are gluten sensitivity,
stomach pain, bloating, feeling low and tired, a leaky gut, celiac
disease (autoimmune), diarrhoea, gas, constipation, headache,
sudden weight loss, foul-smelling excreta, mood swings, IBS
(digestive disorder), acidity, and abdominal pain and cramps. For
those with one or more of the mentioned symptoms, consider
eliminating gluten from your diet for two weeks.
The good news, however, is that removing gluten from the diet of a
gluten-sensitive person can reverse the damage. For celiac patients,
eating a gluten-free diet can be life changing, as even the slightest
morsel of wheat can make them sick or prove fatal.
Spelt, barley, rye and cereals are usually high in gluten and so are
food items such as thepla (a soft Indian flatbread typical of Gujarati
cuisine), paratha, roti, pasta, beer, pizza, burger, bread, cookies and
pastries.
At this point, let us discuss what a gluten-free diet is. It is a diet that
eliminates all foods containing gluten. However, one mistake that I
have noticed most people making is relying on ready-made and
processed gluten-free pastas and cookies, which may be high in
calories, additives, sugar, saturated fats and sodium, and low in
nutritional values.
Let us look at some inexpensive and easily available options of
gluten-free grains:
i. Millet: Yesterday’s coarse grains are today’s nutri-cereals. In
India, millet is grown on about 15 million hectares of land, with an
annual production of 17 million tonnes and contributes nearly 10
per cent to the country’s food grain basket. It is rich in proteins,
fibres, minerals and vitamins. Jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet)
and bajra (pearl millet) are available in abundance and can easily
replace wheat rotis, parathas, kulchas, puris, wraps and rolls.
 Millets are high in antioxidants and reduce oxidative stress. They
are a solution to various lifestyle disorders.
ii. Rajgira/Amaranth seeds: From pancakes to dhoklas, dishes
made out of this grain are rich in unsaturated fatty acids and
soluble fibre, which help in reducing blood cholesterol levels,
making amaranth a heart-healthy grain. Its bio-active compounds
make it gut healthy and anti-allergic.
iii. Buckwheat flour (kuttu ka atta): It is high in antioxidants and
minerals and also improves blood sugar levels. It has a decent
amount of fibre and starch which is great for gut health. Resistant
starch is fermented by gut bacteria in the colon and produces
short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate in the colon, improving
gut health and decreasing the risk of colon cancer.
iv. Quinoa: It is a whole grain that is rich in fibre (food for microbes)
compared to all other grains and comes in a variety of colours
such as black, red, white and yellow. Quinoa is rich in proteins,
fibres, manganese, and B vitamins such as folate and thiamine.
Try a quinoa pilaf or risotto.
v. Rice roti: Rotis made out of rice flour is not new. Chawal ki roti,
akki roti and bhaat ni rotli are very popular in Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan. These rotis are naturally
gluten-free. A rice roti from the previous night is naturally
fermented and loaded with probiotic bacteria and vitamin B12. An
absolute treat for the gut!
vi. Green split peas (moong dal): Shelled moong dal atta (flour) is
rich in proteins, fibres and B vitamins, especially folate and
thiamine, and manganese. This flour can be used to make wraps,
chapatis, pizzas, tacos and waffles, among others.

WHAT IS A LEAKY BRAIN?

A brain is considered leaky when the blood–brain barrier (BBB) has
been compromised. Your brain also has a semi-permeable diffusion
barrier, BBB, which impedes or blocks most compounds from blood to
brain. If the tight junctions become loose or broken, the BBB becomes
permeable and harmful substances can leak in and damage the brain,
leading to inflammation. An inflamed brain or a leaky brain is a major
cause of anything from a simple migraine to Alzheimer’s disease.

The profound connection between the brain and the gut cannot be
underestimated as microbes living in the gut affect the brain both
positively and negatively. Along the same mechanisms that give rise to
a leaky gut, the BBB also keeps harmful substances from entering the
brain.
Three cellular elements of the brain microvasculature compose the
BBB: endothelial cells, astrocyte end-feet and pericytes. Tight
junctions present between the cerebral endothelial cells form a
diffusion barrier, which selectively excludes most blood-borne
substances from entering the brain. Dysfunction of the BBB, for
example, impairment of the tight junction seal, causes a number of
neurologic diseases including stroke and neuroinflammatory disorders.
We review here the recent developments in our understanding of the
BBB and the role of the BBB dysfunction in CNS disease. The
pathogenesis of the increased BBB permeability impacts almost all
functions of the body and may be the real cause of Alzheimer's
disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis and depression.
The main causes of a leaky brain are Gut Dysbiosis (infections),
inflammation, leaky gut, toxins, autoimmune, chronic stress, Vagus
Nerve dysfunction, dehydration, diabetes, obesity, poor choices of fat
and high-calorie diets, liver damage, erratic sleep patterns and
excessive intake of sugar, and processed and packaged foods.
 Let us look at the symptoms signifying that your brain is ‘on fire’.
i. Feeling low and depressed: If you are pushing yourself to be
social and constantly have negative thoughts, your brain is
probably affected.
ii. Brain fog: Brain fog isn't a medical condition, but a symptom of a
cognitive dysfunction. It could result in poor concentration, mental
fatigue or simply zoning out. Look out for signs such as memory
loss and the urge to procrastinate on a daily basis.
iii. Headaches and migraine: If you get positional headaches and
they persist for longer periods of time, it’s a good idea to consult a
doctor to rule out any inflammation in the brain.
iv. Dependence on coffee and wine: If you are living on coffee
throughout the day to function and then shutting down your
caffeine rush with wine, it is definitely a sign that you need to see a
doctor.
v. Nausea and vomiting: The presence of an excessive number of
viruses and parasites in the body may be the reason why you are
feeling nauseous and sick constantly.
vi. Memory loss: If you start losing your chain of thoughts more often
than you used to, misplace objects or seem to forget the names of
your close associates and extended family, it is time to act on your
cognitive fitness.
vii. Your brain feels tired instead of wired: Do you feel your energy
levels diminishing even after a good eight to nine hours of sleep?
Do you feel fatigued and always low on energy? These are red
flags of a tired and inflamed brain.
viii. Emotionally absent: If you are finding it difficult to hold onto
relationships and be emotionally connected with your
partner/family, or if you feel exhausted all the time and prefer
being alone, it can be a sign of mental exhaustion or fatigue.
Unfortunately, these signs are often dismissed as regular ups and
downs of life until they get worse and have to be treated medically.
Here is a breakdown of a few things to avoid a leaky gut-brain:
i. Sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup: Sucrose is found in
large quantities in cakes, cookies, coffee, cereals and breads
 sweetened by white or brown sugar. Food manufacturers also add
chemically produced sugar, typically high-fructose corn syrup, to
foods, beverages, tomato sauce and salad dressings. Low-fat
foods are the worst offenders as manufacturers use sugar and
other artificial sweetening derivatives to add flavour to these.
Excess sugar may lead to fatty liver, insulin resistance,
inflammation, increase in cancer cells and high cholesterol,
besides many other illnesses.
ii. Packaged foods: Read the labels on packaged food well,
because if you do not know what’s going in your body, you will
never know how much damage it’s causing. Stop purchasing
foods that are high in plain flours, sugar, preservatives and
sodium. They are addictive and engineered for overconsumption.
There are zero-fibre foods with artificially created liquid oils and
semi-solid hydrogenated oils that damage the brain. They are also
coated with artificial ingredients, chemicals, preservatives,
colorants, flavours, stabilizers and textures.
iii. Dairy: Lactose intolerance occurs due to the deficiency of the
lactase enzyme, which is essential for the proper digestion of
whole milk; this enzyme breaks down lactose, a sugar which
gives milk its sweetness. The most common symptoms of lactose
intolerance are migraine, gas, bloating, diarrhoea, nausea and
vomiting.
iv. Gluten: Digesting wheat is not easy, so eliminate it for three
weeks before resuming again. Try the seven-day Gut reboot diet
discussed later in this book.
v. Soy: Soy interferes with the absorption of essential minerals such
as selenium, which helps convert primary thyroid hormone T4 to
its active form, T3. It is also a genetically modified organism,
which is too harsh on our system. Many women have signs of a
thickened endometrium due to high levels of estrogen from soya
and soya products.
vi. Red meat and bacon: Red meat and bacon are carcinogenic or
cancer-causing foods. The meat today is processed, industrially
raised, and sprayed and injected with antibiotics in factories,
where unethical practices towards animals are not addressed.
vii. Yellow/Sweet corn: The sweet corn that we eat in theatres is
very different from the corn that the indigenous people of North
America once grew. It got so popular and in demand that it is now
a genetically modified organism, whose genetic material has
been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
viii. Eggs: Most eggs come from chickens fed on a diet of genetically
modified wheat, soy and corn, and injected with antibiotics. They
may be rich in protein, but do more damage to the brain than
building muscles.
ix. Smoking and consuming alcohol: Smoking has potential
health risks such as complications of lung functions, bronchitis,
heart attacks, and the risk of lung, throat and mouth cancer.
Tobacco, nicotine and charcoal fumes (in the case of shisha)
have an adverse effect on sensitive microbes, damaging the
entire body’s ecosystem. Drinking too much alcohol can cause
abnormal activation of digestive enzymes produced by the
pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. It affects every organ of your
body as the pancreas is in charge of managing the blood sugar
levels of your body.
While we are at it, let us also learn a few gut-brain healing tips.
i. Be like Buddha: Don’t renounce the world, just give up the brain-
damaging foods and habits! Eat 80 per cent plant-based foods,
fruits such as blueberries and mangoes, turmeric, celery and leafy
greens. The more colourful your Buddha bowl looks, the more
value it adds to your brain and gut. A fruit bowl can satisfy your
sugar cravings too. It’s a win-win, guys!
ii. Eat nuts: Good fat heals your gut and is great for your brain too.
Sixty per cent of your brain is made up of DHA, an Omega-3 fatty
acid. Walnuts, flaxseeds, olives, coconut oil, avocado, cacao
powder and fish oil help the brain to function optimally. Your brain
requires that cholesterol to help neurons to form connections with
other neurons. Embracing the right fats can guide you towards
mental clarity. Fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K get absorbed in
fats really well. So, don’t go nuts, just eat them.
iii. Eat rooted: Edible underground root vegetables and tubers such
as yam, taro, sweet potatoes, carrots and onions are good for
your health. The starches, and diverse strains of bacteria in them
are good for your gut and brain health as they are rich in
prebiotics.
iv. Have fermented foods: Definitely not canned ones please!
Traditionally and naturally fermented foods minus preservatives
add beneficial bacteria and enzymes to the intestinal flora. Freshly
preserved pickles boost your immunity. Eat fresh fermented foods
such as yogurt, olives, kefir, congee, idli, kanji, vada and ginger
pickles.
v. Avoid brain zappers: Steer clear of sugary beverages, caffeine,
alcohol and energy drinks. These seriously damage gut flora.
vi. Optimize your protein intake: Less protein leads to losing
muscle which, in turn, leads to faster ageing. Eat grass-fed meat,
lentils, legumes and fresh cheese regularly.
vii. Go gluten-free: Go cold turkey on gluten, and eliminate it from
your diet completely for two whole weeks.
viii. Think bioindividual : You are unique! Your needs are unique!
Write a blog on your favourite foods, sports and exercise. No
‘one-size-diet-fits all’, you must get a customized nutrition and
smart exercise plan. Try a digital detox and focus your energy on
something without a plug or wire. Reading a book, meditating or
paying a board game should help.
2
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/24/robert-lustig-sugar-poison, last
accessed 8 January 2021.
10
 GUT AND YOUR IMMUNITY

On the whole, your immune system is geared to do a remarkable job,

but sometimes it fails due to various factors such as the presence of
parasites and germs. The question is, how is it possible to intervene in
this process and boost your immune system by focusing your attention
on your gut health? So, here you go…
Your gut is your first line of defence. The maximum overprotective
diverse strains and bacterial warriors building your immunity are in
your gut. ‘A huge proportion of your immune system is actually in your
GI tract,’ says Dan Peterson, assistant professor of pathology at the
John Hopkins School of Medicine.
The colon is covered by a protective mucus layer, which gut flora
use as food to multiply and grow. Our entire digestive system, from the
mouth to anus, is the first line of defence for the other important organs
such as the brain, heart, kidneys and lungs.
Your microbes are fighting the bad bacteria from outside and inside
your body. Certain cells in the lining of the gut spend their lives
excreting massive quantities of antibodies into the gut. The friendly
bacteria are constantly working on creating an environment to fight
against viruses, pathogens and all other damaging bugs that we
consume and inhale.
According to data from across the world, the most vulnerable cases
who contracted the COVID-19 virus were those with weaker immune
systems, high-risk individuals, the malnourished population and people
living under poor hygiene conditions. Those with pre-existing non-
communicable diseases such as diabetes, thyroid and cancer also
appear to be clinically extremely vulnerable.
Over 90 per cent of the healthy gut microbiome lead the microbial
ecosystem from the GI tract. The gut microbiome has emerged as a
dynamic central regulator of mitochondrial function in intestinal cells,
including the immune and epithelial cells. Gut microbiota signal to your
body’s main power house—the mitochondria of mucosal cells—when
your immunity is under a virus attack.
The gut microbiome actively interacts and shapes the host mucosal
immune system and regulates intestinal homeostasis, which means
maintaining a stable equilibrium between interdependent elements.
Macrobiotic signalling produced in immune cells plays an important
role in the eradication of invading viruses and pathogens and in the
production of millions of cytokines. Cytokines is a large group of
proteins, peptides or glycoproteins that are secreted by specific cells
of the immune system. (Imagine a cell being like a loaded machine
gun, with the cytokines shooting the enemy virus down.) Microbes are
the ones that signal your cells and molecules which mediate and
regulate immunity and inflammation to protect your body when it’s
under a viral attack. The mitochondria then waits for it to get signalled
by the microbiota in your gut, to prepare for combat!

MIND OVER MATTER: ARE YOU A HYPOCHONDRIAC?

Falling sick can sometimes be more mental than physical. Do you need
reassurance by doing multiple tests? Do you continually feel worried
about your health, google diseases and symptoms that you ‘think’ you
may have? Fear of falling sick is also an illness. It could also be
psychosomatic at times. It is called hypochondriasis, nosophobia or
illness anxiety disorder. Some people create symptoms of the illness in
their mind and actually start believing that they have a particular
illness.
Who doesn't have that one family member who is always negative
and keeps thinking he/she has a sickness? We all know one person
who is always imagining the worst-case scenario. Such is the power of
the mind. Sometimes being in constant fear of contracting a disease or
living perpetually in fear can actually make you unwell.
What I know for sure is that the answer to having a good immunity
does not lie in superfoods and herbal teas alone, but in being
emotionally stable and happy as well. The answer is much deeper than
just physical. Be positive. ‘Elementary, my dear Watson!’
 A positive state of mind builds and boosts your immune system like
no medicine or supplement can. Mental wellness wins hands-down
when it comes to healing, making decisions and boosting immunity. A
healthy gut and a positive mindset are synonymous with each other.
Your immunity depends on this physical, emotional and mental
balance.
Here are a few tips to activate your body’s defence system
emotionally:
i. Don’t engage in negative talk. Change the subject or stay quiet, but
do not indulge in negative conversations. Pro tip: Practise and
entertain only uplifting conversations.
ii. If you have an aimless day, you have no measurement of your
productivity. Pro tip: Set goals or targets for the day; it can be for
work, wellness, kindness or intelligence. You will release happy
hormones if you achieve them.
iii. Believing that only medicines can heal you is a rigid mindset. Pro
tip: Listen to your gut feelings. Meditation can calm your mind and
allow your body to heal naturally. This is a growth mindset.
iv. Negative news are addictive and regressive, so stay away from
them. Pro tip: Recharge your mind, body and spirit positively by
being one with nature. Try digital detox too.
v. Labels and statements such as ‘I am not enough’, ‘I am worthless’
only limit you. Pro tip: Harbour positive self-image, love abundantly
and laugh heartily. Be a communicator with a positive attitude.
Don’t be a naysayer or be around one. Read an innovative book
on personal growth.
vi. Like we have mentioned earlier, sitting is the new smoking! Pro tip:
Kick the butt. Good habits and healthy rituals can change your life
and bad habits can do just the opposite.
vii. Do you try too hard to fit in? Are you a people pleaser? Pro tip:
Remove the need to fit in, and accept your bioindividuality. Your
triggers are your teachers.
viii. Watch your breathing. Deep breathing reduces stress, strengthens
immunity and increases dopamine.
Let us now look at 10 superfoods in our kitchen for a dependable
immunity.
i. Vitamin C: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That’s
what everyone did during the lockdown. It is easy to add citrus
fruits and lemons to your meals. Citrus fruits such as grapefruits,
oranges, pomeloes, lemons, limes and tangerines produce white
blood cells in the body because they are rich sources of vitamin C.
ii. Turmeric (haldi): The benefits of cooking with turmeric are many.
Haldi is used extensively in Indian cuisine, which is good as it
relieves the body of pains and aches. During Indian weddings, the
bride and groom are smeared with haldi paste. Haldi also builds
immunity by reducing intestinal permeability and it has
antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, which are effective in
healing digestive issues by killing parasites, germs and viruses.
iii. Ginger: Ginger is a prebiotic and also has antimicrobial properties
inhibiting the pathogenic bacteria which actually damage the gut.
Warm ginger tea also breaks down mucus in the body. Double the
reason to consume ginger daily. It has natural glucosamine
needed to hold the cells together in the gut lining and it also
decreases inflammation. Ginger also has cholesterol-lowering
properties.
iv. Cruciferous vegetables: Leafy greens have phytochemicals,
which fight cancer. Spinach, broccoli, bok choy, garden cress,
cabbage broccoli, Brussels sprouts and similar green leafy
vegetables are great for your immunity.
v. Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a wonder oil that contains medium
chain triglycerides, which help reduce cholesterol and other fats in
the blood. Consuming one tablespoon of cold-pressed coconut oil
on an empty stomach does wonders to the GI tract. It also helps
seal the gut and brain leakiness.
vi. Fresh red chilli peppers: Fresh red chilli activates the immune
command centre in your gut. The bright red colour has a bioactive
chemical compound called capsaicin, which produces the agni
(fire) or heat to activate and recharge your immune system.
vii. Flaxseeds (alsi): Flaxseeds help clear your bowels. Both brown
and golden flaxseeds are packed with nutrients, especially
Omega-3 fats and dietary fibre, which have heart and gut health
benefits. Alsi has plant compounds called lignans, which have
antioxidant properties. It improves cholesterol and lowers blood
pressure.
viii. Caraway seeds (jeera):It is a great herb for the digestive system.
It relieves cramps, bloating and nausea and helps to release gas
from your body. It is advisable to introduce a few of these in your
diet regularly for better digestion.
ix. Mint (pudina): Mint is refreshing, cooling and antispasmodic. It
supports liver function and cools a heated body. If you are feeling
acidic or low, drink a fresh mint lemonade.
x. Ashwagandha: Withania somnifera (commonly known as
ashwagandha, Indian ginseng, poison gooseberry or winter
cherry), is an ancient Ayurvedic medicinal herb that sages swear
by, and rightly so. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which
regulates stress hormones and restores its equilibrium. It protects
the immunological barrier of the gut and brain, which gets
depleted, thanks to excessive cortisol levels in the body. For
restful sleep, eat half a tablespoon of Ashwagandha powder in
ghee, coconut oil or plain water before hitting the sack.
11
 YOU’VE ‘GUT’ CONNECTIONS!
All diseases begin in the gut.
—Hippocrates

How often do you look at your stool? I know it may sound really
disgusting, but the truth is that your faecal matter is a window to your
gut health. One of the first questions that I ask my client is how often
they defecate. Are their intestines clogged? Does the stool look like
watery diarrhoea, or too hard to pass and painful? Are there chunks of
undigested food particles coming through, or even blood? All of this
has a lot to do with the gut flora in the body.

Your stool passes out of your body through the rectum and anus.
Your stool or faeces is made up of leftover, undigested food and bad
bacteria that your digestive system rejects. Microbiome mix has a
major impact on your discharge.
In ancient times, as hunter-gatherers, we ate plenty of fibres and
natural foods, resulting in a healthy and robust digestive system.
Whereas, today most people are likely to be constipated, with dry
stool. Some have conditions such as diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Here is how you can improve your digestive system:
i. Drink plenty of water, at least eight tall glasses a day.
ii. Have a fibre-rich diet.
iii. Triphala, amalaki, bibhitaki and haritaki fruits are available easily
and are harmless bowel activators. Have them regularly.
iv. Working out regularly, especially cardiovascular exercise,
increases intestinal mobility and is good for digestion. Drink plenty
of water before, during and after your workout.
v. Have flaxseed powder.
vi. Take psyllium husk powder as it is rich in fibres.
vii. Have herbal teas, hot coffees and senna tea as these are natural
laxatives, but have them in moderation.
viii. Visit your gastrointestinal specialist once in a while.

DAMAGE CONTROL THROUGH FAECAL TRANSPLANT

As bizarre as it sounds, the human gut is a microbial zoo of sorts.
Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) or stool transplant is another
emerging, life-saving solution of transplanting faecal matter from the
donor into the intestinal tract of a recipient. This directly changes the
recipient’s gut microbial composition and confers health benefits to
him/her. Simply put, the process transfers healthy stool from a donor
into the compromised GI tract of another.
Fundamentally, the overall care of the gut and the ENS is necessary.

GUT AND HUNGER

Let us talk about the gut and its connection to hunger. First, it is
important to identify if yours is a case of emotional eating or physical
hunger. Are you that sneaky nocturnal animal who gives in to midnight
snacking? Is your hunger genuine? Or is it simply out of boredom,
dissatisfaction and unrealized supressed emotions?
To find out the answer to the above questions, you need to listen to
your inner voice. You have to realize that this voice is not your enemy;
it is your gut-brain axis communication trying to guide you.
Certain hormone-producing microbes have a way of letting you
know whether you have reached satiety or not and communicates the
same to the brain. Leptin and ghrelin are the yin and yang of hunger
hormones. They work together to stimulate or suppress your hunger
and satiety so as to maintain optimal weight and energy.
Reasons why you are always hungry can include a lack of
knowledge regarding nutrition or your food choices, dehydration,
emotional trauma, a hectic lifestyle, diabetes, thyroid, acidity,
depression, and a diet that lacks protein, fat and fibres, among others.
Now, let us look at the six doable pro-tips to always help you feel full:
i. Our kids often reach into the refrigerator to grab desserts or
leftover pizza. However, I try to make sure that all that they find in
there are fruits, water, yogurt, vegetables, sprouts mix, dips and
hummus. Most often, they pick a fruit, get annoyed, drink some
water and go back to bed. So, revamp your fridge.
ii. Eating too often can make you produce more of the hormone
insulin, so eat whole foods to increase your hours between meals.
This could include an apple, nut butter, legumes salad or yogurt
rice. Avoid simple carbs such as biscuits and wafers.
iii. Have more low-cal, high-fibre foods such as whole grains, green
vegetables, monosaturated fats and proteins. A burrito bowl is a
great example.
iv. Keep yourself hydrated with water, not sodas. Most adults and
especially children often mistake thirst for hunger. Keep a bottle of
water in every room to avoid choosing apple juice or sodas
instead of water, which is the real hydrator.
v. Get adequate and timely sleep.
vi. There are many ways to deal with stress eating/emotional eating.
Meditation, exercise and laughter are the three main stress
busters I use for my family, clients and myself. A trek, beach
vacation, comedy show or a game of bluff with the kids is always a
stress buster. You don’t have to check yourself into a far off retreat
or take anxiety pills or rely on sugar anymore.

GUT AND OBESITY

There are links between gut bacteria and being overweight and obese
that not many experts know of or even talk about. The gut microbiota
of individuals who are overweight, obese or morbidly obese show
patterns of dysbiosis compared to healthy individuals who maintain
their weight well. This dysbiosis can result from irregular eating habits,
consuming antibiotics, fatty and sugary foods, alcohol and chronic
stress.
What Are Overweight and Obesity?
Overweight and obesity are conditions of excessive body fat. In the
earlier days, with chronic malnutrition being the norm, genetics
favoured fat storage. The negative impact of being overweight was not
even noted in medical literature till the eighteenth century.
So when did body fat become problematic? Technological
advancements, sustainability and economic boom increased output,
more leisure time and wider waistlines. By the nineteenth century,
being excessively overweight and obese was recognized as a cause of
ill health and a century later, it was declared deadly. The distinction
between being overweight and obese is a calculation called the body
mass index (BMI), which is an estimate for healthy body weight and
actual body fat percentage, which can be determined by waist
circumference and muscle mass. Athletes have a higher BMI as they
have more muscle mass than regular people. Excessive fat percentage
in the body leads to many issues from lethargy, back and knee pain,
and high cholesterol, to heart-related problems, type 2 diabetes, body
image issues, PCOS and depression.
Bacteria and Lean Body Weight
Your large intestine is a haven for trillions of mutually beneficial
microbes that make up your gut microbiota. These gut bacteria form
an ecosystem in vital functions such as metabolism, hunger and
digestion. Your microbiome is important for many aspects of your
body, including your weight. A balanced diet, emotional well-being and
exercise are important for the diversity of your gut bacteria.
Bacteria such as Lactobacillus gasseri, Akkermansia muciniphila
and Christensenella minuta are good for weight loss and their number
can be increased in our body by consuming prebiotics.
A few natural prebiotic foods to fuel your skinny bacteria are
cranberries, black tea, flaxseeds, bamboo shoot, potato starch, garlic
and rhubarb extract. There are no ‘weight loss’ bacteria, but we can
prevent weight gain by eating these superfoods. These foods also help
multiply your microbiomes, which help with higher metabolism.

GUT AND HYPER ACIDITY

Gastric acidity is a key factor shaping the diversity and composition of
microbial communities found in the gut. A cycle of excessive bile acid
production from your liver to break down fats can be the number one
reason of our body being in an acidic state.
Hyperacidity, also known as gastritis or acid reflux, is a common
problem wherein inflammation of the stomach lining is caused by
bacterial infection or other lifestyle habits such as alcohol
consumption. Other problems faced are colon ulcers, weight gain,
frustration and even depression.
Are you habitually taking antacids to supress acidity? Heartburn,
acid reflux, bloating, migraine, abdominal cramps, stomach ulcers,
build-up of stress and emotional discomfort are symptoms of an acidic
body. Expecting weight loss in an acidic body is a hopeless decision
and a far-fetched dream.
Try this quick health history check-up right away! Use the box to
guide you to evaluate if your body is acidic. Tick the box if any of
these symptoms occur frequently.
Muscle aches and body stiffness
Frequent headaches, acid burn
Migraine
Sour burps
Sudden weight gain/loss
Restlessness
Interrupted sleep
Frequent crying
Angry outbursts
Irritability
 Preference to be left alone
Tension
Emotional
Brain fog
Anxiety
Short temperedness
Depression
Memory loss
Nervousness
Procrastination
Excessive sleeping
Craving junk food and sugar
Soda cravings
Addictive behaviour
Brooding
Depending on the foods you eat, the calories and nutrients are
extracted and metabolized, leaving behind an ash residue. So, if you
have eaten acidic foods, the ash will show high acidic levels. The
amount of this ash residue left behind by a particular food specifically
determines the pH of the food, categorizing it either into acid-forming
or alkalizing food.
Let us look at five highly acidic foods to avoid.
i. Processed and stale food: Frozen ready-made foods such as
pizzas and meat, packaged foods, fried snacks and breakfast
cereals.
ii. Milk: When it comes to tolerance towards milk, bioindividuality
plays a huge role. It greatly depends on the dairy farm you get
your milk from. Are the cows grass-fed and given access to
pasture? Or fed soya, corn silage or grain along with growth
hormone injections?
iii. Caffeinated sodas: Whether sugar free or regular, caffeinated
sodas are acidic, period! Although coffee, tea and other
caffeinated beverages are known to boost energy levels, they can
have just the opposite effect. These lead to rebound fatigue after
their effect wears off, leaving you craving for more.
iv. Gluten and GMOs: Wheat, soya and corn should be avoided to
minimize the acidic level, which can also put your liver and kidney
at high risk.
v. Hydrogenated fats: Liquid vegetable oils are made creamier (for
longer shelf life) by manufacturers converting unsaturated fats into
saturated ones through a process called hydrogenation, which is
very dangerous to the heart and may pose a risk of developing
cancer. Margarine, and fried snacks such as chips, fast food,
cookies, doughnut and crackers should be avoided or eaten rarely
to avoid consuming this ‘bad’ fat.
Acidity may even be caused by a very hectic work life, regular late
nights, poor or less exercise, excess protein supplements for body
building such as whey or steroids, and even supressing your emotions.
Weight loss in an acidic body is very difficult.
What is Alkalinity and pH Balance?
The measurement of acidity and alkalinity in the fluids and tissues of
the body ranges from 0 to 14. Our body maintains a regulated pH level
—a normal pH of 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic and more is alkaline.
Your kidneys control your body’s pH by excreting and reabsorbing
acid and alkaline ions from your body and urine. Eating an alkaline diet
helps reduce inflammation in the stomach, allowing food to digest well
and thereby, decreasing acid reflux. Alkalinity improves bone density,
lowers chronic pain, balances hormones and helps keep your gut
microbes in symbiosis.
Here are seven tips to keep your alkaline levels in check:
i. Switch from a late dinner to an early dinner. Consider the protocols
of intermittent fasting while having early dinner and allow your
system to reboot until next noon. The 16:8 window or 16 hours of
 fasting and eight hours of eating is advisable or try to eat at least
three hours before sleeping.
ii. Try to go for a slow walk or be upright after meals, to help your
stomach break down food and minimize the risk from indigestion
and acid reflux. The point is, do not lie down or sit on a couch
immediately post dinner.
iii. Go vegan, avoid gluten, GMOs and fast food and swap regular
milk with almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, nut milk, hemp or
seed milk. Also, avoid gluten-rich breads, pastas and wraps,
MSG, soya, corn and fried fast food.
iv. Restrict caffeine intake and indulge instead in herbal potions and
berry smoothies. Start your day with a berry smoothie and
banana. Fruits are antioxidants and alkaline in nature. Have a cup
of herbal tea or opt for coconut water. Coconut water is alkaline
and helps in longevity and vitality compared to a short-term spike
of caffeine shots.
v. Avoid wearing tight garments. Tight clothes can cause stomach
distention and a backward flow of food content. Squeezing into
tight clothes is an undiagnosed cause of acidity.
vi. Unsaturated fats such as Omega-3 fatty acids are brain food. They
also help reduce inflammation and multiply good microbes.
Smaller quantities mean lesser strain on your liver. Olives,
avocadoes and walnuts are great fats to consume.
vii. Balance pH levels by drinking enough water to flush out excess
acidic ions from your kidney and keep your cells hydrated and
less acidic.

YOUR GUT AND HORMONE

Gut microbes and your gut play a mammoth role here, absorbing and
releasing all nutrients into the bloodstream for all your nine glands to
be nourished well. This, in turn, helps the glands to function in synergy
with each other—from growth, sleep, sexual drive to metabolism.
Important hormones such as serotonin and dopamine are produced in
your gut, and the activity of your glands depends on your gut health.
 The balance of your hormones affects and is affected by all systems
in your body. Integrative nutrition is an emerging field that focuses on
addressing the underlying working of the gut and the causes of
illnesses, both physical and mental, rather than just treating the
symptoms. Being ‘hormonal’ is used for different behaviours, more
often as a joke.
So let’s start with hormones 101 and learn what these amazing
chemicals are capable of doing.
A hormone is a chemical that is made by specialist cells, usually
within endocrine glands and is released into your bloodstream to
communicate or send a message to another part of the body. These
‘chemical messengers’ are found in all multicellular organisms and
their role is to provide an internal communication system between cells
located in distant parts of the body. They have two types of
communication. Communication 1: Between two endocrine glands.
Communication 2: Between an endocrine gland and a target organ.
For e.g. when the pancreas releases insulin, which causes muscle and
fat cells to take up glucose from the bloodstream for energy.
The nine vital glands of your endocrine system and their
responsibilities are as follows:
i. Pituitary gland: It may be the size of a pea, but it is your master
gland. It produces hormones that control the other glands and
other parts of the endocrine system. This gland secretes eight
hormones all by itself for growth and reproductive systems.
ii. Hypothalamus: It liaises between the nervous system information
and delivers it to the endocrine system. Pituitary gland and
hypothalamus are responsible for maintaining homeostasis, the
body’s internal balance, as well as circadian rhythm, body
temperature, appetite, heart rate, blood pressure, fluid and
electrolyte balance.
iii. Thyroid gland: The essential function of the thyroid gland is to
regulate your body’s metabolism—the process of using food for
energy. That explains sudden and drastic weight loss and weight
gain in a thyroid dysfunction.
iv. Parathyroid hormone (PTH): This gland balances blood
calcium levels, and bone health and density. Calcium levels when
too high or too low can have detrimental effects on your sleep,
energy and cognitive function.
v. Thymus gland: This is your immunity gland, located behind the
sternum. It stimulates the production of disease-fighting white
blood cells, ‘T-cells’, which protect the body from diseases and
infections.
vi. Adrenal gland: Located above your kidneys, this gland regulates
your response to stress by releasing cortisol, basically your fight or
flight connection.
vii. Pancreas: The pancreas helps in digestion and excretes enzymes
to help break down the nutrients in your food. Insulin and
glycogen control blood sugar levels throughout the day.
viii. Gonads: The gonads, the primary reproductive organs, are the
testes in the male and the ovaries in the female.
ix. Pineal gland: This is a pine-shaped gland in the brain. It helps
convert signals from the nervous system into hormones. It
influences sexual development and mainly produces melatonin,
the sleep hormone.
Hormones affect every tissue, cell and organ in the body—from gut
function, muscle growth and recovery to bone health, brain health and
much more. Let’s look at eight major hormones in females and their
functions; i–iv are the main female hormones and the other four are the
main male hormones.
i. Estrogen
ii. Progesterone
iii. Cortisol
iv. Thyroid
v. Pregnenolone
vi. Testosterone
vii. DHEA
viii. Androstenedione
There is a collection of endocrine glands that produce hormones which
are used as chemical messengers throughout the body to help
regulate vital processes including metabolism, growth, sleep and
reproduction. Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an important
chemical messenger that contributes to motor control, vision and other
cortical functions. It also serves to control our fear or anxiety.
Hormones produced by glands are diffused through the bloodstream
and they bind to a specific receptor cell to do its assigned job.
Your gut and microbes help in absorbing and releasing all nutrients
into the bloodstream for your nine glands to be nourished. The most
common hormonal imbalances faced are HPA axis dysfunction
(Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis), thyroid, cortisol imbalances,
endometriosis, menstrual disorders, oestrogen dominance, low
testosterone, PCOS and infertility.

THE GUT AND THYROID

When you hear the phrase ‘low or high thyroid function’, it’s in relation
to your metabolism, microbiome, emotional stress, diet, inflammation,
sleep, exercise and your lifestyle; it is not just genetics.
The hormone your thyroid releases, along with insulin and cortisol, is
one of the ‘big 3’ that controls your metabolism and weight. This
stimulating hormone is produced and released by your pituitary gland.
It controls the production of the thyroid hormones, thyroxine and
triiodothyronine, which are essential to maintain the body’s metabolic
rate, heart and digestive functions, brain development and muscle
control.

A hyperpermeable gut can allow pathogens to attack your tiny

butterfly-shaped thyroid gland, leading to an autoimmune state like low
or high thyroid functioning.
 The common thyroid disorders are hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s
disease, Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism, Goitre, thyroid nodules
and thyroid cancer.
Symptoms of a thyroid malfunction are fatigue, constipation, change
in body temperature, tingling and numbness in the hands, excessive
weight loss (hyperthyroidism), water retention, hair fall, muscle and
joint aches, depression, irregular or longer menstrual cycles, excessive
weight gain (hypothyroidism) and brain fog.
Here are 15 superfoods that naturally purge your body of its toxins:
i. Turmeric, for the thyroid gland to start healing the gut and brain.
ii. Consuming one tablespoon of virgin cold-pressed coconut oil can
help reduce inflammation of the gland by healing the gut lining
(you can combine #1 and #2).
iii. Eating two walnuts regularly helps tighten your gut lining cells.
iv. Drinking water from copper jars and glasses improves thyroid
gland activity.
v. Herbs such as triphala and trikatu help boost metabolism and
guggulu (a resin) helps in detoxification.
vi. Remove potential food triggers of hypothyroidism, such as excess
consumption of cruciferous greens, tofu, coffee, alcohol, sugar,
fatty foods like butter, meat and fried foods and unnecessary
medicines.
vii. Spinach, berries, Brazil nuts, seaweed, maca and moringa, all are
superfoods for your gut.
viii. Relaxing your mind and consuming apoptogenic herbs such as
ginger, mint and ginseng tea supports the fatigued adrenal gland.
ix. Zucchini, celery juice and dandelion greens are great to reboot the
thyroid gland.
x. All fruits are beneficial especially papaya, mangoes, peaches and
pineapple as these cleanse liver toxins.
xii. Pickled beets, sauerkraut, pickled cabbage, and lemon, ginger
and carrot pickles are good.
xiii. Dark chocolate is a great hormone booster and brain food. Mango
salsa and watermelon are great as snacks for your gland.
xiv. Herbal teas such as chamomile are the best option for improving
thyroid. Have them with organic honey, not white sugar.
xv. Essential supplements such as iodine, vitamin B, selenium, zinc
and vitamin D can help.

YOUR GUT AND TYPE 2 DIABETES

The gut microbiota has the ability to improve the health of people living
with type 2 diabetes. When our body gets a good diet that is rich in
polyphenols, which is found in complex grains and fibre-rich
vegetables and fruits, the gut breaks them down to metabolites.
People with type 2 diabetes can’t make enough insulin because their
beta cells stop working properly. Feeding the gut microbiota well could
help make more insulin and improve blood glucose control.
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition in which sugar or glucose
levels build up in your bloodstream. Insulin helps push the glucose
from your blood into your cells, where you could use it for energy to do
your daily chores. In type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells are not able to
respond to insulin as well as they are supposed to and your body may
not produce adequate insulin eventually.
Some early symptoms of type 2 diabetes are constant hunger, lack
of energy, weight gain, frequent urination, itchy skin, dry mouth, fatigue
and irritability. Severe symptoms include dark patchy skin, slow-
healing of cuts or sores, foot pain, yeast infections and depression.
Let’s now focus on the main causes of type 2 diabetes. Excessive
refined carbohydrates such as those found in breads, bagels, theplas,
parathas and cakes imbalance the digestive microbes, encouraging
the cravings. This is the beginning of the end. This triggers a domino
effect; blood sugar levels rise in the bloodstream and the pancreas is
forced to work harder to release more insulin to cope and control the
sugar spike.
Your body underutilizes insulin that floats around in your body along
with the glucose build-up in the bloodstream. These are the simple
carbohydrates found in sugary beverages, desserts, fried snacks and
the so-called baked snacks.
 Your glucose is unable to break down, leaving your body starved for
energy. You may be gaining weight by the hour and have a lot of fat
reserves, yet you feel lethargic. It will leave you frustrated and
confused. That’s not it, your pancreas will be overworked and
eventually stop working.
There are certain measures you can take to avoid or effectively
manage type 2 diabetes. Here are seven incredible ways to keep your
blood sugar levels in check:
i. Keep junk food out of your house, car and office. When junk food is
out of sight, it is out of mind and mouth.
ii. Stick to fixed eating routines and portions. Eat more or less at fixed
and regular intervals. Use the same bowls and spoon sizes daily
to measure the food intake.
iii. Keep a fixed cheat day. Allow yourself one cheat meal a week and
plan it well.
iv. Eat more fibre and less refined carbs. Eat more complex grains,
cruciferous greens, fibrous fruits, seeds and nuts.
v. Exercise. Get about 30–45 minutes of aerobics or cardio exercise
daily to control your blood glucose levels.
vi. Get a good mix of microbes by eating a variety of root vegetables
and tubers (underground part of a stem or rhizome, bearing buds)
such as sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips and artichokes.
Their fibres regulate intestinal hormone secretion.
vii. Have pre-probiotic supplements. An additional boost of microbes
will help the digestive system work better.
These are lifestyle changes and not treatments for type 2 diabetes.
The main goal is to stay within a specific range of glucose levels by
macro combinations with more fibres, proteins, slow carbs and
minimal fats. More effort to digest means you burn more calories, thus
keeping you fuller for longer and with lesser production of insulin.

GUT–BRAIN AND DEPRESSION

Brain
The brain is a strange and a mysterious place; it is where everything
we know and feel is stored. Your thinking, reasoning, reading, writing
and learning are managed by the brain. Your cognitive fitness depends
on your brain health. The brain is also one of the largest and most
complex organs in the human body. It is made up of more than 100
billion nerves that communicate in trillions of connections called
synapses. The gut–brain axis plays a huge role in your brain health.

Your brain is like a car. A car needs fuel, brake fluid and other
materials to run favourably. Your brain too needs special materials to
give a stellar performance. These include glucose, vitamins, minerals,
good fats, water and other essential chemicals. The fuel or energy for
your brain is glucose. When you eat the right foods, your gut supplies
the nutrients and glucose to your brain. It helps manufacture the right
proteins and fats to grow new connections or add myelin, the fatty
sheath to axons, which are the primary transmission lines of the
nervous system. Too little (deficiency) or too much (overabundance) of
the necessary nutrient can adversely affect the nervous system.
Your gut and brain are also connected through chemicals called
neurotransmitters, which control feelings and emotions. Too little of
these could cause depression. The neurotransmitter serotonin
contributes to happy feelings and also helps control your body clock.
Interestingly, many of these neurotransmitters are also produced in
your gut cells, and the trillions of microbes living there. A large
proportion of serotonin is produced in the gut.
Recent neuroscientific research shows that the ability, capability and
health of your brain isn't just the product of your childhood experiences
and genetics. In fact, the daily choices you make and experiences you
have help your brain function better and builds cognitive fitness which
can be described as neuroplasticity. Celeste Campbell, a
neuropsychologist in the Polytrauma Program at the Washington, DC,
says that, ‘It [neuroplasticity] refers to the physiological changes in the
brain that happen as the result of our interactions with our
environment. From the time the brain begins to develop in utero until
the day we die, the connections among the cells in our brains
reorganize in response to our changing needs. This dynamic process
allows us to learn from and adapt to different experiences.’
Let’s look at 10 ways to increase your cognitive fitness:
i. Eat more plant-based meals. ‘Let food be thy medicine and
medicine be thy food,’ said Hippocrates. Fruits, vegetables,
legumes and whole grains slow down the decline of cognitive
fitness. Good fats from olive oil, B vitamins, flaxseed, avocado,
walnut and fish are also great fats for your brain. Leafy greens
such as kale and spinach are high in vitamin K, folate and beta-
carotene. Berries have flavonoids, which give them their brilliant
hues. Flavonoids delay memory loss.
ii. Have natural supplements. The best source of vitamins and
minerals is food. After digestion, the healthy components are
bioavailable. Your gut’s role is to supply it all to your brain. Folic
acid from asparagus, beans, rice, sesame seeds and citrus fruits
work wonders.
Moringa, one of the world’s most nutritious plant species, is
high in protein and has cancer-fighting bio-compounds. DHA, an
Omega-3 fatty acid, is an essential component of brain cells
which helps fight Alzheimer’s. This is found in fatty fish and
flaxseeds. Vitamins B6 and B12 are very essential for the smooth
functioning of the brain as you age. Deficiencies in these B
vitamins have been linked to dementia. Chickpeas and chicken
breast are high in vitamin B. Vitamin E has antioxidant effects,
which can combat the oxidative stress linked to cognitive decline
and dementia. This vitamin is found in sunflower seeds, almonds,
spinach and broccoli. Vitamin D is important to run most functions
 of your body. Soak in some natural sunlight and increase your
metabolism and cognitive fitness.
iii. Play games. Mind games are beneficial. I am talking about
puzzles, crosswords, Sudoku, board games and bedroom games
too. Challenge your brain, increase its speed and make it sharp.
iv. Meditate. Daily meditation is the best gift for your brain, as it
increases the frequency of your positive thoughts and mental
state. It also strengthens gut instincts and feelings.
v. Be a storyteller. Read to yourself and your children. It can help
make you an interesting person while increasing your self-worth.
vi. Take a break from your gadgets. Need I say anything more?
Turn it off.
vii. Learn a new skill. Learning a new skill, racket game or a new
language keeps your brain cells active.
viii. Train your brain, like you would train your muscles. For many,
brainy is the new sexy. You can train your brain to be more
productive and receptive with basic principles of visualization
and mind mapping.
ix. Exercise regularly. No gym or trainer required, simple basic
exercises can build your cognitive fitness.
x. Get physical. Increase your affection levels—kiss more, hug more
and have healthy and safe sex more often. The kind of rewiring an
orgasm can do, nothing else can. Chemistry in your bedroom can
go a long way to increase your cognitive fitness.
Gut
Destigmatizing mental illness and improving one’s overall mental
health can save a lot of pain and many lives. Look out for signs of
depression so that you can address it at the right time, before it is too
late. Depression has a number of symptoms. Most of your mental
wellness and depression depends on how good your gut feels.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people. A
major cause of suicide is chronic depression. Depressed people can
get overwhelmed by painful emotions and trauma and see suicide as
the only way out. If a person expresses suicidal thoughts, it is
important to take it seriously and act responsibly. If ‘you’ are going
through any such thoughts, it is okay to reach out to someone for help
and guidance.
Here are the signs of depression to look out for:
 
Loss of engagement and pleasure in all activities
Feeling of fatigue and low energy levels
Frequent crying
Talking about killing oneself
Memory loss or being constantly zoned out
Low libido
Self-isolation
Irregular sleeping habits, either too much or too less
Significant change in behaviour
Signs of giving away valuables or preparing a will
Hopelessness for the future
Suicidal thoughts
Feeling of worthlessness
Low self-esteem
Exaggerated guilt

When happy hormones are low, anyone, yes anyone, can slip into
feeling low, anxious or depressed. The good news is, you can feel
better by enhancing your gut health and releasing the feel-good
hormones yourself without having to take any selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Introduce happiness with the four
chemicals I call the DOSE (Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and
Endorphins). (If you are on any medication, please consult your doctor
before changing any dose or getting off it completely.)
These are 10 natural gut ways to slay your anxiety and depression:
i. Have dark chocolate. Yes! Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients
that can positively affect your health. The fatty acid profile of cocoa
is excellent for your moods. It is also an antioxidant as it has
polyphenols, flavanols and catechins.
ii. Have superfoods rich in Omega-3 fatty acid. For non-vegetarians,
oily fish such as sardines and salmon, and for vegetarians,
 walnuts in your salads, flaxseed oil, chia and hemp seed fruit
bowl. You can have healthy bowls of Brussel sprouts, edamame,
seaweed, kidney beans, spinach, kiwi, papaya and mangoes in
tahini dressing.
iii. Have herbs, potions and concoctions. These are great for
hormones and to feel relaxed and happy. Avoid ready-made dip
tea. Try to source fresh flowers such as hibiscus, jasmine and
camomile, and herbs such as ginger, basil, mint, peppermint,
sage and thyme instead for your tea. Prepare a healing tea and
drink often to feel calm and hydrated. Chamomile, green tea,
vanilla tea, matcha and freshly brewed coffee are good options.
iv. Set all negative labels aside and seek answers to your worries.
Avoid retail therapy.
v. Indulge in passion and cuddles. Get intimate with your partner and
make the first move if needed, taking control of your body. That
can help reboot reproductive glandular functions and release
dormant stress and hormones. Cuddling your children and playing
with your pet can be therapeutic too. So, go ahead and indulge in
some TLC.
vi. Exercise and stay active.
vii. Stay hydrated.
viii. Get adequate sleep.
ix. Meditate and focus on your breathing.
x. Be kind and generous.

GUT AND PREGNANCY

The community of bacteria in the baby’s gut depends on the mommy’s
gut. The food she eats, her mental health, delivery mode, sleep and
hydration, everything is reflected in the baby’s health. Bacterial strains
absorbed by the infant during vaginal birth or normal delivery and
those who are breastfed are very different from those delivered
through C-section and those who are bottle-fed. The more diverse the
strains, the better the chances of good immunity, longevity and health.
Maintaining a healthy diet during pregnancy is very important for the
mother, the baby and the microbes. Make sure the additional 350–500
extra calories are benefiting all three.
Some good foods to be had during pregnancy include:
i. Leafy greens: Spinach, kale and broccoli include fibre,
phytonutrients, vitamins (C, K and A), iron, folate and potassium. A
fibre-rich diet also helps in pooping.
ii. Lean meat: This food category provides a wide variety of
nutrients including protein, iodine, iron, zinc, vitamins (especially
B12) and essential fatty acids. Lean red meats are rich in iron,
zinc and B12. If the meat is from grass-fed animals, it is healthy
and less risky for the mother and baby.
iii. Green peas: These are rich in essential vitamins and antioxidants
such as vitamin K, C and folate. A rich source of manganese and
fibre, peas are good for digestion and eye health, among others.
Green pea soup with a few crushed almonds is a great way to get
in your weekly dose of proteins.
iv. Avocados: The monounsaturated fatty acid in avocado makes it
special. Rich in fibre and vitamins, with a subtle nutty flavour,
avocado is an all-time favourite with my clients.
v. Legumes: This food group includes lentils, beans and chickpeas.
These are fuel for the microbes too. Sprouts keep you fuller, and
get in that vegan protein. Legumes are excellent plant-based
sources of fibre, protein, iron, folate and calcium, which the body
needs during pregnancy. Folate and vitamin B9 are essential for
the foetus during the first trimester.
vi. Whole grains: Different varieties of complex whole grains as
compared to refined grain help the mommy feel fuller and meet her
caloric requirements. They are rich in vitamins and plant
compounds.
vii. Sweet potato, carrots and beet root: Rich in beta-carotenes,
these vegetables are plant compounds that are converted into
vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A is essential for growth and
foetal development. They are rich in prebiotics and therefore,
great for beneficial bacteria to thrive in.
viii. Berries: They are packed with water, healthy carbs, vitamin C and
antioxidants. High amounts of vitamin C in them help the body to
absorb iron and build immunity and is also good for the skin and
hair. Without spiking your blood sugar levels, berries make for a
delicious treat.
ix. Fermented foods: Foods such as yogurt, kombucha, home-
made pickles with preservatives and rice soaked overnight are
great foods for your microbes.
If you are currently trying to conceive and are wondering why it is so
hard, gut health could be an area of concern that has not crossed your
mind or your spouse’s or your doctor’s. Addressing digestive health
issues should be the primary focus of anyone trying to conceive.
Manisha and Siddharth, a couple who were not able to conceive for
decades, came to me for integrative nutrition and conceived in the next
month itself. Your microbiome may be invisible but impact your
conception on an ovarian level.
Microbes are inherited at birth and also through breastfeeding. So, if
you have a diverse variety of good bacteria, you have your mother to
thank. Better bacteria in the body means better immunity.

GUT AND INTERMITTENT FASTING

It’s not about eating less, it’s about eating less more often.
As cavemen, we were hunters and walked for hours to hunt and
went to bed hungry if we were out of luck. Eating natural foods that
kept us fuller for longer and being active were our basic ways of living.
What’s new, however, is our sedentary lifestyle and fussing over fad
diets.
Enter intermittent fasting…Eating and fasting at specific intervals is
called intermittent fasting. It is gaining popularity with celebrities and
weight watchers because it allows you to increase or decrease the
window of weight loss gradually, according to your comfort level till you
reach your 16 to 20 hours of fasting at a stretch. Inflammation in the
gut lining and the microbes that help heal depend completely on the
type of food we eat. It also depends on the amount of food we eat and
at what intervals. When at rest, the body heals the fastest. Similarly,
when we rest the digestive system, the ENS also rests and heals the
GBA. The most popular and easy way to incorporate intermittent
fasting in your lifestyle is to do the 16:8, eating for eight hours of the
day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. Don’t worry, most hours
you would be either sleeping or not thinking about food.
Alternatively, you can do a 24-hour fast with/without water once or
twice a week.
Intermittent fasting gives the digestive system much-needed rest
from working hard all day and night. It reduces inflammation in the gut
and other parts of the body and multiplies the good microbes needed
for digestion, satiety and weight loss. Such fasting controls your insulin
levels, helping you avoid obesity-related problems. During long-
distance travel, it is easy to stick to such a fasting plan. For that
matter, you can follow it just about anywhere!
While there is no need to count each and every calorie while doing
intermittent fasting, it doesn’t mean you can eat cakes and cookies
and guzzle down sodas during the eating window. That is not how
you’ll see results.

YOUR GUT AND WEIGHT LOSS

Google ‘how to lose weight’ and about 850,000,000 results will show
up on your browser. Half of these would be ads for some product or
supplement to lose weight, the other half would be showing quick and
easy ways to shed calories. A few will even claim, ‘no more exercise,
just sleep and lose weight.’
Let’s establish the power of three here:
i) There is no magic pill, ii) it will not be easy, and iii) you will have to
follow a holistic diet and lifestyle.
Here are eight hacks to help with your weight-loss regime:
Weight loss hack#1: Use the 80/20 formula. Your problem with
trusting fad diets results from failed diets. Fad diets promise quick
weight loss, but they forget to mention even quicker weight gain if not
continued.
My hack: You should do an 80/20: 80 per cent of healthy home-
cooked meals and 20 per cent of unhealthy indulgences.
Weight loss hack#2: Have home-made cereal trail mix. You think
cereals in boxes are healthy just because they claim to be so. They are
anything but healthy! They are fully processed and all the essential
fibre is removed. They are expensive, high in sugar, and have low
nutrient value and a killer calorie count. Be a label detective!
My hack: Make your own trail mix. The gut bacteria/microbiome
multiply and facilitate weight loss with complex and fibre-rich
carbohydrates. Eat home-made cereals of rolled oats, rajgira or
amaranth with nuts, seeds, fresh fruits, almond milk and cocoa
powder. Eat it three to four times a week instead of that cereal box with
a million ingredients on it.
Weight loss hack#3: Ditch the hydrogenated oils, get more of the
omegas in. Fast foods hinder your ability to lose excess body fat. They
clog the arteries and make your metabolism sluggish. They sit in your
stomach for days and make the bacteria work harder till they are
destroyed.
My hack: Add monounsaturated fats such as Omega-3s, olives,
walnuts and sunflower seeds to your salads and cereal. Essential fats
which are anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy help the flora to flourish.
Weight loss hack#4: Floss and brush after dinner. Taking care of
oral hygiene is important. We all know that, but did you know that
taking care of your teeth and gums also helps lose weight? Yes, you
heard me right. Brushing and flossing post dinner stops you from
binge-eating and late-night take-outs.
My hack: Floss and brush and tell yourself, ‘I will eat at breakfast
tomorrow.’ Start with a commitment to yourself. Resting your digestive
system and getting adequate sleep are very important for gut bacteria.
Weight loss hack#5: Exercise with bigger muscle groups. Using
smaller muscle groups like biceps and triceps and expecting to burn
calories is meaningless. Most cling on to a stationary bike, treadmill or
elliptical as though their life depends on it. Focus on bigger muscle
groups such as hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, back and chest.
My hack: We were apes, we swung from branch to branch and we
could really benefit from some movement and integrative training that
does not need a machine. Do exercises with bigger muscle groups
such as chest, back and glutes.
Weight loss hack#6: Stick to home remedies. Popping a pill for every
little pain, ache or discomfort is not at all advisable.
My hack: Use home remedies, natural herbal mixes, ice packs and
acupressure instead to deal with illness, unless it is chronic or severe.
Cuddle your children or your pet. Drink warm water and also
ginger/mint/herbal teas and detox your gut before popping a pill.
Weight loss hack#7: Have coconut water. Swap a diet soda with
coconut water. Soda can flush out the good bacteria, confuse the
pancreas and leave you dehydrated. Anti-aspartame activists claim
there’s a link between aspartame, artificial non-saccharide sweetener,
and a multitude of ailments, such as cancer, seizures, headaches,
depression, weight gain and so on.
My hack: Drink coconut water as soon as you feel the urge to drink a
soda. Other great sugar-curbing drinks are fresh mint lime soda with
salt and ice, herbal teas, latte or a smoothie. Save your gut and your
brain by striking a balance. Natural alternatives to aspartame are
honey, raw jaggery, coconut sugar, brown sugar, agave nectar and
stevia leaf powder. All of them have anti-inflammatory properties and
are a good substitute for sugar.
Weight loss hack#8: Hire a health coach. Some even consider
bariatric or gastric bypass surgery out of sheer frustration after trying
fad diets and having failed. Beware, there is a large bacterial
population shift seen in the post-gastric-bypass surgery, a double
impact of gut alteration caused by the procedure, making the patient
lose muscle mass and become nutrient deficient.
My hack: Find a good nutritionist who is also a coach. Customize a
12- or 24-week plan, and stick to it. You will benefit much more than
just losing weight. Weight loss is not rocket science, it’s an art of
balancing life and gut bacteria.
12
 YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS: THE
SECRET SOLUTION

We all have bioindividual requirements. We all are unique, as we can

see from our fingerprints. Our bodies are unique, as are our nutritional
needs, which are based purely on diet, preferences, microbiome,
surroundings and lifestyle. Since we are all different and unique, a
bioindividual diet can be the ideal solution to our weight loss woes.
A bioindividual diet is a strategy focusing on your bioindividual
needs, from the ‘dos’ that your body benefits from to the ‘don'ts’ which
are generic. This diet plan equips you with the tools to deal with IBS,
depression, heart disease, diabetes, stress and depression, among
others.
We are all familiar with the saying that, ‘One man’s food is another
man’s poison.’ For a vegan, even milk is poison; for a celiac, wheat is
poison and a hardcore non-vegetarian, when restricted to a plant-
based diet, could become depressed and sick. Respect your choices
and others’ too.
The future of natural healthcare is focusing on bioindividuality and
this concept will create a massive health transformation for anyone
who adapts it.

PRIORITIZING FOODS: PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FOODS

Just as food is needed for the body,

love is needed for the soul.

—Osho

Food is secondary, love is primary. Self-love is an essential element in

self-healing. Its benefits are understood and appreciated only when
experienced. If you haven't experienced it yet, begin with gestures
such as smiling to yourself each time you look into the mirror,
caressing your hair or simply hugging yourself. Make loving yourself a
top priority.
Primary Foods
Primary foods are more than just food on your plate. It is what your
soul and heart need first and are primary for your health such as
healthy relationships, a fulfilling career, exercise and spiritual well-
being.
Healthy Relationships
Loving and being loved are essential for humans and all other living
beings too. We thrive when we are happy and in healthy relationships:
be it with family, friends or work colleagues.
Remember the time when you were madly, deeply in love? You were
passionate about everything and anything about that person.
Everything was exciting and life was good. An unhealthy and toxic
relationship on the other hand can be emotionally wrecking. Some
walk out of such a relationship but most in conservative cultures are
left with no choice. Emotional toxicity takes way too long to heal.
Go back to a time when you were deeply involved in a dream
project, when you felt confident from your core and were inspired.
Nothing else mattered, not even how hard your stomach growled for
food.
When we are creating, bonding and sharing in healthy relationships,
giving and receiving unconditional love, our mind, body and soul are
fed by that transcendental loving energy.
We all crave love, joy, intimacy, success, achievement, self-
expression, adventure, leadership, spirituality and other such inedible
nourishing primary foods.
The extent to which you are able to thrive on primary foods in your
lives is determined by your capacity to nourish, appreciate and be
grateful for them. Emotional, spiritual and physical communication are
the superfoods in a relationship.
A Fulfilling Career
Successful CEOs, serial entrepreneurs, movie stars and industrialists
prioritize their lives according to their bioindividual needs. Sir Ratan
Tata, Indra Nooyi, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Akshay Kumar, Jeff
Bezos and Anand Mahindra are a few examples. They do what they
love and love what they do. Each has their own unique struggles and
journey and have always emphasized mind over matter. They are
doing something different, which the entire world appreciates and
looks up to. Their primary foods are kindness, innovation, focus and
love.
In today’s hustle bustle, most people spend eight to 10 hours a day
at work and hardly spend any time with their loved ones. Think about
how choosy you have become about who you want as your partner, as
friends or even someone you want to dine with. But you spend the
maximum time of your waking hours with someone you don’t know at
all and later can’t even stand the sight of. If you are surrounded by
negativity, insecurity and jealousy most of the time, then that
environment is not conducive to personal and professional growth. Nor
is it the ideal environment for your health and can be the beginning of
emotional stress, sugar cravings, leaky gut and hormonal imbalances.
It must be terrible for those individuals who continue doing something
they hate. This helpless emotion is stressful and is definitely not
nurturing.
Instead of living in a nightmare, start to visualize a place where you
and your colleagues are kind to each other, where you are respected
and valued. Choose respect and love over stress and negativity. Or
you may be left with nothing to give.
Post COVID-19 many people have had to rethink their businesses
and careers. Many new areas/fields will see rapid expansion. Markets
will be flexible and new, innovative concepts will be welcomed. We
have more opportunities now. Entrepreneurial pursuits are on the rise.
From being a global yoga guru to a life coach, from a scuba diving
instructor to a virtual financial advisor, so many options are available
for us today.
Exercise
‘Motion creates emotion,’ states Tony Robbins and it is so profound!
What it means is that a better solution can, arrived at if you change
your physiology. Standing up or doing a few jumps or using a
trampoline as your thinking pad can do wonders to change the
perception or view of the problem that you need a breakthrough in. If
such simple movements can bring about a positive change, imagine
what miracles regular exercise, say for half an hour every day, can do
for you.
Exercising has the following benefits: i) it boosts happiness levels, ii)
it helps you set and achieve goals, iii) it helps with weight loss, iv) it
improves gut health, v) you sleep better, vi) it improves brain function,
vii) it builds high immunity for life, viii) it helps fight depression, ix) it
increases self-confidence and motivation and x) leads to better
romance and performance in the bedroom.
Spiritual Well-being
Spiritual nourishment feeds not just our minds but also our souls on a
very deep, subconscious level and helps release clutter and chaos
from our lives.
Marie Kondo once famously said, ‘If it does not spark joy, let it go.’
The difference is she refers to decluttering wardrobes, piled up paper
and household things, whereas I am referring to a philosophy of
everything toxic in your life: gossiping, bitter relationships, lies,
spreading rumours, entertaining wrong emotions and overindulgence.
Let go of what does not spark joy or kindness. A spiritual approach
can help in a quick ‘metamorphosis’ or transformation, allowing a
sudden and good change, leaving behind toxicity and negativity of all
kinds.
Finding one’s spiritual space can be a constant search in itself. But it
is a beautiful one. I used to look externally for meanings, but it is all
within me. There is one universe outside me, there is one universe
inside of me. I am within the universe and the universe is within me.
There are a billion stars out in the universe, there are a billion microbes
inside me. Sitting right in your core, all it takes is a peek inwards.
Our children and many others are exploring a new-age religion
called ‘spirituality’. They are kind, generous, inclusive, honest and give
back to society. The millennials are practising what they preach, and
walking the talk. I learn a lot from their attitude. In fact, it’s my very own
‘quick metamorphosis’.
SECONDARY FOOD
The ‘real food’ on your plate are natural, and grow above and under
the ground. These are categorized as secondary foods. Teenagers
and adults often ask me, and rightfully so, ‘What do you mean by “real
food”?’ They have not had the privilege of eating real food often and
have grown up eating popcorn, sodas, pizzas, cereals and burgers
more than fruits and vegetables.
A real food is a whole, single ingredient food. It is mostly
unprocessed, free of chemical additives and rich in nutrients. Long
story short, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, pulses and lentils
are secondary foods and these are essential for your body to function
efficiently, maintain a good gut, promote mental wellness and of
course, everything else in between. Healthy food protects us from
many chronic non-communicable diseases, such as acidity, high
triglycerides, addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer and
cardio-vascular illnesses, and of course, COVID-19.

EAT A RAINBOW OF NUTRIENTS

Eating a variety of naturally grown foods in different colours enhances
immunity and is visually appealing too, so have a rainbow of colours on
the plate. Fresh, filling and heart-healthy fruits and vegetables are
essential for your daily dose of macros and micros. It is a great way to
get in all your vitamins, minerals and fibres naturally and is economical
too. I don't want to sound clichéd, but it does save you all the future
medicine and hospital bills as well. If you have a mom chasing you to
eat your peas and carrots, she is a futuristic health coach.
Here are the colours (fruits and vegetables) you can eat every day.
Red/Pink: A few great reds for haemoglobin are beet, cherries,
cranberries, pink grapefruit, pomegranate, raspberries, tomato,
watermelon, radish, red apple, red peppers and rhubarb.
Orange/Yellow: A few beta-carotene immune builders are carrot,
mango, lemons, pumpkin, oranges, sweet potato, yam and summer
squash.
Green: A few phytonutrients are celery, Brussels sprouts, spinach,
green beans, okra, peas, pear, cucumber, green lime, green grapes
and kiwi.
White: Vegetables such as cauliflower, garlic, mushrooms, onion,
sweet potato, parsnip and shallots.
Blue/Purple: Fruits and veggies such as blueberries, dates, eggplant,
grapes, raisins, plums, prunes and figs.
Take up a ‘daily 7’ rainbow challenge. Challenge yourself to try fruits
and vegetables of different colours. Consume a rainbow of fruits and
vegetables in different ways.
 
1. Add it your salads: Add fruits such as cherries and berries to
salad plates along with your greens.
2. Mix them up in variations: Mix vegetables with pasta sauces,
lasagnes, soups and omelettes. Mix fresh or frozen berries into
pancakes, waffles or smoothies.
3. Sip on smoothies: Smoothies are a great way to increase the
intake of fruits and vegetables and they’re really easy to make. A
basic smoothie is just any fresh or frozen fruit, non-fat milk or
yogurt, all processed together in a blender until smooth.
4. Buddha bowl: Three or four vegetables boiled or steamed in a
tahini dip and some avocado wedges on top, and your Buddha
bowl is ready.
5. Roast them: Try roasting vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, potatoes, onions, carrots and eggplant. Long
exposure to high heat will cause these foods to caramelize, which
enhances their natural sweetness and reduces bitterness.
6. Enjoy vegetable sticks and dips: Chop raw vegetables into bite-
sized pieces. Try bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers and celery
sticks and dip them into your favourite hummus or yogurt.
7. Fruit salad bowl: Mix any three fruits and eat them with some
seeds on top.

Let us discuss here the 10 incredible reasons to eat real food.

i. Great for your gut and brain: Eating real food excites the gut
microbiome and creates an ecosystem where they multiply. The
nutrients get absorbed well and then this reflects on your skin, hair
 and nails. The healing properties of real foods take care of
inflammation in the body and clean up a clogged colon, leading to
clear bowels and the organs functioning in symphony. Good
bacteria thrive on plant fibre and nutrients from such a balanced
diet help brain activity.
ii. Provide essential nutrients, i.e. the fuel to run the body:
Nutrients from unprocessed animal and plant foods provide the
vitamins and minerals you need for optimal health. For instance, 1
cup (220 grams) of orange, spinach and bell peppers contains
more than 100 per cent of the recommended dietary intake for
vitamin C. Coconut water is alkaline and contains so many
minerals, vitamins, electrolytes, potassium and ions that it can
make you feel better instantly. Keep it tropical and real!
iii. You will never have to diet: Real foods have balanced
nutrients, so they help with your satiety and make you feel full,
taking care of all your cravings. Try eating a mango when you are
craving a cupcake. It is very satiating and has a low glycaemic
index, so it will not raise your blood sugar levels. Plus, it has one-
fourth the calories and no other side effects. In fact, it will cleanse
your entire G.I. track. I am ready to scream from any rooftop,
weight loss will be a side effect if you eat all real foods.
iv. Rich in natural sugars: It prevents type 2 diabetes, cholesterol,
weight gain and obesity and helps fight sugar cravings. Whole
fruits are a better alternative to refined flours and sugary foods.
v. High in fibres: Real foods contain the superhero macronutrient
for your gut—fibres. The impact of dietary fibres, both soluble and
insoluble, is outstanding. From roots to shoots, you must eat
everything. Many studies have shown that it helps prevent colon
cancer. It boosts digestive function, metabolic health and makes
you feel full for longer periods. Nuts, seeds, apples, beans and
complex grains are high in fibre and balance the gut microbiome
very well.
vi. Bursting with satiating flavours: On top of everything else, real
food tastes delicious. Nothing can beat a mother’s traditional
recipe and the amazing aroma of fresh, piping hot food; it is
addictive. It has such a positive effect on your senses. My fond
 memories of home-cooked food are those of hot khichdi and kadhi
(a thin yogurt curry).
vii. Keeps you looking young and sexy: The real nutrients are in
real foods, not in capsules. Sugary and salty foods make the
body bloat and damage the cells. Oranges, beetroots and all
other vegetables help release oxidative stress caused by many
factors and heal your cells. Eat home-cooked meals.
viii. Heart-healthy: Real foods are packed with antioxidants and
nutrients that support the heart by reducing inflammation, which
is one of the major drivers of heart disease. Avoid heavy, oily and
fried packaged foods such as chips or cookies that damage the
arteries and clog them.
ix. Lowers triglycerides: Refined carbs, fried foods and sugars
influence blood triglyceride levels. Eating whole foods such as
vegetables, clean proteins and fruits significantly reduce these
levels.
x. Helps support our farmers and economy: Purchasing local
produce from our farmers help them run their homes and educate
their children. It’s an ecosystem that needs our attention and
support. Be real and buy local.
The four real macronutrients your body needs are discussed below as
follows:
Carbohydrates: Natural slow carbohydrates, as compared to refined
carbohydrates, are more complex, higher in fibre and lower in starch
and sugars, and take longer to digest and release glucose slowly.
To eat carbs or not to eat, that is the biggest fear today! For those
always on a diet and trying to lose weight, ‘carbohydrates’ is a very
debatable and controversial topic. I once overheard a gym trainer say,
‘Carbs are bad, eat only proteins’. I somehow controlled myself from
getting into a heated argument and just walked away.
Carbohydrates are mainly starches, sugars and fibre that provide
the body with its readily digestible fuel. There are two types of carbs:
simple and complex. The best benefits come from the complex carbs,
unless you are trekking in the Himalayas and need an instant burst of
energy from a quick meal. Complex carbs help you to stave off insulin
resistance (when your cells cannot absorb glucose, levels of this sugar
build up in the blood), metabolic syndrome, weight gain and gut
damage.
The main role of carbs in the body is to provide energy and growth.
Not all carbs are created equal. Some provide you with ‘instant’ energy
(simple) and some ‘time release’ (complex carbs, which have more
fibres). Different activities and sports require different types of energies
—aerobic and anaerobic. It’s important to take into account what type
of work you are fuelling up for. For active people, this may vary
depending on their activity level. For example, Usain Bolt needs instant
carbs before a short burst of time during a 100-metre race while Roger
Federer needs energy for an extended period in a longer tennis
tournament.
Similarly, a sales executive on the go may need more carbs than a
CEO with a desk job. Understand how much energy you need
throughout the day and stop depriving yourself of the good carbs, as
they are loaded with prebiotics, which your bugs need to heal and
multiply.
When gut bacteria metabolizes the good, healthy slow carbs, the
short-chain fatty acids from it reduces inflammation and the risk of
colon cancer. Quit falling prey to brainless marketing and ‘no-carb diet’
traps as you may be putting your gut and brain at risk.
Slow-release carbs have a low-glycaemic index. They help manage
your blood glucose levels naturally. You can incorporate these carbs in
your diet in the following ways. Eat whole grains in the form of wraps
and rotis instead of refined wheat or plain flour breads, chapatis and
parathas. Also eat grains such as millet, jowar (sorghum), bajra, ragi,
nachni, amaranth, kuttu (buckwheat), rajgriha (Indian quinoa) and
brown, red and black rice. Eat potatoes or sweet potato with fibre-
rich green vegetables like spinach, okra or broccoli in a ratio of 50/50,
so you get fewer calories from potatoes and the digestion time is
longer. If you are a rice lover, like me, don’t hesitate to have white
rice, but the proportion of dal and vegetables should be more than that
of rice. Cooked rice soaked overnight is a great probiotic and tastes
delicious too. Eat more fibre. Have more fibre-rich fruits like banana,
mango and apple. A mixed fruit bowl allows you to get in a variety of
nutrients, colours, fibres and favourites in your belly. Eat dark leafy
greens, which are excellent for the gut and rich in nutrients like folate,
zinc, calcium, vitamin C and lots of fibre, creating a conducive
ambience for your gut and its bacteria.
Proteins: Protein is an essential macronutrient and is found
throughout the body. Virtually everything has protein—your muscle,
bone, hair, skin, organs and every other tissue. From athletes and
body-builders to weight watchers, the focus of every meal is proteins,
as it should be. It is low in calories and helps slow down the release of
sugars after digestion.
Protein is made up of over 20 building blocks called amino acids,
out of which nine are essential amino acids that must come from food.
And the non-essential ones are produced by your body. Amino acids
are organic compounds composed of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen.
The nine essential amino acids and their roles are given below.
i. Phenylalanine is a precursor of the neurotransmitters dopamine
and tyrosine.
ii. Valine is a three branched-chain amino acid that stimulates
muscle growth and regeneration.
iii. Threonine are structural proteins such as collagen and elastin for
skin and connective tissues.
iv. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that maintians nitrogen
balance in adults. It is a precursor to serotonin, which handles
your mood, appetite and sleep.
v. Methionine helps in metabolism and detoxification as well as
absorption of zinc and minerals vital for your health.
vi. Leucine is critical for protein synthesis, helps regulate blood sugar
levels and in healing wounds and growth hormones.
vii. Isoleucine helps muscle metabolism, immune function and
haemoglobin production.
viii. Lysine is used in the biosynthesis of proteins in the body. These
proteins help produce hormones, immune cells and enzymes.
ix. Histidine produces histamine, a neurotransmitter that is vital for
immune response, sexual function and most importantly to
 maintain myelin, the barrier/sheath that protects your nerve cells
from damage.
All nine essential amino acids are involved in processes like tissue
growth, energy production, immune function and nutrient absorption.
Food sources that have all the essential amino acids should be
consumed on a daily basis. A well-functioning gut can break down
protein, absorb the essential amino acids and allow your skin, nails
and hair to look natural and beautiful. You don’t need to supplement
ever.
Let us now discuss a few simple hacks to make healthy, clean
protein choices daily. Here are seven essential vegan and vegetarian
proteins.
 
Quinoa: They are one of the healthiest grains and are rich in
proteins. Loaded with fibre, magnesium and slow-releasing carbs,
they are great for gut wellness, weight watchers and intermittent
fasters.
Lentils: Urad dal/kaali dal (split black gram), moong dal (split
green gram), tuvar dal/arhar dal (split red gram), masoor dal (split
red lentil), etc. are great sources of proteins. These are among the
best plant-based proteins and extremely easy to add to any
preparation. Along with proteins, it is high in fibre, potassium, iron
and many other nutrients.
Beans and legumes: These are rich sources of fibre, B vitamins
and proteins. Have you tried a bean burger? It’s yummy! For
those who feel bloated or gassy after eating a few plant-based
proteins such as red kidney beans, soya beans, peanuts and
wheat, it is because of the gut wall-damaging protein called lectin,
which is found in these foods. But soaking them overnight, or
sprouting and fermenting them will make them digestible.
Milk and milk products for vegetarians: Organic milk from
grass-fed cows is a good source of protein. Greek yogurt is
packed with more proteins than regular yogurt. It keeps you fuller
and can be eaten with fruits or oats for breakfast or as an evening
snack.
 Nuts and seeds: Flax, chia, sunflower, hemp and pumpkin are
high-protein seeds. They are great for gut health as they have
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and help heal
the lining of the gut. These seeds are rich in fibre, vitamins and
minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc. When it comes to nuts,
almonds have the maximum amount of proteins. It is rich in
vitamin E, manganese and magnesium. Other nuts such as
walnuts, pine, pistachios and cashews are also good sources of
fibre, fats and some amount of proteins as well. Eating nuts in
smaller quantities is a good idea.
All vegetables and fruits: The misconception that a vegan and
vegetarian diet will be protein deficient can be proved wrong just
by eating broccoli, peas and avocadoes. These are rich sources
of plant protein along with all other fruits and vegetables and are
easier to digest than meat. An easy and happy way to lose weight
and build your immunity is by getting in maximum amount of fruits
and vegetables into your body.
Spirulina: This microalgae thrives in fresh and salt water
throughout the world. It is a complete protein containing all
essential amino acids.

Now, here are some non-vegetarian protein sources.

i. Chicken breast: Chicken breast is one of the most popular lean
protein-rich foods. The majority of its calories come from protein.
Make sure you choose grass-fed, pasture-raised organic meats.
ii. Eggs: Various types of eggs are loaded with proteins, vitamins,
minerals, healthy fats and antioxidants. Eat along with a few
vegetables for fibre.
iii. Fish: These are low in fat, and high in protein and Omega-3 fatty
acids. Some fish contain high levels of heavy metal mercury due
to water pollution, which is toxic. Overall larger and longer lived
fish contain the most mercury.
Fibres: Eat more fibre, period! It is mainly found in fruits, vegetables,
whole grains and legumes. Foods containing fibre provide more than a
few life-changing benefits by maintaining healthy weight, and lowering
the risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Dietary fibre is
incredibly important. The part of any plant-based food that mostly
passes through your digestive system without breaking down or being
digested are fibres. It ends up in your colon, your large intestine and
feeds the beneficial and friendly bacteria. Dietary fibre3 has been
associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, however it remains
unclear at which stage of the cancer they can be beneficial.
Fibre is a complex carbohydrate that lowers blood sugar levels and
helps prevent constipation. Foods rich in fibre have fewer calories and
allow you extended hours of fasting as they keep you fuller as
compared to simple carb foods, which don’t have that much fibre, are
higher in calories and leave you hungry in no time. So, eating fibre-rich
foods can help you lose weight superfast. For a disease-free and
happier gut, eat more fibre.
Reduced fibre intake on a daily basis alters your gut health and
leads to bloating, inflammation, flatulence and acidity, which are all
symptoms of an imbalanced gut.
A study found that closing the ‘fibre gap’ through adjustment of diets
will impact microbial ecology, host physiology and health. Increasing
fibre-rich foods is intimately tied with the importance of our gut
microbes as foods rich in fibre literally feeds and makes these bacteria
multiply in their ecosystems. Plant-based fibres are loaded with
prebiotics absorbed from the soil. Increasing your intake of dietary
fibre with two servings of fruits or vegetables each day can solve many
problems.
Fibre can be classified into two types—soluble and insoluble—and
the amount of soluble and insoluble fibre varies in different plant foods.
Soluble fibres dissolve in water and aid in reducing blood cholesterol
and sugar. They also satiate you and keep you full for longer durations
between meals. Soluble fibres also have lower fat absorption and help
to manage weight besides feeding healthy gut bacteria. Simple
superfoods to get enough soluble fibre daily include oats, beans,
apples, chia seeds, carrots, psyllium and barley.
Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, doesn’t dissolve in water. They
prevent constipation by increasing stool excretion, lower risks of
diverticular diseases (intestinal diseases) and help in the feeling of
satiety, keeping you full longer between meals. Simple superfoods to
absorb enough insoluble fibre daily are whole-wheat flour, nuts,
cauliflower, potatoes and beans.
Six life-changing benefits of a high-fibre diet have been discussed
below as follows:
i. Helps in your bowel movement: Dietary fibre softens the waste
in the body by absorbing water. That eases constipation, which
has become a common problem with most people.
ii. Lowers your risk of haemorrhoids and cancer: Few fibres
ferment in the colon and are a breeding ground for beneficial
bacteria. A healthy balance of fibres lowers the risk of
haemorrhoids and colorectal cancer.
iii. Helps in weight loss: A secret that nobody tells you is—eat
more fibre to lose weight. It’s an inexpensive way of becoming
slimmer and healthier. A fibre-rich meal is filling, with more
volume and fewer calories, and so you will eat lesser.
iv. Longevity: Eating more fibre is a wise way to live longer, and
without the daily illnesses and heart problems. It helps reduce
cardiovascular disease and helps the gut heal.
v. Gut healthy: Fibre in foods are prebiotics for gut microbes and
help build immunity. Many nutritionists ask clients to eliminate
starches like potatoes. But they are food for bacteria as they
ferment and add value. Research in mice suggest that
fermentation of flaxseed fibres in the gut changes the microbiota to
improve metabolic health and protect against diet-induced obesity.
vi. Helps lower type 2 diabetes and cholesterol levels: Soluble
fibres can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood
sugar levels. Fibre in oats, wholewheat and beans help lower total
blood cholesterol by reducing the bad low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol levels and reducing blood pressure and inflammation.
Although fibres are essential for the body, an excessive intake of fibres
can do more harm than good. Have you noticed dry skin and brittle hair
in dieters who overindulge in fibre, as it is very low in calories? Such
an imbalance and damage done by consuming more of fibre than your
daily requirements is going to be irreparable. The fibre required for
adults is approx. 25 grams per day and going overboard has side
effects such as gas, constipation, dry colon, piles and bloating.
Good fats: Are you shunning the good fats and eating more of the
bad? Blaming this delicious, brain-enhancing macronutrient for weight
gain, obesity and heart diseases alone is like repeatedly blaming only
one child for everything gone wrong, every time.
When it comes to weight management/diet, fats get a bad
reputation. Some of it is justified, because certain types of fats are high
in cholesterol and they play a huge role in cardiovascular diseases,
diabetes, IBS, dementia, cancer and obesity. Along with these rising
problems, it’s also being used to sell some fad diets.
Weight gain and diseases involve multiple factors and to blame just
an essential macronutrient, in my opinion, is ignorance. Fat is always
under fire from people living in a misconception that all fats are bad
because it has 9 calories per gram. However, what they fail to mention
is that good fats are essential for the production of hormones. In fact,
globally, there are more obesity and depression cases than ever
before. Therefore, we may as well try eating, understanding and
enjoying the good fats and focus on minimizing the damaging ‘bad’
ones. The fear of consuming fats is deep-rooted and stores filled with
‘fat-free’ products on their shelves only add fuel to the fire. Trust me,
once you start to understand why good fats are essential and how
these act as a catalyst in weight loss, it will be a game changer for your
gut and brain. Not all fats are bad, after all.
Good fats are the heart-healthy fats present in a variety of foods.
Consumption of unsaturated fats helps lower your risk of
cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. You can find unsaturated
fats in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, dairy and fish. Oils in natural
and delicious foods such as olive and avocado, in vegetable and seed
oils such as canola and safflower, nut oils and butters such as those of
almond, sesame and flaxseed, ghee from milk, and a few fatty fish are
your go-to good fats. These are the unsaturated fats which are best for
weight management, gut wellness, diabetes and heart health.
 Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. There are two main
types of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
The monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty
acids (PUFAs) are actually the kind of fat your body needs to function
in optimal health, especially for hormone regulations and cognitive
function. For that, you needn’t be on a very high-fat diet or purchase
expensive products to achieve your daily dose of good fats. In fact, a
simple plant-based meal for vegans and vegetarians can give you
these sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which is great for the gut. If you
have a leaky gut, the fats from these oils are miraculous.
A good source of unsaturated fats for non-vegetarians are a few
fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and trout for Omega-3 fatty acids.
Other sources of good fats include tofu, walnuts, and sunflower and
pumpkin seeds. All natural fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables and grains
have small amounts of good fats when consumed in traditional
combinations. The good news is that they not only enhance the flavour
of your food but also decrease your risk of heart diseases by lowering
blood cholesterol levels and keep your gut happy by releasing happy
hormones.
There is another kind of fat—saturated fats, which have benefits
when consumed in moderation. These include ghee and coconut oil.
These oils help reduce inflammation in the body, improve your blood
cholesterol and decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease. They
help build cell membranes, and aid blood clotting and the greasing of
joints and muscles. These fats contain PUFA’s polyunsaturated fats,
which are essential fats. The body cannot make them and needs them
from foods. These should be eaten in smaller quantities.
Let us get to know what bad fats are. Bad fats are simply the ones
that are potentially bad for your health and are the main causes of
obesity, mental illness, high triglycerides, IBS, diabetes, cancers and
all heart diseases. These fats are butter, margarine, vegetable
shortening, beef or pork and hydrogenated fats found in most
packaged foods. The reheated oil used for frying roadside food is the
worst kind of fat. Along with the bad fats in junk food and meat, there
are additional toxins, hormones and antibiotics added in dairy and
livestock, which is another reason that can make you shudder. All
these toxic ingredients find their way into your gut, brain, bloodstream
and other organs of your body causing a plethora of illnesses, from
migraine to cancer.
The worst type of fat is trans fat, short for trans-fatty acids, which
are found in packaged foods. Trans fat is a by-product of a process
called hydrogenation, which makes the oil solid, to give it a longer shelf
life. So, it’s cheap and very harmful. These bad fats are present in
margarine, most packaged foods under the label of vegetable
shortenings and from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, cookies to
chips. Overconsumption of this fat can lead to an inflamed gut and
brain, clog your arteries, and put you on lifelong medication for heart
disease to diabetes, and a leaky gut to a leaky brain.
An easy way to recognize bad fats is that these are solid at room
temperature. Trans fats should be completely avoided and saturated
fats such as lard, soybean oil and high-fat dairy products consumed
sparingly. Trans fat in foods with hydrogenated vegetable oils is the
biggest cause of inflammation. These damaging fats are found in fried
fast foods like chicken wings, French fries, doughnuts, crackers,
popcorn, cookies, cakes, snacks and desserts.
Trans fat increases low-density lipoprotein, LDL, which is the bad
cholesterol that clogs arteries and increases risk of heart diseases and
type 2 diabetes. Because of its structure, trans fat suppresses the
high-density lipoprotein, HDL, or the good cholesterol.
Replace the bad oils/fats in your kitchen with healthy fats and oils
and you will find a huge shift in your gut wellness. It will help heal the
worn-out gut lining tissues and motivate you to develop a new
approach to cooking and eating as you can use these oils/fats in
recipes. They are chock-full of nutrients and good-for-you fats, and will
make your meal delicious, and your skin, nails and hair shine.
Here are the top eight healthy fats for gut health, hormone regulation
and brain function.
i. Extra virgin olive oil: It is the only oil that every diet allows you to
eat. It has a blend of MUFAs and PUFAs and lowers the risk of
heart diseases. Its polyphenol content provides food for good
bacteria in your gut and is very light to digest as well. It applies
 lesser strain on your gut, helps reduce inflammation and is a very
light oil. It can be used for most cooking purposes and won’t
change the flavour of the dish, which is the biggest concern whilst
making a switchover. Use it to sauté and roast and also as a salad
dressing.
ii. Ghee: Dadi’s favourite fat to use in everything, from rotis to
halwas, is clarified butter, or what we know more commonly as
ghee. Ghee, though high in saturated fats, if used in smaller
quantities, makes the food delicious and increases HDL levels. It
is also alkaline, reduces inflammation and helps heal your gut by
allowing fat-soluble vitamins to dissolve in it and be used with
efficacy.
iii. Virgin coconut oil: It helps control inflammation in the gut, and
the medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) in it enhance metabolism
and helps boost brain function. Sixty per cent of this oil is made
up of MCTs. Most popular in bulletproof coffee, aka butter coffee
or keto coffee, virgin coconut oil has antibacterial and
antimicrobial properties, thus it is beneficial for the good bacteria
to thrive in your gut. For those who have trouble digesting fats and
have issues such as irritable bowel disorder (IBD), this oil is
beneficial. Light in consumption, it can be used in salads, coffees
and cooking. For best results, make sure it’s ethically sourced,
organic and fresh.
iv. Grapeseed oil: Made from the seeds of grapes, it has a smoke
point of 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Grapeseed oil is rich in Omega-
3 fatty acids, which is a heart-friendly option, replacing
margarines.
v. Sesame oil:Extracted from sesame seeds, this oil adds flavour to
the dish and helps relieve constipation.
vi. Rice bran oil:This oil lowers cholesterol and its vitamin E
antioxidant content helps fight gut and heart diseases.
vii. Avocado oil:Although expensive, it has many healing benefits for
brain and gut health, helps with osteoarthritis and is also an
antioxidant. It has a subtle flavour and therefore, can be used in
roasting, sautéing and dressing.
viii. Grass-fed butter: Good news for butter lovers! If you are tolerant
towards diary, the best butter would be the one made at home,
from grass-fed cows. It makes any food taste good. Using it
sparingly is key! It is a great source fat-soluble vitamin K2, and a
powerful short-chain fatty acid butyrate, which is critical for a
healthy gut. Melted butter over your bajra rotis takes you straight
to heaven.
Diversity is an important part of your diet and your microbiome. So,
don't rely only on one oil. Experiment with different varieties of oil in
salads and stir fry dishes.

THE MICRONUTRIENTS
Good things come in small packages and although required in
miniscule amounts, they keep your immune system humming! Without
these individual vitamins and minerals—the micronutrients, we could
be sick or possibly die. They enable the body to produce enzymes,
hormones and your body needs a major group of nutrients for growth,
development and sustenance. It is mainly found in fruits and
vegetables, so to all the junk food and fussy eaters, it is time you eat
real foods. Sadly, low-income families with poor nutrition suffer the
most in their absence, as fruits and vegetables are too expensive for
them.
The importance of micronutrients and their bioavailability from a
balanced diet of all sources of macronutrients is sadly understood only
after an illness or hospitalization. One major reason for your excess
weight gain, lethargy, anxiety or hair loss may be not consuming
natural ingredients as fuel. The three most popular micronutrient
deficiencies I have seen post investigations in people are iodine,
vitamins A and D3, and iron. These deficiencies at times can have
side-effects such as low energy, brain fog and even depression, and at
times, prove fatal. It’s a sign to start building on recipes within a wider
ingredient list. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds have antioxidants,
which protect from cell damage.
Micronutrients are divided into water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble
vitamins, microminerals and trace minerals.
Water-soluble vitamins: These dissolve in water. Required to be
replenished daily as your body does not store them, they mostly get
flushed out if not used by your body except for B12. Vitamins are
needed for energy production and immune function by preventing cell
damage from metabolic stress. They are needed to create red blood
cells. B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12 and vitamin C are all water
soluble and important nutrients our bodies need. Leafy greens, root
vegetables, different whole grains and all colourful vegetables and
fruits are sources of water-soluble vitamins.
Fat-soluble vitamins: Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in good fat, not in
water. They are absorbed the best when eaten alongside a fat source.
These vitamins get stored in your liver and fatty tissue for future use.
Vitamins A, D, E and K are the most important fat-soluble
micronutrients, which protect your vision and immune system and
support blood clotting. Their main role is to fight inflammation with their
antioxidant properties.
Microminerals: Microminerals are the ones needed in larger amounts
such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, chloride,
potassium and sulphur. They are required for bodily functions such as
muscle and bone strength, controlling blood pressure, etc. Good
sources of these microminerals are spinach, nuts and fruits.
Trace minerals: Trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts than
microminerals and these are iron, manganese, copper, zinc, iodine
fluoride and selenium. They are equally important, as they help in
feeding oxygen to the muscles, support nervous system functions, heal
wounds and protect cells from stress damage.

3
Dietary fibre is the roughage or bulk, includes the plant foods your body can’t digest. These
are found in grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
PART II
ACCESS YOUR GUT FEELINGS, INTUITIONS
AND THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND
13
 YOUR GUT FEELING: ARE YOU
LISTENING?

The gut instinct is your fight or flight mode and primal wisdom. Gut
feelings are the real emotions you feel. An intuition is your spiritual
wisdom guiding you. These are interrelated, and are released
disparately when required and are dependent on your gut health.
Instincts, kinaesthetic feelings, a thought, message or a flash, these
are our gut feelings.

I ‘GUT’ A FEELING…
Have you ever ‘gone with your gut feeling’ and signed a profitable
contract that turned out to be the best decision of your life? Or has it
happened that you didn’t listen to your gut feeling and lost out on a
huge opportunity? You were offered a promotion but that would mean
working under an unpopular boss. Your gut instinct was that the
remuneration wasn’t worth the trauma, and you declined the offer, only
to soon get a dream promotion and a dream boss! Weren’t you glad
you listened to your gut instincts? Have you ever felt negative vibes
instantly when introduced to a new person at a party and all you
wanted was to get away? Have you on another day felt an instant
connect, a chemistry with your best friend’s cute cousin and felt
butterflies in your stomach? Did it ever happen that you got lost on a
hike and allowed your inner guide to show you the way? Well, gut
feelings is what we otherwise know as sixth sense.
 Common gut instincts and feelings include:
i. Some feel a sudden chill down their spine, mostly when vibes are
negative.
ii. Goosebumps are one of the most common signs when something
is about to happen or when listening to a story of divine
intervention or a transformation.
iii. An inner voice that literally talks to you about something relevant
at that moment.
iv. Tingling sensations in your face or back.
v. Eyebrows or lips twitching or eyelids flickering.
Your gut is always encouraging you or warning you. The ultimate
purpose of your gut instinct is to protect you. The nauseating feeling
before a presentation or experiencing anxiousness before your final
exams are signals from your inner mechanism. It also signals you to
focus and prepare better for the presentation and the more difficult
subjects. Your awareness of an uncle whose presence feels predatory
and makes you queasy in the stomach, as compared to the calm you
feel in your entire body as soon as he leaves are messages from your
gut!
The gut, your second brain, helps elicit emotions in a heartbeat.
Your gut guides you like a North Star, acting as your inner compass so
that you can avoid making mistakes. Hence, it is extremely important
to keep your gut well nourished.

YOUR GUT: YOUR WI-FI AND GPS

The gut acts as the Wi-Fi and GPS system of the body and keeps you
connected all the time with your primal wisdom, intuitions and feelings.
It is your sixth sense that surfaces at different occasions when needed
the most.
If you have consciously or unconsciously allowed yourself to be
guided by your very own Wi-Fi and GPS system and have taken
multiple decisions based on these instincts, then you most definitely
have saved a lot of time and energy and gained a lot of wisdom in the
process. Listening to your gut makes your spiritual path courageous.
 It is all actually your beneficial bacteria, gut flora, microbes or
microbiome—whatever term you use—within your gut, guiding you.
Every time you are faced with a challenging situation, your gut
communicates with you. There are a million stars in the Milky Way and
a million microbes in your gut!

GUT CONNECTIONS AND POOR DECISIONS

Are you on a repeat mode of taking the wrong decisions daily? Have
you ever felt that you have nailed it, but land up on the losing side
again? Have you ever felt like you know your stuff, but when you
answer, you become the laughing stock of your class or office? Have
you ever felt guilty after screaming at your kids because you were
upset about something else or with someone else?
Taking poor decisions has multiple reasons, the top one being the
lack of synergy between your gut and brain. Some children lose their
GPS because of their high-carb and sugary diets at impressionable
ages, which leads to the dysbiosis of the microbiome. The environment
they are being raised in, access to various social media platforms,
playing violent games and a sense of entitlement are stopping them
from making the right decisions. They would be more prone to mental
illnesses such as anxiety and feeling lonely and a need for instant
gratification.
Here are the seven habits that lead to terrible decisions.
i. Laziness: Get into a regular workout, get off that couch or desk
and move. Physiology changes psychology, it changes your mental
state and makes you take wiser decisions.
ii. Indecisiveness: Be courageous and look at the facts and figures.
Stop being paralysed by the fear of making a mistake. Indecision
is worse than making a wrong decision.
iii. Junk and toxicity: Cells get inflamed when you consume a lot of
unhealthy food and energy drinks. Stop eating bad fats in chips
and burgers. It’s damaging your balance of microbes that help
you take good decisions.
iv. Nurturing negativity: Be positive, having positive thoughts even
in the most negative situations can help release stress, which is
bad for microbes.
v. Dependency: Depending too much on parents, friends or
colleagues is stopping you from taking charge. If they are making
decisions for you, it may or may not be right. Alcohol, drugs or
medicines make you even more helpless and they are really bad
for your microbes.
vi. Being stuck in the past: Using the same references of the past,
same approaches and conventional methods can make you
repeat the same mistake again and again.
vii. Procrastination: If you keep delaying doing something, it is most
likely that you will never end up doing whatever it is you are trying
to accomplish. Be around people who rely on habits and rituals
than merely motivational lecturers. Seize the day!
14
THE GUT AND YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS
MIND

Unlock your subconscious mind to unleash your potential. When in

confusion, trust your subconscious mind as it can provide you with way
more choices than your conscious mind. Maestros such as Picasso,
Einstein, Beethoven, Sachin Tendulkar, A.R. Rehman and many other
geniuses not only perform from a conscious state of mind, but also
from a state of higher subconsciousness, the hub of unlimited
resources. But, its magic lies within your physical and mental health.
We too can unravel the power of the subconscious mind by uniting the
mind, body and soul; changing limiting beliefs and perceptions; and
letting go of unhappy memories, childhood traumas and post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), which are blocks.

THE MATRIX TRIO

The Subconscious Mind + The Gut + The Conscious Mind
The Subconscious Mind
Your subconscious mind is an integral part of you; it’s a limitless and
voracious storehouse of your feelings, your thoughts, your behaviours,
your habits, awareness, everything being absorbed by an invisible
force. It’s a memory bank. It can be compared with an iceberg, where
everything above the water, or the tip, represents the conscious
awareness, while everything below the water represents your
subconscious mind. The subconscious mind, or in other words, the
bulk of the iceberg that remains underwater, hidden from our view,
silently does its job of storing and retrieving data/information.
Submerged deep below the surface of the water, the subconscious
mind captures every useful detail—over and above everything that we
see, touch, smell, taste and hear with our five sense organs.
The power of the subconscious mind goes further than you think. It
is not only capable of storing data, but also of retrieving it from the
deep recesses of the mind as and when needed. It is a powerful tool
that we can all use in a variety of situations such as exams,
brainstorming, painting, parenting, leading, cooking and dancing, to
name a few. Every situation can be exceptional with the help of the
subconscious as it is a powerhouse of various choices. It will give you
countless choices in a situation where you are stuck and need
guidance, but sadly, the subconscious is often underrated and
underused by most individuals.
The Conscious Mind
The ‘tip of the iceberg’—the conscious mind—is the first mental map
we capture through our five senses. Whatever we capture from the
conscious mind, we start to interpret in our own language, within our
heads, from our ‘map of the world’, which are our experiences,
memories, thoughts, behaviours, values and beliefs from what we
have been told, taught and asked to follow.
Thus, the things that represent our conscious awareness are simply
the ‘the tip of the iceberg’. Daily actions, like changing your clothes,
solving your math sums, buying food, making a phone call, going to a
coffee shop, etc. are all done by your conscious mind.
But that’s as much as your conscious mind can do. Imagine the
amalgamation, the unification of both your subconscious and
conscious mind that could result in unlocking your hidden potential,
which you have always craved for and relied on the outside world to
achieve.
The Gut
Bringing together both, your consciousness and subconsciousness, is
your gut! Consolidating it all together and allowing you to use both is
dependent on your gut health. The 100 million neurons enable you as
they are equipped with their own reflexes and senses, an independent
brain helping you create massive changes in your life. Your gut is the
zone where all communications flow. This trio—the gut, your
subconscious and conscious mind—is the matrix environment in which
unhappy memories, childhood traumas and PTSD will be
acknowledged, and healed. New, uplifting beliefs of cultural, social
and intellectual wellness will be created at the speed of lightning.
Connecting the gut’s invisible force and the conscious and
subconscious minds is extremely important to be able to survive, like
we did as cavemen.
Here we discuss six matrix disruptors of your gut’s well-being.
i. Our surroundings are dynamic: In the midst of movement,
chaos and constant change, people’s physical and mental health is
vigorously disrupted. Constantly trying to cope with this fast-paced
world can disrupt the gut.
ii. Same old negative narrative: ‘Once I am thinner, I will be
happier.’ ‘Once I get my promotion, I will celebrate.’ Regurgitating
the same narrative is gut disruptive.
iii. Addiction to junk food: Consuming fast food on a daily basis
directly damages the ENS, causing inflammation in the gut.
iv. Fears, phobias and limiting belief systems: Fears stem from
phobias, which in turn, stem from our belief systems. Your
intuitions and powerful subconscious states get diminished by
your and other people’s fears and shadows of doubt. Your
responses will thus be fearful and stressful as well.
v. Living in your not-so-good past references: Speaking about
yourself in a derogatory manner and reliving upsetting memories
are gut disruptive. Living in the past is regressive and halts
progress. We cannot change the past, but we can always change
the future with our positive approach and determination.
vi. ‘Gut’ confused: Alcohol addiction and seeking medication for the
smallest symptoms can lead to a lot of confusion in one’s gut
health. The matrix gets ruined by hormonal imbalances due to
these habits.
Do you have a volatile teenager whose matrix is affected? Teenagers
—I feel sorry for them, as more than often than not, in them, I see a
reflection of my own teenage years and how much I wanted to be
heard. They seem to be the most affected and misunderstood due to
the disruption of the matrix, whose growing bodies are still under
construction and whose minds are so impressionable.
They are constantly blamed and corrected for the smallest of things.
They are super smart, creative, quick and vulnerable, but their
behaviour, habits and attitudes depend on the trio—the conscious, the
subconscious and their gut health—which is driving their emotions,
hormones and growth. The confusion begins with the feeling of
entitlement at a young age. Helicopter parenting, rewards in the form
of expensive gadgets or vacations, not enough appreciation, less
quality time as a family and a bloated sense of self-entitlement are all
harmful influences on teenagers. Unfortunately, their gadgets, peri peri
fries and Kylie’s make-up are governing their matrix right now.
Their lifestyles remain unwatched and they are stressed because of
excessive expectations from them to be superachievers. Fast food and
sugary drinks imbalance gut health, which in turn, contribute to
hormonal imbalance at puberty (from nine to18 years), making them
easy targets for early menstrual cycles, PCOS, anxiety, uncontrollable
mood swings, temper tantrums, body-image issues and the most
dreaded, depression.
My favourite and most rewarding clients have been teenagers. They
thank me for being a guide and for empowering them. Thank you, my
dear young clients, for openly sharing your emotional stories at home
and school and your lovely millennial lingo!
Let us look at 10 ways to successfully balance your teenager’s
matrix:
i. Fruit bowl with peanut butter: A little microbial care by
consuming gut-healthy prebiotic-rich fibres such as bananas,
 strawberries and kiwis with a dash of unsweetened peanut butter
or melted dark chocolate is a great way to indulge in a healthy
dessert. Swap the refined flour pasta with a complex grain one
such as quinoa, chickpeas or lentil pasta. Cook in a home-made
tomato/pesto/spinach/white sauce. A tasty Mexican burrito is
always a hit with young adults and so are bean burgers and jowar-
based jalapeno pizzas.
ii. Good vibes only, please: Be a positivity magnet. First, you need
to attract good thoughts, pleasant words and positive friends in
your life, and then your teenager will follow suit. You must lead by
example. Walk the talk, as they say.
iii. Let them be: Be weird, be random, be who you are, love the real
you, when with teenagers. Be Rudolf, be different. Dance, sing
and laugh out loud. They love crazy parents. Let go of the
flakiness to impress people or friends. Being condescending with
young adults will only throw them off.
iv. Identify their resistance: Encourage teenagers to ask questions
instead of simply commanding them to do things they resist. Find
ways to identify what they really feel about that resistance.
v. Take care of their diet: Slowly cut down or minimize the
consumption of damaging artificial additives, GMOs, refined
sugar, pesticides and processed foods and replace them with
healthier substitutes such whole-grain wraps, kebabs, hummus,
avocado dips and lean meat barbeques.
vi. Reduce stress on a trampoline: Jumping with your teen on a
trampoline to their favourite playlist will make them happy and is a
great stress buster too. That’s what you want right, their
happiness? It also releases anger, regret, resentment, blame, guilt
and fear.
vii. Use multiple wellness tools: Cook, read, play cards and go
shopping with your teenager. Think up fun things to do together
to bond better with them and so that they see you more as a
friend and companion rather than just a parent. Of course, you
will have differences and arguments, that’s normal. If nothing
else, you can simply tidy up and decorate the room together.
viii. Introduce good fats in their diet: Get in Omega-3 to heal the
gut and help the brain function really well. Make new salads, use
seeds to garnish dishes, try making hummus and yogurt dips with
flaxseed, walnut, avocado and kiwi, and try out coconut-based
ice creams—all good ways to incorporate good fats into your
system, which help you heal the gut.
ix. Start a gratitude journal: Start a family ritual of keeping a
gratitude journal and hold a short discussion on it before sleeping.
It might be fun and also help you say sorry easily. Ending the day
with a sense of gratification and a sense of gratitude is directly
related to having a good night’s sleep. You will also wake up
feeling lighter and more positive about yourself and your life.
x. Surround yourself with positive people: Start spending time
with ambitious, supportive and creative people. Motivated and
smart people uplift your life. Negative and bored people with the
same old narrative are toxic and can have a very negative
influence on your life.
15
 YOUR GUT, LOVE AND KARMA:

THE THREE PROPELLERS OF HEALTH,

PASSION AND COURAGE

Imagine if your girlfriend or mother said, ‘I love your bugs’, and if we

could literally see our bugs getting attracted to each other, it wouldn’t
be as sexy or romantic or loving, right? It would be spooky! Thankfully,
we leave it at the word ‘chemistry’.
What determines chemistry between two people? When we say,
‘they have good chemistry’, what we actually mean is their bugs
getting attracted to each other. Even when couples meet via dating
apps, they may be great match—virtually, but eventually it all boils
down to the chemistry they share when they actually meet face to face.
Did you know that chemistry between people can depend on the
microbial community in their guts?

It is becoming increasingly apparent that our microbiome has a

tremendous influence upon us and our choices. The attraction starts
with chemistry, the aura and vibe of the other person/partner, which
has a lot to do with microbes. If receiving and giving love is a struggle
for you, it’s time to work on the bugs in your gut. Pick up some good
fibre-rich foods and find new strategies to be back in the game. Love
bugs in your gut lead you towards love. Investing in your gut wellness
can help you receive love. Your love life technically depends on the
bugs in your gut. Don’t believe me? Try it for a week and see how
loving you will feel. Research shows that chemistry is present only
where the bugs are in a state of symbiosis.
 These strange bug communities and colonies living in your gut
shape your health in myriad ways, affecting your vulnerability, passion
and the ability to choose right from the wrong. Feeding these microbes
in your gut can multiply your likability factor or charisma.
Bugs and chemistry go hand in hand. Make sure you have the good
ones to help you find romance, love and passion. Imbalances in the gut
can make or break relationships overnight. Microbes influence our
sexual choices. What if the concept of chemical attraction has a direct
biological basis?

YOUR BUGS AND LOVE

Microbiologists have tested the effects of probiotics on mice and have
seen elevated levels of oxytocin, the love hormone, in them when fed
natural probiotics such as cheese, yogurt and fermented carrots.
These microbiologists have come to the conclusion that most
experiments on mice have similar reactions on humans too. Moreover,
after being fed these naturally fermented probiotics, the mice were
able to mingle or be more social than before. The mice were able to
conceive sooner as well. Now, can you imagine the same possibility for
humans!
Oxytocin gets produced in a healthy gut and helps humans bond
with one another. Chemicals produced with healthy microbiota can
help increase the interactions between humans. For instance, when
siblings intuitively feel intense affection for each other, it’s thanks to the
common microbial component that they receive in their mother’s
womb. From the same womb to the same food and home, we as
families, are constantly sharing these microbes. This is in fact a good
thing as it prods us to be caring and affectionate towards our family;
our siblings can lean on us and vice versa. It’s because of that the gut
feeling that we get a premonition when one of them is in danger or is
going to get unwell. Has your mom ever told you to stay away from
XYZ, as she had had an inkling that something wasn’t right? Those
were her gut feelings.

INTRODUCING YOUR THIRD BRAIN: THE HEART

When it comes to emotional health, it's not just your head and gut, the
heart also influences your thoughts, emotions and actions through
microbial messengers—neurons or nerve cells. All three organs—the
gut, brain and heart—are signalled simultaneously and they actively
take part in most decisions and actions we take. All three organs are
tri-directionally interacting with each other to either fight or flight from in
any given situation. They work together for you. Each one’s role is
different and unique, yet inextricably linked.

KISS AND TELL

Kissing may be the most primal way to express affection. We kiss
babies, not only ours but shamelessly other babies too till the mother
takes offence and tells us off. The release of oxytocin benefits all three
brains by detoxing stress hormones.
Guess what? Kissing can boost your immunity! Healthy bacteria can
be transferred from one partner to the other through saliva during deep
kissing and a variety of strains can be passed on too. And when you
discuss with your bestie later whether the kiss was bad or good, you
are basically taking into consideration his/her mouth hygiene, the
microbial diversity and the chemistry between you too.

HUGS, CUDDLING AND SEX

Hugging, cuddling and making love have a huge impact on multiplying
the microbes, activating the reproductive system and releasing love
hormones for good health and happiness. Gut bacteria create an
ambience to produce hormones. Imagine microbes can help excite you
and produce hormones.
Virginia Satir, a psychologist, recommends four hugs a day for
survival, eight hugs a day for maintenance and 12 hugs a day for
growth. The act of hugging transfers good bacteria from the skin and
helps release happy hormones. It also releases stress from your
sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Forget air kissing,
hug with intensity and good intentions, but don’t forget personal
hygiene before you get close and personal!

BUGS AND YOUR LIBIDO

Food plays a huge role in reversing lethargy and lost libido and
transforming your non-existent love life into a scintillating one. Elixirs,
creams and aroma oils have been used for centuries to enhance love
life. Eating natural aphrodisiacs in the form of good fats, fibres, cocoa,
vitamins and minerals daily is the best non-synthetic approach.
Aphrodisiac foods which are great for your bugs are garlic, avocadoes,
lemon, kale, mixed berries, turmeric and black pepper. Warning: the
only side effects will be glowing skin, shiny hair and a satisfied you.
Let us talk about these natural aphrodisiacs in detail:
i. Vitamins: Make sure you add carrots to your soup/daal/sabzi daily.
Vitamin A in the vegetable makes the skin glow. Carrot is a great
prebiotic and helps activate your sex drive. Vitamin B12 and
potassium in carrots give you energy. We all need that, don’t we?
ii. Aroma oils: A healthy body–mind connection is essential for your
sex life to flourish. Procure good organic aromatic oils such rose,
jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang and jojoba, which enhance
libido and revive the lost spark. What works for you is very
personal. I recommend rubbing these essential oils around the
back of your ears, neck and wrists, but avoid genital areas please.
iii. Fats: Have good fats such as coconut wedges and avocados.
Curvy good fat in the right places is always welcome. The curvier,
the better.
iv. Cacao powder: Sprinkle some cacao powder to your yogurt
bowl, fruits and coffee or eat it as a dessert. Phenylethylamine
found in cacao releases the same hormones that are released
during sexual intercourse. Need I say more?
v. Cinnamon sticks: Soak a few in your glass water bottle and drink
the cinnamon-infused water all day. This is good for your breath
and body odour.
vi. Celery: It is quite an aphrodisiac. Add celery to your salads, it is
great remedy for thyroid too. I had it all through my pregnancy and
wondered what made me so sexually active!
vii. Chillies: Chillies—bell pepper, banana pepper, poblano peppers,
pimientos, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, Thai chilies, serrano
peppers and ghost pepper/bhut jolokia—produce the ‘heat’ that
 you need. These are loaded with vitamic C and have anti-
inflammatory properties.
viii. Ginseng: Its active invigorating compounds help arouse you.
ix. Water: It is the most important element to help your cells feel alive
and good.
x. Probiotics: Yogurt, kombucha and fermented, pickled vegetables
are a fuel for your gut microbes and libido.
ix. Almond milk: It helps release the female and the male hormone
—oestrogen and testosterone respectively, which is good for both
of you. All these help the gut release more and more of these
hormones, rekindling your love life.
xii. Herbs: Certain herbs such as passion flower help in relaxation and
have an anti-anxiety effect on your body, mind and soul, which is
much needed to have a romantic rendezvous with your partner.
xiii. Ginger, onions and garlic: There is an arousal power in all three.
You should include them more often in your diet.
xiv. Strawberries: They are aphrodisiacs and enhance the power of
love and passion. Dip them in chocolate or fresh cream and eat a
few, or feed a few to that someone special!

GUT AND KARMA: THE 2 INVISIBLE FORCES CONTROLLING

OUR LIVES
Gut and karma are the two invisible forces controlling our lives. The
law of cause and effect, karma is a force considered as affecting the
events of one’s life. You reap as you sow; what goes around comes
around; you will be served what you deserve; the reactions produced
will be in alignment with and congruent to the actions taken—these are
phrases that we have all grown up hearing.
Most schools of philosophy believe that the happiness or sorrow of a
human being’s present life is the result of past karma. Since there is no
evidence of rebirth, many have intelligently reshaped this theory a bit
to state that the effects of the causes are to be served in this life itself,
that this is heaven and hell. And, if you are ‘suffering’ in any way—due
to ill health or the loss of wealth or a loved one—a good way to lessen
the suffering is by doing more good deeds to negate the bad karma.
 Good or bad karma gets accumulated in three forms: mental,
physical and verbal. Depending on the intensity of the activity, karma
—good or bad—is accumulated.
A plant will be nourished exactly by the intentions—thoughts, actions
and words—of the person taking care of it and it will either blossom or
shrivel correspondingly. Karma, whether good or bad, will get
transferred from the caretaker to that plant. One is the giver, the other
is the receiver. Both the gardener and the plant are partners in this
karmic connection of give and take. The plant was meant to receive
love and care and the caretaker was meant to nurture the plant and
see it blossom. Similarly, the quality and nature of life we lead
constantly affects the karmic aura or atomic particles surrounding our
soul, making us either happy or unhappy.

Courage is the most important of all virtues because without

courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.
—Maya Angelou
Whatever you think, that you will be. If you think yourselves weak,
weak you will be; if you think yourselves strong, strong you will
be.
—Swami Vivekananda

We need courage for all actions. The greatest people in history

believed that without courage, you can’t practise any virtue
consistently and without good consistent health, you can’t even get
close to being courageous. The main reason why I have connected gut
wellness to courage is because all actions/causes we make physically,
emotionally and mentally are from our three brains: the gut (physical),
the heart (emotional) and the brain (mental).
If you crave for less challenging days in your life, career and health,
freedom from stress and illness, abundant love and healthy
relationships, financial freedom, and to be always surrounded by
serenity and calm, then you must courageously accumulate good
karma in every breath of your life. Begin with your core—your gut, your
centre, keeping it really strong, resilient and congruent so that it can
withstand any turbulence in your life and helps you move forward all
the way, like a bright shining star.
Imagine, the CEO of an organization operating with a leaky brain. It
would keep him/her anxious and always angry, basically edgy at all
times. How can anyone possibly manage their role as a leader and be
popular if they are operating with an irritated gut? Drinking multiple
cups of coffee makes the body acidic and leads to indigestion. Instead
of a dynamic leader enjoying his/her position, they will spread an
unhealthy work culture and the employees will be the target of sharp
poisonous darts (words and actions), thanks to their deteriorating
physical and mental health.
Right now, you are the CEOs of your homes and offices. The
question to ask yourself is: am I operating from a healthy gut or an
unhealthy one?
Being a parent is tough, but being a working parent has its own
challenges. Working parents have to juggle more things than
professional jugglers. Dealing with migraine and a weak immune
system could turn you into a mean, controlling and unproductive
person and mindless parent. Unable to support your children or family
wholeheartedly, you will operate from unconscious compulsive
reactions that are out of your control.
Here are 10 ways to stock up on your good karma:
i. Veganism: A vegan cleanse or fast is like giving your colon a spa
retreat and a harmless way of living. The cleaner your colon, the
happier your thoughts and kinder your words, the greater your
popularity.
ii. Share your meal: While cooking for yourself and your family,
make some extra and share it with your office staff, liftman or
security guards. This relationship and blessing will last for a
lifetime. But given the present COVID-19 situation, adhere to the
most stringent of hygiene while cooking.
iii. Spread love and kindness: Spread kindness, it is contagious
and will help multiply not just your microbes, but also your karmic
savings.
iv. Love your body: Do you have to constantly live up to the image
that others define? Don’t allow society and people to define the
person you need to be. Your body is strong and helps you
accomplish so much. Learn to respect and love all the things it
can do.
v. Find a cause you care about: Look for a cause that you are
passionate about—anything that makes your three brains spark
with joy. It can be any cause—humanitarian, environmental or
simply caring for pets.
vi. Share your skills: Everyone has one or more skills, and sharing
those by teaching others free of cost only enhances it further. It’s a
win-win situation, really—more karma accumulated and skill
honed. You could do this in the comfort of your home on weekends
or online.
vii. Become an organ donor: Donating your organs, skin or tissue
can save a life or eight. I had, as a child, asked my mother, ‘What
if I donate my eyes in this birth as good karma and what if I am
born as a blind human in my next birth?’ She replied, ‘You will be
born as an eye specialist helping millions of humans with eye
solutions.’ I was sold!
viii. Educate children: We took away their water, land and air. It’s
time we reversed the damage done by educating the next
generation so that they can invent new techniques to get it all
back. Giving someone an education is an investment for the
children and for your karmic savings bank account.
ix. Be grateful: Show plenty of gratitude. Set an intention to be calm
in all situations and never hurt anyone intentionally.
x. Plant more trees: Planting trees not only benefit us, but also our
environment and wildlife. It’s the only way to be part of the holistic
cycle of life and death. Keep plants around you and volunteer to
plant trees around your area.
The reason I have written about gut, love and karma is because all
three are interconnected, interrelated and analogous to each other.
Each has a different evolutionary origin but performs similar functions.
Your gut is always guiding you intuitively, love is all around and karma
is the force that’s making things happen.
16
 CAUSES OF CHRONIC HEALTH
PROBLEMS

Life is 10 per cent what happens to you and

90 per cent how you react to it.

—Charles R. Swindoll

It’s hard for most people to even tell that they are stressed because it
has become a way of life for them. The challenges of everyday life
destroy your physical and emotional well-being. These challenges are
extreme to handle all by yourself. A good coach who can shift the
frame of the perceived problem, help you relax and guide you correctly
is essential today. Many happy and successful people have coaches.
Here are the seven worst and the most common mistakes that
people make when they are stressed out.
i. Pushing the problem to the back burner: Are you ignoring the
problem you are facing? The easiest way out is evading the
problem and not allowing your mind to process it. Quickly
sweeping issues under the carpet one after the other till it gets
chronic is a commonly made mistake.
ii. Stress eating: Reaching out to comfort food to deal with stress is
very common today, thus leading to obesity. Soothing your pain
and trying to relieve stress with high-calorie, high-sugar and high-
fat comfort foods make you spiral out of control, thus leading to
gluttony, obesity and erratic mood swings.
iii. Ignoring gut feelings: Listen to your gut feeling when you are
faced with a stressful situation. Don’t ignore them. They will give
you the right advice.
iv. Guilt and negative spiral: Going on a guilt trip and negativity
take you nowhere, except towards making another mistake. Also,
you end up releasing more stress hormones.
v. Sleeping excessively: Do you sleep excessively to escape the
problem? Honestly, I have in the past, only to wake up feeling
 more stressed out and lethargic.
vi. Addictions: Online-offline shopping, drinking, smoking, bullying,
cheating, etc. are unhealthy vices that damage gut health and only
push the stress deeper into other parts of your body such as
lungs, kidneys, liver and brain, setting you up for diseases in the
long run.
vii. Blowing things out of proportion: Exaggerating an issue,
gossiping, playing the victim narrative in a loop and raising your
voice are also stress related. Always looking for attention,
pretending to be perpetually sick, seeking sympathy, etc. can
also make you stress even more.

GET TO KNOW YOUR ‘SAC’ (STRESS: ADRENALINE AND

CORTISOL)
Sadly, the stress hormones aren’t understood well. Your body is
hardwired to react to stress in ways meant to protect you against
threats. In ancient times, it was from predators but, now in the twenty-
first century, it is the need to juggle, to fit in, manage, organize and
cope with daily life problems such as demands of our workload, hectic
social life, sleep deprivation, fast food, alcohol, drugs, and taking care
of your family and their needs.
When we are faced with a barrage of these challenges, emotional or
physical, the hypothalamus (a tiny control tower in the brain) signals
numerous glands via a combination of nerves and hormones to release
the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol (from the adrenal gland
located above your kidneys) so that you can use the ‘fight or flight’
response to act fast.
A threat has several effects at many glandular levels to release SAC.
These have been listed below as follows:
i. When we feel threatened, we feel our gut churn and contract;
adrenaline increases the heart rate, elevates your blood pressure
and boosts your energy levels so that you can act fast and avoid
harmful consequences.
ii. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugar (glucose) in
the bloodstream and helps your brain to think real fast. There is a
 rush of these hormones in the stomach, brain, muscles and cells
which come together so that you respond to either fight or flee.
iii. The survival instinct will take charge of your brain so that you
remain focused and lock your attention on protecting yourself
from the potential danger. Your instinct is very powerful and
intelligent. That instinct prevents you from being distracted in a
life-threatening situation.
iv. Using the hormones to run really fast and escape, engaging the
core, using sensibility and muscular strength to take action—all
systems are activated at that moment to benefit you. That’s the
sole reason cortisol and adrenaline are your friends; they help you
survive a threat.
v. These responses are designed to protect the body and to take
action in an emergency. The body’s stress response is usually
self-limiting, meaning once the threat has passed, hormone levels
return to normal.
vi. As adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood
pressure return to baseline levels and all other systems resume to
function normally. And you can go back to whatever you were
doing.

RELIVING THE FLINTSTONES’S DAYS

Before we build concrete jungles, humans were hunter-gatherers,
cavemen, as we have seen in the popular cartoon, The Flintstones.
We lived in a symbiotic relationship with nature, ate natural food,
inhaled fresh air, drank fresh water, lived in caves and killed
carnivores to survive.
Imagine, right now you’re a Flintstone, roaming around in la la land,
wearing a sarong of leaves with a sharp spear in one hand and picking
fresh berries for yourself and your family. You suddenly have a gut
feeling, and all your senses confirm that something huge is watching
you.
Your gut instinct tells you that an oversized animal is hovering
behind the bushes and is about to attack you. By now, you have
started releasing SAC. It alerts you with a churning gut, raised
heartbeat and increased blood pressure. It warns you, priming you that
you will be the animal’s dinner if you don’t think and act fast.
You obviously don’t continue to pick berries because your survival
instinct is triggered, thanks to SAC. So, you drop the berries and get
ready for fight or flight mode, i.e. either to kill (fight) the animal or run
(flight) from it to save your life. The stress hormones, cortisol and
adrenaline, were utilized well.
Cut to the present. Our life is full of chronic life problems. When in
chronic stress, the fight or flight responses are always switched on, we
are constantly releasing SAC, and are unconsciously ‘reacting’ to
everything, not ‘responding’.

EXPECTATION VS REALITY
Expectation: You are driving your car, listening to music and gearing
yourself up for a productive day. You control your breath and try doing
some relaxation techniques to manage stress in the middle of mayhem
and traffic jams. It’s that peak time in the morning when everyone is
trying to reach school or office, but you are still in control.
Reality: Your relaxation practise lasts for no more than three minutes.
In the fifth minute, you are blurting out the most explicit cuss words at
everyone on the road and ranting.
Even at a cellular level, your gut, brain, muscles and heart are filling
up with excess SAC.
Expectation: Have you ever watched a homemaker or mother in
action in the morning? She is nothing short of the superhero Flash,
with her stress hormones helping her work at that speed. She not only
wakes up the kids early but also gets them ready for school, and
prepares breakfast and lunch. In the case of a working mother, she will
probably be working on a presentation or trying to meet a deadline.
Using her stress responses, she transforms from a Flintstone woman
to Wonder Woman, managing it all.
Reality: But, more often than not, she’s overwhelmed with pressing
deadlines and cooking for the entire family. She has way too much on
her plate. Her stress levels start hitting the roof. Her entire body has
excessive SAC, which she is not able to utilize efficiently. She is not
dealing with her stress; she is simply reacting to it. She wakes up late
and irritated, ready to blast anyone who comes in her way. An excess
of cortisol leaves her children and other family members at the mercy
of her hormonal rage.
Do you realize how SAC is like a leaking tap in your body and why
you are always on the edge? Day-to-day situations that cause
emotional stress and were never addressed in the past cause harm to
you emotionally, mentally and physically. Irritants such as traffic, school
admission pressures, financial struggles, illnesses and so on add to
the already existing stress.
Imagine walking around with a fight-or-flight reaction that’s always
turned on. How confusing your reactions will be! It can make or break
you, most likely you will react aggressively and not respond correctly.
These hormones that were once helping you survive are now affecting
you in various negative ways such as weight gain, leaky gut, muscle
fatigue, fatty liver, migraine, acidity and depression.
The mental effects of stress include anxiety, mood swings,
depression, brain fog, anger and frustration. The physical effects of
stress are high blood sugar and blood pressure, microbiome
imbalances, weight gain/loss, obesity, digestive issues, a weakened
immune system, thyroid dysfunction, PCOS, hair loss, dull skin, low
sex drive, missed periods, sleep disorders, and heartburn and other
heart diseases.
We are extremely fortunate that our bodies are tough and give us
innumerable chances to heal. But one day, it will refuse to reboot.

GUT FLORA DAMAGE BY SAC

When the natural stress response goes wild, excess hormones floating
around in the body adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract, the heart
or your brain. It imbalances all the functions of the body—from
absorption and assimilation, to symbiosis and excretion—by
disbalancing the gut microbiome. Stress kills the good bacteria and
chronic stress can kill you. Facing daily struggles of life can put us in
discomforting states such as hate, sorrow, depression, bloated egos,
lying, alcoholism, being unkind, lack of self-confidence, anger,
resentment, anxiety, jealousy and bullying.
Guess who’s paying the price of it all? The answer is: our children
who seem to have become liabilities because we cannot deal with our
stress any more! More than 500 cases of child abuse were reported
per day during lockdown. Taking out angst and frustration on children
is the biggest sign of stress and depression. Being screamed at all
through their impressionable and vulnerable childhood, and unable to
cope with already existing stress, the younger generation today is
opting for pets and not children.
If you want to fly,

give up everything that weighs you down.

—The Buddha

Here are the seven ultimate solutions to peace out with stress.
i. Communicating, challenging and negotiating: Communication
is the new pain killer.
ii. Rituals and habits: Relying on daily powerful habits such as
exercise. Nothing releases stress like sweating it out daily, which
in turn, releases happy hormones and surpasses SAC, keeping
you unconditionally happy and healthy.
iii. Get out of your head: As soon as you feel you are getting into a
never-ending loop of negative thoughts and are stuck like a
broken record, go for a walk or call a friend.
iv. Get some sun: Most people with depression, excessive stress or
those who are unable to lose weight are low on vitamin D. To
avoid hormone storage or lethargy, wake up to greet the sun and
get some vitamin boost directly and naturally.
v. Get your breath in control: It’s advisable to get your breath in
control and apply some visualization techniques. Play some
chanting music or the sound of waves and feel your heart rate
becoming steady, blood pressure returning to normal and your gut
feeling calmer.
vi. Try keeping a journal to express gratitude: Gratitude practise
relaxes the hypothalamus, stops the production of stress
 hormones and activates happier hormones such as dopamine,
serotonin, endorphins and oxytocin.
vii. Have a safe and active sex life: An active sex life can release a
lot of stress.
17
 DECIDE: THE MAGIC WORD

Great sports personalities such as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer

have had to deal with failures too. They vent, cry and finally face
defeat. They too have innumerable internal dialogues. But the silver
lining is that they have a supportive coach to break their unresourceful
states and negative state of mind. They don’t allow the chronic stress
of failure to take over their life. In fact, they decide to win, they show up
the very next day for practice to prepare all over again for their next
match. They tune themselves to be motivated all the time by living,
breathing and practising in extraordinarily resourceful states. They use
many tools for doing this and so can you!
To illustrate this point better, let us take the example of Serena
Williams. Williams today holds the record of most Grand Slam titles in
singles, doubles and mixed doubles!
When she was 10, Serena’s coach, her father, heard derogatory
racist remarks being made by white parents about the Williams sisters.
Serena and Venus Williams’s dad pulled the sisters out of that
promising school and took over their schooling and coaching from
home.
When she started to play professionally, Serena lost many matches
to the best names in the game: Annie Miller, Lindsay Davenport,
Martina Hingis and her sister Venus. She faced plenty of defeat and
missed many trophies. But as of today, she is ranked World No. 1 and
has won 23 Grand Slam singles. She also holds the record for the
most women’s singles matches won at majors with 357 matches.
Despite the failure and defeats, she kept a balanced state of mind,
ignoring all negativities and focusing on performing. She never gave
up.
We all have a tireless and ruthless Williams’s attitude within us to
get through our small and huge problems in life.
Communicating, challenging and negotiating are three strong pillars of
self-care.
When we peel an onion, it brings tears to our eyes, but when added
to a dish, it adds flavour.
Similarly, getting to the root cause of your stressed out life, peeling
layer after layer of unwanted emotions will make you cry too. It will
allow you to decide what you want to say, do and reach for. It’s time
we accept crying as a powerful tool.
Here are 10 self-help tools to help peel off stress layer by layer:
i. Set an intention and meditate: Allow your thoughts to surface
one by one, acknowledge and visualize them in front of you, as if
they were a third person—the lessons you learnt from it, and
whatever you may have to let go.
ii. Natural superfood diet: Stress can change the pH balance of
the body with all the unwanted hormones floating around in the
body. Drinking coconut water twice daily can help balance your
pH level.
iii. Keep the gut light and clean: Eating light can take the load off
the digestive system so that your mind can focus better on
releasing stress and you can follow your gut feelings
uninterruptedly.
iv. Activate your Prana: Prana is the universal energy which flows
in and around the body. Practise yoga and pranayama to release
stress from your fatigued cells in the mornings while absorbing
sunlight.
v. Exercise every morning in fasting state: Fasting is the best
way to heal faster. Brisk walking, dancing, boxing—any workout
that raises your heart rate and releases stress hormones from
muscle tension simultaneously is good for your overall health.
vi. Use nature as your therapist: Walking barefoot on grass, talking
to trees and flowers, and expressing your pain or joy are great
ways to let go of all that is weighing you down. A beach vacation
and a dip in the ocean to cleanse away the negativity also does
wonders.
vii. Bring back the golden days: Be a child again and try to go back
to those carefree days. Look at old pictures and resolve
 misgivings and misunderstandings with your siblings, friends and
even parents.
viii. Community with an attitude: Befriend those with a ‘front mirror’
view of life to build a community of like-minded people who can
propel you in your endeavours.
ix. Doodling, making art and allowing creativity to flow:
Listening to your favourite playlist, writing a poem or doodling are
simple yet effective tools to release stored up stress. Try creating
something new or painting a wall of your house. Creativity is so
underused and underrated!
x. Energy exchange: Give back joyfully in any form to the
community.
18
 MODERN SCIENCE MEETS
TRADITION

In Ayurveda, a sister science of yoga, nutrition is an important key to

health. We are all aware that a rich and varied diet promotes diverse
and balanced microbiome in your GI tract. The foundation of Ayurveda
is based on one’s constitution or doshas—vata (wind), pitta (bile) and
kapha (mucus). Most humans are a mixture of these three dosha
characteristics. According to Ayurveda, these three doshas are
responsible for the functioning of the human organism. When these
three reside undisturbed in the specific organs and tissues, our bodies
are balanced and supported by them. When they are disturbed by
outer and inner influences, they cause sickness, disease and
deterioration of the body.

THE THREE DOSHAS AND GUT CONNECTION

Wind, bile and mucus represent the aerial, fiery and liquid forms of life
energy, respectively. Each dosha has its important role to play in the
maintenance of the body.
i. Vata Dosha: Vata or wind, as the name itself suggests, represents
motion. It is swift, dry, light and cool. The wind is the primary
principle of movement in the body. Nothing is possible without it. It
transports everything it comes into contact with. It affects the
vascular, nervous, digestive and gastrointestinal systems. It flows
throughout the body, its main abode is the hip and the colon (think
bloating and gas here).
ii. Pitta Dosha: Bile represents the elements fire and water. Acidic
bile controls metabolism. Its function is to break down food and
extract the energy of the foods in the form of fluids to help
energize the entire body (think a leaky gut here).
iii. Kapha Dosha: Mucus is a mixture of water and earth elements. It
is present throughout the body and helps in lubrication. It is
 mainly found near the vascular system, and helps keep the body
clean and pure. Mucus distributes hormones from the endocrine
glands to the cells of the body and is supplied by the stomach
(think reproductive issues, PCOS, depression due to hormonal
imbalances from the gut).

AYURVEDA ON INDIA’S FOOD PLATTER

The traditional Indian diet is based on the ancient, scientific values of
Ayurveda, yoga and the gut (colon). A traditional Indian platter would
consist of rasa, the six fundamental tastes—sweet, sour, salty,
pungent, bitter and astringent. These rasas are incredibly important for
the essence of life affecting every aspect of our lives, from structural
and physiology, to the mind and consciousness. This platter has the
capability of taking care of symptoms of mild bloating and severe
gastrointestinal issues to cancer.
When 90 per cent of serotonin, which helps you remain happy, is
made in the gut, it is common sense that anyone who wishes to be
happy should focus on gut-happy foods. Since a diverse flora is
essential to reap maximum benefits from the gut, it is essential to eat
as much variety as possible. A garden will produce and look colourful
only if it has been planted with a variety of colourful and different
seeds. So, for bacterial diversity, eat colourful healing herbs.
Plants have medicinal healing properties. Everything from stalks and
leaves of fresh herbs to seeds and roots have different expressions.
Here are some important digestive herbs you should use in your
cooking to add colour and flavour to the dish and boost your gut health
and immunity. When these ingredients are eaten daily, vitamins and
minerals absorbed from these powerful superfoods will destroy
pathogens, help tighten gut permeability and boost immunity.
i. Turmeric: Turmeric is carminative; it helps relieve bloating, is
antimicrobial (kills the bad bacteria) and anti-inflammatory. It’s the
golden herb of our country and our ‘haldi ka doodh’ has become
very popular internationally as ‘golden milk’. If you are lactose
intolerant, you can have it with warm water or almond milk.
ii. Clarified butter: Pure ghee is India’s top secret to healing,
purification and disinfecting. And of course not to forget glowing
skin. It is alkaline, a probiotic and multiplies the good bacteria in
the gut.
iii. Coconut: Coconut water is the most sought-after superfluid
internationally. Coconut oil usage has been widely prevalent in
Ayurveda, from oil pulling, drinking the oil to hair massages.
iv. Cinnamon: Regarded as the ‘gift for kings’, this spice has
multiple benefits. It is a good source of vitamin K and iron. It helps
reduce blood sugar and kills the ulcer-causing Helicobacter pylori.
Cinnamon water infusions help reduce inflammation, is antifungal
and antibacterial.
v. Ginger: Ginger has curative properties and a calming effect on the
digestive system. Rich in vitamin B3 and B6, iron, potassium,
vitamin C, zinc and folate, if chewed on during long drives or when
at sea, it helps relieve nausea. It also helps control infections and
excess mucus formation in the body. Ginger pickle is a great
probiotic and makes any boring meal finger-licking good.
vi. Garlic: Garlic is a prebiotic with a pungent smell. It has the gut-
supporting nutrient, inulin and other compounds that support
cardio-vascular health. It has many minerals and vitamins such as
manganese, vitamin C and B vitamins such as (B6) selenium.
vii. Fennel: Fennel helps in digestion and is very popular as an after-
meal mouth freshener. Fennel tea helps make the body alkaline
by calming the acids in the tummy. Rich in vitamin C,
magnesium, potassium and iron, fennel seeds may help
suppress appetite. It also has anethole—one of the main active
compounds with cancer-fighting properties.

YOGA
‘Namaste!’ The gesture namaste represents the belief that there is a
divine spark within each of us in the heart chakra connecting at the
third eye (between the eyebrows), acknowledging the soul in you and
the soul in me. So, folding your hands in namaste near your heart and
bowing your head are powerful ways to surrender all ego and pride.
 Yoga is a holistic healing science based on the belief that health and
wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind and body.
Yoga asanas balance hormones, and emotional, mental and physical
stress.
Yoga has many benefits along with gut wellness and core
strengthening. Here are a couple:
 
1. Clear bowels: Yoga has numerous benefits and one of them is
clear and regular bowel movements. People try multiple things for
clear bowels when the solution lies in doing yoga.
2. Yoga butts and bodies: Yoga gurus have always sported lean,
chiselled bodies. When B.K.S. Iyengar gained popularity as a
yoga master and introduced books and classes to promote yoga
as a therapy for all, that’s when it got to the West, where yoga was
glamourized and some forms gained immense popularity such as
Hot, Power and Aerial Yoga. Yoga butts are very popular and
aesthetically they look great. Even if you do yoga for that sole
purpose, it’s all right, as long as you practise yoga.

Yoga is a philosophy aimed at the mystical union of the mind, body

and soul through concentration, meditation, breathing and postures.
Regular yoga practise can consistently open up not only your hip
joints but also deep-rooted traumas. Let yoga be that pillar that
strengthens your core and allows it to release built-up stress.
 Here are seven yoga poses for dashboard abs and a strong gut and
butt:
Virabhadrasana or Warrior pose: Virabhadrasana or Warrior Pose
is a group of related lunging standing asanas in modern yoga.
Utthita Trikonasana: The Extended Triangle Pose that helps
balance the mind, body and gut, elongates obliques and shapes the
butt by lifting it against gravity and allows more space for breathing in
and out of the digestive system.
Pawanmuktasana: It is a wind-relieving pose that shapes and tones
butt muscles, making them round and firm.
Ustrasana: The Camel Pose stretches the stomach and intestines,
allowing the movement of toxins out of the colon. It also opens up the
throat for your thyroid gland to activate. Let out a sigh of relief, and
enjoy the abdominal region getting elongated. Squeeze and release
the butt whilst going backwards and forward. It helps contract the
muscles around the hip region as well, making your booty curvy.
Malasana or yogic squat lifts: Yoga squats, hip opener pose or
Malasana can help fire up the glutes and lift your butt. This asana also
helps with your bowel movements.
Salabhasana: In this asana or locust pose, the activation and
engagement of the glutes are essential for lifting your thighs off the
ground and pressing down your stomach. It is a great asana for both
the gut and the butt.
Surya Namaskar: There could be nothing better for your butt than
rounds of surya namaskars or sun salutations.
19
 PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS: THE
GAME CHANGERS

The intrinsic link between humans and the earth is like that between a
mother and her child. Mother Earth loves all her children
unconditionally, and the children reciprocate by embracing it and
thriving in it. Humans derive their nourishment from water, sun, air,
soil, wood and fire.
From ancient times, we have been blessed by nature’s treasure
trove—fresh and abundant natural food, which helps humans grow
and flourish. Instead of loving it back, we have misused and
disrespected it, and polluted the garden of love. And here we are
today, trying to hold her hand once again for our own survival.
As much as the earth’s soil biodiversity has declined, so has the
diversity of the microbiota residing in our intestines. Here is how
humans have damaged our planet’s biodiversity:

i. The emission of greenhouse gases by individuals, organizations

and communities that leave a carbon footprint.
ii. Plastic pollution caused by chlorinated plastic that releases
harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil.
iii. Plastic toxins entering the oceanic food chain, consumed by fish
and sea mammals.
iv. Water wastage and contamination.
v. Medication toxicity resulting from prescription medication (when
medicine makes you sick), pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals
and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Destructive modern techniques have not only contributed to climate
change and global warming but have also led us to poorer health and
harmed the soil diversity in a huge, irreversible way. Modern habits do
little to support gut health. The earth–child connection is destroyed. We
do not eat what Mother Earth bestows, we chose instead food
depleted of nutrition and assaulted with chemical fertilizers and
pesticides. It’s time we adopt a perspective that encompasses both
humans and soil microbiome as superorganisms which rely on each
other to survive and thrive.

PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS

Prebiotics and probiotics are both immensely important subjects in the
world of nutrition these days and thankfully so as they are more than
capable of preventing and reversing many illnesses. Although they
sound similar, prebiotics and probiotics play different yet
complementary roles for your gut health.
Prebiotics are living organisms and substances that come from
types of carbohydrates (mostly fibres) that humans can’t digest. They
are food for the bacteria in the gut. The good bacteria in your gut rely
and feed on this fibre and multiply. They help fight bacteria such as
Salmonella and E-coli. Probiotics, on the other hand, are living
organisms that benefit the host. For example, when milk fermented
with lactic acid bacteria multiplies the beneficial bacteria in it and
improves health. These bacteria are found in certain foods or
supplements.
Your body’s inner galaxy is as beautiful as the Milky Way—vast and
mystic. The good bacteria help fight dangerous infection-causing
bacteria. They also play a huge role in balancing hormones,
strengthening your immune system, improving brain function and
suppressing out-of-control inflammation.
Prebiotics: The Good Bacteria
Prebiotics are types of dietary fibre that feed the friendly bacteria in
your gut. This type of fibre helps the microbiome to produce nutrients
for your colon cells and leads to a healthier digestive system. Some of
these nutrients include short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate,
acetate and propionate, which help metabolic health.
Here are a few yummy yet healthy ways to get prebiotics into your
system:
i. Garlic: It is a herb that converts any boring food into an interesting
meal. Garlic acts as a prebiotic by promoting the growth of
beneficial Bifidobacteria in the gut. It also prevents disease-
promoting bacteria from growing.
ii. Raw chicory root: High in inulin, it is a prebiotic fibre that aids in
digestion and alleviates constipation.
iii. Leeks: Leeks belong to the same family as onions and garlic and
offer similar health benefits. It has up to 16 per cent inulin fibre,
promoting gut bacteria and helps break down fat.
iv. Bananas: They are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Resistant
starch in green, unripe bananas is high in prebiotics.
v. Oats: Rich in prebiotic benefits, oats are a very healthy grain. They
are rich in resistant starch and beta-glucan fibre that lower LDL
cholesterol, aid sugar control and reduce the risk of cancer.
vi. Apple: Pectin accounts for 50 per cent of an apple’s total fibre,
which increases butyrate and helps decrease bad bacteria. They
also have anti-inflammatory properties and help in digestion.
vii. Flaxseed: One of the best sources of prebiotics, it contains
soluble fibre from mucilage gums and insoluble fibre from
cellulose and lignin.
viii. Onions: Onions strengthen gut flora, help in fat breakdown and
boosts immune system. Onions have antibiotic properties and is
heart healthy.
ix. Psyllium: It is a prebiotic needed for healthy colonies of probiotics
to grow. It softens your stool and helps relieve constipation.
x. Dandelion greens: They are a great source of fibre and acts as
salad filler. Inulin in dandelions reduces constipation and boosts
the immune system.
xi. Chickpea: Chickpea is high in fibre, and rich in iron and B
vitamins. It can be used in salads, patties or as hummus.
xii. Lentils: Lentils, whether pink or red, help stimulate the beneficial
bacteria and aid in digestion.
xiii. Asparagus: A great source of prebiotics, asparagus soups or a
stir fry is a great way to get some asparagus in your diet.
xiv. Herbs: Beyond food, herbs contain prebiotics used in their
powder form. Some herbs are burdock and dandelion root and the
famous triphala.
Probiotics: The Good Bacteria
The term ‘probiotic’ comes from the Latin word ‘pro’, which means ‘for’
and the Greek word ‘biotic’, meaning ‘life’. They help create an
environment in the gut where good bacteria flourish and bad bacteria
are suppressed.
The two types of probiotics are:
i. Lactobacilli: These bacteria help produce lactase, the enzyme
needed to break down lactose—the sugar in milk. They also
ferment carbohydrates in the gut, which produces lactic acid.
Lactic acid is important as it helps create an acidic environment in
the digestive tract and blocks many harmful microorganisms. It
also increases the absorption of minerals, such as calcium,
copper, magnesium and iron.
ii. Bifidobacteria: This type of bacteria lies within the mucus lining of
the large intestine and the vaginal tract. Its main job is to stop
disease-causing bacteria and yeast. Besides working to control
the acidity or alkalinity (pH) level, which protects against bad
bacteria, it also increases the absorption of iron, calcium,
magnesium and zinc.
Probiotics have benefits beyond the gut and help treat and prevent
many common ailments such as allergies, arthritis, gastrointestinal
issues, acidity, blood pressure, cancer, anxiety, depression and more.
Probiotics, the good bacteria, are easy to get into your body naturally
and in severe cases, by using a supplement, which can really multiply
the numbers and boost your immunity and gut health.
Here are the benefits of consuming probiotics:
i. It prevents heart disease by reducing inflammation.
ii. It lowers cholesterol.
iii. It helps in weight loss, as it slows down the absorption of dietary
fats.
iv. It helps in satiety by increasing the release of the appetite-
reducing hormone Glucagon-like peptide-1.
v. It helps balance blood sugar levels.
vi. It balances hormones.
vii. It aids in digestion.
viii. It helps boost immunity.
iv. It lowers blood pressure.
x. It enhances learning and memory.
xi. It prevents allergies and eczema.
xii. It helps improve oral hygiene.
xiii. It boosts your moods.
xiv. It helps for a better sex drive.
xv. It cures urinary tract infection.
There are many ways in which you can introduce probiotics into your
system. Let us look at 15 of these:
i. Yogurt: It is considered the MVP of probiotics because it has a
flavor and texture that most people enjoy, and it can be used in
most cuisines. The number of colony forming units (CFUs) depend
on the brand of the yogurt. Check the labels for live and active
cultures. Also, look for yogurt made from organic milk. The popular
cucumber raita of India and tahini of the Middle East are easy to
make, delicious and rich in probiotics, proteins and good fats. Use
it as the base of a sauce, salad dressing, marinades or as
buttermilk. Lactose-free yogurts and coconut yogurts are also
available these days.
ii. Kefir: This yogurt-like probiotic-rich drink is now well recognized in
the health industry. It is made from kefir grains and offers up to
five billion CFU in a single serving. Vegans benefit from this drink,
as it can be made from non-milk liquids such as coconut kefir, rice
milk kefir and coconut kefir. It is a huge hit when had with added
fruit and vegetable flavours and a dash of cinnamon, vanilla and
active charcoal.
iii. Green vegetable juice: Do you like drinking a vegetable juice
daily? Make your juice with celery and spirulina along with your
other greens. Open a capsule and toss it into the probiotics of the
ready juice. There are billions of CFUs in one glass.
iv. Overnight cooked rice: Rice lovers, we have some good news
for you. Cooked rice kept overnight harbors trillions of the
beneficial bacteria that help quicker digestion. This recipe also
helps in anti-ageing, improves bone density and releases
muscular pains.
v. Pickles: Home-made traditional pickles contain high amounts of
probiotics and can be used in almost everything—from
sandwiches and wraps to a side for your regular Indian meal. Just
make sure they are brined in water and salt instead of vinegar,
which prevent the bad bacteria from growing. Reading the
nutritional label is key.
vi. Beet root: Fermenting beets counteracts its natural sugar and
makes it a probiotic powerhouse along with its iron, folate and
vitamin A and C benefits.
vii. Sourdough bread: This kind of bread is high in good bacteria as
it is baked with naturally fermented flour. Make sure your baker is
not adding artificial yeast to ferment the bread.
viii. Cheese: Aged cheese contains probiotics. Gouda, cheddar and
Gruyère are good examples of cheeses to be eaten in smaller
portions.
ix. Kanji: Kanji, or Indian kombucha, is a salty-and-sour Indian drink
that helps in digestion and is rich in good bacteria. It is made from
carrots or mustard seeds, fine sea salt and filtered water. It is
easy to make Kanji at home and is great for gut health.
x. Overnight probiotic lemonade: This is an all-time favourite with
children. Make fresh lemonade with lemons, sugar and a few
grains of kefir and set it aside for one night and two days. It is a
healthy treat.
xi. Apple cider drink: Naturally fermented raw unpasteurized cider
vinegar has multiple benefits. I love adding a cap full of cider to a
fizzy apple juice with some sprinkled cardamom or cinnamon.
xii. Supplements: Additional to the natural probiotics, investing in
capsules is a good idea to see quick recovery and results.
Important things to look for when purchasing a probiotic, #1
multiple strains, #2 balanced formula, #3 potency, CFU, #4
allergen-free.
xiii. Miso: A staple in Asian cultures, miso soup is made from soya
beans fermented with brown rice. It is great for beneficial bacteria
and can be used as a salad dressing, too.
xiv. Kombucha: It is a delicious fermented tea and the best
replacement for sugary sodas, which are poison for your bacteria.
It is great to serve at parties as well.
xv. Sauerkraut: It is a pickled cabbage made at home which
contains diverse strains of gut-healthy bacteria. It is a condiment
you can add to burgers and salads. Everything tastes better with
sauerkraut!
Thus, your gut flora needs a diverse garden to flourish! Eating a variety
of greens, and a colourful variety of fruits and vegetables creates a
favourable habitat for your microbiome.
20
 THE SEVEN-DAY GUT REBOOT DIET

The four Rs: Reduce, Redesign, Recharge and Repair

Reduce junk, reduce inflammation
Redesign your gut microbiome with gut-soothing enzymes, pre-
probiotics
Recharge your gut with plant-based foods
Repair your gut with good fats

YOUR SEVEN-DAY GUT DIET PLAN

Day 1
7 a.m.: 1 glass of water + 1 tsp of cold compressed flaxseed oil
7.30 a.m.: Yoga asanas as mentioned in Chapter 18. Have a tender
coconut after yoga
9 a.m. (breakfast): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee + 1 banana + 2 tbsp of overnight mashed rice +
1tsp of mixed seeds + 1 tsp of pure psyllium husk with plain water + 1
tablet of glutathione 500 mg (helps rebuild the gut lining faster)
Only water till…
12.30 p.m. (lunch): Salad plate: ¼ boiled sweet potato + ¼ boiled
beet root + ½ cucumber + ½ tomato (with salt + pepper + lemon) + 1
jowar phulka (chapati) or quinoa wrap with French beans, other
vegetable sautéed in olive oil + small bowl of yogurt + 1 capsule of
probiotic with water (30 million–100 million)
Only water till…
4.30 p.m. (snack): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee in almond milk or cow’s milk with rice crackers
and a hummus dip + sour home-made pickles (carrot or lemon)
Only water till….
7 p.m. (dinner): Medium-sized bowl of soup + medium bowl of light
vegetable khichdi with lentils + 2 triphala tablets (after dinner)
 Only water till the next morning (7.30 a.m.)
Switch off your phone by 9 p.m.
10 p.m.: Meditation, chakra healing or gratitude practise before
sleeping. Rest well.
Day 2
7 a.m.: 1 glass of water + ¼ tsp of cold compressed flaxseed oil
7.30 a.m.: Yoga asanas as mentioned in Chapter 18. Have a tender
coconut after yoga
9 a.m. (breakfast): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee + 1 banana + 1 tsp of mixed seeds + 1 medium-
size green lentil chilla (pancake) + 1 tsp of pure psyllium husk with
plain water + 1 tablet of glutathione 500 mg
Only water till…
12.30 p.m. (lunch): Salad plate: ¼ boiled sweet potato + ¼ boiled
beet root + ½ cucumber + ½ tomato (with salt + pepper + lemon) + 1
jowar phulka or quinoa wrap with sautéed vegetables in olive oil +
small bowl of yogurt + 1 capsule of probiotic with water.
Only water till…
4.30 p.m. (snack): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee in almond milk or cow’s milk with rice crackers,
savoury salad topping (Indian sev puri) + 1 or 2 tbsp of sour
pickles/sauerkraut.
Only water till…
7 p.m. (dinner): Medium-sized soup bowl + medium burrito bowl + 1
tbsp psyllium husk with water
Only water till the next morning (7.30 a.m.)
Switch off your phone by 9 p.m.
10 p.m.: Meditation, chakra healing or gratitude practise before
sleeping. Rest well.
Day 3
7 a.m.: 1 glass of water + ¼ tsp of cold compressed flaxseed oil
7.30 a.m.: Yoga asanas as mentioned in Chapter 18. Have a tender
coconut after yoga
9 a.m. (breakfast): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee + overnight oats chia pudding in almond milk,
top it with 1 banana and berries + 1 tsp of mixed seeds + 1 tsp of pure
psyllium husk with plain water + 1 tablet of glutathione 500 mg
Only water till…
12.30 p.m. (lunch): Salad plate: ¼ boiled sweet potato + ¼ boiled
beet root + ½ cucumber + ½ tomato (with salt + pepper + lemon) + 1
buckwheat wrap with sautéed cabbage vegetable + 1 medium mixed
lentil daal in olive oil + small bowl of cucumber yogurt/raita + 1 capsule
of probiotic with water
Only water till…
4.30 p.m. (snack): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee in almond milk or cow’s milk or kefir or
kombucha drink + boiled sprouts chaat (mixed sprouts)
Only water till…
7.30 p.m. (dinner): Medium-size soup bowl + 7-inch jowar pizza + 2
triphala tablets (after dinner)
Only water till the next morning (7.30 a.m.)
Switch off your phone by 9 p.m.
10 p.m.: Meditation or chakra healing on YouTube or gratitude
practise before sleeping. Rest well.
Day 4
7 a.m.: 1 glass of water + ¼ tsp of cold compressed flaxseed oil
7.30 a.m.: Yoga asanas as mentioned in Chapter 18. Have a tender
coconut after yoga pranayama
9 a.m. (breakfast): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee + 1 medium vegetable uthappam and an apple
with berries + 1 tsp of mixed seeds + 1 tsp of pure psyllium husk with
plain water + 1 tablet of glutathione 500 mg
Only water till…
12.30 p.m. (lunch): Salad plate: ¼ boiled sweet potato + ¼ boiled
beet root + ½ cucumber + ½ tomato (with salt + pepper + lemon) + 1
buckwheat wrap with sautéed mixed vegetables + 1 medium mixed
lentil daal in olive oil + small bowl of cucumber yogurt raita + 1 capsule
of probiotic with water
Only water till…
4.30 p.m. (snack): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee in almond milk or cow’s milk or kefir or
kombucha drink + vegetable sticks in pesto dip + 1 capsule of
probiotic with water
Only water till….
7.30 p.m. (dinner): Medium-sized soup bowl + a 7-inch quesadilla + 2
triphala tablets (after dinner)
Only water till the next morning (7.30 a.m.)
Switch off your phone by 9 p.m.
10 p.m.: Meditation or chakra healing on YouTube or gratitude
practise before sleeping. Rest well.
Day 5
7 a.m.: 1 glass of water + ¼ tsp of cold compressed flaxseed oil
7.30 a.m.: Yoga asanas as mentioned in Chapter 18. Have a tender
coconut after yoga
9 a.m.
(breakfast): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee + 1 apple + 1 small banana + 1 tsp of mixed
seeds + 1 tsp of pure psyllium husk with plain water + 1 tablet of
glutathione 500 mg
Only water till…
12.30 p.m. (lunch): Salad plate: ¼ boiled sweet potato + ¼ boiled
beet root + ½ cucumber + ½ tomato (with salt + pepper + lemon) + 1
medium bowl of rice + daal + vegetables + small bowl yogurt or butter
milk + 1 capsule of probiotic with water.
Only water till….
4.30 p.m. (snack): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee in almond milk or cow’s milk or kefir or
kombucha drink + rice crackers + ½ avocado guacamole dip (small) +
1 capsule of probiotic with water
Only water till….
7.30 p.m. (dinner): Medium-sized soup bowl + rice Hakka noodles
with vegetables + 2 triphala tablets (after dinner)
Only water till the next morning (7.30 a.m.).
(You can extend the time by starting with coconut oil at 9 a.m.
breakfast time.)
Switch off your phone by 9 p.m.
10 p.m.: Meditation or chakra healing on YouTube or gratitude
practise before sleeping. Rest well.
Day 6
7 a.m.: 1 glass of water + ¼ tsp of cold compressed flaxseed oil
7.30 a.m.: Yoga asanas as mentioned in Chapter 18. Have a tender
coconut after yoga
9 a.m. (breakfast): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee + medium bowl of poha (flattened rice) with
vegetables + ½ apple + 1 tsp of mixed seeds + 1 tsp of pure psyllium
husk with plain water + 1 tablet of glutathione 500 mg
Only water till…
12.30 p.m. (lunch): Salad plate: ¼ boiled sweet potato + ¼ boiled
beet root + ½ cucumber + ½ tomato (with salt + pepper + lemon) + 1
buckwheat roti with potato + okra vegetable + small bowl yogurt or
butter milk + 1 capsule of probiotic with water
Only water till…
4.30 p.m. (lunch): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee in almond milk or cow’s milk or kefir or
kombucha drink + sprouts salad + pickles + 1 capsule of probiotic with
water
Only water till…
7.30 p.m. (dinner): Medium-sized soup bowl + garlic fried vegetable
rice + 2 triphala tablets (after dinner)
Only water till the next morning (7.30 a.m.)
Switch off your phone by 9 p.m.
10 p.m.: Meditation or chakra healing on YouTube or gratitude
practise before sleeping. Rest well.
Day 7
7 a.m.: 1 glass of water + ¼ tsp of cold compressed flaxseed oil
7.30 a.m.: Yoga asanas as mentioned in Chapter 18. Have a tender
coconut after yoga
9 a.m.
(breakfast): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee + fruit bowl (any 2 fruits) + 1 tsp of mixed seeds
+ 1 tsp of pure psyllium husk with plain water + 1 tablet of glutathione
500 mg
Only water till…
12.30 p.m. (lunch): Salad plate: ¼ boiled sweet potato + ¼ boiled
beet root + ½ cucumber + ½ tomato (with salt + pepper + lemon) + 1
jowar roti hummus falafel vegetable wrap + small bowl yogurt or butter
milk + 1 capsule of probiotic with water
Only water till…
4.30 p.m. (snack): Fresh vegetable juice shot + drink herbal
tea/masala tea/coffee in almond milk or cow’s milk or kefir or
kombucha drink + sprouts salad + pickles + 1 capsule of probiotic with
water
Only water till….
7.30 p.m. (dinner): Medium-sized soup bowl + vegetable khichdi + 1
tbsp of pure psyllium husk with plain water
Only water till the next morning (7.30 a.m.)
Switch off your phone by 9 p.m.
10 p.m.: Meditation or chakra healing on YouTube or gratitude
practise before sleeping. Rest well.
21
 50 CHEAT CODES
 

1. Your ‘six best doctors’ are freely available: sunshine, air, water,
nutrition, sleep and exercise.
2. Stack up ‘wins’ by listening to your ‘gut feelings’.
3. Eat slow-releasing carbs such as millet flour.
4. Whatever you are thinking about multiplies in your life. So, think
positive.
5. A daily probiotic supplement can help restore equilibrium in your
gut and strengthen your immunity. It must have the two bacteria
lactobacillus and bifidobacterium and a few other strains are
welcome too.
6. There is no fad diet that will ever be able to do what eating right
can do, ditch the fad diet today!
7. Pin up the ‘body’ picture you would like to achieve for yourself on
your bathroom mirror, at eye level. Your subconscious will help
manifest the goal.
8. Install new software into your brain every morning! It’s called
‘reading’; read good books on health, inspiration and self-care.
9. For pain-free, cheap and cheerful plump lips and skin, eat three
plant-based sources of vitamin E daily: kiwi, pumpkin seeds and
olives.
10. For vegans, some excellent sources of calcium are bananas,
kidney beans, almonds, tofu, sesame seeds, broccoli, turnips,
okra and white beans.
11. Add chia seeds to everything—shakes, salads, water and yogurt
—for an added protein, fat and fibre boost.
12. Indian kids have been winning the ‘spelling bee’ for the last 14
years! Eat the Indian superfoods—turmeric and coconut—to
boost your cognitive fitness.
13. Keep clean foods close to you, nibble when you feel you are
getting ‘hangry’ (angry when hungry). These can be nuts, seeds,
fruits, yogurt, water, rice crackers and chana (horse gram).
14. Raise your natural ‘DOSE’ by delivering more for people than you
promise. Let karma always be in your favour!
15. Walk away from anything or anyone who takes away from your
joy. Your time is far too precious to put up with negative energy.
16. For better chemistry, hygiene is most important, so release toxins
in a Zumba session and get those hormones flowing.
17. Use your creativity and resources to build an awesome life on a
vision board. Do visualization as a family activity.
18. Forgive instantly, make it a second nature, because you deserve
peace.
19. Sleep, unplug your mind, body and soul. Most importantly, follow
your circadian rhythm.
20. Take your beetroot, celery and wheatgrass shots daily and be
productive and focused.
21. Have coconut water, ginger, spinach, fruits and slow-releasing
carbohydrates daily, dream about your goals at night, and allow
superfoods and fluids help you achieve them in the day.
22. Be romantic, passionate, sexy and have regular safe sex with your
partner.
23. MCT or medium chain triglycerides from virgin cold-pressed
coconut oil can help heal your inflamed gut lining at jet speed.
24. Old ways don’t open new doors. Get out of your comfort zone and
do something different.
25. The best way to keep depression away is to do 10 Surya
Namaskars, facing the sun, as soon as you wake up.
26. Talk to your friends about your issues and if you can’t, seek
counselling.
27. Stop Eating CRAP (C – Carbonated drinks. R – Refined sugars. A
– Artificial foods. P – Processed foods).
28. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the
wrong company. To go from good to best at leopard speed, be
with people smarter than you.
29. Do you drive to the gym to walk on a treadmill? Stop wasting your
time and money.
30. Use this DIY coconut scrub for brighter skin! Ingredients: 2 cups
coconut oil, 1 cup Epsom salts, five–seven drops of fresh rose
 water. Scrub on your face and neck for two–three minutes and
wash off.
31. Your stomach lining can be healed in just two days if you don’t eat
chilli, fried foods or sugar.
32. It is okay to feel low, anxious and depressed. Go for a walk, talk to
a friend or get professional help.
33. Don’t just eat less, eat frequently and eat home-cooked meals.
Cook with non-toxic material such as cast iron and stainless
steel/metal and in ceramic utensils.
34. Bioactive compounds such as beta-carotene in chilli peppers (red,
yellow and green) boost your immunity. Use them in your daily
foods as weapons against bad bacteria.
35. Your primary and secondary foods should be balanced. Choose
well!
36. Eighty per cent of your immune system is in your digestive
system; think of the gut as your ‘wall’ and eat anti-inflammatory
super herbs such as ginger, curcumin and spirulina daily.
37. Boost your energy daily, recharge your body’s energy house,
mitochondria, in your cells with pranayama every morning.
38. If your brain has too many tabs open in the form of to-do lists, you
will need a recharge every three to four hours. Instead of sugary
sodas, opt for fruit smoothie shots or plain flavoured yogurts to
complete the list.
39. Did you know that your gut is as heavy as your brain? One more
reason to listen to your gut feelings.
40. Keep those bugs multiplying with a rainbow variety of natural
foods; they determine your health—physical, emotional and
mental.
41. Feeling tense? Divert your attention to making a bowl of
indulgence. In a small bowl, arrange some roasted pumpkin,
beetroot, baby spinach, onions, thyme, extra virgin olive oil, salt
and pepper and drizzle mint and yogurt chutney.
42. To reduce bloating and overall body fat in just a week, reduce the
amount of animal fat in your diet.
43. Drink plenty of detox water!
44. ‘The most important decision we make is whether we believe we
live in a friendly or hostile universe.’—Albert Einstein.
45. Meditation is a free tool. Make use of it.
46. While bathing, use an active charcoal scrub to remove dead skin
and activate your lymphatic nodes, which is your body’s drainage
system.
47. It’s okay to fail. It’s okay to cry.
48. We were the great apes! Mirroring is a way to learn the smartest
and the fastest.
49. Be desperate to get healthy, the world will feel like a better place
to live in.
50. Save planet earth. Minimize the use of plastic, paper and water.
Carry your own recycled cloth bags, steel water bottles, glass jars
and containers to refill your supplies.
22
 HEALTHY RECIPES TO LOVE

Here are some gut-friendly recipes that you can include in your diet:

GREEK SALAD (FALAFEL + TAHINI)

Ingredients for the salad
1 cucumber
10 cherry tomatoes
½ capsicum (red/yellow/green)
1 small iceberg lettuce
1 carrot
1 onion
50 gm feta cheese
½ cup olives
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Ingredients for the tahini

½ cup yogurt
1 tsp white seeds
1 green chilli
1 tsp olive oil
Salt
(Blend all the ingredients into a smooth paste.)
Method
Chop all the veggies into small pieces, add tahini, small pieces of
green chillies, olive oil and salt. Mix everything well.

CLASSIC HUMMUS
Ingredients
1 cup dry chickpeas/garbanzo beans
½ tsp baking soda
½ lemon’s juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt as per taste
2 tbsp tahini paste (ready-made or home-made with crushed sesame
seeds)
2 cloves of chopped garlic
½ tsp seeds (flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin or watermelon)
Method
 
1. Soak 1 cup of chickpeas overnight in double the amount of water.
2. Put it in a pressure cooker for about three–four whistles with a
pinch of baking soda or in a large pot with water to boil for about
an hour.
3. Drain the water and add all the ingredients except seeds and oil.
4. Add a few spoons of ice water to make the hummus even
smoother.
5. Process all the ingredients in a blender on high speed for four to
five minutes until smooth.
6. Serve in a bowl and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Garnish with sesame
seeds.

SPROUTS SEV PURI

Ingredients
1 long taro root (steamed arvi)
½ cup steamed sprouts
Sev (crunchy noodles made from chickpea flour paste)
Green chutney
Sweet chutney
Coriander leaves
Chaat masala
Method
 
1. Chop steamed arvi in round shapes.
2. Arrange the steamed arvi on a plate.
3. Toss in some steamed sprouts over it.
4. Top it up with the green chutney and sweet chutney.
5. Sprinkle sev, coriander leaves and chaat masala.

BURRITO BOWL
Ingredients
(For the rajma)
1 cup boiled rajma/kidney beans
1 cup chopped tomato
½ cup finely chopped spring onion
½ finely chopped mushroom
1 finely chopped green chilli
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
(For the Guacamole)
1 avocado
½ finely chopped tomato
½ finely chopped onion
Coriander
½ tsp lemon juice
Salt
(For the salsa)
1 cup finely chopped tomato
½ cup finely chopped onion
⅓ cup finely chopped green capsicum
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 tsp dry red chilli flakes
Oregano
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
Salt as per taste
(For the sour cream)
1 cup fresh cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup hung yogurt
Salt to taste
Method
Rajma
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chilli flakes and sauté on a medium
flame for a few seconds.
2. Add the spring onion and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomato and mushroom, mix well and cook on a medium
flame for 2 minutes, while mashing them slightly with the back of
the spoon.
4. Add the cooked rajma, chilli powder, turmeric, oregano, salt and 1
tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes,
while stirring occasionally. Keep it aside.

Guacamole
Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well while mashing
it with a back of a spoon. Keep it aside.
Salsa
Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well. Keep it aside.
Sour cream
 
 1. Beat the cream until thick.
2. Add the lemon juice and hung yogurt and mix well.
3. Season with salt, mix well and serve.

GREEN MOONG DAAL VEGETABLES CHILLA/PANCAKE

Ingredients
1 cup green moong daal
½ cup spinach
½ cup methi/fenugreek
1 zucchini
2 inches dudhi
1 carrot
1 cup chopped cabbage
¼ cup coriander
2 green chillies
Salt as per taste
Method
 
1. Soak the green moong daal overnight.
2. Drain the water and grind the soaked moong daal with ginger,
garlic, onion, green chillies, coriander and all the vegetables and
salt into a smooth batter.
3. Heat a tawa or pan and grease it with olive oil.
4. Spread a ladle full of the batter to a thin disc.
5. Drizzle a little more oil on the sides of the chilla/pancake and cook
on medium heat till the underside is done. Eat with some
fermented chillies.

SUPER GREEN STIR FRY WRAP

Ingredients
1 thumb ginger
3 garlic cloves
1 cup bok choy/Chinese white cabbage
1 cup spinach
½ cup baby corn
1 carrot
½ cup mushroom
1 zucchini
Salt to taste
1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil

Method
 
1. Stir-fry the chopped ginger, garlic and soy sauce in olive oil.
2. Add the chopped bok choy, spinach, baby corn, carrot, mushroom
and zucchini.
3. Add salt to taste and green chilli paste for flavour.

HOME-MADE JOWAR PIZZA BASE

Ingredients
(For the pizza base)
1 cup jowar flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp dry yeast
½ tbsp baking powder
Salt
Butter
(For the pizza sauce)
8 red tomatoes
2 onions
1 green bell pepper
½ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup fresh oregano
1 tbsp dried oregano
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves
(For the topping)
Mushroom
Onion
Red and yellow capsicum
Olives
Grated cheese
Method
 
1. Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Gradually add water, mixing well to form a soft dough.
3. Turn the dough out on to a floured work surface and knead for
about five minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Pizza Sauce
 
1. Blend all the vegetables (everything else should be raw with
boiled tomatoes).
2. Mix some pizza seasonings such as oregano, chilli flakes, basil,
thyme, dried onion flakes, garlic powder, fennel, dried lemon zest
and ground black pepper.
3. Spread it on top of the pizza base.

Topping
 
1. Finely chop all the vegetables (mushroom, onion, red and yellow
capsicum and olives) and spread it on top along with the grated
cheese.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Then, let it bake for around 13–
15 minutes.

METABOLISM-ENHANCING HERBAL DRINK

Ingredients
50 gm coriander seeds
25 gm cumin seeds
25 gm fennel seeds
1 tsp ginger
Method
 
1. Boil two cups of water.
2. Mix cumin, coriander and fennel seeds and ginger.
3. Let it sit for five minutes and sip.

BEETROOT KETCHUP
Ingredients
2 cups cut and cooked beetroot
1 tomato chopped
¼ cup water
¼ cup vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar or jaggery
1 bay leaf
½ red onion chopped
A pinch of salt
A pinch of pepper
Method
 
1. Heat all the ingredients over a medium flame in a saucepan until
the liquid has thickened.
2. After letting it cool for a couple of minutes, blend the mixture till it
is super smooth, looking like ketchup. Enjoy your fries and home-
made ketchup over some chitchat.

OVERNIGHT RICE PORRIDGE

Ingredients
1 cup cooked rice
½ cup almond milk or coconut milk
Fruits and dry fruits for garnish (optional)
Method
 
1. Soak the cooked rice in almond milk or coconut milk overnight.
 2. Next morning, you could relish it with some added fruits of your
choice such as bananas, berries or apples. Garnish with some dry
fruits for that extra crunchiness.

JOWAR WRAPS, QUINOA WRAPS AND BUCKWHEAT WRAPS

Ingredients
50 gm jowar flour/quinoa flour/buckwheat flour
½ cup warm water for binding
A pinch of salt
½ tsp ghee or olive oil
Method
 
1. Take the flour of your choice (from the ones mentioned above) in
a glass bowl or a large plate.
2. Add salt and olive oil/ghee to it and pour the hot water, spoon by
spoon, to mix the ingredients into a smooth dough.
3. Make small balls of it (about three equal balls).
4. Take each one and roll it on a rolling board with a rolling pin.
5. Place the rolled out dough on a pan, turn it to the other side once it
is cooked well, making sure it doesn’t burn on either side. Add a
dash of oil or ghee to the sides of the wrap to prevent it from
sticking to the pan.

SAUTÉED FRENCH BEANS

Ingredients
150 gm French beans
1 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste
A pinch of turmeric
A pinch of coriander powder
½ tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of red chilli powder
A pinch of asafoetida
Method
 
1. Cut French beans into slant, 1-inch long pieces.
2. Add oil to the pan on medium flame.
3. Sprinkle the cumin seeds and asafoetida when the oil has heated.
4. Put in all the French beans and season with salt.
5. Let it sauté for about three to four minutes.
6. Add the remaining turmeric, coriander powder and chilli powder
and toss for a minute.
7. Turn off the flame and serve in a bowl or plate with some jowar
chapatti or quinoa chapatti.

VEGETABLE KHICHDI
Ingredients
30 gm rice grains (washed and soaked)
30 gm bottled gourd chopped into 1cm cubes
30 gm carrot chopped in cubes
30 gm chopped French beans
½ cup green peas
20 gm green lentil
20 gm yellow lentil
3 cups water
1 onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
½ tsp garlic minced
½ tsp ginger minced
Salt to taste
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ cup chopped coriander
½ tsp garam masala
Cumin seeds
Asafoetida
Method:
 
 1. Mix the rice grains, lentils, carrot, French beans and green peas
and put them in a container in a pressure cooker.
2. Let it cook until four whistles.
3. Turn off the flame and let it cool.
4. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan, and add cumin seeds and
asafoetida.
5. Add chopped onion, tomato, garlic and ginger to the oil and let it
sauté for three to four minutes, add the spices to the sautéed mix.
6. Open the cooker and add the cooked rice and lentil mix to the pan
with onions and tomato and mix well for three to four minutes.
7. Add salt to taste and garnish with coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with yogurt.

SAUTÉED VEGETABLES
Ingredients
½ cup broccoli (chopped)
½ cup carrot (diced)
½ cup red bell pepper (chopped)
½ cup yellow bell pepper (chopped)
½ cup zucchini (diced)
½ cup mushrooms (diced)
½ cup bok choy (chopped)
6/7 garlic cloves (minced)
½ cup basil (chopped)
Salt to taste
3 tsp olive oil
Chilli flakes
Oregano
Method
 
1. Heat the olive oil in a deep pan and sauté the garlic for a minute.
2. Add chopped basil and salt to taste.
3. Add all the vegetables and toss for two to three minutes till it looks
half cooked.
4. Sprinkle chilli flakes and oregano and toss again.
 5. Serve hot.

SEV PURI WITH SWEET POTATO BASE

Ingredients
Sweet chutney made of dates, tamarind and jaggery
Green coriander chutney
Garlic chutney
1 chopped onion
1 sweet potato boiled and chopped
Coriander for garnish
Salt to taste
Method
 
1. Boil the sweet potato in a vessel.
2. Let it cool and make thin round slices of the potato.
3. Place chopped onion and a drop of each chutney on every sweet
potato slice with chopped onion.
4. Sprinkle salt and garnish with fresh coriander.

OVERNIGHT CHIA PUDDING

Ingredients
½ cup chia seeds
Banana
Berries
Almond milk or coconut milk
Method
 
1. Soak the chia seeds in almond milk or coconut milk overnight.
2. Serve the next day with your choice of berries or sliced banana.

BOILED SPROUT SALAD

Ingredients
¼ cup boiled sprouted red chana (brown chickpeas)
¼ cup boiled sprouted moong bean
¼ cup finely chopped coconut
¼ cup chopped spring onion
1 green chilli chopped
¼ cup chopped coriander
½ lemon squeezed
Salt to taste
Method
 
1. Boil the sprouts either together or independently in a pressure
cooker or in an open container on medium flame for 10 minutes.
2. Strain and put aside to cool.
3. Once cooled down, add the coconut, green chillies, spring onions,
salt, coriander and lemon juice and toss it all together.
4. Your salad is ready to serve.

VEGETABLE UTHAPPAM
Ingredients
(For the batter)
½ cup white lentil
1½ cup rice
3 cups water
A pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
(For the topping)
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
1 chopped green capsicum
1 chopped green chilli
1 cup chopped coriander
Salt to sprinkle
Gunpowder to sprinkle (optional)
Method
(For the batter)
 
1. Soak the rice and white lentil together in a big vessel in three cups
of water.
2. Leave overnight to have enough fermentation.
3. Put the soaked rice and white lentil mix in a blender and blend to a
smooth batter.
4. Add a pinch of sugar and salt and leave aside for two hours to
ferment.
5. Take a non-stick flat pan and start making small pancakes (size of
your choice), add the toppings to it along with the gunpowder,
coriander and green chillies.
6. Add a little olive oil around the pancake and turn upside down till
its looks cooked.
7. Serve with coconut chutney and sambhar (optional).

HAKKA NOODLES
Ingredients
1 cup boiled Hakka noodles
Juliennes of ½ red bell pepper
Juliennes of ½ yellow bell pepper
Juliennes of ½ green bell pepper
Juliennes of 1 carrot
¼ cup French beans cut in a slant
1 tbsp pounded ginger
1 spring onion cut into long strips
1 tbsp pounded garlic
2 tbsp chilli paste or chilli sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
Salt to taste
Method
 
1. Take a deep pan and heat on medium flame.
2. Add sesame oil to it. Once it is heated, add garlic, ginger and
spring onion and toss for a minute.
 3. Add the rest of the vegetables and chilli sauce and toss it all
together along with the Hakka noodles.
4. Continue tossing for two minutes on medium flame and turn off the
gas. Your noodles are ready to be served.

POHA
Ingredients
½ cup poha
1 cup water
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
1 boiled potato finely diced
¼ cup boiled green peas
1 green chilli chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
5/6 curry leaves
½ tsp asafoetida
½ tsp lemon juice
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
Method
 
1. Soak the poha in water for about six to seven minutes.
2. Strain the water, and in your palms, take a part of the soaked
poha and squeeze gently and extract excess water out of the
poha.
3. Repeat the same method for the remaining poha and set aside.
4. In a deep pan on medium flame, add mustard seeds and then the
cumin seeds and asafoetida.
5. Add the onions, tomatoes, green chillies and curry leaves and
sauté for two minutes.
6. Add the boiled potatoes and green peas and sauté again.
 7. To the mix, then add the poha and all the spices, salt and lemon
juice.
8. Toss thoroughly for two to three minutes. Turn off the flame and
serve on a plate. Garnish with coriander.

PICKLES
Ingredients
3 carrots
10 green beans
1 cup ginger juliennes
2 radishes
2 beetroots
2 cucumbers
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp rai kuria (mustard seeds) (optional)
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pounded garlic
Method
 
1. Cut the vegetable of your choice into two-inch-long sticks.
2. Boil the vegetable if you need to for two minutes (in case of
carrots, radish and beetroot). After removing from the boiling
water, towel dry the veggie sticks and keep them under the sun
for an hour to remove excess water or dry at room temperature
overnight.
3. Mix all the spices, tamarind paste, oil, garlic and salt.
4. Marinate the vegetables with this paste and keep in a glass jar
with half its mouth open for one night.
5. Shake the jar with the lid closed and your favourite pickle is ready
to eat.

PESTO SAUCE
Ingredients
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons pine nuts
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
⅓ cup olive oil
Method
 
1. To make the pesto, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and
Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and
pepper to taste.
2. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until
emulsified; set aside.
3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

CELERY JUICE
Ingredients
1 small bunch celery
½ cup water or more if needed
½ cucumber
1 amla
⅞ mint leaves
Coriander
Salt to taste
Method
 
1. Roughly chop the celery, cucumber, coriander and amla and add
to your blender. Also add mint leaves with the water. Begin to
blend. If it's not blending, add a little more water.
2. Strain the celery juice and drink.

ONE POT VEGETABLE BROTH

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil/ghee/avocado or coconut oil (if avoiding oil, use water)
1 medium onion (with skins, finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (with skins, finely chopped)
3 medium carrots (with skins, finely chopped)
3 stalks celery (finely chopped)
1–2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
10–11 cups filtered water
1 cup chopped sturdy greens (broccoli, spinach, collards, etc.)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 small handful fresh thyme
1 small handful fresh rosemary
2 whole bay leaves
3–4 tbsp nutritional yeast (if you don’t have it, omit)
4–5 tbsp tomato paste
Method
 
1. Heat a large pot, add the oil or water, add the onions, garlic,
carrots, greens and celery along with the salt and pepper.
2. After the vegetables seem softer, add the herbs and allow it about
1 hour of simmering, till the flavours develop, and you have a rich,
flavourful broth ready.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
At the outset, I would like to thank Rupa Publications. I am honoured to
receive the title of ‘author’ writing about my favourite subject, gut
health.
I would also like to thank some very special people who have been
my strength and without whose indispensable support, this book would
not have become a reality.
My parents, for the sacrifices they have made for me and their
unshakeable faith in karma, fair practices, and fresh and home-cooked
food.
My sisters, Ritu and Gini, who balance and spark my left and right
brain.
My husband, Pratish, who has always supported me and my
entrepreneurial aspirations. My three gorgeous brats—Myshka,
Arjunraj, and Ginto, my golden retriever—who are my lifelines.
Myshka, for helping me with the topic of teenagers’ mental wellness.
Thanks to my GUTAVATAR team and my INUEN team, without
whom I wouldn't be able to function. I happily share my success with
you all.
All my friends who had to drag me out to have some fun and relax
and their genuine reassurances that everything will be fine.
All my clients, students and their families, who continue to send me
love, respect and experimented healthy foods, thank you.
Gratitude for my 24 Jain Tirthankaras, whose virtues I pray for and
who guide me to be humble, kind and generous every day.
Finally, thank you to all my readers for championing my cause, as
part of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be going to the Bal
Asha Fund, an orphanage and adoption centre for children, which has
been extremely close to my heart since the past 30 years.
 Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Introduction
Part I Gut and Your Weight Loss Connections
1. Getting Started on Your Gut Journey
2. Everything You (Did Not) Know About Your Gut
3. Meet the 100 Trillion Game Changers in Your Gut
4. You’ve Got the Magic in You!
5. You’ve ‘Gut’ a Second Brain
6. Gut Health and Fad Diets: At Loggerheads
7. Your Diet Failed, Not You
8. Bacterial Takeover
9. Leaky Gut and Brain: The Signs
10. Gut and Your Immunity
11. You’ve ‘Gut’ Connections!
12. Your Weight Loss Goals: The Secret Solution
Part II Access Your Gut Feelings, Intuitions and the Subconscious
Mind
13. Your Gut Feeling: Are You Listening?
14. The Gut and Your Subconscious Mind
15. Your Gut, Love and Karma: The Three Propellers of Health,
Passion and Courage
16. Causes of Chronic Health Problems
17. Decide: The Magic Word
18. Modern Science Meets Tradition
19. Prebiotics and Probiotics: The Game Changers
20. The Seven-Day Gut Reboot Diet
21. 50 Cheat Codes
22. Healthy Recipes to Love
Acknowledgements