Ruchi Phool

Honorable Prime Minister, Sri

The foundational tenets of Yoga are Ahimsa and Asteya: Non-violence and Non-Stealing (or respecting the property of others)

Yet, we see these tenets being flouted audaciously across the country. Recently the Kancha Gachibowli forest in Hyderabad was partially grazed to the ground rendering many deers, peacocks, as well as other species of birds and animals homeless, and causing them immense distress. Where will they go if further deforestation takes place in the area?

A property that belongs to the state or central government is essentially of the people of India, of all it's citizens, flora and fauna. How can we, as the people of the very country that promulgates Yoga and its allied values to the world, allow the forest that belongs to its residents - the animals - to be snatched away from them? The lives of the trees - great beings as our saints knew them - be taken away? This is a direct violation of Ahimsa and Asteya.

Hon'ble Prime Minister, Sir, the people of India humbly and prayerfully seek your intervention in the matter. Let us please kindly stop this destruction. We dream of an India that nurtures all its children equally, be it the animals, trees or people.

With deepest regards and folded hands 🙏
The people of India

As the old year fades with tender grace, 
New hopes emerge, a bright embrace. 
May your heart be light, your spirit free, 
In this new year, may joy be your decree.

May every step you take be blessed, 
With peace and love, and endless rest. 
May laughter bloom in every hour, 
And kindness grow, a blossoming flower.

Let dreams take flight on wings of gold, 
A future bright, with stories untold.
Happy New Year, with love and light, 
May it bring you peace, both day and night.

💛

𝟮𝟯 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 🥙

Do you believe that interesting food cannot be healthy? Or that enjoying food involves letting go of your health goals. Allow me to break these notions…

It is possible to eat all that you like and still maintain positive health! Here are some ways you can enjoy bonding over, relaxing with or having fun with food.

1. Eat slowly and chew well
Savour the taste, flavours and textures of your meal
2. Crowd out unhealthy options
Don’t cut foods out. Instead, crowd them out with healthier options.
3. Don’t order in, eat out
Avoid ordering home deliveries. Instead dress up, go out and enjoy the ambience of a café.
4. Don’t buy packaged, processed foods
Step 1 – Don’t get the unhealthy stuff into your home in the first place.
5. Keep a stock of healthy snacks
You’ll find a plethora of healthy snacking options online. Prep them once every week.
6. Follow the 80-20 rule
Eat home cooked, healthy options 80% of the time
7. Use a smaller plate
It might be time to invest in a new dinner set. Opt for a smaller plate size.
8. Portion control
Take smaller portions of carbs, fats, processed and animal-based foods
9. Exercise every day and move through the day
Ensure that your celebrations involve a lot of action. Plus, stick to your exercise routine, even if for 10 minutes in a day.
10. Take delight in cooking
Learn new recipes. Try your favourite cuisines. Or get creative. Pamper your taste buds.
11. Choose the healthier version of what you love
With so many new brands in the market, there is a healthy option for every food available in the market
12. Maintain a database
Of healthier cafes, restaurants, recipes, food options, as a ready reckoner
13. Maintain a food journal
Track all that you eat and drink, and note how it makes you feel
14. Meal prep
Plan your meals once every week. That way you’ll be mindful of what’s going in.
15. Time restricted eating
Try intermittent fasting and eat within fixed hours of the day
16. Have dinner early
Have your dinner at least 3 hours before your sleep time
17. Have a healthy breakfast
Usually, you won’t be socialising over breakfast. Choose nutrient dense options for breakfast
18. Sleep well
Try not to compromise on your sleep as far as possible
19. Don’t do distracted eating
Avoid watching the TV or checking your social media over food
20. Stay hydrated
Have 2-3 litres of plain or infused water every day
21. Weigh yourself twice a week
This can be the single most powerful motivation to stick to healthy habits
22. Choose the wiser side
Instead of bread or mash potatoes choose salad as your side dish.
23. A little bit of many, adds up to a lot
Avoid picking up snacks, foods in the middle of meals

Which ones amongst these have you tried, that worked for you? Share it so others can benefit too!

A couple of days back I had written about 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨. This post had a number of you ask me for recipes. Here they are. (𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸)

These are all gluten free, refined sugar free, whole plant based, nutrient dense, and a breeze to make. Above all, they make a scrumptious addition to the repertoire of your dishes.

Let me know how you go with these!

Here are a few things to try:

Your phone
Sugary sweets
Tea or coffee
Netflix

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮?

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I offer Integrative Health and Lifestyle Coaching for Chronic Disorders and Executive Wellness. DM me for a free health assessment.

𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚’𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩 – 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨.

Chocolate has forever been my go-to guilty pleasure. And now, it’s dark chocolate.

Imagine my delight when I found this completely natural, dark chocolate peanut butter sweetened with dates. God bless the people who invented this. It’s dark chocolate, lusciously creamy, sans sugar, sans additives, with only three ingredients (as per the claim of the company) – peanuts, dates and cocoa. No palm oil, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives. Just plain good old taste with nutrition.

(𝘕𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵)

It tastes heavenly to say the least, with just the right amount of dates to sweeten it adequately.  It’s also an ideal substitute for Nutella.

I use it over pancakes, flatbread, in my smoothies or smoothie bowls or as is when I have chocolate cravings. No more guilt, only pleasure.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦? Have you managed to find a healthy replacement for it yet?

Or else, ask away below!

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Bringing health, wellbeing and freedom from chronic disorders for executives and leaders. DM me for a free health assessment.

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄?

Heart disease, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, obesity, PCOS are all called 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴, and can be mitigated or reversed through dietary and lifestyle changes.

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I offer Integrative Health and Lifestyle Coaching for Chronic Disorders and Executive Wellness. DM me for a free health assessment.

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆

𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦. Marketing and advertisements are meant to make the product attractive, be it through truth or lies. Unfortunately, this practice is followed even for foods (or food-like substances). Packaged foods contain a plethora of substances, most of which have dire consequences on our health. Here are some of them.

1. 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙨
Most cereals are ultra processed foods, containing a cocktail of additives such as preservatives, artificial flavours and colours, sugar, emulsifiers, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. At the least, these cause severe digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, hyperactivity, respiratory problems, skin problems. In the long term these could be causative of chronic disorders and mental health issues.

2. 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣
Such as Bournvita and Horlicks are again, ultra processed with a similar profile of additives. These also contain extremely high amounts of sugar that is known to cause hyperactivity, attention deficit, and diseases such as fatty liver in children.

3. 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨
Are ultra ultra processed with similar additives, but in larger amounts, plus caffeine and other stimulants. Some energy drinks may also have substances that haven't been vetted properly. Apart from lifestyle related health disorders, these are known to disrupt sleep, increase risk taking behaviour, increase heart rate and blood pressure, cause nervous imbalances and dehydration. As well as lead to anxiety and digestive issues. They are known to be particularly dangerous for adolescents.

4. 𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨
Are loaded with sugar and have little or no fibre. This can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, and an increased risk of chronic diseases. Apart from the fact that these too contain good amounts of preservatives, artificial colours, flavour enhancers and other chemicals. These additives damage the gut, heart and brain, and effect immune response.

5. 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙠
Packaged milk is processed through pasteurization and homogenization, which can make it harder for the body to digest. Processed milk can be deficient in nutrients compared to whole farm fresh milk. Toxic preservatives like formaldehyde can be added to milk to extend its shelf life, which can lead to serious health consequences. Milk can be contaminated with adulterants and contaminants like aflatoxin M1, antibiotics, and pesticides.

6. 𝙈𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙨
Another form of highly processed foods, containing the usual high content of processed additives, as well as high in sodium and caloric content. This can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

7. 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙨
Olive Oil - Has a low smoking point, so it can burn and release toxic smoke when heated to high temperatures.
Flax Oil - While high in the heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acid, this oil has a low smoke point, and you should reserve it for cold uses like salad dressings.
Walnut Oil - It has a lor smoke point, and goes rancid quickly, so store in the refrigerator and use it only for cold preparations.

Know more about these in the carousel!

𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸.

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I offer Integrative Health and Lifestyle Coaching for Chronic Disorders and Executive Wellness. DM me for a free health assessment.

What’s one healthy habit someone once recommended to you, that you now find yourself recommending to others?

Share in the comments below!

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Bringing health, wellbeing and freedom from chronic disorders for executives and leaders. DM me for a free initial consultation.

The one ingredient that is difficult to replace in our diet is 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙. It has become one of the staples in our meals.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴, 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥, 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥, full of preservatives, palm oil and refined ingredients that include sugar and refined flour. Needless to say, it is not good for our health. With the amount of its consumption, it is also one of the leading foods responsible for chronic disorders and various such health issues.

Systemic inflammation, build-up of mucous, metabolic damage, bloating can all be attributed to the regular bread (amongst other processed foods) we buy from the market. These are root causes of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity.

The only way to get healthy bread is to make it at home! The modern-day bread is not the same that was made a few hundred or thousands of years back. Mass production has included the use of chemicals and additives to make it cheaper and last longer.

Here are some replacements for bread that are readily found, quick and easy to prepare, almost like readymade bread. (These are also gluten free, fibre rich and nutrient dense options)

🍞Oats smoothie
🍞Potato, millet, or lentils waffles
🍞Lettuce and leafy greens as wraps
🍞Cabbage leaves as wrap
🍞Millet flatbread as wrap or slices (can be made once every 3 days and stored)
🍞Oat, quinoa tortillas or pancakes as wrap or slices (can be made once every 3 days and stored)
🍞Sourdough bread
🍞No bread sandwiches made of quinoa and lentils, with filling
🍞Muffins (oats, quinoa, millets) with topping
🍞Idlis made of fermented lentils and rice (can be stored up to 5 days)
🍞Rice paper wraps
🍞Nori wraps
🍞Sweet potato toast
🍞Homemade crackers
🍞Veggies crisps, fruit crisps with dip

OR Get creative!

🥖Eggplant disks with topping
🥖Ragi soup with veggies
🥖Steamed bell peppers with stuffing
🥖Mushrooms with stuffing

Let me know your top 2 favourites out of these. Will be happy to share recipes. I had also promised recipes of breakfast dishes for dinner, and will be sharing some of those soon!

PS – In the picture is a sandwich made from freshly made potato bread.

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I offer Integrative Health and Lifestyle Coaching for Chronic Disorders and Executive Wellness. DM me for a free initial consultation.

Shoutout to Chef Harsh*ta who runs

Her roasted garlic sauteed spinach, cherry tomatoes and cream cheese pizza was to die for. The pizza was prepared fresh from scratch, had a sourdough base, and boy, did it taste heavenly or what! The only pizza I've had that melts in your mouth.

The mocha and date pudding were simply divine. I was left scraping the last few crumbs from the plate!

The place has the warmest, cosiest feel and is just right for a chat with a friend or a book and coffee. They also have an array of games you can pick from.

Highly recommended for all, especially vegans or those following a plant based diet ☕