Why Rethinking How We Eat Isn’t A Trend — It’s A Wake-Up Call

When my grandmother cooked in her kitchen in India, it wasn’t called “healthy” — it was just food.

She woke up before the sun, walked to the market, cooked every meal from scratch (for a family of 12) — often with a child on her hip — and did all the housework with no help from people or machines. Her meals were simple but nourishing: rice, lentils, seasonal vegetables, pickle, and papad. All her snacks were homemade, often deep-fried in ghee. No labels. No macros. No hashtags.

She passed away in 2011 at the age of 88 — never having taken a single medication for blood pressure, sugar, or any other chronic illness.

My father’s generation saw the shift begin.

Jobs moved from fields and factories to desks and offices. Movement started becoming optional. He mostly ate home-cooked, fresh food — but store-bought snacks and sugary tea breaks slowly crept in.

Still, he walked more, worked harder, and ate less processed food than we do today.

He’s 74 now and has been on blood pressure and diabetes medication since his mid-50s.

And then came my generation.

The focus shifted completely — to grades, college, careers. Movement became truly optional. We now sit and work 12-hour desk jobs — while juggling family, constant stress, 30-minute pizza delivery, and endless scrolling.

I was diagnosed with PCOD and thyroid disorders at 17, and have struggled with weight for most of my life.

How did we come to this in 3 generations?

Something Isn’t Right — and the Data Shows It

India is now being called the Diabetes Capital of the World.

The No.1 cause of death in the United States? Heart disease.

And my current home, Singapore — once ranked among the world’s healthiest nations — is now facing a steep rise in metabolic disorders and childhood obesity.

Behind these statistics are real people.

Our parents. Our partners. Our friends. Ourselves.

Living on medications.

Battling fatigue. Struggling with weight, joint pain, hormonal imbalances, and lifestyle diseases that were rare just a few decades ago.

This isn’t just about food.

It’s about how we live.

And how far we’ve drifted — literally and metaphorically — from the way our bodies were designed to function.

Why Rethink How We Eat?

Because modern life isn’t slowing down. But we can learn to pause.

Because real change starts with awareness — not shame, not extreme diets, and not guilt.

Because we don’t need more food rules. We need to reconnect.

So What Now?

This blog isn’t here to tell you what not to eat. Neither is this about “good” or “bad” foods.

It’s here to ask:

• Can we reconnect with food — not out of fear, but awareness?

• Can we eat in a way that suits our lifestyle, our energy, in this very modern, very sedentary life most of us live?

It's here to explore:

• How movement and food interact

• Why old staples may need modern context

• Tiny Triumphs — that bring you back to balance

My roots are Indian. My life has been global.
And as a certified nutritionist and yogi, I work with people across different lifestyles and stages — helping them reconnect with food and movement on their terms.

If this resonates with you, come join me in defining our unique version of a happy size — one that feels sustainable, rooted in joy, and completely detached from diet trends and social media pressure.

Our grandmother’s kitchen may be gone. But the wisdom doesn’t have to!

Source

Source

Me with my Grandma in 2011, a few months before we lost her

My Mom and Dad in 2024