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“I’ll eat later.”
“Just chai is enough.”
“I’m too busy.”
Sound familiar?
In India, breakfast has become the most ignored meal especially among students, office goers, and urban youth.
But research says:
Skipping breakfast is like starting your car with an empty fuel tank.
Let’s uncover how this one small habit is silently harming your brain, hormones, and future health.
🧠 Your Brain Needs Breakfast
Your brain runs on glucose. After 8 hours of sleep, it’s starving.
No breakfast =
- Slower memory
- Reduced attention span
- Poor decision making
- Irritability
Especially in school going children, skipping breakfast can drop academic performance by 30–40%.
Skipping Breakfast = Hormonal Imbalance
When you skip food in the morning:
- Your cortisol (stress hormone) rises
- Blood sugar dips
- Hunger hormones (ghrelin) spike later in the day
→ This leads to overeating at night, fat storage, and even insulin resistance (early diabetes risk).
Mood Swings, Anxiety & Brain Fog
Ever felt grumpy till lunch?
That’s because skipping breakfast messes with:
- Serotonin (happy hormone)
- Cortisol rhythm
- Energy levels
Your mind feels foggy. You lose focus. You’re more prone to anxiety and burnout.
🩺 Metabolic Slowdown & Weight Gain
Contrary to belief, skipping breakfast doesn’t help weight loss.
In fact, it:
- Slows your metabolism
- Promotes fat storage
- Causes sugar cravings later
Your body thinks it’s in “starvation mode.”
Intermittent Fasting vs. Skipping Breakfast
Intermittent fasting (IF) is planned, mindful, and balanced.
Skipping breakfast without nutrients or hydration = mindless starvation.
Don’t confuse the two.
What an Ideal Indian Breakfast Looks Like
Protein: Moong dal cheela, boiled eggs, paneer toast
Complex carbs: Poha, oats, upma, multigrain roti
Healthy fats: Nuts, ghee, avocado
Hydration: Coconut water, jeera water, plain water
Optional: Tea/coffee after food
Signs You Might Be Hurting Yourself
- Craving junk in the evening
- Morning acidity or bloating
- Poor focus or headaches
- Always feeling tired
- Gaining weight despite small meals
How to Build the Habit
- Start small: Even 1 banana + 5 almonds is a start
- Prep overnight: Poha mix, soaked oats, boiled eggs
- Make it tasty: Add spices, ghee, seasonal fruits
- Set reminders: “Eat before 10 AM”
- Break the “just chai” cycle
Parting Thoughts:
A good breakfast isn’t a luxury.
It’s fuel for your body, food for your brain, and a hug for your hormones.
You wouldn’t skip giving your phone battery charge.
Why do it to yourself
4. 5 Indian Habits That Secretly Save You from Disease (Backed by Science)
Our grandparents had no fitness trackers. No gym memberships.
Yet most of them lived past 80 with fewer health issues than us.
Why?
Because Indian culture deeply rooted in Ayurveda and mindful living had everyday habits that modern science is now validating.
Let’s look at 5 Indian routines that secretly protect your health and might just save your life.
1. Eating with Hands
Benefits:
- Promotes mindful eating
- Connects you to food through touch
- Stimulates digestion via finger pressure
- Regulates portion size
Science: Touching food triggers digestive enzymes (called cephalic phase of digestion)
2. Drinking Warm Water in the Morning
Benefits:
- Flushes toxins
- Stimulates digestion
- Prevents constipation
- Boosts metabolism
Ayurveda recommends jeera water or lemon water as daily detox.
Science backs this with improved gut motility and hydration effects.
3. Sitting Cross Legged While Eating (Sukhasana)
Benefits:
- Improves digestion
- Reduces overeating
- Enhances posture
- Creates calmness before meals
Science: Sitting cross legged activates parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest mode)
4. Using Spices Like Haldi, Jeera, Ajwain, Hing
Benefits:
- Anti inflammatory (turmeric)
- Gut friendly (hing, ajwain)
- Anti bloating (jeera, saunf)
- Immunity booster (ginger, tulsi)
These were not “masalas” they were medicine in disguise.
5. Oil Pulling (Gandusha)
What is it?
Swishing cold pressed oil (like coconut oil) in your mouth for 10–15 minutes before brushing.
Benefits:
- Removes oral bacteria
- Improves gum health
- Whitens teeth
- Detoxifies body (Ayurvedic belief)
Science: Studies show oil pulling reduces plaque and bad breath better than some mouthwashes.
Honorable Mentions
- Applying mustard oil on soles and belly before bath
- Eating seasonal fruits & ghee
- Not drinking water right after meals
- Sleeping on left side
- Spending early mornings in sunlight
Parting Thoughts:
Our ancestors didn’t Google health tips.
They lived by rhythm, nature, and tradition.
Let’s stop mocking them and start learning.
Because what feels old school today… may actually be the future of wellness.
5. Why Your Stomach Always Feels Bloated Even If You Eat Healthy
Ever feel like your stomach is a balloon tight, gassy, and uncomfortable even after a healthy meal?
You’re not alone.
Bloating is one of the most common complaints in Indian households especially among women aged 18–40.
And here’s the twist: It’s not always because of overeating or junk food.
Let’s decode why your belly feels bloated and what you can do about it.
Common Symptoms
- Tight stomach after meals
- Gas or burping
- Stomach feels “stuck”
- Clothes feel tight
- Flatulence or discomfort
7 Reasons You May Be Always Bloated
1. Gut Bacteria Imbalance (Dysbiosis)
Bad bacteria outnumbering good bacteria = gas, bloating, acidity.
Cause: Antibiotics, poor diet, too much sugar
Fix: Include curd, kanji, buttermilk, fermented foods
2. Lack of Digestive Enzymes
As we age, our enzyme levels drop.
Symptoms: Feeling full after small meals, slow digestion
Fix: Eat raw papaya, pineapple, ginger, saunf. Try jeera ajwain water.
3. Eating Too Fast or While Stressed
This causes you to:
- Swallow air
- Incomplete chewing
- Miss satiety signals
Fix: Chew 20–25 times. Sit down and eat mindfully.
4. Artificial Sweeteners & Packaged Health Foods
Protein bars, “sugar free” snacks = hidden bloating agents.
Check labels for:
- Sorbitol
- Xylitol
- Maltodextrin
5. Hormonal Fluctuations (Especially in Women)
Estrogen fluctuations = water retention, slower digestion.
Common around:
- Periods
- PCOS
- Menopause
6. Food Intolerances (Like Gluten or Lactose)
You might be intolerant without knowing it.
Try an elimination diet:
- Remove milk for 7 days
- Then try wheat
- Observe symptoms
7. Overuse of Antacids
Frequent antacid use suppresses natural acid → weakens digestion → bloating.
Fix: Use herbs instead: ginger, cumin, ajwain, and triphala.
Golden Rules for a Bloat Free Gut
Start day with hot water + lemon
Eat slowly, chew more
Avoid water during meals
Use digestive teas (jeera, mint, saunf)
Eat last meal before 8 PM
Walk 10 minutes post dinner
Keep a food diary
Parting Thoughts:
Your bloating isn’t just about food it’s a gut cry for help.
Listen to it.
It’s not normal to feel heavy after every meal.
Treat your gut like a temple not a dustbin.
