Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Rollercoaster of Health Food

Welcome to the wild and wacky world of modern-day eating habits, where the only thing more inconsistent than the weather in Melbourne is the latest advice on what's healthy to eat. It's a gastronomic rollercoaster ride filled with kale chips, coconut oil, and more superfoods than you can shake a chia seed at. Buckle up, folks, because today’s blog is a humorous dive into the ever-changing tide of dietary dos and don’ts.

Monday: Kale is King

Remember when kale was the undisputed monarch of the leafy greens? It was in everything—from smoothies to snacks. We were all chomping on kale chips, convinced that this bitter, chewy leaf would make us live forever. Fast forward to today, and kale is still hanging in there, but it’s more like the elder statesman of greens, giving a knowing nod as it passes the torch to younger, trendier superfoods.

Tuesday: Avocado Apocalypse

Ah, the avocado. One day it's the holy grail of healthy fats, the next day it's the villain in the guacamole. We smeared it on toast, blended it in smoothies, and even made it into ice cream. But then came the backlash: "Too many avocados are bad for you!" they cried. Cue avocado lovers clutching their organic, artisanal toast in despair. Should we be worried about avocad-no?

Wednesday: Coconut Oil Craze

Coconut oil was the miracle fat of the moment. We cooked with it, swished it around our mouths for oil pulling, and even used it as a moisturizer. It could do no wrong—until it did. Suddenly, headlines screamed, "Coconut oil is pure poison!" Wait, what? Are we supposed to regret those gleaming, coconut-infused smiles now?

Thursday: The Egg Debacle

Eggs have been through more identity crises than a Hollywood starlet. Are they nature’s perfect protein or little cholesterol bombs? One minute, we’re cracking them into every meal, the next, we’re side-eyeing our omelets suspiciously. It’s enough to make you scramble your dietary decisions.

Friday: Carbs are (Sometimes) Our Friends

Carbs have been the ultimate yo-yo food. First, they were the enemy, blamed for everything from weight gain to world hunger. Then came the redemption arc: complex carbs are good! Whole grains are your friends! Now, we’re cautiously nibbling on quinoa, waiting for the next plot twist in this dietary soap opera.

Saturday: Celery Juice Jubilee

Celery juice exploded onto the scene with promises of detoxification, weight loss, and overall wellness. Social media was flooded with pictures of people clutching green glasses of liquid health. Then came the inevitable backlash: "It's just water with a hint of celery!" they scoffed. Oh, well, it was fun while it lasted.

Sunday: The Dairy Dilemma

Dairy is the ultimate dietary frenemy. Lactose intolerance issues aside, one day it’s an essential source of calcium, the next, it’s causing inflammation and ruining our lives. Yogurt and cheese look on in confusion as we debate their merits endlessly, unsure if they’re invited to the health party or not.

Conclusion: The Punchline

In the end, the joke’s on us. The truth is, what's deemed healthy today may be vilified tomorrow, and vice versa. So, what's a health-conscious eater to do? Perhaps the best approach is to take all these trends with a grain of salt (unless, of course, salt is the next big dietary villain). Eat a balanced diet, enjoy your food, and remember to laugh at the absurdity of it all. After all, laughter is always in season and universally acknowledged as good for your health.

Bon appétit and happy eating! May your meals be as ever-changing and entertaining as the latest food fads.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Rich country, poor country

While the festivities of Durga Puja or Navaratri is still afresh in our memories, somewhere for some people their worlds actually ended abruptly when this celebration was still on. The Datia district in Madhya Pradesh witnessed a pilgrimage gone horribly wrong when it turned into a life taking stampede swallowing over 100 lives and injuring equally in number. To add to this misfortune our nation is still battling the devastation caused by Phailin cyclone which has created turmoil in nearly a million lives.
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What did moving to Australia mean to me?

The world is what you see through your glasses and mine was certainly a rose tinted one. I spurned a kaleidoscopic view of what my life would be like down under whenever I got some time on hand while still being in India.

In the beginning it was all about freedom - the freedom of being able to wear what you want, when you want and where you want.
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I get nostalgic on Independence Day

An unexpressed feeling of patriotism silently starts engulfing my senses as the month of August kicks in. The Indian Independence Day is often that time of the year, every year in the past 3 years, when I inadvertently get transported back to India.
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Parenting and technology: Hand in glove?

So what's more quirky about this topic —technology or parenting? May be neither or maybe it's the new-fangled combination of these two words in the modern world, which is more befuddling than the two concepts standalone. If you have kids, then I don't need to explain anything further. However, if you fall in a category like me — no kids — and yet cannot escape the boons and banes of being surrounded by kids belonging to your colleagues, friends or relatives, then I would strongly urge you to continue reading this article to understand this amazing liaison.
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Do you also suffer from unconscious bias?

As human beings we are all prone to be biased in some way or other. We like certain films because it stars Katrina Kaif or Aamir Khan. Whether or not the film has any other element to hook our interest becomes immaterial for our liking. No matter how well a man cooks, we believe that it's a woman's job to cook at home because traditionally that has been a social paradigm.
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How Progressive are NRIs in Developed Nations?

It's a common notion amongst us (Indians) that those people who migrate to developed countries are more progressive in their thoughts and modern in their outlook towards society, as compared to their counterparts residing in India. It wouldn't be entirely wrong to believe so owing to the variety of cultural, social and political exposures the Indian diaspora gets outside India. Alas! The reality is far from this.
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