“Doctor, I can’t resist that Donne Biryani. But every time I eat it, my stomach burns like a coal stove.”
This was Raghu, a 38-year-old software engineer with a six-pack of Rantac. He came to me with chronic gastritis, acidity, and bloating. But his voice lit up like Diwali when he talked about Shivaji Nagar’s kebabs, Brahmin’s Coffee Bar, and CTR’s crispy dosa.
He’s not alone. I meet many Bangaloreans who treat food like religion. They know the history of MTR better than that of the Mysore Maharajas. They’ve done food walks in Basavanagudi, eaten standing in VV Puram, and posted more photos of benne dosa than their children.
Their gut?
A tragic backstory.
Many of these enthusiastic foodies live on a diet that swings wildly between street-side indulgence and panic-induced salads. They suffer from chronic gastritis, hyperacidity, reflux, constipation, gas, or all of the above—and still can’t stop talking about where to eat next.
The Belly Behind the Biryani
Bangalore food is irresistible. It’s a delightful mix of cultures—Kannadiga oota, Muslim biryani, Tamil tiffin, Andhra spice bombs, North indian foods and a global café scene to top it all. Our tongues are nutritionally confused. But our guts? Abused.
Ayurveda suggests that most diseases originate in the gut, and my clinic concurs with this notion. I don’t need ancient texts to confirm it. I need to hear one patient say, “I had chaat, vada, and kulfi for dinner.” Their tongue feasts, their stomach files for divorce.
They’ll eat greasy kebabs at midnight and drink barley water in the morning, hoping to cancel it out. Sadly, your gut doesn’t work like a debit-credit ledger. You can’t undo years of fiery indulgence with one shot of buttermilk.
I once had a patient who came with chronic acid reflux. When I asked him about his diet, he replied, “Everything is homemade, Doctor… except meals.” I laughed. He didn’t because the pain was real.
Food is Love, But Also Fire
There’s an emotional angle to this. For many, food is nostalgia. That idli reminds them of their college days. That vada reminds them of their father. That masala dose? Their first date.
Emotional eating, especially with spicy, fried, or rich foods, can harm an already inflamed gut. In Ayurveda, gastritis is viewed as an imbalance of Pitta dosha—an excessive internal heat. The gut becomes a furnace, inflamed and reactive. Adding more fire to it through spicy, sour, and deep-fried foods is like adding kerosene to a bonfire.
Let’s talk about coffee—Bengaluru’s unofficial fuel. We love our filter coffee thick, sweet, and strong. But if you’ve got acidity, it’s a charming troublemaker. It smells like comfort, tastes like heaven, but quietly sets your stomach on fire.
What’s the Fix?
As an Ayurvedic doctor who also loves a good masala dose, I believe in balance, not punishment.
This is what I tell my foodie patients.
1. Love Food? Love Your Agni First.
In Ayurveda, Agni—your digestive fire—is sacred. Keep it stable. Start your day with warm water or jeera-dhaniya-saunf water, not cold juice or instant coffee.
2. Respect the Three-S Rule: Spacing, Simplicity, and Satiety.
Don’t snack between meals. Eat simple, well-cooked meals. And stop before you’re 100% full. Leave some room for your stomach to breathe.
3. Follow the 80/20 Rule.
Go ahead, indulge. Don’t turn every meal into a food festival. Let 20% of your week be reserved for those guilt-free biryani nights, extra-cheese dosas, or gooey brownies. But make sure the other 80% is a love letter to your gut. Think warm rice gruel with a spoonful of ghee, buttermilk spiced with cumin and curry leaves, or a soothing bowl of vegetable soup kissed with ginger and pepper. Add simple pleasures like moong dal khichdi, soft rotis with spinach or jeera aloo, or steamed vegetables drizzled with coconut oil. A glass of warm water with soaked sabja seeds, or a jeera-ajwain tea post-dinner, can work wonders. Breakfasts can be light and healing too—try ragi porridge, poha with grated coconut, or methi paratha with homemade pickle. Your gut is not asking for bland—it’s asking for balance. Feed it warmth, variety, and rest, and it’ll reward you with peace, energy, and fewer trips to the clinic.
4. Add Ayurvedic Gut-Healers
Liquorice (Yashtimadhu): Soothes inflammation
Amla: Cools Pitta and heals the gut
Jeera-Ajwain-Saunf powder: Great after heavy meals
Ghee: Lubricates and pacifies gut heat
Haritaki: For stubborn bloating and constipation
5. Don’t Eat on a Screen.
Your gut needs attention, not Netflix. Mindful chewing is your digestive superpower.
Lastly… Don’t Make Your Gut Pay for Your Palate
Eating out is a joy. Food is a celebration, a community, and a culture. But if every celebration ends in gastric regret, what’s the point?
You can still enjoy Bangalore’s legendary food scene. Just not every day. Or every night. Or every snack break. Be the kind of foodie whose tastebuds are thrilled and whose intestines are not insulted.
I always tell my patients, “Don’t live to eat. Eat to live… joyfully, but wisely.”
Every bite writes your gut’s future. Make it a love story, not a war.
2 comments
No Big Comments
But a Simple Thank you for educating us!!
thank you sir