When a celebrity looks as good as Tamannaah Bhatia, with her alabaster-like skin and lithe body, we all presume her health is pristine. But as the Baahubali actress tells us, that till a few years ago, she was chronically constipated, had no clue that she was gluten and dairy intolerant and suffered from insomnia. “I had healthy eating habits, but because of my overworked state and high pressure life, I had health problems I couldn’t explain.” 

Bhatia admits she has been continuously working since she was 13. She was first discovered at her school, Maneckji Cooper’s annual day function. Since then, she has acted in 65 films across three languages. If she hopes to keep up the manic pace, she would have to revisit her lifestyle. A meeting with holistic health coach Luke Coutinho made a difference. Bhatia traces the transformation in the just-launched title she has co-authored with him, Back to the Roots. The pair turns to Indian traditional wellness practices to promote overall well-being with their readers, sharing hacks that help tackle chronic conditions like acidity, constipation, even fever. “I have learnt over time that nothing short-term works—everything takes time, and it all has to be sustainable [to be successful]. We have to reach the root cause.”