At a time when wellness advice is dominated by social media trends, miracle diets and influencer-led health claims, Dr Nandita Iyer’s new book No Gods, No Gurus (A Radical Guide to Your Well Being) arrives as a deliberate counterpoint—grounded in science, common sense and personal agency.

Rejecting one-size-fits-all solutions, the book argues that lasting health cannot be outsourced to gurus, fads or rigid rulebooks. Instead, it urges readers to learn how their own bodies work, decode signals often ignored, and make informed, sustainable choices in everyday life.

Cutting through wellness hype

No Gods, No Gurus positions itself as a no-nonsense manual for modern well-being. Dr Iyer dismantles popular wellness myths and celebrity-endorsed shortcuts, replacing them with evidence-based explanations and practical habits. The book breaks down complex subjects—such as metabolic flexibility, stress hormones, digital and social jet lag, and the science of sleep—into clear, usable insights.

Rather than prescribing extreme routines or rigid diets, the focus is on building resilience through nutrition, movement, rest, and mental agility that can adapt to real life.

Importantly, the book does not promise transformation through discipline alone. It emphasises understanding context—work stress, technology overload, social rhythms—and how these quietly shape health outcomes over time.

A guide, not a rulebook

Dr Iyer describes the book as a guide to wisdom rather than instruction. The emphasis is on intentional, sustainable decision-making, helping readers move away from anxiety-driven wellness consumption toward confidence and clarity.

In doing so, No Gods, No Gurus reflects a growing shift in health conversations—from performance and perfection to longevity, balance and self-trust.

About the author

Dr Nandita Iyer is a medical doctor and wellness educator with additional certifications in nutrition and mental health. She has authored four books on food, health and lifestyle, and has been writing a fortnightly column for Mint Lounge for the past eight years.

Her influential blog, Saffron Trail, launched in 2006, laid the foundation for her work in evidence-based nutrition and wellness education. Alongside personalised health coaching, she is known for making complex medical and nutritional science accessible to everyday readers.

A lifelong learner, Dr Iyer has also trained in Hindustani classical vocal music for over a decade, reflecting her belief that creative pursuits are central to a fulfilling, balanced life. Originally from Mumbai, she now lives in Bengaluru.