At BrilliantRead Media, we consistently strive to bring meaningful and inspiring stories from India and around the world to empower, inform and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Minal Ambade for an exclusive interview with BrilliantRead Media. Minal is a Nutritionist and the Founder of Balance with Minal, where she advocates sustainable, personalised, nutrition-led wellness, helping women understand their bodies and embrace healthier lifestyles without relying on restrictive diets or quick fixes. Through her work, she aims to make nutrition practical, accessible and adaptable to the realities of everyday life. Let’s learn more about her background, professional journey, inspiring experiences and valuable advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Minal;
Your approach at Balance with Minal focuses on sustainable, nutrition-led wellness rather than quick fixes. What inspired you to build your practice around this philosophy, and what does “balance” mean to you when it comes to health and nutrition?
My journey towards nutrition began with my own experiences as a woman. Before marriage, I had my own struggles with body image and weight. Then came marriage, pregnancy, motherhood and changing responsibilities. With every phase, life changed, and I had to learn how to take care of myself while managing everything else.
I was always curious about understanding my body. If I had a pimple, I would look for a cream, but gradually, I began wondering why the same concern could have so many different causes. I wanted to understand the basics before deciding what my body actually needed. That curiosity eventually led me to study nutrition.
As I learnt more, I started sharing practical suggestions with friends and colleagues who spoke about hair fall, sudden weight changes or skin concerns. I realised that sometimes we focus so much on the visible problem that we forget to look at the bigger picture.
I had also wanted to build something of my own since childhood. Nutrition gave me the confidence to turn that ambition into something meaningful. I had once dreamt of becoming a gynaecologist because I wanted women to feel comfortable discussing their health concerns. Although my career took a different direction, my interest in women’s wellbeing remained.
For me, balance means taking care of your health without giving up the life you love. I want to understand a woman’s routine, identify where she needs support and help her make changes that genuinely work for her.
I don’t want your life to fit into my nutrition. I want my nutrition to fit into the life you’ve already beautifully built.
Hormonal health has become an increasingly discussed topic, especially among women. What everyday nutritional and lifestyle factors can support hormonal wellbeing, and what common misconceptions do you frequently encounter?
One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that what works for one woman will automatically work for another. Social media is full of reels saying, “Follow this routine to balance your hormones” or “Eat this food and see the difference.” But we rarely stop to ask whether that person’s situation is similar to ours.
I encourage women to understand their own bodies first. What does their usual routine look like? How have they been eating and sleeping? When did their symptoms begin? Has something changed recently in their work, stress levels, physical activity or daily schedule?
Everyday habits matter. Adequate sleep, balanced meals, sufficient protein, a variety of vegetables and fruits, appropriate physical activity and stress management all support overall health. Women’s nutritional needs can also change during different life stages, including pregnancy, postpartum recovery and menopause.
At the same time, not every symptom indicates a hormonal imbalance. Irregular periods, acne, fatigue and weight changes can have several causes. Insulin resistance, for example, is a specific metabolic condition, not a label to apply to every weight concern.
My advice is simple: don’t copy another woman’s routine just because it worked for her. Understand your symptoms, ask questions and seek medical evaluation when needed. Personal experiences can be useful, but they cannot replace individual assessment.
You work with clients who come with different concerns, ranging from weight management and metabolic health to skin and hair concerns. How do you identify the nutritional and lifestyle foundations that may connect these seemingly different concerns?
When someone comes to me with a concern such as hair fall, one of my first questions is, “What does a typical day in your life look like?”
I want to understand her eating habits, meal timings, sleep, physical activity, stress and daily responsibilities. I also ask about other symptoms and how long the concern has been present.
For example, a woman may approach me because of hair fall. During our conversation, we may discover that she has been skipping meals, eating very little protein-rich food and feeling fatigued throughout the day. These observations don’t prove that a particular deficiency is responsible, but they help us identify what needs further attention.
Hair health can be affected by inadequate protein or energy intake, iron deficiency, thyroid disorders, stress and other factors. Depending on the person’s symptoms and history, medical evaluation and blood tests may be appropriate.
I follow a similar approach with skin concerns, weight changes and low energy. I look at the person as a whole rather than treating every complaint as an isolated problem.
Once we understand the bigger picture, we can identify realistic nutritional changes. Sometimes that means improving meal quality, adding appropriate protein sources or increasing dietary variety. Sometimes it means referring the person for medical evaluation.
I believe a person’s routine can give us important clues, but it doesn’t explain everything. My aim is to understand the individual first and then decide which nutritional or medical steps are appropriate.
You emphasise personalisation rather than prescribing the same diet to everyone. How does your Personalised Wellness Assessment help you understand an individual’s food habits, lifestyle, goals, challenges and nutritional needs before designing an approach?
I believe a diet chart is only one part of the process. Before suggesting what someone should eat, I want to understand who that person is and how she lives.
Two women may have the same weight-management goal, but their lives could be completely different. One may be managing work and children, another may travel frequently, and someone else may have a medical condition or food intolerance. Their meal timings, preferences, health history and available time may differ considerably.
My Personalised Wellness Assessment is the starting point. It helps me understand their current habits, goals, preferences, challenges and routine. It also helps identify areas that need more discussion.
The assessment is not a diagnosis, nor does it tell me everything about a person. A deeper understanding develops through individual consultation and, where appropriate, follow-up conversations.
For example, someone may believe she needs a supplement to improve her sleep. Before suggesting anything, I would want to understand her sleep schedule, caffeine intake, stress, evening habits and other relevant factors. Persistent symptoms may also need medical advice.
Many people already know that protein, vegetables, fibre and healthy fats are important. The difficulty is often figuring out how to include them in their own lives.
That is where personalisation matters. I don’t begin by asking someone to change her entire life. I begin by understanding the life she already has.
With social media promoting restrictive diets, detoxes, supplements and rapid weight-loss solutions, how can people distinguish evidence-informed nutrition from wellness trends and misinformation?
I think the first step is to question the basic assumption behind a claim.
Suppose you see a reel saying, “Drink this to balance your hormones in seven days.” Before trying it, ask yourself: Do I actually have a diagnosed hormonal concern? What evidence supports this claim? Is this recommendation suitable for me?
We often skip these questions because the content sounds convincing or the product is described as natural. But natural does not automatically mean safe or suitable for everyone. Supplements can have side effects, interact with medicines or provide nutrients that a person doesn’t need.
The same applies to detox products. Our liver and kidneys already perform essential functions involved in processing and eliminating waste. Special detox drinks are not generally necessary for healthy people, and claims about dramatic detoxification results deserve careful scrutiny.
I would also be cautious of guaranteed fat loss, extreme restrictions and promises that one food or supplement will solve everyone’s problem.
When considering supplements, understand why you are taking them, check the ingredients and discuss possible risks with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. Depending on the situation, medical evaluation or tests may be necessary.
My golden rule is: Don’t ask only, “Did this work for someone?” Ask, “Is there good evidence for it, and is it appropriate for me?”
Many people struggle to maintain healthy habits because of demanding work schedules, stress, inconsistent sleep and social commitments. How can someone realistically integrate healthier habits into their existing lifestyle instead of feeling that they need to completely change their life to become healthy?
One thing I have noticed is that many women already know a lot about nutrition. Social media constantly tells us what to eat for glowing skin, which exercise to do and how to improve our health. But having more information doesn’t always make things easier. Sometimes it creates pressure because we feel we should be doing everything at once.
So, when a woman tells me she has no time, I don’t immediately give her another list of habits. I first want to understand her day. What are her responsibilities? Which parts of her routine are fixed? When does she usually eat? What is genuinely difficult for her?
Then we identify priorities. Perhaps she regularly skips meals or has very little time to prepare food. We can explore simple meals, convenient protein sources or basic meal preparation that fits her circumstances.
We also need to stop expecting perfection. Some days will go according to plan, and others will be disrupted by a child’s needs, travel, work or family commitments. On a particularly difficult day, eating regular meals may be a more useful starting point than trying to complete an entire workout and follow a perfect meal plan.
Consistency doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly every day. It means finding a way to continue, adjusting when necessary and returning to your routine without unnecessary guilt.
My role is to help a woman understand what matters most for her and find practical ways to make it happen. I don’t want her to build a new life around her diet. I want her to take care of her health within the life she is already living.
Skin and hair concerns are often approached purely from the outside. From a nutrition and lifestyle perspective, what role can overall diet, nutrient adequacy, lifestyle and health status play in supporting skin and hair health?
External care has its place. Creams, serums, shampoos and other treatments may help with particular concerns, but they cannot replace adequate nourishment. Skin and hair health are influenced by several factors, including genetics, hormones, medical conditions, age, environmental exposure and lifestyle.
Nutrition is one important part of that picture.
For hair, adequate protein is important because hair is primarily made of a protein called keratin. Protein sources can include dal, beans, chickpeas, soy, dairy, eggs and other foods suited to the individual.
Iron is another important consideration. Low iron stores, including low ferritin, can contribute to hair shedding in some people. Depending on the person’s diet and circumstances, zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin D may also warrant attention. However, we shouldn’t assume that every person with hair fall has a deficiency or start supplements without considering their needs.
For skin, a varied and adequate diet helps provide protein, essential fats, vitamins and minerals involved in normal skin function. Fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds and other nutrient-rich foods contribute to dietary variety.
Sleep, stress, sun exposure and skincare habits are relevant too. Persistent acne, severe hair fall or sudden changes deserve proper assessment because nutritional changes alone may not address the underlying cause.
Beauty supplements should also be approached thoughtfully. They may have a role in certain circumstances, but they are not substitutes for an adequate diet, and their benefits vary.
My approach is to understand the concern, review the person’s nutrition and lifestyle, and consider medical evaluation where needed. The goal is not to promise perfect skin or hair. It is to support health from within while using appropriate external care.
Looking ahead, what is your larger vision for Balance with Minal, and what change would you ultimately like to create in the way people understand nutrition, wellness and their relationship with their bodies?
My larger vision for Balance with Minal is to help women take care of themselves through different phases of life without feeling that their health is another responsibility they are failing to manage.
Women carry so many responsibilities and work towards so many dreams. Their bodies support them through all of it, yet women are often the first to criticise their own bodies and the last to prioritise their own needs.
I want to change that relationship.
I want women to understand that health is not only about a particular weight, body shape or glowing skin. Looking good can be important, and there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your appearance. But we also need to consider our energy, nourishment, strength and ability to live the life we want.
Social media can make us believe that a particular drink, supplement or routine explains another woman’s results. In reality, we rarely know her complete story—her sleep, stress, health history, genetics or other habits. Comparing ourselves with her without knowing that context can create unnecessary frustration.
I also want women to stop judging other women’s bodies. Our bodies are different, and they change with age and life experiences. If someone wants to work towards a body-composition goal, she can do that without treating her current body as a failure.
Ultimately, I want Balance with Minal to stand for authenticity, personal understanding and practical guidance. If a woman comes to me with a concern about her hair, skin, weight or energy, I want her to leave with a better understanding of the bigger picture and the next steps she can take.
Most importantly, I want women to care for their bodies, respect themselves and feel that looking after their health is possible within the life they already love.
What is one thing you wish people understood about nutrition before they started another diet?
I wish people would stop believing that they have to get everything right from day one.
Many people come to nutrition feeling that they have done everything wrong and that this is why they are experiencing a particular problem. But often, they are already doing several things well. There may simply be a few areas that need attention.
Before starting another restrictive diet, take a step back and understand your current routine. Are you eating regularly? Are your meals providing enough nourishment? Are you getting adequate sleep? Is there a concern that needs medical evaluation? Start by understanding what is actually happening instead of assuming that you need to change everything.
You also don’t have to become perfect overnight. If you struggle with hydration, begin by improving that habit. If your meals lack variety, work on one meal at a time. Small changes can become part of your routine when they are realistic for you.
And please don’t panic over one meal, one sweet or one celebration. Your overall eating pattern matters far more than treating every individual food choice as a success or failure.
A diet that is so restrictive that you cannot sustain it in ordinary life may not be the right approach for you. For most people, nutrition should be about adequate nourishment, appropriate choices and habits they can maintain.
Your health and nourishment journey should improve the life you’ve already built and love. It should not take you away from it.
You have your family, your work, your relationships, your celebrations and your dreams. You don’t need to put all of that on hold to care for your health.
Understand your body, ask questions, seek the right guidance and start with what is possible today. You don’t have to punish yourself into becoming healthier. You can learn to nourish yourself while continuing to live your life.
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