30 Steps to Reverse Vitamin B12 Deficiency
- Madhukar Dama
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
INTRODUCTION: THE SILENT STARVATION OF THE URBAN INDIAN
Welcome to the most well-fed yet malnourished generation in Indian history.
We have refrigerators full of food. Delivery apps at our fingertips. Imported supplements and diet plans curated by influencers.
And yet, a silent epidemic is crippling us — Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Fatigue that never leaves. Numbness in hands. Mood swings. Memory lapses. Tongue burning. Hormonal mess.
Doctors prescribe pills. Google suggests animal products.
But nobody asks: Why did this deficiency happen in the first place?
Because it wasn’t one event.
It was a thousand small daily crimes.
Mindless buying. Blind food fads. Sterile kitchens. Gut-destroying habits.
We sterilized our plates and sanitized our health — right into a deficiency.
This is not a disease. It’s a disconnect from living food.
Here’s how we’re doing it — and how to stop.
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A. BUYING MISTAKES
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1. Choosing polished white rice and refined flours only
Problem: These lack fiber and gut-supportive minerals. B12 is absorbed in the gut — a weak gut, a weak uptake.
Healing: Return to a mix — unpolished rice, sprouted millets, and local grains in moderation. Include hand-pounded rice weekly.
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2. Avoiding dairy, ghee, and eggs due to trends
Problem: These are rich natural sources of B12. Avoiding them blindly leads to deficiency.
Healing: Choose ahimsa-produced desi cow milk, curd, ghee. Add 1 boiled egg daily if non-vegan.
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3. Falling for “vegan” packaged food with no fortification
Problem: Many vegan foods in India are imported fads — nutrient-dead and gut-damaging.
Healing: Focus on traditional Indian plant-based sources with natural fermentation: idli, kanji, pickled amlas, home-made nut curd.
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4. Relying only on “multigrain” and millet mixes
Problem: Though high in minerals, millets don’t contain B12. Overuse can stress the gut.
Healing: Use in rotation, not as staple. Combine with good fat and probiotic food to aid absorption.
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5. Buying all food from sanitized supermarkets
Problem: Loss of exposure to nature’s bacteria — key for gut health and B12 metabolism.
Healing: Buy at least some produce from local markets. Handle unwashed organic veggies. Reconnect with mitti.
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B. STORING MISTAKES
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6. Refrigerating all fresh produce immediately
Problem: Cold kills beneficial enzymes and bacteria.
Healing: Keep hardy vegetables, fruits, and milk out at room temp when safe. Let food breathe.
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7. Avoiding fermented items due to smell or myths
Problem: Fermented foods are a gateway to microbial health — critical for B12 absorption.
Healing: Begin slowly — homemade curd, kanji, dhokla batter. Trust your nose, not the marketing.
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8. Using only plastic containers
Problem: Plastics inhibit fermentation and leach hormone disruptors.
Healing: Shift to terracotta, glass, or stainless steel — especially for pickles, curd, or batter.
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9. Throwing away whey water
Problem: Whey is rich in gut-friendly minerals that support B-complex absorption.
Healing: Use it in roti dough, dals, soups, or drink as is.
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C. PROCESSING MISTAKES
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10. Over-washing all vegetables and grains
Problem: Kills natural surface microbes that aid gut flora.
Healing: Wash mindfully — not obsessively. Use water, not detergent.
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11. Using chemical veggie washes and disinfectants
Problem: Destroys beneficial microbes.
Healing: Rinse with plain water, or make a lemon–turmeric soak at home.
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12. Avoiding all raw milk out of fear
Problem: Raw milk from healthy cows contains live enzymes. Boiling kills it.
Healing: Source trusted desi cow milk. Try lukewarm warming, not hard boiling. Or have lightly fermented buttermilk.
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13. Grinding and filtering dals completely
Problem: Removes skin, fiber, and fermentation potential.
Healing: Use split dals with skin. Let them soak overnight before cooking.
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D. COOKING MISTAKES
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14. Overcooking milk, paneer, vegetables
Problem: High heat destroys B-complex vitamins.
Healing: Use slow cooking. Avoid repeated boiling. Let food stay alive.
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15. Microwaving meals frequently
Problem: Denatures food. Microwaves break enzyme–vitamin relationships.
Healing: Reheat gently on stove. Or eat fresh.
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16. Cooking eggs/meat on high flame until rubbery
Problem: B12 is heat-sensitive.
Healing: Boil, steam, or soft-cook. Keep the yolk intact.
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17. Removing yolks from eggs
Problem: Yolk is where B12 lives. White has almost none.
Healing: Eat the full egg — unless medically restricted.
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18. Skipping fermentation before cooking
Problem: Fermentation unlocks minerals and supports the gut.
Healing: Soak rice, dals overnight. Let dosa/idli batter ferment naturally.
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19. Using only “fat-free” methods
Problem: B12 absorption needs healthy fats.
Healing: Use traditional fats — ghee, cold-pressed sesame oil, coconut oil — in small amounts.
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E. EATING MISTAKES
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20. Eating fast, distracted, or in a rush
Problem: Reduces digestion and absorption.
Healing: Sit. Chew. Breathe. Eat in silence or good company.
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21. Living on packaged, processed foods
Problem: Preservatives damage the gut lining — the absorption site for B12.
Healing: Eat one fully home-cooked meal daily, with fermented or living food.
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22. Using antacids regularly
Problem: Stomach acid is essential to extract B12.
Healing: Reduce acidic foods, manage stress, use ajwain/fennel water post meals instead of popping pills.
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23. Drinking tea/coffee with meals
Problem: Tannins block vitamin absorption.
Healing: Keep a 45-minute gap before or after meals.
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24. Skipping breakfast or eating too late
Problem: Disrupts metabolism.
Healing: Eat within 90 minutes of waking — with protein and probiotic food.
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25. Avoiding ghee and curd in summer
Problem: Gut flora thrives on them. Seasonal logic is being misapplied.
Healing: Consume them wisely — curd before noon, ghee in warm dishes. Avoid freezing or sugary mixes.
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26. Ignoring gut health signs (gas, bloating, IBS)
Problem: B12 absorption is gut-based. A sick gut is a blocked gate.
Healing: Eliminate triggers (sugar, gluten, stress), restore balance with fermented foods and rest.
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27. Eating mindlessly all day (grazing culture)
Problem: Gut is never given time to reset.
Healing: Stick to 2-3 meals. Include a 12-hour gap between dinner and breakfast.
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28. Relying on cornflakes, oats, and breads for breakfast
Problem: Nutrient-empty, gut-unfriendly, often dry and lifeless.
Healing: Switch to warm, cooked Indian breakfasts — poha with curd, upma with lemon, soaked nuts, ragi dosa.
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29. Avoiding traditional pickles, kanji, or homemade probiotic drinks
Problem: These are microbial gold mines.
Healing: Start slow. Try fermented beet kanji, lemon pickle, raw mango pickle with every meal.
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30. Not questioning fads, blindly trusting labels
Problem: “Vegan,” “fat-free,” “fortified,” “gluten-free” — these are marketing terms, not health indicators.
Healing: Learn. Observe. Listen to your body, not trends. Respect traditional food logic.
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CONCLUSION: RECLAIMING YOUR B12
You don’t need imported supplements.
You don’t need complicated diets.
You don’t need fear.
What you need is to eat as humans have always eaten —
close to nature, slow, fermented, seasonal, and with gratitude.
B12 deficiency is not a disease.
It’s a disconnect — from your gut, your food, your soil, your tradition.
The healing is simple.
If only you’re willing to unlearn.
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