You Are What You Eat

Weight issues are a matter of concern and as the young deal with the excess weight baggage, most of them are struggling to find a healthy diet which suits their body type. Dr Jyothi Chabria, Dietician, Nutritionist and the Founder of wellness clinic centre Nutriline gives an insight into maintaining an ideal weight and focusing on the right diet.

Q1. How is diet connected to a healthy living?

A. Diet and healthy living are synonymous because if you are not healthy, you fail to avail of any comforts. To be able to indulge in any activity, you need to have a fit body. A healthy diet leads to a healthy body, eventually leading to a healthy mind.   

Dr Joythi Chabria,

Dietician, Nutritionist and the Founder of Nutriline

Q2.  In the last couple of years, the whole idea of consulting a dietitian and following a diet has become a trend. It is an essential part of the lifestyle, which was not the case some years ago. Why do you think this awareness about following a diet has become popular?

A. The whole idea has gained popularity due to advertising and celebrities following diets. There was a huge rage of following a particular diet to get into Kareena Kapoor’s size zero avatar. Everyone hears of similar incidents where celebs follow a certain diet. Media has made us aware of such incidents, leading to prompting the public to follow a diet.

To be more realistic, I would say the fact that theoretical disorders like diabetes and hypertension have set in early in life is making people conscious of their health. Back in the day, diseases that we saw in people after the age of 50 are now seen the age group below 35.  Earlier, as doctors, we never recommended opting for Vitamin D3 or B12 test. But now we do. It suggests the change in the health conditions.  

Lastly, these days people want to lead healthy lives. The way the generation is moving, the elders do not want to depend on the younger ones. They understand that everybody is busy and it’s best to be self-sufficient.  

Q3. When should one consult a dietitian?

A. There is no yardstick. Diet is all about eating right. It is a way of life. Eat in a right quantum. However, when someone is getting hypertensive or is moving into thyroid zone, then a dietician is to be consulted without any delay. This is called a therapeutic diet. When there is a health problem, you tackle it with a diet. Like in diabetes, you correct the diet and it controls the amount of sugar in your body.

Q4. These days there is a fad of consuming dietary supplements (tablets...medicinal drinks). Do they really help? Or do they leave the body with side effects?

A. Supplements are required. But know your supplements. If you speak of allopathy, I wouldn’t advocate it. It could lead to side effects because there are chemicals involved in allopathy drug. For example, iron supplements result in dark stools or constipation as a side effect in many.  However, if it is absolutely natural, it is healthy for the body.

I remember conducting a program in one of the schools. All the parents kept complaining of how their children don’t eat healthy. I recommended 100% natural supplements. The parents blend those natural tablets in children’s daal and roti...and from then they don’t complain about their kids lacking nutrition.

It’s all about finding the right supplement.

Q5. What are the diet trends of 2017?

A. In 2015 and 2016, people were crazy about K-diet and GM diet. All such diets are okay for a short period of time as they serve as a motivating factor, but can’t sustain a healthy living for long. This year, I see that people are aware of what is healthy food. They buy only healthy snacks. Mothers have become very conscious. They want to feed only healthy options to their children and families.  

Q6. Can you suggest some general diet tips?

Split your meals, into, say, about six meals a day. It’ll keep your metabolism rate high.  

All nutrients are important. Do not stay devoid of oil or ghee. A starvation diet is bad for your mental state as well as for your physical body.

When you eat more, exercise a bit more or make the other meal lighter. It’s about balancing out.  

Q7. Why getting to a healthy weight matters so much?

A. Healthy weight which is in accordance with your height and body weight matters in order to avoid health issues. If you are obese, you may suffer from a lot of lifestyle problems such as hypertension and others. However, if you are too thin you suffer from malnutrition and other diseases. It is, therefore, imperative to maintain an ideal weight. A healthy weight is not about looks, it is about health.