Nutrition Education

So if we think about what controls our appetite, is it physiological or does our mind play a role in it as well? It cannot be just physiological right, it has to be a combination of both! In us humans, the desire to eat is not only when you have a rumbling tummy which is a sign of hunger. Many times we simply eat, because food is in front of us, or there's seemingly the right time to eat - for example, you had your lunch and then you saw a leftover piece of cake in your fridge from last evening. Now, you might not feel hungry at all by that time but that sight of cake might tempt you to eat it, not to fulfill your hunger but because it is simply available and you can't say no to that. So, we don't only eat when we feel hungry, but many times we eat when we see something tempting. Our energy intake is stimulated by the presence of food and it also increases with more variety or food. Thus, our appetite can be affected by a wide range of factors including physical activity, p...

Understanding why it is so hard to sweat more. Weight loss is aided by an active lifestyle and by balancing what you eat, how much you eat and at what time you eat. But how easy is it for people to be active in today's world? With our busy work schedule, can we have balanced meals at the right time interval? In a typical office setting, your timings are usually fixed - you eat on the way to work or when you get to the office. Even for the rest of the day, everyone is on a similar schedule so it’s easier to eat meals on time. But when you’re working remotely, you may choose to skip meals or keep on snacking throughout the day. Also, wearing pajamas all the time, you might not even realize how your size is increasing!  Nowadays, most of us are working from home, our sitting hours have increased and due to lockdown which involves long periods of sitting often looking at a screen. Not only that but our opportunities for relaxation post-work often involve even more screentime, watching ...

If you have a loved one who is addicted to alcohol or know someone who is trying to quit smoking, what do you do? You probably would advise them to stay away from liquor, throw away cigarettes to help them get over this toxic addiction, right?  Similarly, when we have a family member who is diabetic or obese or suffering from any other co-morbid condition, should we not support them in adopting a healthy lifestyle? Diabetes is a chronic illness requiring lifelong maintenance. A change in eating habits can be a challenge, so be a source of encouragement by meeting with their doctor and dietitian and learning the best diet strategies, and then helping them make better meal choices and doing it alongside them. It especially becomes difficult for women to manage home, children, work, and then plan and balance their meals. If you eat unhealthy foods around people who need or want to adopt a healthier eating pattern, this makes it harder for them to stick to the plan. Limit your intake...

As a dietitian, I come across people asking that their friend was advised a certain type of meal plan, or they were told not to have a certain legume or a grain so why I don't make any such restriction for them. And even my friends from the same field have similar experiences and many times we are asked if the diet plan can be shared with other family members or friends. Well, one thing everyone should understand is that ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. It is important to note that just because one form of treatment ‘works’ for one individual, it does not necessarily mean it will work for another. We are all unique individuals with differing lifestyles, energy requirements, target goals, BMI, medical and family histories. With that our needs are also unique and the nutrition approach will also differ with that. We also must understand the difference between science and opinion; many people will offer an ‘opinion’ on what they think will ‘work’, usually with m inimal science behind it. If...

If we're not paying attention when we're eating, that's going to make it very hard to eat healthily, isn't it? Perhaps eating too much because we're not listening to the body and noticing those feelings of fullness or satiety can lead to overeating. If you don't listen to your body, and your body cues like what cravings you might have, or what actually works with your lifestyle and with that comes a lot of burden of chronic diseases, which are most driven by a sedentary lifestyle and eating habits. Like, if you don't chew your food properly, it is not only bad for your dental health but also would lead to poor digestion and also poor absorption of vitamins and minerals in food. To bring some mindfulness into your eating, you might just start by paying more attention to your body specially while you eat, noticing if you're actually hungry or perhaps you're eating because you're stressed or emotional. And then when you're eating, bring your ful...

To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals. ~Benjamin Franklin Even before I started studying Foods and Nutrition, I was always under the impression that taking small and frequent meals is a key to a healthy life and developed a habit of snacking every 2-3 hours thinking that it is going to keep my metabolism high. Later I found that it was nothing but a mere myth that having more frequent meals speeds up the metabolism which facilitates weight loss. If eating less made one fat, then how come people with eating disorders like anorexia, are not the heaviest as they don't eat much in fear of gaining weight. Eating more frequently or eating more calories does not affect metabolism as such as to make up for the increase in calories. With my dietetics practice for finding the best solutions for my clients that suit their lifestyle, I thought of trying  Intermittent Fasting  for myself to see if it works before I recommend it to anyone. Intermittent fasting is time-restricted fasting in...