I have started this blog to answer queries that I am asked daily and to answer questions that raise themselves in my mind daily. I am an Endocrinology and Diabetes Specialist, which I means I get to see a lot of people with "hormonal" issues. Many problems get lumped under "hormonal" problems, specially ones that other doctors cannot find an easy answer for! A common reason why people come to see me is that they are not happy with their weight. I mostly see people who want to LOSE weight, but I also see a few who want to GAIN weight. There seem to be a LOT of misconceptions regarding diet.
Just today, I saw a young woman, who has been working out religiously, and who I thought has been losing weight at a steady pace. She has lost some 5 kgs since the start of her exercise and diet regimen 2 months ago. I thought this was marvelous - catch me losing 5 kg, I will be on my way to Mars! However, she is not happy, as she has been told by her dietitian/nutritionist coach that she should have lost more weight by now. She has given up rice, is gluten free, has mainly vegetables and fruits and the occasional millet (more than one grain I hope!).
I have recently been thinking a lot of our bacterial microbiome. This is the bacteria that occupy our guts and skin, and which are responsible for a good many things in our body, starting with our digestion. More and more research is being done on how important the microbiome is for our health. Research is showing that different microbiomes may be responsible for obesity, diabetes, and gut diseases. I wonder what the microbiome of this young lady was thinking. Having been used to a traditional South Indian, vegetarian carbohydrate based diet for the past 30 years, the bacteria are probably crying their eyes out without rice!
Imagine what happens after we take a course of antibiotics for an infection. Most of us lose the sense of taste, food tastes bad or bland, some of us develop runny stools. All this happens because the normal bacteria in our gut is wiped out, and bacteria that are normally kept in check take over. The good bacteria re-establish themselves soon enough. Probiotics which contain a lot of the "good" bacteria are useful in this process. This is simple curd or yoghurt to you and me. Our bacterial microbiome is established at birth. People who are born naturally have a different set of bacteria, as compared to those who are delivered by C-section. This is because the baby gets colonized by different types of bacteria during the birth process. If our bodies are used to a certain type of diet, it may not be very wise to blitzkrieg the bacteria with a completely alien diet! The bacteria would revolt and decide to metabolize everything differently, or go slow, so that you may not lose much weight. There is nothing wrong with rice, rasam, sambar, curd, vegetables, dal. Restrict the quantity of rice to 1 cup. Try hand-pounded rice. Your bodies (and your microbiome) will be happier with this!
Just today, I saw a young woman, who has been working out religiously, and who I thought has been losing weight at a steady pace. She has lost some 5 kgs since the start of her exercise and diet regimen 2 months ago. I thought this was marvelous - catch me losing 5 kg, I will be on my way to Mars! However, she is not happy, as she has been told by her dietitian/nutritionist coach that she should have lost more weight by now. She has given up rice, is gluten free, has mainly vegetables and fruits and the occasional millet (more than one grain I hope!).
I have recently been thinking a lot of our bacterial microbiome. This is the bacteria that occupy our guts and skin, and which are responsible for a good many things in our body, starting with our digestion. More and more research is being done on how important the microbiome is for our health. Research is showing that different microbiomes may be responsible for obesity, diabetes, and gut diseases. I wonder what the microbiome of this young lady was thinking. Having been used to a traditional South Indian, vegetarian carbohydrate based diet for the past 30 years, the bacteria are probably crying their eyes out without rice!
Imagine what happens after we take a course of antibiotics for an infection. Most of us lose the sense of taste, food tastes bad or bland, some of us develop runny stools. All this happens because the normal bacteria in our gut is wiped out, and bacteria that are normally kept in check take over. The good bacteria re-establish themselves soon enough. Probiotics which contain a lot of the "good" bacteria are useful in this process. This is simple curd or yoghurt to you and me. Our bacterial microbiome is established at birth. People who are born naturally have a different set of bacteria, as compared to those who are delivered by C-section. This is because the baby gets colonized by different types of bacteria during the birth process. If our bodies are used to a certain type of diet, it may not be very wise to blitzkrieg the bacteria with a completely alien diet! The bacteria would revolt and decide to metabolize everything differently, or go slow, so that you may not lose much weight. There is nothing wrong with rice, rasam, sambar, curd, vegetables, dal. Restrict the quantity of rice to 1 cup. Try hand-pounded rice. Your bodies (and your microbiome) will be happier with this!
Thanks a million u answered the question and the confusion that was lingering around me for very many days.
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