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Dear Nishi Singh, Thank you for the question

Increased blood sugar levels is termed as Diabetes mellitus which is a chronic metabolic disorder that prevents the body to utilise glucose completely or partially. It is characterised by raised glucose concentration in blood and alterations in carbohydrates, protein & fat metabolism. Various factors like genetics, sedentary lifestyle, acute stress etc., can cause diabetes. 

• A fasting blood sugar level of <110 mg/dL is considered normal.
• ≥110 to <126 mg/dL indicates you have impaired fasting glucose.
• ≥126 mg/dL indicates you have diabetes.

Management of any type of diabetes requires diagnosis and further assistance

 For guidance on medications and specific health needs please contact a specialised health care professional such as a diabetologist for further assistance and management.

Here are a few tips to help manage Diabetes

• It is recommended to have low GI (Glycaemic index) foods. Simple sugars should be restricted since they are easily absorbed and have high glycaemic index. Some of the Low GI foods include green leafy vegetables, green beans, apples, orange, pear, wheat, millets, pulses, lentils etc.
• High protein intake helps to increase insulin production & promote satiety. Pulses, lentils, eggs, lean meat, paneer etc., are a good source of protein.
• Combination of oils is preferrable. Include monounsaturated (MUFA) & Polyunsaturated (PUFA) containing oils like sunflower oil, ground nut oil, Gingelly oils.
• Increase intake of whole grains and legumes and limiting the intake of saturated fats helps in improving insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of diabetes independent of weight loss.

Here are few guidelines that can be considered for healthy balanced diet

• Have a Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.
• Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommendable.
• Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.
• Avoid skipping meals. Also, try to avoid fasting and feasting too often.
• It is good to consume six small frequent meals at every 2-3hour interval instead of three large & heavy meals.
• Try to consume more of Whole grains and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
• Consume a minimum of 5 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.
• Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before sleep time.
• Drink adequate amount of water (minimum 8 glasses) of water daily to keep yourself well hydrated
• Engage in at least 30-45 minutes brisk walk/physical activity of moderate intensity at least 5 days a week.
• Try and follow a good sleep regimen that in terms of both quantity and Quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead

Dear Sai Reddy, Thank you for the Question.

Excess gas formation, flatulence can be a symptom of gastrointestinal digestive issues such as indigestion, constipation, IBS, intolerances etc., and/or due to an underlying health condition which requires medical attention

Certain food intolerances can cause flatulence after consuming specific foods. In lactose intolerance it is seen after consuming milk and milk products like cheese, paneer etc. And in gluten intolerance it is seen after consuming, wheat, rye, barley etc.

For further diagnosis and assistance kindly contact your specialized health care professional.

Here are a few dietary tips to help manage gastritis

• Eat all your meals on regular intervals. Include small snacks in between throughout the day

• Eat slowly and chew the food well, try not to use straws for beverages to avoid swallowing extra air

• Do not suck on ice or candy.

• Limit the intake of high fat foods, spices, acidic foods and carbonated beverages etc., from your daily diet

• One of the dietary factors associated with bloating is the intake and poor absorption of short chain carbohydrates called FODMAP foods. Consumption of foods that as may lead to excess gas production and poor gas clearance. In case of severe bloating abdominal pain and/or IBS try to limit the intake of FODMAP containing foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, corn, turnips, onions, peas, wheat, dairy, radishes, lentils, apples, pears etc.

• Practice regular physical activity and stress management

A few guidelines for general digestive health to be considered:

• Do not skip your meals, have small frequent meals at regular intervals.

• Eat a well-balanced diet including minimum 4 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit in a day as they are good sources of fiber and essential nutrients such as vitamin A, Vitamin B, iron, zinc etc.

• Include prebiotics such as banana, soyabean, garlic etc., good sources of probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk etc., to maintain a healthy gut.

• Avoid large, heavy meals, and practice portion guidance.

• Deep fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.

• Food should be eaten slowly and chewed well as fast eating provokes gastric feeding reflex.

• Avoid lying down immediately after your meal consumption

• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day

• Have a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between bedtime and your last meal

• Engage in physical activity for a minimum of 60 minutes throughout the week.

• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead.

Dear Pooja, Thank you for the question

A feeling of Heaviness or fullness in the stomach can be due to bloating. Certain food intolerances can cause bloating and stomach pain after consuming specific foods. In lactose intolerance it is seen after consuming milk and milk products like cheese, paneer etc. And in gluten intolerance it is seen after consuming, wheat, rye, barley etc. For further diagnosis and assistance kindly contact your specialized health care professional.

Here are a few dietary tips to help manage bloating

• Eat all your meals on regular intervals.

• Eat slowly and chew the food well, try not to use straws for beverages to avoid swallowing extra air

• Do not suck on ice or candy.

• Limit the intake of high fat foods from your daily diet

• One of the dietary factors associated with bloating is the intake and poor absorption of short chain carbohydrates called FODMAP foods. Consumption of foods that as may lead to excess gas production and poor gas clearance. In case of severe bloating abdominal pain and/or IBS try to limit the intake of FODMAP containing foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, corn, turnips, onions, peas, wheat, dairy, radishes, lentils, apples, pears etc.

• Practice regular physical activity and stress management

Here are a few guidelines for general digestive health.

• Do not skip your meals, have small frequent meals at regular intervals.

• Eat a well-balanced diet including minimum 5 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit in a day as they are good sources of fiber and essential nutrients such as vitamin A, Vitamin B, iron, zinc etc.

• Include prebiotics such as banana, soyabean, garlic etc., good sources of probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk etc., to maintain a healthy gut.

• Try to include whole grains like wheat, multigrain and millets in your daily diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.

• Limit the intake of fiber and dairy in case of loose stool/diarrhoea.

• Avoid large, heavy meals, and practice portion guidance.

• Deep fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.

• Food should be eaten slowly and chewed well as fast eating provokes gastric feeding reflex.

• Avoid lying down immediately after your meal consumption

• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day

• Have a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between bedtime and your last meal

• Engage in physical activity for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for at least 5 days a week.

• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Dear Jacintha, thank you for the question.

Allergies are usually characterized by an undesirable bodily reaction against an otherwise harmless substance. An allergy occurs when, for some reason, the immune system creates a response against a harmless substance, like pollen or a certain kind of food.

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate, it’s a component of the plant which is resistant to digestion by the enzymes in the human system. Consumption of high fiber diet or fibre supplements, do not usually trigger an allergy in the body but can contribute to digestive issues such as Excess gas formation, flatulence, bloating etc. 

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of fiber for female is 25g per day

• It is advised to consume fiber within the recommended allowance, you may add them in your diet in a gradual manner slowly to prevent gastric disturbances, bloating and stomach cramps. 

• The fibre intake can be spread throughout the day, between your three major meals and snacks to avoid overdoing at any one meal or snack. 

• It is very important to drink adequate water alongside your fibre intake to prevent constipation and add bulk to the stool. 

If you are consuming dietary fibre in any supplement form, the frequency and quantity must be strictly followed under medical supervision and label instructions to avoid any negative implications. Excess and/or unsupervised intake of nutritional supplements is not considered safe for overall health. 

Sometimes Consumption of a high fibre diet majorly including whole grains like wheat, barley or rye can also cause bloating and gastric disturbances in case of gluten intolerance. For further diagnosis and assistance kindly contact your specialized health care professional.

Here are a few dietary tips to help manage bloating

• Eat all your meals on regular intervals.

• Eat slowly and chew the food well, try not to use straws for beverages to avoid swallowing extra air

• Do not suck on ice or candy.

• Limit the intake of high fat foods from your daily diet

• One of the dietary factors associated with bloating is the intake and poor absorption of short chain carbohydrates called FODMAP foods. Consumption of foods that as may lead to excess gas production and poor gas clearance. In case of severe bloating abdominal pain and/or IBS try to limit the intake of FODMAP containing foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, corn, turnips, onions, peas, wheat, dairy, radishes, lentils, apples, pears etc.

• Practice regular physical activity and stress management

Here are a few guidelines for general digestive health.

• Do not skip your meals, have small frequent meals at regular intervals.

• Eat a well-balanced diet including minimum 5 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit in a day as they are good sources of fiber and essential nutrients such as vitamin A, Vitamin B, iron, zinc etc.

• Include prebiotics such as banana, soyabean, garlic etc., good sources of probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk etc., to maintain a healthy gut.

• Try to include whole grains like wheat, multigrain and millets in your daily diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.

• Limit the intake of fiber and dairy in case of loose stool/diarrhoea.

• Avoid large, heavy meals, and practice portion guidance.

• Deep fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.

• Food should be eaten slowly and chewed well as fast eating provokes gastric feeding reflex.

• Avoid lying down immediately after your meal consumption

• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day

• Have a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between bedtime and your last meal

• Engage in physical activity for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for at least 5 days a week.

• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead.

Dear Jyoti Todkar, Thank you for the question

Excessive hunger may also be a sign of eating less calories than recommended value, dehydration, other metabolic conditions such as thyroid or diabetes etc. For further diagnosis and management, please contact a health care professional

Being Mindful while eating is necessary to have a control over food habits. Mindfulness is an intentional focus on one’s thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment. Eating mindfully is when you are using all your physical and emotional senses to experience and enjoy the food choices you make. Mindful eating encourages one to make choices that will be satisfying and nourishing to the body.

Starting the journey towards achieving ideal body weight is a  good initiative on leading a healthy lifestyle! Kudos to you on your initiative.

Sustainable weight management requires a holistic approach which involves lifestyle management which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity, hydration, and stress management. With any weight loss plan changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.

An ideal weight loss meal plan should include calorie deficit diet with appropriate exercise regime followed under professional guidance.

However here are few objectives to be considered when planning to start with a weight loss program.

Count Your Daily Calories

• It is recommended to consume 500kcal less than your average, daily, current dietary intake of calories to target on 2-3kg weight loss per month (ideally 0.5kg per week).
• This target is a healthy& sustainable way of reducing and then maintaining the weight loss.
• The first step hence is “counting your daily calorie intakes”. Counting your daily calorie intake is proven to be effective when on a weight loss diet. You can use applications/apps freely available, that will help you count your calories to keep a track on your daily calorie intake and physical activity levels.
• These apps will also help you to track your hydration & sleep patterns which also impact your weight.
• Ideal body weight for an individual can be calculated using the Broca Index (BI) which is: Ideal Standard Weight (kg) = Ht (cm) – 100
• WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification for Asians

18.5 to 23 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

23 to 27.5 - Overweight

Above 27.5 - Obese

Please note that it is recommended for the target weight to be within normal BMI

General Dietary Guidelines for weight loss that can be considered:

• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes all the 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk & milk products).
• Do not skip your meals. Have small quantity of meals at regular intervals.
• Choose healthy snacking options in between your meals.
• Monitor your portion size.
• Include protein in your diet. Some of the sources include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds, etc. 
• Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, multigrains, millets, nuts & seeds etc., are a good source of fiber.
• Try switching from saturated fats and trans fats to MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) & PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) as they are essential fatty acids and are good for your health.
• Consume fresh, seasonal fruits as they contain many essential nutrients and are good sources of fiber.
• Carbonated
• and alcoholic beverages to be limited or preferably avoided.
• Deep Fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Minimum of 8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.
• Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.
• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

Some Physical Activity Tips:

Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking for at least five days a week.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead