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Dear Chhoti, Thank you for the question

Digestive quotient is a qualitative test which gives an indicator score out of 100 for overall digestive health. Recommendations of improvement are given at the end of the test basis individual inputs and answers.

Please note that there is no parallel or interrelation between DQ score and BMI

Reduced gut health can cause various digestive issues such as constipation, indigestion, IBS/IBD, diarrhoea, Food intolerances, bloating, gastritis, acidity etc. 

It is necessary to improve your overall digestive system which involves a healthy lifestyle management including a good balanced diet, adequate hydration, regular physical activity, and hygiene & stress management is key to maintain a good digestive health. It is also important to ensure adequate fiber intake which is essential for a healthy gut and overall digestive health.

Gut microbiota includes a diverse community of bacteria in human gut, they carry out various functions that influences our overall health. The functions include, nutrient metabolism, natural defense against infections and regulation of immune system.

For managing a healthy gut it is important to consume a diversified balanced diet at regular intervals, maintain hydration and include dietary fibre in your daily diet. It is also important to engage in regular physical activity and include prebiotic and probiotics in your daily diet Prebiotics are food components that confer benefits to the host by selectively stimulating the growth of beneficial gut microbiota whereas Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that incur positive effects on human health. They are present in the human gut and are also taken through food products such as yogurt, fermented foods, dietary supplements etc.

Prebiotics naturally exist in different foods including, asparagus, garlic, chicory, onion, honey, banana, barley, tomato, rye, soybean, human’s and cow’s milk, peas, beans, etc.

The common sources of probiotics are yogurt, cultured buttermilk and cheese. The other foods that are produced by bacterial fermentation are, tempeh, sauerkraut, sour dough, bread etc.  Look for food products labelled ‘Probiotic’, ‘Probiotic food’, ‘Contains Probiotics’, ‘with Probiotics’ etc.

Daily RDA for fiber as per NIN, ICMR is: 25g per day for Female

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, millets and multigrain in your diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.
• Limit the intake of dairy and fiber in case of loose stools/diarrhea
• 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.
• Try to limit the foods like caffeine, spices, raw onions etc.
• 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 Jenifer, Thank you for the question

There can be various factors that contribute to hair health like genetics, hormonal balance, stress and/or underlying health condition etc, some other factors that may affect the hair health include infections, nutrient deficiencies etc. Healthy Hair requires, dietary modifications, regular physical activity, stress management and adequate sleep along with proper hydration.

Here are a few tips for healthy hair

• Inadequate intake of protein can result in hair changes that include hair thinning and hair loss. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.
• Low intake of iron may also cause hair loss. The richest sources of heme iron in the diet are lean meat and seafood and non-heme sources include nuts, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, and fortified grain, milk, whole grains, legumes and dry fruits etc.
• Zinc is a mineral that plays important roles in immune function, protein synthesis, cellular division. It’s necessary for hair follicle function and helps protect against hair follicle shrinkage. It also helps promote hair follicle recovery Plant products such as – whole grains, legumes such as chickpeas, groundnuts, lentils, Nuts & seeds like cashews, pumpkin seeds, almonds etc. Animal products such as-milk and milk products.
• Omega -3 & omega-6 fatty acid may help promote hair growth by working towards follicle proliferation. Some of the most common sources of omega 3 & 6 are Fish, nuts and seeds such as walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.

For general wellbeing, you can begin by consuming a balanced diet is which provides all the nutrients in required amounts and proper proportions. It can easily be achieved through a blend of the four basic food groups. The quantities of foods needed to meet the nutrient requirements vary with age, gender, physiological status and physical activity. A balanced diet should provide around 50-60% of total calories from carbohydrates, preferably from complex carbohydrates, about 10-15% from proteins and 20-30% from both visible and invisible fat.

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual/ with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition it is recommended to consume 2000kcal/d and for women, the RDA for protein requirement is 46g/d and for fiber it is 25g/d.

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

• 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 recommended.
• Some of the good sources of protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, nuts & seeds, etc.  
• 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.
• Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.
• Consume minimum 5 servings 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.
• Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
• 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 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 Anju Miglani, Thank you for the question

Weight gain during and after pregnancy is a natural phenomenon. During lactation & breastfeeding the lactating mother’s nutritional requirements should meet her own daily needs, provide enough nutrient in milk for growing infant and furnish the energy for milk production.

It is recommended to consume 2000+kcal with 63g (for 0-6 months lactation) and 59g (for 6-12 months lactation) of protein per day and 1200mg of calcium per day

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

-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 recommended.

-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.

- Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.

-Consume minimum 5 servings 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.

-Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.

-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

-Try and follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and Quality.

Galactogogues or lactogogue increase the prolactin secretion which in turn increase milk production foods like garlic, milk, almonds, Green leafy vegetables as they stimulate the production and Secretion of Breast milk. 

It is also important to bring to your attention that the body requires sufficient time after childbirth to recover and sustain the increased calorie needs with adequate nutrition and care. When you believe enough time has passed by after your c-section and you’ve healed and recovered to gradually start on weight loss, here a few guidelines to help you in your journey:

Ideally a sustainable and healthy weight loss regimen, should target on overall weight loss and fat reduction and requires a holistic approach that involves lifestyle modification which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity 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

As per WHO BMI (Body Mass Index) classification, a person weighing less than 18.5 kg/m2 is considered underweight.

 

Please note it is recommended that the target body weight must be maintained within the normal BMI & ideal body weight range.

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.
• Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, multigrain, 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.
• Include protein in your diet. Some of the sources include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds, etc. 
• 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. Kindly get guidance from your gynaecologist for appropriate physical activity regimen that can be followed.

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.

Dear Ekta jha

We request you to kindly specify your requirements and query, to help us understand if you would want us to assist you with weight loss/ weight gain or any other specific need, so that we can guide and help you with appropriate nutritional guidelines accordingly.

Dear Anisha Rana, Thank you for the question

Regular physical activity or exercise is necessary and beneficial for overall health as it helps in improving muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness, maintain ideal body weight, prevent, and manage lifestyle disorders as well as improve digestive health. Walking, cycling, jogging, skipping are some of the physical activities that can be considered. However, for specific exercise regimen to cater to specific fitness needs please contact a fitness expert.

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