So many Issues!

Do you feel lost trying to understand the contradicting advice given dietitians? It may not all be relevant for one person, but how does one know that? The easy access and abundance of information today totally outweigh the lack of proper nutrition based guidance? Work and family pressure do not allow all to take out time for such session. Thus, sitting on the internet browsing through 5 quick tips for instant weight loss seems very appealing! One can’t help but be intrigued with an ad like –

CLICK HERE TO LOSE 10 KGS IN TEN DAYS!

No one wants to know really find out whether the person is healthy today or not, whether there were side effects? Alas! The concept of instant weight loss is as magical as cinderella’s glass slipper. Even fairy tales require constant effort and a fairy godmother! Yes, blinding information is available all around but one must learn to read between the lines, one must find a diet suitable to themselves yet as unique as their DNA. The term ‘customised’ is not just for fashion!

Solutions are around for people who search for them. One could take out the time to meet a nutritionist on a weekend, over a lunch break – just push themselves a bit to get the right info that works for them There are several health monitored apps, where you can have an expert online guiding you about the food you can/cannot eat. A bit of time and research is a must – for without that bit of effort and awareness – all is truly lost! Steps taken in a negative direction could have consequences.

“If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it”  ~Common sense

As each individual is unique, so are their requirements. With the advanced technology and surge in health care – one could easily get a personal genomics test done. Samples can be provided in the form of saliva or blood and one can get information about their genes, predisposed risk to conditions on an email! You could know if you are genetically obese, dependant on alcohol or caffeine, more suitable for endurance or sprint events.

Believe it or not!

Nutrigenomics combines the study of nutrition and genetics to discover the different ways people respond to food based on their genetic make-up. It looks at the interplay between our dietary and lifestyle behaviour and how that interacts with our genome in terms of regulating genes that are important in the control of metabolism. One must just know where to look for and seek guidance in the right direction.

There’s a lot available to us, and with the importance of health and fitness in mind – we must do our bit in looking out for what’s best for us. There are tailored diets for weight management solutions that look beyond calories to chart out diet plans that consider genetic predisposition to obesity, fat storage, appetite, eating habits, satiety levels, diet pattern, sporting prowess, and muscle endurance. For those moving towards a healthy lifestyle, there are people who enable them to build healthy habits (smoking cessation and alcohol moderation), correct nutritional imbalances (Vitamins, PUFA, Homocysteine, etc.), manage lipid levels (triglyceride, cholesterol), enhance detox, and prevent metabolic disorders.

If scientific testing is not your call, one can always try and  maintain a food diary, monitor their weight regularly. Any form of physical exercise or sport twice a week would be extremely beneficial!  One may not get parameters to quantify their progress, but a stable state of health and mind can most certainly be achieved! Eating at regular intervals, with ample fresh fruits and hydration would ensure a healthy lifestyle. Some live to eat and others eat to live! You can do both; the balance is in the moderation for the pleasure to last life long.

Don’t get carried away with your efforts in this dynamically changing world. Size 0 is the trend for just the day. The kardashians are on TV today ; it could be someone else you read about tomorrow! Change is inevitable in all fields of life : except good health! That is one state which can be kept constant with continuous and rigorous effort. You could personalise your mantra by adding something unique to it. One can figure that out with or without scientific help – a special DNA diet – suitable only for your body and personality! Do not Compromise; learn to Be ‘GENE-wise’!!!

‘Don’t start a diet, that has an expiration date. Focus on a lifestyle, that will last forever.’