Date Archives May 2018

Quality versus Quantity Nutrition

Bariatric Surgery Blog Diet Obesity Surgery Weight loss surgery
weightloss diet in mumbai, india

Author- Mariam Lakdawala (Registered Dietician)

Common questions I generally get from my patients suffering from obesity,

“I don’t eat much, still why am I gaining weight?”

“I eat less than one of my friend, but why is she so thin and I am not?”

My answer to such questions is simple, “Don’t only see how much is on your plate, but also see ‘what’ is on your plate”.

The basic rule of weight loss is to restrict the overall quantity of food and increase the calorie burning capacity of the body. However, this rule has been outdated as only quantity restriction in the absence of food quality management, will not result in positive weight loss outcomes. Also a good quality diet which consists of good quantities of proteins and fiber keeps you full for longer and delays the intake of subsequent meal.

Though factors like genetics and heredity play a major role in adding those kilograms, ‘food’ can also be a major factor for tipping the scales towards obesity. If the quality of the diet is poor, food becomes the major cause of obesity. Your food plate determines the quality of your meals. An ideal food plate must have all the major (macro) nutrients i.e. carbohydrates (also includes fiber), proteins and fats in correct proportions.

weight loss diet in mumbai, india

In India, our diet is rich in carbohydrates with very less quantities of vegetables and proteins. This has an adverse impact on our metabolism and exposes us to various metabolic diseases, including obesity. In metropolitan cities the dependence on ready to eat processed foods like biscuits, breads, noodles, sausages/ nuggets etc is much higher in order to save time. These processed foods are generally high in sugars, salt and fat which makes them less nutritious and dense with empty calories. Poor quality diet coupled with lack of physical activity just makes it worse and has played a big role in increasing obesity levels.

The quality and quantity of food are two sides of the same coin. Both the aspects are equally important not only for weight loss but also for maintaining good health and must not be ignored.

How to manage Reactive Hypoglycemia?

Bariatric Surgery Blog Gastric Bypass Gastric Sleeve Obesity Surgery Weight loss surgery
Hypoglycemia

Author- Mariam Lakdawala, Registered Dietician

The most common observation made among diabetic patients is that they generally grab on sugar or sugary beverages when they get hypoglycaemic (a drop in the blood sugar levels). But are these sugar shots really helpful?

Temporarily – yes, but after 2-3 hours there are higher chances of experiencing another episode of Hypoglycemia. This kind of meal or rather simple sugar induced Hypoglycemia is known as Reactive Hypoglycemia. After the ingestion of sugar/ sugary beverages there is a rapid increase in the insulin secretion. Insulin causes a rapid digestion and absorption of sugars and still remains in the blood eventually causing low blood sugar levels.

The symptoms include dizziness, fatigue, light headedness, sweating, irritability, confusion, blurred vision, heart palpitations, etc.

Here are some dietary tips to prevent and manage reactive hypoglycaemia,

  1. Avoid consumption of sugar, honey, jaggery, processed foods, bakery products (bread/ biscuits/ cookies/ toast/ khaari/ butter, etc).
  2. Add fiber rich foods like vegetables, pulses, sprouts, fruits to every meal in order to improve the quality of carbohydrates.
  3. Do not keep long gap between the meals. Eat a small snack in between the main meals.
  4. Ensure every meal is balanced with good quality proteins from milk, curds, paneer, soy and its products, egg, fish, poultry, meat, etc.

Reactive hypoglycaemia could be because of multiple other reasons (Eg. Post gastric bypass surgery) and can be managed with the same dietary modifications. In case it doesn’t resolve with the diet, you can check with your doctor for further medical management.