Personalised Nutrition

I remember visiting a nutritionist during my pregnancy days in Calcutta and being handed over a standard template of advise of what to eat and what not to eat. I was never able to follow it as it was not completely tailored to my needs or to my likes and dislikes. It did not have any of my traditional dishes that I grew up with in the menu.

Fast forward today when I am writing this article, I am able to understand why that advise was not what I was looking for. I wanted something which was made for me and also listened to the needs of my body, my cravings and my likes.

I went back to college to do my masters in Nutrition & Food Science in 2009 after my second kid was 4 years old to really satisfy my need to understand the subject in more detail and the desire to do a postgraduate in a subject that I loved.

After completing my MSc In Nutrition 8 years back in Calcutta, working in a hospital, handling in house hospital patients and then in private practise, really understood why one standard advise does not really work in the real sense for all. The patients just did not use the standard template as it was just a piece of paper, and did not listen to their taste buds..

Each of us as human beings are different in terms of

Our tastes, food choices, cultural background, bodies reaction to different foods, medical conditions, lifestyles, DNA, appetites, food allergies, gut health, environmental factors, etc etc. Practical experience suggests that a diet which has worked wonders on one person does not give same results on another due some of the above factors.

While scientific evidence on studies whether personalised nutrition really works has been both positive and neutral, my experience has been very positive dealing with clients.

Personalised nutrition is all about being able to make out a differentiated nutrition plan and guidelines for each of us which is based on science and personal choices, likes and dislikes and medical conditions.

What does Personalised Nutrition do in simple terms. It helps

1.   Target building up your nutrition stores, up your energy level with the right food ideas and portion sizes. Example, How’s your carbs intake, protein intake as a % of body weight, good fat & bad fat, levels of hydration, vegetarian protein sources etc etc.

2.   Eliminates food that you are allergic too and also review how your body reacts to different foods that you eat. Monitors and tracks the impact with a feedback loop.

3.   Eliminate foods make you feel gassy and bloated.

4.   Monitors food and meal timings. Are you skipping meals, its impact and how to tailor it to your work needs.

5.   Introduces new vegetable, fruits and food combinations to bring in freshness and variety in food intake.

6.   Explains the need to moderate lifestyle after review of the medical reports – Blood Glucose, cholesterol and body fat percentage etc etc.

7.   Ways to reduce stress with exercise options and snacking ideas.

8.   Debunks myths and set ideas with science backed observations.

9.   Feedback loop and discussion, to observe changes in body and taking action on it.

10. Challenges you to push the boundaries of your physical ability with a motivational nudge and stories.

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Personalised nutrition and lifestyle solutions are getting hi tech with new wearable technology and other custom food brands, DNA Testing being developed and scientists working on it, but as a start I have seen it working and benefiting people. 

It may be a fad to some but, its pragmatic to understand the nuts and bolts of the process to be able to absorb the logic and science behind it.