Eating right makes all the difference

According to celebrity nutritionist Lekshmy Manish, obesity is a growing issue among people, especially women, post Covid
Eating right makes all the difference

KOCHI: Though lockdowns and restrictions were lifted, the prolonged period of isolation we went through has helped new habits set in — like excessive eating and no exercise. This has created a new health crisis all over the world, with people getting increasingly obsese. With World Health Day is around the corner, celebrity dietitian and nutritionist Lekshmy Manish talks about what young women can do to keep themselves fit

Lekshmy, who is a consultant for actors like Manju Pillai, Aparna Balamurali and singer Jyotsna has been a nutritionist for almost nine years now. And she confirms that she has been dealing with a lot of post-Covid weight issues among women. In one such case, she came across a 36 year old woman who touched 145kg in the last year. Though all genders are prone to obesity, women are affected the most nowadays, says Lekshmy.

“Most of the queries I received were about post- covid obesity cases in women who are 10 years old and above. A lot of people are worried about morbid obesity — say 8 out of 10 cases — with symptoms like tiredness, low stamina and joint issues”.

According to her, females are more vulnerable to hormonal changes and resultant disorders like PCOS. Consumption of processed and junk foods and other unhealthy habits could make this worse.Puberty has been preponed in young girls due to this shift in eating and exercise routines. “I have a client who is just 10 and she is obsese. Children nowadays develop diabetes, fatty liver and cholesterol at a young age. A few clients come to me directly while others are referred to me by doctors. Post Covid, pulmonary and cardiology issues are also being increasingly reported among people in 20s and 30s,” she adds.

Small changes
Lekshmy recommends eating healthy as the first step towards losing unhealthy weight. The right way to do this is by incorporating a strict eating routine in the family. “When we eat junk and advise our kids to eat healthy, they won’t listen. Parents should lead by example. Women who struggle with PCOD and hormonal issues should regulate their gut alongside taking medication. Eating right is the best way to improve immunity,” she says.

A diet with less spices, but rich in proteins and fibre is the ideal post-Covid diet, she says. Moderate intake of pulses and more pro biotic food will create healthy gut bacteria. “Regardless of the climate, drink two or three litres of water daily. Apart from following a healthy metabolism, drinking enough water will help reduce everything from dry skin to hair fall,” she adds.

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