Dt. Lavanya Bachwal

Hi,

I am Dt. Lavanya Bachwal, Dietitian/Nutritionist, Navi Mumbai. Today I will talk about PCOS/PCOD. It is very commonly seen nowadays. It is very important to know what this condition is and to appropriately take preventive measures. So, what is PCOD? It is basically an endocrine disorder in which there is hormonal imbalance because of which women may have irregular periods or prolonged periods for a long time. Now, what exactly happens? There are small sacks like fluids which are a cyst and develops in ovaries. They are harmful and causes hormonal imbalance. Women can be seen with the symptoms of weight gain, excessive hair growth, excessive weight gain. Our ovaries produce some amount of androgens which is a male sex hormone which is produced in a small amount which causes infertility and weight gain. It is very important to find out the reason why is this happening.

We can identify with insulin resistance. It is a hormone which is regulated by the sugar that we eat. When there is excessive hormonal imbalance, the body produces excessive insulin and the cells are insensitive and resistant. What are the most common symptoms of PCOD? Irregular periods, depression, anxiety, unwanted hair growth, difficulty in losing weight, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, hair fall, dark patches, etc. So, if you see any of the symptoms, get yourself checked through a gynecologist. What is the treatment for PCOD? First is to visit a gynaec and get the medicines, lifestyle intervention in the form of diet change and exercises, stress management. What should you definitely do when we talk about diet change? Take a healthy and balanced diet which includes high fibre, complex carbs, protein-rich diet, take a good amount of healthy fat.

Keep yourself well hydrated. Intake of Omega-3 fatty acids is very important. What to restrict? Avoid junk food completely. Women are at a higher risk of developing diabetes further in life. Restrict your simple carbs. This type of diet will also help you in losing weight. Avoid Soy products. Caffeine and alcohol also have been linked with infertility. If you really want to cure your PCOD problem, it is very important to follow a good diet. About exercises, at least 30 mins of high-intensity exercises 5 days a week is recommended. Exercise may not be monotonous that you are just going for walking every day. Keep changing your exercises regimen. So that your body is constantly in a mode of change and react better to the exercises. Get into art creational forms like dancing, swimming, etc. So that you are more keen on doing these exercises other than feeling monotonous and a task to do. Lastly and not least, stress management is very important.

Managing stress is highly recommended because we have a fast-changing pace today. A lot of simple techniques like breathing practices, take 5 mins to break and do some breathing exercises, keep a fixed schedule of sleeping and waking pattern so that you are less stressed, before going to sleep, keep yourself away from a mobile or any other gadgets. Get into some meditation which will also give you some calming effects. So, some small changes in your life can actually curb a lot of stress and improve your holistic condition. Further, if you have any query and you would like to get in touch with us, connect with us through Lybrate.

Thank You!

Hi,

I am Dt. Lavanya Bachwal. Today I will talk about gastroesophageal reflux disease. The patients' complaint about heartburn, pain in the chest, etc. GERD is also is known as acid reflux disease. Whenever you eat food, it passes through your esophagus and there is a small tissue at the bottom of your esophagus called as a lower esophageal sphincter. So that contracts and expands as you take your food down. Once the food reaches your stomach, the sphincter closes. In GERD, the sphincter may not close properly thus there is a lightly hood of the food coming back to the esophagus and because the food is highly acidic in nature, it may erode the esophageal lining and the reason why people may feel why they are having heartburn and chest pain in the upper region of the chest. What are the lightest symptoms of having heartburn? It could be hiccups, burning of the chest region, sore throat, changes in your voice and wheezing over a long period of time. Thus, if you identify such symptoms, then you should definitely refer to a Dr. What are the light treatments for acid reflux? So, if you go to a Dr, Your Dr may prescribe you the antacids. This is for the short term goal. They will help you to get relief from the symptoms but for the long term treatment, you should go for lifestyle management.

This medicines may lead to B12 deficiency and the acidic environment of the stomach is highly required. The next part is dietary interventions and what will help you to prevent and add on existing symptoms. What is the food that you can avoid and have in your diet while you are suffering from GERD? Every individual has a different sensitivity level so what suits one person may not recommend you. The common food that may trigger acid reflux or acidity is commonly caffeine, alcohol, peppermint, chewing gum, onion, ginger, tomato. Small and frequent meals are highly recommended. Avoid a lot of acid reflux. Avoid sleeping immediately after a meal. Anybody who is having an acid reflux episodes should ideally keep a gap of 3-4 hours in sleeping. When you are going to sleep, make sure you are in a reclining position so that the stomach food should remain in the stomach. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables because they will always keep you healthy. Also, they are a very high source of anti-oxidant so, this will help you in keeping your immune system intact. So, fruits like apple, melon, pear are highly recommended when you are suffering from acid reflux. On the other hand, tomatoes and onions have to be restricted because they can trigger an acid response. In Indian food, we are using a lot of oil and fatty products while cooking.

Though the lean proteins are healthy the cooking format is something you need to look into. Thus lean proteins like eggs, chicken, fish, etc are recommended for eating but look into the cooking pattern. Steaming, grilling, roasting or baking is recommended rather high cooking methods. Complex carbohydrates are one of the major staples of our diet. Whole wheat grains, cereals, legumes, all these are complex carbohydrates and including them in your diet will help you in curbing your acid problem. Potatoes and other root vegetables are also something which is recommended if you are having this acidity issue or gastric reflux issue because they are very simple to digest. Thus, it will not hamper your acid content and at the same time will keep your stomach lighter. Eating healthier fat is very important. Olive oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut butter is recommended. Nuts are also recommended.

Avoid alcohol as this is one of the major causes why excessive acid production takes place. Maintain a good sitting posture and also when you are eating. Do not wear tight clothes. Avoid eating before meals as it can be a major cause of acid reflux. So, to conclude, I will say having a healthy meal is very important. The goal is to create a healthy food environment where you will eat everything and avoid certain factors which cause acid reflux. Also, if there are long-term symptoms of acid reflux, immediately take an appointment from a Dr and consult so that it can be rectified immediately. And then it will not cause any other problem which is not treatable.

Thank You!