Shireen Abdullah: [00:00:00] Can food really change your health story? Dr. Chaturvedi thinks so and she's here to explain exactly how from managing multiple conditions to mastering portion control. She breaks down the simple science back nutrition strategies that work, whether you're dealing with diabetes or just wanting eat smarter. This episode offers easy tips you can use right away.

Stay tuned. Podcasting from Dallas, Texas. I am Shireen and this is Yumlish podcast. Yumlish is working to empower you to take charge of your health through diet and exercise and reduce the risk of chronic conditions like type two diabetes and heart disease. We hope to share a unique perspective and a culturally relevant approach to managing these chronic conditions with you each week.

[00:01:00] Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi is a highly experienced renal clinical dietician with a PhD in renal nutrition. Over 12 years of expertise in clinical nutrition specializing in the management of various lifestyle disorders including diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and other related conditions. She focuses on the development of personalized nutrition interventions that enhance the health outcomes of patients.

Welcome Dr. Chaturvedi. Thank you. Such a pleasure having you on. So, I wanna first dive in to really understand, um, a little bit more about this relationship or in your interest in this relationship between clinical and looking clinical nutrition specifically, and then chronic illness itself. What, what drew you to that?

How did you, how did you end up in this space?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: Yeah. So first of all, I would like to thank you, uh, for inviting me to join today's podcast. And, uh, it's a real privilege to be here, especially to discuss such an important topic [00:02:00] that is diabetes and its ipo, impact on nutrition. So, my journey as a clinical nutritionist, uh, deeply rooted in empathy.

And a desire to help those experiencing significant health change challenges. So basically, I still remember that during my internship days when I used to go to the ICUs and uh, I used to visit the dialysis unit. So patients who were admitted there, uh, they, they suffer, uh, more than, as compared to. Other patients.

So that led me to explore of fundamental aspects of, uh, lifestyle management and to understand how nutrition, exercise, uh, lifestyle daily, daily habits can play a transformative role in prevention and the management of chronic illnesses.

Shireen Abdullah: Thank you for the, for the context there. Um, you know, I mentioned [00:03:00] earlier that in your bio that um, you know, you've worked within chronic kidney disease within diabetes, so you're really working with a variety of health conditions related and, and sometimes not as closely related.

Um, you're also doing some work from like thyroid disorders, which is very interesting to diabetes again, to gut health. How do you curate a. Personalized diet plan, like across all of these different things, uh, for patients with these various needs?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: Yes. Uh, so I, uh, I want to mention here that, uh, almost four years back I diagnosed with IBS.

So that time my, uh, my. I, I was more curious about to know more about the foods because doctor had placed me on the medications and I was not willing to start any kind of medications. So, uh, later on I came to know that I guess I had developed just because of my stress, high stress level, and I was not taking care about [00:04:00] myself.

So I suddenly became lactose intolerant to glucose intolerant, and I developed. Lots of sensitivities also that is care Fine and alcohol and so many, uh, sensitivities. So that time, um, I, I, I promised to myself that I will cure each and everything from the diet only and from the changing lifestyle only.

So during that research period, I realized that the best way to plan and diet for everyone is of intermittent fasting. So this can be tailored based upon your body size, as well as depends on your composition goals also. But it is important to remember that the body shape along doesn't, uh, dictate your metabolics.

Still intermittent fasting protocols can adapted, uh, for by, for everyone, you know, because it depends on your visceral fat, your subcutaneous fat, [00:05:00] as well as muscle dominant personality or lean type of personality. So basically we can divide, uh, intermittent fasting or type of bodies into four categories.

So first category is peer shape. Where, uh, lower body fat get, uh, uh, deposited. And it is very common in women where fat get stored in their hips and, uh, their, uh, Botox and their thighs. So the goal should be to improve insulin sensitivity and to maintain their lean body mass. So for this, I recommend them to maintain at least 10 hours of eaten window and.

Very creatively to achieve their results. Second is the apple shaped body. Uh, we can name it as centrality. Also, it is, uh, prominently we can find them males rather than females where get, uh, where fat are deposited around the abdominal cavity. So, [00:06:00] uh, this type of o obesity indicates higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other type of metabolic syndromes.

So the goal is to reduce their insulin sensitivity, their visceral fat, and. So, uh, I suggest them to maintain just six to eight hours of eating window for such people who a diet, you must have heard about one meal a day. We also suggest such type of diet for the patient, but this type should be taken in a strict supervision of a dietician.

Uh, third type of body type is muscular type, which we see in, uh, mostly athletes. So its goal should be to enhance performance and maintain lean mass. So they should follow eating window of tennis. Fourth type of personality is lean type of personality where people are not tend to gain weight very easily.

So dwell as eating window is suggested for [00:07:00] them, and also they should focus on a good nutrient based diet. Just to avoid the risk of malnutrition. So, uh, this is my basic principle of intermittent fasting, uh, in, on that cases high make, tailor made plans for my patients.

Shireen Abdullah: That's, that's interesting. They should also note here a lot of the work that you're mentioning here, Dr.

Chatri, you're, can you tell us a little bit about where you're doing it? What are the types of things that you're seeing, uh, from, from patients as well?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: Uh, so basically, uh, if we talk about their experience, so they initially they find some problems, uh, in achieving the 10 hours eating window or eight or six hours eating window.

So gradually they increase their time period. Initially I give them 14 hours window. For the next week, I give them 12 hours eating window, and then for next week I give them 10 hours eating window. So, uh, uh, gradually they adopt these habits of [00:08:00] eating and then they become comfortable with that. So if, uh, when, whenever they reach 12 hours when eating window or China's eating window, uh, their hba one c.

So, uh, seems to calm down. I have seen in many patients that intermittent fasting help them a lot by taking down their levels of hba one c.

Shireen Abdullah: I wanna, I wanna then, uh, next go to our next question, which is, what is your approach for someone looking to improve or change their diet while managing multiple health conditions?

So you talked about intermittent fasting across different health conditions as well, but when we're looking at multiple health conditions, are there other precautions, other things that you take into account as you're considering their diet plan?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: It's a great question. So when someone is looking to improve their diet.

Along with intermittent fasting. So in that case, their me, uh, improves and, uh, they. [00:09:00] In our proper sequence. So see, eating sequence, uh, matters a lot. And this can significantly affect their metabolism, their blood sugar regulation, their insulin response, their satiety, especially in diabetic patients or other metabolic health management.

So now what is the basic principle of eating? So, uh, they should eat fiber first means salads, fruits. Uh, foods which are, uh, low in glycemic index as well as salty vegetables. So these should be taken at the very first when they start your meal. Second, uh, um, you should eat proteins and fats that are beans, uh, water pulses, legumes.

So these things should be eaten at the second uh, place because these reduces the rate of glucose absorption. Third is to enhance the glycemic control and satiety. You should eat your [00:10:00] carbohydrate at the last. Carbs means it can be a bread, it can rise, it can pasta, or anything else you are eating. So fiber, protein, fat, and carbohydrate.

This should be the sequence of your, uh, eating. So, uh, in so many. It has significantly decreased the post by 20 to percent in the patients who suffer with.

Shireen Abdullah: So what you're saying, Dr. Ri, is not only important to understand what you're eating or how long your eating window is, but even the sequence of how you go about eating is just as important.

And I'm, I'm curious about if you can elaborate a little bit more about the sequence of being able to eat and this impact on A1C. Um, so with carbs or, you know, with carbs, you mentioned eating it last. But I assume then you're saying don't start out with the carb because then that will spike your blood sugar.

You don't have the fiber, you don't have the [00:11:00] protein already in your system to help slow that down. Can you walk us through, can you expand on that a little bit?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: Yeah. One point I missed on that, that if you are taking beverages along your meals. So it should come at value parts. Like if you are taking any kind of buttermilk or soup or anything, or, uh, you, if you, uh, if you will take liquids at first, that would be the best thing you will do with your meal.

And, uh, now I coming, I'm coming to your coin that buy fiber and, uh, why fiber we are taking at first because fiber gets digested very easily. It doesn't take much time to get digest if you'll eat fiber at the last, okay, har. So if you'll eat carbs first, then you'll eat protein, and then you'll eat fiber.

So fiber will start at the top of your. Gut. So it'll get fermented and it'll cause you gas. Also, it'll not [00:12:00] help you to regulate your insulin and it'll not reduce the rate of glucose absorption. So when you eat fiber first, it get digested very easily. And then it gives a base to get digested protein and fat easily.

So at the second, uh. When we eat proteins at the second protein takes longer time to get digested as compared to carbohydrates and fibers. So protein will release energy very slowly and gradually, and by that time, your insulin level get settled and then insulin no level. Then insulin, uh, will, uh, will, will digest the carbohydrate part, uh, by, because.

That time, uh, your insulin will reach here. Uh, by that time your carbs will get adjusted by half from your gut. So by this mechanism, your glucose absorption will increase in the [00:13:00] body and insulin sensitive will become more better. I go by m tear on that.

Shireen Abdullah: No, that that is, uh, that's helpful. So it's the, the sequence of being able to start with your fiber, then go into your protein.

You, you first start out with the food. If I understand correctly, you start out with the food that is e easily digestible. You're laying a base down. You put protein on top of it, it takes a little bit slower, and then finally you finish up with the carbs. And you said to start out with the, with the beverage and get the beverage done.

Assuming when you're, um, just as a clarifying point, when you're saying start out with the beverage, you don't mean a high sugar beverage. Yes. You're talking Okay. Yes, yes. How do you, uh, I'm gonna move on to the next question. What role does poor metabolic health play in the development of diabetes,

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: poor metabolism, if we talk about inflammation also.

So, uh, if, if we talk about any kind of chronic diseases. That starts with the [00:14:00] inflammation only and poor metabolism here is the foundation for the development of type two diabetes because it creates a physiological environment where the body gradually losses its, uh, capability to manage glucose effectively.

So, uh, metabolic. Not only for blood glucose regulation, but it also refers to maintain the blood pressure. It also refers to maintain your, uh, lipid levels. And as we know that the diabetes is directly connected with our liver. So it is, uh, essential for our liver health also. So, and if one person who has a poor metabolic health, so they may have high blood pressure along with higher blood sugar levels, they may have obesity also, and they may have der uh, lipid parameters also.

So when someone has poor metabolic rate, [00:15:00] their cells become less responsive to the insulin, then to compensate, pancreas has to produce and more and more insulin, and then pancreas gets exhausted. It gets burns out, and then insulin reduction declines. So when the insulin level declines in the body, body is not able to metabolize glucose fairly properly.

Uh, it's not about just glucose, but other type of carbohydrate also. And that reserves in the elevated blood sugar levels that further leads to pre-diabetes. And if it is ignored, it can lead to type two diabetes.

Shireen Abdullah: Um, I'm gonna move on to the next question, which is around something that even we, we get to, we get questioned on often, which is around, you know, understanding what foods should I eat, what foods should I avoid?

Like people like separating and like this is a. Bucket of good foods. It's a bucket of bad foods. So anyways, we would like to get your, your [00:16:00] recommendation on it for our listeners here today, are there any specific foods ingredients that folks cook with that you often recommend to support or improve blood sugar control?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: Uh, I cannot categorize them into a good food or a bad mood. Like every food is good until, unless your body is accepting that food. Um, and if we particularly talk about diabetic patients, the food should not. Be high in glycemic index as well as in glycemic load. Another thing, if a diabetic patient is maintaining a good level of P one C, that is around 6.5, or they are maintaining a good level of postprandial blood sugar and uh.

Pre, uh, fasting or pre-and blood sugar. They can have each, in every type of fruit. They can have each and every type of fruit, or they just need to avoid fruit juices or extract. So anything. Another [00:17:00] thing, uh, along with eating your physical activity matters a lot. Like how much you are doing physical activity.

I have seen many people, I have, uh, many patients, uh, they used to come to me and they said, okay, we are following the diet chart you have given to us, but still we are not achieving our targeted blood glucose. But when I asked them about their physical. Activity, they say, no, we are not able to continue our walking or chiming or yoga, whatever you have suggested to us.

So, uh, if you wanna eat everything, you'll have to go for any kind of physical activity also. So there is no good or bad though. Food. Another thing, uh, which I would like to mention here, there are some, uh, foods which. Uh, which gives your body more inflammation. So, uh, these are non-vegetarian foods. Like it can be chicken, it can be mu, it can be [00:18:00] beef, and even can be the milk.

So these, uh, these, uh, the food. Which are rich in protein. These all comes from animal, uh, part. So although they are good and high biological value protein, but they are, uh, proven as a more inflammatory agent who creates more inflammation in our body. So, uh, I would suggest to not go consume them on a regular basis or try to avoid them because we have so many sources from our vegetarian side.

We have so many sources of plant-based protein. Plant-based protein are proven to not to produce any kind of inflammation in the body. So better to switch to a vegetarian height.

Shireen Abdullah: So that's interesting and, and what you're saying is that, you know, one, take the the sugar content and be sort of mindful of that, but then also at the end there you mentioned about animal protein versus plant-based protein, the animal [00:19:00] protein, um, being the source of causing, causing inflammation itself.

Um, I'll move into the next question, which is, what are some simple or easy dietary habits? 'cause not. Not everyone can give up animal protein, or sometimes it's just not part of their lifestyle, right? But anyways. What are some simple and easy dietary habits as that most people can adopt in their everyday lives that will support their long-term health?

Uh,

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: so basically the people who want to achieve, uh, good lifestyle or good eating habits. So first of all, uh, they should work on their eating habits first. Intermittent fasting, which I have, uh, only explained. Second, their meal timings and their portion control. So the meal timing, uh, first time coming on meal timings.

So they should eat their knees on consistent timings if they're not able to remember. They can set alarms, they can set reminders for themselves. [00:20:00] Initially, uh, the aim should be three major meals along with 2, 2, 3. Small me in a day and these small me cannot, uh, exceed more than 20 calories. Because whenever have we have anything which is more than 20 calories, it gives a a glucose spike in our body.

Also, the last meal of the day that is dinner, it must be finished before at least four hours of your bedtime so that if your body clock will be aligned with the circadian clock, your internal body organs. Uh, the most important organ is liver will start working for, uh, detoxification at that time. Okay?

So when we sleep around 10 or 11:00 PM then around, uh, around 1230 or one o'clock, that is the time when our liver start detoxification in the body. So then I should [00:21:00] be, uh, eaten before four hours of the bedtime. And, uh, third, I'm coming on the portion control. So, uh, I teach them, uh, hand method like, uh, vegetables and fiber, both hands cupped.

Like this, this much should be the amount of vegetables and, uh, fruits or non-starchy fibers. Second, uh, second eating sequences for the protein. So protein should be, uh, one pan size. It should be like, uh, uh, it can be beans, it can be lentils or green leafy vegetables. Also have a good hunt of protein. So I am keeping this in the category of protein, Oye.

Uh, a good green juice can also help you to maintain a balance of calcium and protein, as well as chlorophyll in your body. So if you are having a green juice, drink it at the very first. Second, you have fibers. And third, have your proteins. And for the hand mather carbohydrate, which [00:22:00] we say pasta or rice, it should be just one fist.

And for the fad it should be tip of your thumb. So these are the teaching, uh, these are the, um, portion mather, which I use to teach my patients. Uh. I would like to mention one more thing that, another way to guide them or anyone, uh, medi diet, if I talk about, so anyone can follow that. Like if an, if we take a nine inches plate and we divide that in three portion, so first half.

First half portion should be full of non-starchy vegetables. Half one four portion should be filled with protein and rest one four part should be filled with carbohydrates, so along with one teaspoon of healthy fat, it can be any butter or non-defined oil. Along with that, we can add a bowl of yogurt, so same plate can be eaten in the morning.

Lunch or at the time of dinner also. So it's [00:23:00] not mandatory to have three meals. You can have two meals also in a day, but try to have three to four in in meals, and again, I'm repeating, it should not contain more than 20.

Shireen Abdullah: So that, that's a helpful rule of thumb that, that you walked us through in, uh, in the US we, we call it the MyPlate, uh, is how the USD has, has, uh, mentioned that.

Um, it's super helpful. Okay. Well, super helpful, Dr. Chaturvedi at this point, we are toward the end of the interview. Um, I would love for your listeners just to know how they can connect with you. Just learn more about your work you're all doing in India. But if we wanna follow your work and what you're doing over there, how can we connect with you?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: You won't believe, like so many Indians who are living in America and especially immigrants who are, uh, living in America or London or any other sit uh, countries, whenever they come to me, they take my number and they ask Mom, uh, this, I, we will continue your diet even [00:24:00] after going there. Just tell us the options which are available there, and what.

Can we choose out of them? So, uh, it gives me immense pleasure that they used to follow my diet only. So my, uh, patients or clients, you can connect me on my email id. That is A-N-S-H-U-C-H-A-T-U-R-V-E-D-I. That is ANHUI 0 9 1 at the rate gmail do com. You can find me on Instagram also with the name of an chat.

Perfect,

Shireen Abdullah: and we'll link up your Instagram and everything in the show notes so folks can have, uh, quick access to your Instagram page as well with the Dr Chat. Thank you so very much for your time. To our listeners, thank you for your time and for tuning into another episode of the Young English Podcast itself.

You know what time it is. This is where we head over to social media and answer the following question, which is how you made any changes to your diet recently. What do those changes look like? Perhaps your [00:25:00] intermittent fasting, perhaps you stop intermittent fasting, whatever your journey looks like. Tell us more about it.

Again, head over on Instagram and Facebook, find this podcast post and comment below to tell us, how have you made any recent dietary changes and what did that look like?

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: If I talk about my schedule, I, I don't eat anything and I don't drink anything in the morning before nine 30. So my first meal starts as nine 30 and it's a green juice at, it's made up with the spinach, green apple, and whatever is available in the season.

And then I take my nuts that is, uh, almonds and walnuts. So just two walnuts and uh, two hole, two hole walnuts, that is whole and two almonds. Along with that, I take black resins because my blood group is all negative and I have to maintain my hemoglobin level, so I take black [00:26:00] resins for that, and I take two fits also along with that.

Then I eat my fruits. So this is the sequence of eating. Then I eat my fruits and then I eat my cereal. It can be, um, in India we have some salt Indian foods, like Italy. Sometimes I have rolled do and quinoa also. So this is my breakfast. After coming from my hospital, my patients round my IPD rounds, I again have one uh, fruit around 1130.

Then I have my lungs around two o'clock. Like it's um, it's like more of pulses, less of carbohydrates. So, um, you must have heard about, uh, how to explain that. Like we have oats, roasted oats powder along with roasted chana powder that is, uh, yellow, D yellow lentil. And we mix them along with a little bit of good.

And this is my protein, uh, protein [00:27:00] for the. Lunch plate and uh, then I eat just either one chapati or a little bit of rice. Just because I am in this secondary lifestyle, I don't want to eat more, even if I am willing to eat more, I'll have to stop eating when I feel like 80% full. And then around four 30, I just have one to two teaspoons of seeds.

It can be, sometimes it can be pumpkin, sometimes it can be flake seeds. And then I finish my dinner before seven o'clock. Uh, it is more similar. Rubik my lunch only. And after that, around 10 o'clock I have a camo, mild tea, nothing else. So basically I am a vegan, uh, just little bit yogurt. I add in my diet and, uh, I can fulfill my requirements with the plant-based diet.

I.

Shireen Abdullah: Well, as a bonus, our listeners gato also learn about your diet. So thank you so much for sharing that as well, Dr. Chaturvedi, we'll wrap up the episode. Thank you again for your time and to our listeners, we will see you on [00:28:00] the next episode, the Yellowish podcast. Again, head over to our social media and answer the question I ask previously.

We will continue the conversation there. Until next time, yeah,

Dr. Anshu Chaturvedi: bye. Take.

Shireen Abdullah: Thank you for listening to the Yumlish Podcast. Make sure to follow us on social media @yumlish on Instagram and Twitter and @yumlish on Facebook and LinkedIn for tips about managing your diabetes and other chronic conditions, and to chat and connect with us about your journey and perspectives. You can also visit our website, yumlish.com.

For more recipes, advice, and to get involved with all of the exciting opportunities Yumlish has to offer. If you like this week's show, make sure to subscribe so you can hear more from us every time we post. Thank you again, and we'll see you next time. Remember, your health always comes first. Stay [00:29:00] well.

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