From boba tea and flaxseed to ABC juice. Keto, Paleo, Atkins Low-carb, Dukan, intermittent fasting, drinking “bhindi” (ladyfingers) soaked water, drinking ghee, making a fenugreek decoction — we’re all part of our diet choices. Infatuated and easily addicted to anything advertised on social media.
Most of us eat “superfoods” to shed extra pounds, fix existing health problems, and prepare our bodies to fight adverse environmental conditions and build strong immune systems. and special diets.
Good intentions, but unfortunately most of us fall prey to transfers on social media, especially Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp. and the result is the worst.
This edition of Health Issues is based on several interactions and interviews with nutritionists and physicians that I conducted to delve deeper into this issue.
This column is a continuation of my previous post about how Instagram reels and DIY videos can damage your skin and ultimately require professional intervention.
Story of self-prescription & damage
Sample: A 44-year-old man was brought to the emergency department of a hospital in Bangalore. Reason: Imminent heart attack.
He immediately underwent stenting of the LCX artery. He’s been diabetic since he was 10 years old, but when he went to the hospital, his HbA1C was 14% of his, more than double his normal. HbA1C measures the amount of blood sugar (glucose) bound to hemoglobin.
The case study was shared on Twitter by Dr. Deepak Krishnamurthy, senior interventional cardiologist at Sakura World Hospital, Bengaluru.
“The Veeramachaneni or VRK diet recommends consuming 100 grams of ghee in one meal. Patients were inspired by social media. There are countless videos on YouTube about this VRK diet,” says Krishna. Murthy told me about this diet, often referred to as the “desi” version of the keto diet.
Several doctors, not just Krishnamurthy, face similar problems. This is because social media users ignore the fact that the “one size fits all” approach doesn’t work in the real world.
In another example, a 40-year-old man diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and taking medication chose an influencer-sponsored intermittent fasting and low-carb diet.
“He followed it without any medical supervision. As a result, he developed severe hypoglycemia. Dr. Subhasree Ray, Ph.D. in clinical nutrition and wellness expert, told me in a WhatsApp chat.
Such stories now know no bounds.
In Kerala, a fruit called Averhoa bilimbi, also known as bilimbi, is used to make a tangy fish curry. Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said WhatsApp forwards have made it famous for lowering cholesterol levels.
“This trend of drinking bilimbi juice has gone to hell,” he added.
People saw it as an easy solution and put it in a blender and drank the juice. Many people needed kidney transplants because they clogged their pores.
“The kidneys were clogged with oxalate crystals. The fruit is a flavor enhancer and is safe for human consumption only in small amounts,” he said.
Another common fad is the consumption of soaked fenugreek (methi) seeds, especially among diabetics.
Consuming large amounts of fenugreek seeds can thin the blood and cause dangerous bleeding events with or without a medical history.
In a post-corona world, social media inspiration will be much higher
Getting diet and ideal diet tips from Instagram influencers and social media may not be qualified to provide nutritional advice and is a temporary, unsustainable or healthy alternative in the long term. It can be harmful as it can encourage diets and simple fixes.
According to Dr. Varsha Gorey, senior clinical dietician and head of the Department of Nutrition at Apollo Hospitals (Navi Mumbai), the influence of social media has become much more aggressive with the Covid-19 outbreak.
“In the era of Covid-19, social media has had a greater impact on people as health has become a key requirement for survival,” she noted.
“For the same reason, 1 in 8 in 10 patients now turn to social media to plan or fine-tune their diet instead of approaching a clinician or specialist.”
Influencers often present highly edited and curated versions of their lives, which can lead to unrealistic expectations and body image issues.
Experts have told me there are numerous examples of people experiencing adverse health effects from following fad diets and quick weight loss plans promoted by unqualified individuals on social media. These include malnutrition, undernutrition, and an increased risk of developing chronic diseases.
A young girl visited Dr. Ray (quoted above) with severe nutritional deficiencies due to a restrictive dietary plan of her own choosing.
She was consuming only 600 calories a day. “She was malnourished, lethargic, had trouble with her regular menstrual cycle, and had trouble sleeping and feeling,” Ray said, adding that there were many examples like hers.
Why you need to see a nutritionist or doctor
Everyone is different and one diet plan doesn’t fit everyone.
Apart from many other aspects, nutritionists should consider anthropometric measurements, ideal body mass index (BMI), biochemical parameters, and clinical status when planning an individual’s diet.
Anthropometry is the scientific study of the measurements and proportions of the human body, biochemical parameters include urea, creatinine, potassium, glucose, albumin, sodium, and other important details of bodily function and balance. will be
It is harmful to believe that “superfoods” have no side effects.
A visit to a medically trained professional will create a dietary plan based on your medical history. I have.
“We look at the details. The idea is to give them a balanced diet based on their weight and medical history.
If a person needs a more protein-based diet, the plan would be:
“If you are at your ideal weight, you should consume 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. You might decide on protein/kg,” she says, adding, “This protein can be divided into two categories based on patient preference: vegetable protein, such as soy, and animal protein, such as chicken or eggs. am.
In summary, it’s important to be critical of any dietary advice you receive, especially if it comes from an unqualified or untrained source.
For personalized safe eating advice, we recommend that you consult a licensed health professional, such as a registered dietitian or a physician.
After all, your health matters.
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