Pushpa Ladsariya is a popular and famous Dietician and Nutritionist practicing at Worli, Mumbai India for the past fifteen years. Her state-of-the-art modern ‘weight & nutrition management clinic’ is ISO 2015 certified for quality systems. Her diet and nutrition program is very scientific and her major focus is sustainability. She is also very keen on cooking. Cooking is her passion and this passion combined with her profession, has devised very innovative, healthy, and tasty recipes.

She considers herself a lifestyle specialist, an educator, and a motivator to all her clients leading them to make the right choices to get them the body that they desire. The Kolkata Mail correspondent Priyanka Dutta caught up with the dietician in an exclusive chat about her book Eat Well, Age Well. Excerpts..

The food we consume affects our bodies. How much do you believe in this saying?

Pushpa Ladsariya-Totally! Every disease has a cause-and-effect relationship with food. I have used this relationship of food with the body’s metabolism to suggest foods that will be effective in managing diseases. Excess sugar can lead to diabetes while excess oily/fatty food leads to dyslipidemia. One has to consume proper roughages from fruits & vegetables or else one may develop intestinal/gut problems. The food we put in our body can have significant effects like weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, dyslipidemia, sleep apnoea, insomnia, and obesity, which can greatly increase the risks of heart disease.

As a nutritionist with so many years of working experience, what are the most common diseases you encountered that have a link with the way one consumes food?

Pushpa Ladsariya-Our body is averse to our tongue. What tongue likes body doesn’t like & vice-versa. Here a nutritionist’s role is very important to advise about Eating right. They play an important role between doctor and patient. Nutritionists can prevent the disease; prevention is always better than cure. We extend the life span of people by gifting their healthy bodies, disease control & confidence. “Health is your only true wealth”. While practicing my skills as a consulting nutritionist, I connected the dots between common diseases and the impact of proper nutrition on those diseases.

*कुछचीजेसमीपजानेपरबगैरमांगेमिलजातीहैजैसे*

*”बर्फ”* केपास *”शीतलता”*

*”अग्नि”* केपास *”गरमाहट”* और

*”गुलाब”* केपास *”सुगंध”*

Nutritionist केपास health

My motto is “health is your only TRUE wealth”.

In the book, you have mentioned different recipes. Are those your own or have you consulted some chef for those?

Pushpa Ladsariya-All recipes are entirely designed on my own as I am passionate about cooking.

You are passionate about cooking. What are the kinds of food that you like to make?

Pushpa Ladsariya- Cooking is my hobby and guiding about health is my profession. Taste is not in oil. If you drink oil you feel like puking (vomiting). So I design healthy& equally tasty recipes and sometimes with a healthy twist to regular recipes.

What are the contents of this book? Does it only contain recipes?

Pushpa Ladsariya- *”EAT WELL, AGE WELL”*

Complete solution for a joyful life.

This book is about eating healthy to age healthy, gracefully & remain active for longer years.

The book guides on proper nutrition, exercise, dos and don’ts for a lot of common medical ailments as well as physiological stages of life.

My focus has always been ‘Sustainability’ of any nutrition plan, which is incorporated in the book.

It is based on my accumulated experience as a practicing dietician and nutritionist.

Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years

Art of staying young while growing old little things that add up to a long and happy life.

It is a pointwise presentation.

Specific diseases and their management for people who don’t have time to read the whole book.

Not only about the diet but also physical, mental, emotional parts.

Can you reverse/delay aging?

Definitely yes.

The saying goes “Eat well age well”.

Aging is universal & most certain aspect of our life. Not avoidable but definitely can be delayed. It is like other stages of life, childhood, teenager, etc.

Many Senior citizens feel lonely, unhappy, healthwise & security-wise but it need not be so if we understand the basic principles of life & follow them, eat well and think of loneliness as solitude. Life can begin at 60, it is all in your hands!

My objective through “Eat well, age well” is to make aging safe, comfortable & graceful.

The mantras in the book will definitely help make life after retirement pleasant.

There are three ages, chronological, biological, and psychological. The first is calculated based on our date of birth; the second is determined by our health conditions; the third is how old we feel we are. While we don’t have control over the first, we can take care of our health by eating well, exercise and having a cheerful attitude.

The good news is that you don’t have to train for a marathon or eat an exotic macrobiotic diet to achieve those goals. Whether you want to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke or boost your stamina and staying power, this book will show you the simple steps and strategies that can make a lasting difference.

A positive attitude and optimistic thinking can reverse the third age.

We all have the same potential to be the best architect of our own

Bodies and it is our duty too. For that, we must have proper nourishment — not just for the body but also for the soul. Eating well is an essential part of aging well.

An eating disorder has become rampant among teens as they want to lose weight and be skinny. Is it a good idea to go on an unplanned diet for losing weight?

Pushpa Ladsariya- There are A to Z diets but one should follow a diet that is sustainable & compatible with socializing as socializing is a part of life. Anything which is not sustainable doesn’t last. Being skinny changes with the era, once being voluptuous was in fashion and now pencil slim. Teenagers should focus on health rather than being skinny.

What are the challenges that you have faced as a nutritionist?

Pushpa Ladsariya- Obesity leads to metabolic diseases like diabetes, dyslipidemia orthopedic problems & our generation is habitual of eating the wrong food. Earlier if was a deficiency-related issue the overfeeding. Now struggling with both. Health has no occasions or timeline जबजागोतबसवेरा

How can one lose weight in a healthy manner?

Pushpa Ladsariya- Everyone knows about the longevity of Japanese people.

In Japan, they follow harahachibu (Okinawa theory)

Eat until 8 parts full (out of 10).

Never eat until full, eat until not hungry anymore.

Feeling full is a very late indicator, you have already over-eaten.

Have little room @ the end of each meal.

Wait for 15-20minutes to see if still hungry.

In Sweden, they follow lagoon (just enough).

Not too little not too much just right till satisfied but not full.

“Eat until you feel just 80 percent full. Pack any extra food away instead of following the ‘clean plate’ theory.

Eat before being too hungry, where you cannot do rational thinking and binge eat.

Is this your first book?

Pushpa Ladsariya- Yes, but not the last.

What is next in line for you as an author?

Pushpa Ladsariya- Still under consideration/ planning.

Eat Well, Age Well is a fantastic book to read and know about how your food habits can cause and prevent many diseases.