Excerpts of LiveChat with Khyati: Mom-Baby nutrition: Part I

Q. My daughter is a super finicky eater. She refuses to eat vegetables and I have tried using all combinations to feed her. Can you please advise on how I can make it interesting for her?

Ans. It is always better to leave them alone!! The more we force a child, the more he/she hates us and the veggies… the best way to incorporate these is to blend them in the dal, make atta using purees   Look for other sources too – like fruits, nuts – they provide you with ample micro nutrients and fiber. 

Q. Can you please make some diet recommendations for a chronic case of PCOS? 

A. PCOS is only and only managed with weight loss. 80% of the efforts will need to be via a good diet as exercise does little for us. The right nutraceuticals, unprocessed foods and a lot of fresh food. Make friends with brown rice, fresh vegetables, cinnamon powder, organic apple cider vinegar, wheat grass. These, when added in the diet at the right time, ensure maximum benefit

Q. How to lose weight? Can I have a brief diet plan? I am having a-year-old baby.

A. It is tough to give a general plan, it takes me 4 man hours to chalk 1 chart as a lot of things need to be taken into consideration. My advice – do not pick random things from the net or a diet your friend did. Go for a diet that suits you, your lifestyle and your ability to follow it.

Q. Which fruits and veggies should be avoided for a 1 – 2-year-old? I have been advised by older people to avoid brinjal, spinach, cauliflower, tendli and to avoid citrus fruits like pineapple, grapes and strawberries.

A. None!! if your child enjoys them please go ahead – ensure however that it is in the size with which your little one doesn’t get choked. Puree and mash is the best way.

Q. What’s the diet which one should follow? It has been 2 years that I have not been able to loose pregnancy weight. Currently I am 97 kg and height is 5 feet 3 inches. Exercise at home is possible only when my baby sleeps as I have no one to look after my baby. My diet is as follows – breakfast at 7- sometime dosa, poha, upma, paratha egg and bread and a cup of tea. Lunch at 12:30 – dal, sabzi, 2 roti. Teatime at 4 – Marie biscuits with tea. Dinner is mostly soups and salads at 8 pm sometimes, dal, sabzi 2 roti dinner. I often have 4 pieces of chocolate monthly, once or twice puri bhajji or wada pav, rice atleast once a month.

A. Your diet recall tells me a lot can be done. In order to lose weight, our nutrient break up should be as follows – 65 carbs- complex carbs – should be from grains, whole grains better and fruits and veggies. 25% from protein – use low fat paneer, dals, pulses and milk. 
20% fat – this does not include fried foods but fats from nuts, oil seeds, invisible fats from paneer, chicken, milk, curds, stay away from ready to eat, processed foods please. They are more harmful than anything else.

Also read more about: LiveChat with Khyati: Mom-Baby nutrition: Part II, Part III, Part IV

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