Welcome to part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Jeethan Bendoor.
Here, we explore gut-brain axis, the ideal vegetarian diet, and lactose intolerance.
Dr. Darshit: I would like to ask you about Gut-Brain Axis. Do the melatonin levels matter?
Dr. Bendoor: Yes, it does. It is because melatonin levels affect the gut flora. And if you have poor gut flora, you're not going to feel happy.
You are going to be irritated with your upset stomach. Everyone, right now has a bad gut. People have pain in the abdomen, bloating, constipation, etc. It is very important that we maintain a healthy gut.
Melatonin levels affect the gut flora.
And the answer to your question is, yes. So, you better keep your gut flora healthy by eating the right foods like probiotics and prebiotics. This way, your brain is going to be happy.
Melatonin or other neurotransmitters like serotonin are released in the gut. You need proper food and a healthy gut to produce these.
For instance, tryptophan is an amino acid that may help you make melatonin. The good old method of having a warm milk drink in the evening does it.
Melatonin or other neurotransmitters like serotonin are released in the gut. You need proper food and a healthy gut to produce these.
Parul: What about people like me who are lactose intolerant?
Dr. Bendoor: You have to have lactase to digest milk. These days, lactose intolerance is a rage. Again, I think all of us are lactose intolerant. As we grow older, we stop producing lactase enzymes. About 60 to 70% of our population in India are lactose intolerant.
The Dravidians didn't have milk as compared to the Aryans and thus, they are more lactose intolerant. The level of the same varies from person to person. There is a condition called congenital lactose intolerance, where you have a genetic challenge, and there is no lactase being produced to digest milk.
If you have a premature newborn, they will have a bit of lactose intolerance till the lactase-producing cells mature. But that is corrected later when the baby has matured enough to produce lactase.
People can buy lactose-free milk now. It's available. A lot of companies make it.
Parul: Sir, you are really interested in nutraceuticals. Was it your interest from the beginning?
Dr. Bendoor: No, it is not. I was not trained for that. I am a medical doctor and a general practitioner by training. But then, looking at what is happening around us, the food habits, our lifestyles, and the fast-food culture, I got an inclination towards Nutraceuticals. And one of the other reasons, I am dedicated to Nutraceuticals is that I cook a lot.
Cooking is my passion. I cook pretty much every other day. When you look at the food that you buy, including leafy greens like spinach, they are so dead and terrible. That is what you want to feed to your family and yourself. That is not going to give nutrition. I have to make sure that my family and my patients get the right type of food with the right type of multivitamins.
Dr. Darshit: Sir, we cannot grow vegetables like our grannies used to. Small kitchen gardens are not feasible in our lifestyles. What do you suggest?
Dr. Bendoor: Well, you buy as many fresh vegetables, meat, and fish as you can, the best quality which you can afford and find around you.
And secondly, you need to take supplements. I don't have a choice, I take a lot of supplements. You have to see my telemedicine sessions. They last for an hour or two sometimes. There, I explain nutrition. Food is complex, and pharmaceuticals are easier.
Parul: Tell us about what challenges you face and the types of cases you see.
Dr.Bendoor: Our lifestyles today and our food habits are abysmal, and so are our metabolic challenges.
Sleep deprivation is hitting our children like crazy. We are fighting to be healthy. I'm going to see a patient who is 14 years old with fatty liver.
So today, we are seeing young patients having metabolic challenges. And that is just absolutely terrible.
Parul: Which nutrient is absolutely necessary for us to have every day?
Dr. Bendoor: Protein is a very necessary nutrient. I tell my patients that if they exercise, they need to repair their bodies, and need to have protein in the right amount.
Parul: But Sir, how much protein is too much protein?
Dr. Bendoor: In my definition, high protein starts at 1.5 grams per kg of body weight. That's where you actually get into high protein levels.
Ideally, it is 0.8 grams per kg of body weight. So, the question should not be, do you eat protein? The question should be how much protein you consume. We should measure and consume protein.
Dr. Darshit: What is an Indian ideal vegetarian diet acceptable to you?
Dr. Bendoor: When we talk about Indian vegetarianism in the general population, even if it's a pure vegetarian, we need to focus on milk and milk products, legumes, and grains like amaranth that becomes a central point of where you're going to get your protein. You're not going to get protein in vegetables except broccoli.
A mobile living organism needs protein to sustain the day-to-day activities. We need protein because we have a muscular-skeletal system. So, when patients tell me they eat a dal-rice dish or vegetable broccoli/spinach, all of them will give protein but in varying degrees. So, then the question should be if you want to have sufficient protein, you have to eat quite a bit of dal if the dal is acting as a main source of protein in your diet.
