A healthy gut, fortified by millets, is essential for maintaining optimal brain health.

 

The seminar hosted by the Celiac Society of India and the Indian Coalition for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, in collaboration with Illness to Wellness, featured discussions on millets' role in supporting brain health by reducing cognitive decline and enhancing mental agility. Speakers Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, Dr. Meena Misra, and Ishi Khosla highlighted these benefits, while Meenakshi Lekhi underscored India's significant contribution to global millet production, with Dr. Chandrakant Pandav also present.

The event emphasized the crucial role of gut health in addressing nutritional deficiencies and chronic illnesses. Speakers stressed that while policies are essential, effective promotion of millet consumption hinges on raising awareness and educating meal preparers, particularly women. Educating cooks about millets' benefits can greatly encourage their integration into diets, potentially yielding more significant outcomes than relying solely on policy changes.

Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, a member of NITI Aayog, emphasized the need to adapt dietary habits to address contemporary nutritional challenges. He highlighted the importance of incorporating nutrient-rich foods like millets into diets while reducing processed food intake. Additionally, Dr. Paul discussed the ancestral wisdom regarding food choices and their impact on overall behavior.

Ishi Khosla, a clinical nutritionist, emphasized the transformative impact of integrating millets into diets, dubbing them "grain changers" for their potential to boost physical and mental health. She highlighted how modern lifestyles often overlook gut health's critical role, now increasingly validated by scientific advancements.

Khosla outlined four key factors crucial for maintaining optimal health: gut health, waistline management, gluten sensitivity, and blood glucose levels. These elements are interconnected and guide informed dietary choices to support overall well-being.

Dr. Meena Mishra, Chairperson of the Brain Behaviour Research Foundation of India, explored millets' effects on cognitive health across different life stages, noting their potential to reduce cognitive decline, including memory loss and reduced mental agility. She emphasized, "Millets, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, may lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia." Millets could serve preventively or as an intervention for cognitive decline.

Dr. Mishra highlighted research suggesting that diets containing millets correlate with decreased cognitive decline in the elderly. Former Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi underscored India's significant role in global millet production, amounting to one-fifth of the world's output. She emphasized the medicinal value of healthy eating, stating that "good food is medicine in itself."

The event included notable attendees: Dr. Chandrakant Pandav, a Padma Shri awardee and expert in community medicine, Dr. Arjun Dang, CEO of Dr. Dangs Lab specializing in Liver and GI pathology, and Dr. Kapil Yadav from the Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS.

 

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