You're not the only one who struggles with weight loss and finds that, despite your best efforts, losing those pounds feels like a never-ending nightmare. A lot of folks go through that discouraging cycle when diets and rigorous exercise don't seem to help. Even indian celebs have spoken out about the tedious cycle of attempting to lose weight without seeing any change. For women with PCOS, the battle is frequently much more difficult, as losing weight can be very difficult.
Bollywood's favourite diet?
The 'anti-inflammatory diet' is a popular trend that seems to have helped some on social media break away from this pattern. This occurred when actress vidya balan described how this transpired in a now-viral video.
In a conversation with Galatta Plus, she revealed, “You know, all my life, I’ve struggled to be thin. I’ve dieted and exercised relentlessly. Sometimes I’d lose weight, but it would always come back. Then, early this year, I met a nutrition group called Amura (Amura Health) in Chennai. They told me it’s just inflammation, not fat. So, they put me on an anti-inflammatory diet, and it worked beautifully - the weight just fell off as they removed foods that didn’t suit me.”
Similarly, samantha Ruth Prabhu recently shared her experience with a similar approach. During an instagram Q&A, she mentioned she’s also on a “strict anti-inflammatory diet”. This came after people commented on her weight, urging her to “bulk up”.
Samantha responded with, “Another weight comment. I saw an entire thread discussing my weight. If you must know, I’m on a strict anti-inflammatory diet, which is essential for managing my condition. It keeps me within a specific weight range that works best for my health (myositis). Let’s stop judging people - live and let live. It’s 2024, after all.”
What exactly is an anti-inflammatory diet?
Mumbai-based nutritionist and wellness specialist Debjani Gupta tells the india Herald that understanding the factors that contribute to inflammation in our bodies is essential to understanding anti-inflammatory diets.
 
She adds that inflammation is a defense mechanism found in all living things, including plants, animals, and people. "Everyone has an innate reaction system that responds to potentially harmful environmental stimuli. Any foreign substance that interferes with the body's normal functioning might be the cause of this, she adds.
 
There are different 'triggers' of inflammation, Debjani continues. In addition to any disease or injury, a poor diet is a major source of internal inflammation. Inflammation can result from long-term poor dietary patterns, stress from lengthy workdays, and lifestyle restrictions.
Cortisol and other stress hormones are another source of inflammation.
 
It interferes with insulin's ability to regulate blood sugar, which in turn affects other hormones, including the thyroid, which controls metabolism. Therefore, we must take action to counteract the body's inflammatory condition when it occurs," she adds.
 
An anti-inflammatory diet is now necessary to eliminate this inflammation. According to Debjani, it is possible "once we narrow down the root cause of the inflammation."
 
What does the anti-inflammatory diet look like?
According to the specialists we consulted, an anti-inflammatory diet plate consists of including specific items in your diet while excluding others entirely.
An anti-inflammatory diet, for example, is high in fruits like berries and vegetables like spinach, turmeric, and ginger, which reduce inflammation, according to Parmeet Kaur, head and chief dietician and nutritionist at Marengo Asia Hospitals in Gurugram.
 
Consume healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and olive oil, as well as whole grains like millet and brown rice. More foods high in omega-3 should be included. The most potent anti-inflammatory is omega-3, which is best obtained via fish, flax seeds, and chia seeds. Make sure to incorporate garlic, turmeric, and other aromatic spices in your diet since they have potent anti-inflammatory qualities," she continues.
 
Debjani concurs. Additional anti-inflammatory foods, according to her, include fermented foods, pickles, curd, and meals that include pre- and probiotics. According to Debjani, in order to adhere to this diet, one must also abstain from processed and junk food as well as sugar.