Dietitian and Nutrition Consultant
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
First and foremost, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sabika AlNuaimi, graduated from Kuwait University, and I’ve been a dietician and research associate at the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research for the past 5 years. For many years, I have been interested in healthy eating, fitness, and mental wellness. Many individuals believe I am the food police or that I will judge what they eat. But, I would never do that. I simply want to educate you and teach you how to make healthy choices without restricting yourself or dieting.
Tell us about your education.
At Kuwait University, I majored in both Food Science and Nutrition. My concentration is on therapeutic nutrition, which refers to the practice of utilizing food and the nutrients that it provides to either prevent or treat a condition or disease. I spent four years taking classes that were directly connected to therapeutic nutrition. These included dietetics, anatomy, and human physiology, in addition to biochemistry, biology, and biostatistics. The fantastic aspect about this is that I am able to gather information at college and then give that knowledge to the community so that everyone can benefit from it. Post-graduation, working opportunities were divided into two categories, either academic practices or theoretical practices. Either we work with patients one-on-one in hospitals or we are engaged in research and other academic endeavors. I am an incredibly emotional person; therefore, I found that connecting with patients in hospitals was challenging for me. As a result, I’ve decided to pursue a career in academic research instead of working in healthcare.
Tell us about your work experience.
My area of employment is research. The best part is that nutrition is an evolving science, so I should keep my knowledge and diet advice techniques up to date. Recent findings from my research included an estimation of the radioactive emissions found in plant-based milk, since there has been some radiation all around the country lately.
I would love to know how you became interested in food. Was it an early passion? What was your motivation?
Truly, I can say that sweets and chocolate dominated my younger years. also, I come from a family that puts a premium on sugary treats. But when my nephew, who was just 2 years old at the time, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, it was a severe shock for me, and I wanted to find some method to cure him. I did some research and exploration to find out how to treat diabetes, and I discovered that a patient with no pancreas function could only be managed by a dietician. This is where I made the decision to become a dietitian.
What lead you to decide to leave your job and start your own business?
In point of fact, I haven’t quit my day job; rather, I continue to work as a research associate at the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR) as my primary occupation, and I run this company on the side since I am so enthusiastic about it.
What challenges did you face at the initial stage of establishing your company?
It was on Corona that I made the first step toward establishing my own business. All of the necessary paperwork has to be completed online, and the system on Corona is really poor. I must have rescheduled my allocation a hundred different times. However, I did not give up and I did not lose hope until I opened this year. So, approximately one and a half years from now, I had planned to launch my own company. However, the certification of license from Ministry of Commerce and Industry took place in July of the previous year and the grand opening was the beginning of this year January 2023.
What is the most common misconception people have when meeting with you the first time?
The majority of my relatives and friends are under the impression that I will evaluate them based on the foods that they choose to eat. Before beginning to work with a client, I make it clear that I will not make judgement on their dietary choices but will instead offer suggestions for how they might make healthier choices going forward.
What differentiates your approach from the rest?
My focus in health and more is on the general community’s health and changing the thinking and viewpoint of a healthy life in all elements (nutrition /psychological/physical) in well-studied ways, with long-term impact. This is accomplished by addressing the underlying causes of the problem, such as behaviors, thoughts, or feelings, and assisting in their resolution and development. A healthy lifestyle is not a one-time objective, but rather a continuing state of mind that we may build.
How can we easily follow healthy eating habits? As adults, children, teens?
One of the most effective strategies to establish healthy eating habits in your child is to set a good example for them yourself in terms of the foods you eat. It is crucial to convey to your child that maintaining a healthy diet is a priority for you. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, such as beginning each day with a healthy breakfast and making it a point to select nutritious meals whenever you go out, as well as when you go grocery shopping. Your child will have an easier time making healthier decisions regarding food if you and the rest of your family maintain a healthy eating environment. Teach your child to eat when they are hungry and to stop when they are full. This will help them develop healthy eating habits. This teaches your child to distinguish between eating because they are truly hungry and eating because they are bored or tired, which can lead to overeating. However, you should anticipate that your child will consume more food as they grow and develop.
Can you define the term “healthy eating?” for our readers.
I would characterize healthy eating as including these things:
•Eat three balanced meals a day and a couple of healthy snacks.
•Include more fiber in your diet and reduce the amount of sodium you consume.
•Drink water. Make it a point to keep away of beverages that contain a lot of sugar.
Avoid imposing dietary restrictions or labeling foods as “good,” “bad,” “naughty,” or other similar terms. Instead, make striking a balance your goal: maintain a healthy diet the majority of the time, but don’t be afraid to indulge in your “occasionally” meals once in a while.
How can we easily raise the value of fiber in a meal and why is fiber so important, and with which foods can it can be combined?
Let’s begin by defining fiber: fiber is a form of carbohydrate that the human body is unable to break down. In spite of the fact that the vast majority of carbohydrates are converted into sugar molecules called glucose, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules; as a result, fiber helps control how the body uses glucose, which in turn helps to keep hunger in check and maintain stable blood sugar levels. Dietary fibers come in a variety of forms and are derived from a variety of plant foods. It’s vital not to focus too much on a certain fiber because of its specific suggested effect, as each type provides some level of health benefit. As a result, consuming a diverse range of plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds to meet the fiber intake of 25-35 grams daily is the greatest way to gain those advantages. Here are some suggestions for boosting fiber intake:
•Consume entire fruits rather than fruit liquids.
•Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and other nutritious grains that have been lightly processed.
•Include high-fiber foods in your current diet: To cereal, add 1-2 tablespoons of almonds, ground flaxseeds, or chia seeds.
•Choose cereals with whole grains as the first item for breakfast.
•Look for cereals with 20% or more of the Daily Value (DV) for fiber on the Nutrition Facts label.
•Instead of chips and crackers, snack on crisp raw vegetables or a handful of almonds.
•If it is difficult to consume enough fiber through diet, a fiber supplement such as psyllium may be used, but only under the guidance of a doctor.
What non-related issues (e.g., sleep habits) are important to healthy eating?
For the body to operate at its best, sleep is absolutely necessary. Multiple studies have found a correlation between not getting enough sleep and an increased likelihood of becoming overweight or obese. There is mounting proof that getting enough nutrients is crucial for restful sleep. Lack of calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, E, and K was linked to sleep disorders in one major study. We’re taught from a young age that eating healthy helps us look and feel our best. What we aren’t frequently taught is that healthy eating has a huge impact on our mental health as well. A balanced, healthy diet can help us think more clearly and feel more awake. It also helps with concentration and attention span. Conversely, an inadequate diet can lead to fatigue, impaired decision-making, and can slow down reaction time. In fact, a poor diet can actually aggravate, and may even lead to, stress and depression
What’s the one thing you’d suggest people keep in their kitchen if they want to cook healthy meals?
Healthy eating is certain kind of lifestyle. It takes more than just buying healthy foods or making plans to cook from scratch. You have to physically set up your environment to accomplish your wellness goals. If you always have fresh fruits and veggies available in your home, you will have a higher tendency to consume those items as ingredients in your meals and snacks on a daily basis. Make an effort to prepare fruits and vegetables on the weekends so that they may be used as quick grab-and-go snacks throughout the week. Don’t bother buying any dressings, marinades, or sauces that have already been prepared! To add flavor to your meals in a way that is both natural and beneficial to your health, stock your kitchen with fresh herbs and dried spices.
What are some of your plans for the future?
It is my intention to expand the number of health awareness campaigns, public talks, and school lectures that I give in the future. In addition, I would like to enlarge my facility so that it includes other services, such as a fitness center, a canteen selling nutritious snacks, and a laboratory for doing blood tests.
What’s your life motto?
“You are what you eat” meaning that the food we consume supplies us with the necessary amount of energy as well as other inputs that allow the body to operate effectively.
Your proudest moment thus far?
Let me tell you about a client who fell into the category of disabled. He was a 10 years child on a wheelchair, but when I consulted with his mother and suggested some alternate foods, he was able to walk unassisted for the first time in two months. I found great joy in assisting others in need and felt so proud.
What is the best advice you have been given and by who?
When it comes to health and diet, it’s easy to become confused. Even qualified experts can appear to hold competing viewpoints, making it difficult to determine what you should be doing to enhance your health. Despite all of the differences, science backs up a number of wellness advice that I love to share summaries by the following:
•Limit sugary drinks
•Eat nuts and seeds
•Eat fatty fish
•Get enough sleep
•Feed your gut bacteria
•Stay hydrated
•Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and adequate protein.
•Get moving
Your message for us at CP magazine.
My message to CP magazine readers is whether your objective is to eat better, lose weight, exercise more, or reduce stress, the best piece of advice is to get started right away. But set yourself a specific, individualized goal to ensure you’ll want to keep doing it, such as eating at least one serving of vegetables every weekday for lunch, prepared in any way you like. If you take it slow and steady, you can build a healthy routine without ever realizing it. then go on to another objective.
