Dr. Karishma Shah, a dedicated nutrition consultant, is on a journey to revolutionise the way we approach health and well-being. Born and raised in Mumbai, India, she hails from a culturally diverse background, belonging to a Gujarati Jain family with roots in Punjabi traditions.
Completing more than 8 years in Nutrition Consultancy and Health, Dr. Karishma has built a brand which believes in holistic development and well-being of the people. Through this great opportunity to interview her, we got some insiders into her journey, the daily highs and lows, and her approach to health and well being.
Early Life: Turns & Twists
Dr. Karishma Shah, initially a science student, shifted to management studies in her undergraduate. However, soon after, she made the decision to return to the field of science, pursuing a Master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics along with postgraduate diplomas in Clinical Nutrition, Weight Management, Diabetes Management and Counseling Psychology.
This shift in focus was influenced by a significant family history of diabetes, going from her great-grandparents to her own parents, uncles and aunts. She had witnessed her family struggle with the challenges of diabetes and the constant battle with medications and fatigue. A personal tragedy struck when she lost her aunt due to complications from diabetes, which made her realise that she wanted to break this cycle and make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Key Learnings and Lessons from Her Practices
After completing several of her certificate courses, Karishma had the opportunity to work closely with two doctors before she started her own practice – one with a prominent doctor in diabetes and another with an Endocrinologist.
One of the fundamental lessons she gained from her experiences was the importance of addressing the root cause of health issues. For newly diagnosed individuals, she observed that medication alone was not a comprehensive remedy. Instead, incorporating changes in nutrition, lifestyle, mental practices, and spiritual well-being led to significantly better outcomes, often reducing the dependency on medications.
This is how she also noticed why all her family members had so easily become diabetic – the trend of indulging in large carbohydrate-rich meals without prioritising physical exercise. She realised that diabetes then is not a genetic disease, but a food and lifestyle disease.
Factors such as travel schedules, excessive use of social media, and consumption of junk food inadvertently affect our physical and mental health. To counteract these influences, she advocates for a mindful approach, encouraging individuals to slow down, pay attention to themselves, and embrace positive changes.
Dr. Karishma Shah: “Food Issues Don’t Exist in Vacuum” -Understanding Mental Health and Well-Being
We had a fruitful discussion on mental health and wellbeing with Dr. Karishma Shah. According to her, mental health remains largely taboo, whose conversations gain traction only on social media. There is a lack of mental health practice on the larger ground. Making people comprehend that their dietary challenges are intertwined with mental health helps them overcome their shortcomings from the very root.
To illustrate this, Dr. Shah shared an example of a teenage girl experiencing hair loss, weight gain, and irregular periods. Rather than simply addressing the physical symptoms, she delved deeper to uncover underlying emotional traumas affecting the individual’s eating habits and exercise routine. Once she understood the root cause of what influenced her relationship with food, most of which stemmed from her past emotional traumas, she was able to help the girl in a more nuanced way. Dr. Shah strongly believes that understanding the mind is crucial, as many diseases, including thyroid issues, hypertension, and diabetes, often manifest from mental and emotional states.
Coupled with this is what Karishma calls the ‘well being’ of individuals, which, according to her, is the inner divine light of people, called the ‘Ojus’. Dr. Shah rightly says that while all of us are constantly working on beautifying our external selves, we often forget that the best of our physical self is the reflection of a healthy inner self. A healthy inner self comes through self-care, empathy, self-worth, self-esteem and self-content. We should be obsessed with becoming better versions of ourselves and carry that positive aura and energy to other people.
This is something Dr. Karishma Shah herself follows closely. She shares how she enjoys spending time alone by herself. Reading, listening to music or introspecting, helps her clean off her depleted energy and infuse it with refreshed energies. Looking after people with serious food and mental health problems comes with responsibilities which, in due course, gets her overwhelmed, strained and tired. Only when her inner light is bright enough, can she extend the guiding hand and support to her clients. Channeling her empathetic, intuitive, and compassionate self, Dr. Karishma calls herself a natural healer.
Dr. Karishma Shah’s Message of Transformation and Empowerment
For Dr. Karishma Shah, a nutritionist’s job is to make a genuine difference in people’s lives. She encourages aspiring professionals to keep learning more and more and meet and talk with as many people as possible. This is the reason why she did her first 100 consultations for free so that she could meet people and truly understand their problems. Unless and until you don’t apply practical knowledge to your learnings, you can’t empathise with people, and will always lack in alleviating their distress. Real transformation comes from understanding and addressing the intricate connections between physical, mental and emotional well-being. Ultimately, she believes that by empowering ourselves and others, we can create a ripple effect of positive change and build a happier, healthier society.
Lastly, Karishma also says that it’s never too late to go after your dreams. It is indeed a blessing to find something that completely resonates with you. So shut down people’s negative warnings, and no matter what age or time, go and take that journey. Do not let your potential go down the drain, because this potential would not only rock your soul but could also bring gains to other people around you.
