Samantha Ruth Prabhu says she is on the ‘strictest possible diet’ after myositis diagnosis; know more about it

"If you Google and look up these diets, they are very restrictive and they almost take out everything. It is not practical to live like that," said Karishma Shah, an integrative nutritionist, and health coach

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | January 26, 2023 04:30 PM IST

4 min read

“Strength is not what you eat.. it’s how you think,” Samantha Ruth Prabhu posted on social media. (Photo: Samantha Ruth Prabhu/Instagram)

Late last year, Samantha Ruth Prabhu opened up about being diagnosed with myositis, an autoimmune condition that is caused due to inflammation in the muscles. Taking to Instagram, the Yashodha actor shared that while she initially planned to share the health update after going into remission, it is “taking a little longer than I hoped”. Now, the celebrity has shared another update — about her recovery and fitness journey, and also the diet is she currently on.

In an Instagram video shared by the 35-year-old, Samantha can be seen doing an impressive pull-up routine. In the caption, she wrote: “Being on the strictest possible diet (the autoimmune diet.. yes there is such a thing) has taught me that strength is not what you eat.. it’s how you think.” (sic).

Intrigued, we reached out to an expert to understand more about this diet and its role in helping those suffering from autoimmune diseases like thyroid, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease. According to experts, an autoimmune diet helps eliminate food groups that may cause inflammation and flare-ups of autoimmune diseases.

Also Read | Samantha Ruth Prabhu opens up about suffering from myositis; know more about the autoimmune condition

Agreed Karishma Shah, an integrative nutritionist, and health coach, and said that while hereditary in nature, autoimmune diseases can also be caused by a sedentary lifestyle, the environment one grows up in, a person’s habits, and a poor immune system. “But at the top of this list is your diet. Eating inflammatory foods, which can include a lot of fried foods, fatty foods, refined sugar, gluten, and dairy – anything that your body is taking a lot of time to digest – can cause inflammation,” she told indianexpress.com.

Dairy and dairy products can cause inflammation for some people with autoimmune diseases (Source: Pixabay)

What is the diet?

According to healthline.com, the diet is followed in phases. The foods that are eliminated in the first phase include nuts, seeds, eggs, dairy, legumes and vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes and bell peppers. The focus, instead, is on nutrient-dense foods such as meat, bone broth and a few fermented foods. Once the body gets used to this, a few of the eliminated foods are reintroduced into your diet. There is also a holistic focus on lifestyle, sleep, stress management and exercise.

Also Read | Decoded: Why women are susceptible to autoimmune disorders

But if this may seem a little excessive to you, Karishma has some advice. “If you Google and look up these diets, they are very restrictive and they almost take out everything. It is not practical to live like that. You cannot remove the only happiness and emotional comfort that someone has. Also, it is personal and different for everyone. If someone’s body does not react negatively towards dairy, there is no reason to remove it,” she stressed, adding that one must not generalise these and force themselves to eat something they don’t like. “It is better to find out what works best for you with the help of an expert,” she suggested.

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