You don’t have to wait for days on end anymore for an appointment with a nutritional expert. With virtual counselling, people are now seeking advice from experts over video calls. Nutritionists, too, are constantly interacting with their clients across the globe, monitoring their eating patterns and solving dilemmas on the go. Here’s how the trend is taking shape in the city.
THE NEED FOR IT
Work and social pattern have given birth to this trend. Pallavi Srivastava, fitness nutritionist, Proprietor, Q-Slim Fitness Studio, says, “Since socialising has increased many folds, it’s not possible for somebody on a diet to not step out or socialise. So, I keep in touch with almost all of my clients mostly via WhatsApp, SMS and sometimes FaceTime to guide them through the right choice of food when they are socialising or holidaying.” She adds that video counselling helps clients to stick to their regime. “There are people who are battling eating disorders either by starving themselves or being obsessed about what they eat,” she feels.
TECHNOLOGY AS A BOON
Luke Coutinho, Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine — Holistic Nutrition, too, has been interacting with most of his clients across the globe with the help of technology. This also includes Luke’s celeb clients like Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Emraan Hashmi, Kunal Kapoor amongst many others. His team believes in having a human touch to the communication, and video counselling makes it easier to solve their clients issues no matter which part of the world they are in.
“Virtual therapy, in the case of celebs, happens often as they are constantly travelling for shoots. Also, my team and I travel a lot, so it helps both parties to stay in touch. Sometimes, we don’t know whether one is feeling unwell because one is tired or is it because they haven’t eaten anything. Doing video calls helps us not just to interact with them but also see how they’re faring. This goes for other clients, too,” he explains.
GOING BEYOND NUTRITIONAL ADVICE
Nutritionist Karishma Chawla, of Eat Rite 24x7, has been interacting with her clients across the globe virtually through calls, WhatsApp and video calls as well. She explains, “Initially, clients are lost on how to eat right, I teach them to make healthy choices. It’s a mix of advise and pep talk, motivating clients to have trust and confidence in themselves in making the right food choices and being independent in the due course of time.”
HELPING CLIENTS BE INDEPENDENT
Karishma, maybe open to virtual counselling, but she knows how to limit such interaction so that the clients are not dependent on her at all times. Luke, too, echoes the same concern. He adds, “We encourage clients to make the right food and lifestyle choices, so that they don’t struggle with it once they’re off the program. We provide them holistic guidance. However, we make it clear that if there’s a health issue that has cropped up suddenly, one needs to undergo a physical examination and seek medical help immediately.”
WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE...
Like all other industries, the medical field, too, is changing with the revolution in technology. “These are great tools to help people, and it will keep getting better. However, it’s important to know where to draw the line,” says Karishma.
Pallavi opines that this kind of virtual therapy will definitely be a boon for people in rural areas where the reach of a good nutritionist or a dietitian may not be an easily available option.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Health counselling")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}