‘Dal-roti or quinoa doesn’t matter’: Bhagyashree on food myths, diabesity and fitness

For many years, Maine Pyar Kiya actor Bhagyashree has been an active advocate of health and is often spotted organising or attending health awareness initiatives. A qualified nutritionist, she regularly keeps sharing ‘ghar ke nuskhe’, fitness tips, and more on her Instagram handle.

At 57, she can easily push through hectic workout routines and strike any challenging yoga pose – inspiring millions.

The actor has joined hands with the digital health platform Neofit Universe as its brand ambassador to raise awareness about ‘diabesity’, the co-occurrence of diabetes and obesity in India. The platform focuses on delivering science-backed, expert-verified information on diabesity to help people make informed health decisions. India has the world’s second-largest population of people with diabetes and a vast pool of individuals with prediabetes, many of whom are at risk of developing the disease within the next five years.

In an interview over the phone with indianexpress.com. Bhagyashree opened up about the initiative, her mother’s experience with diabetes, Maine Pyar Kiya, GenZ, why she thinks joint families are vanishing, and more.

The interview has been edited for clarity.

Q. There has been a massive rise in ‘diabesity’ in India. Why do you think that’s happening?

Bhagyashree: Yes, that’s true, and it seems to be growing in India. It’s almost the third largest in the world when it comes to diabetes and obesity. Considering we have yoga and Ayurveda, it still happens in our country. It is quite shameful.

I wanted to create more awareness of these issues. We have to understand that there are certain genetic factors at play, and certain habits we otherwise think are very healthy. But in the long run, they face backfire. There are also a lot of fad diets that everyone gets so obsessed about. That really creates chaos in one’s body.

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I think awareness is the key to any transformation. And I wanted to helm that awareness.

Bhagyashree recalls that even when she was a kid her mother would keep on telling her how aware she should be about diabetes and health (Image: Instagram/Bhagyashree)

Q. India also has a rising number of pre-diabetic people in the world. Many of us may be on the verge of being diagnosed with diabetes in the next five years.

Bhagyashree: Yes, that’s Type 2 diabetes. It is more prevalent here in India. And it doesn’t have an age bar in India.

For me, the awareness of diabetes came because my mother was a diabetic very early on in her life. At that time, there was no such awareness, no such knowledge available to anyone. Over the years, she saw deterioration and then she managed to take her life into control, which is amazing.

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She managed to steer through that, keep her diabetes in control, maintain good health, and also keep telling us as children about the kind of food we eat and things like that. So for me, it started then. I have been ever so conscious.

She said, “Maine itna suffer kiya hai ki main apni kisi bhi beti ko yeh nahi dena chahti. Tum sabko bahut careful rehna padega (I have suffered so much, I don’t want my daughters to suffer. You’ll have to be careful).”

But this is something not everyone talks about in their home. So yes, that’s another reason I got into this initiative to raise awareness.

Q. Social media is full of hacks and cures for diabetes. In fact, every third Instagram Reel would claim a way to ‘cure’ it. Instagram has almost become the next doctor. How dangerous is this misinformation?

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Bhagyashree: I feel informed decisions and an informed lifestyle are very important with awareness. Instagram, of course, makes you aware of a lot of things that you probably don’t know. But creating the right kind of platform where you have doctors and medical experts who actually know their job is important.

We might all have gone through certain things. Like my mother taught me a lot. But she isn’t a doctor. If I explain something to someone else, they would say, “Arey, aapke paas medical degree kahaan hai (Hey, you don’t have a medical degree)?”

Though awareness and knowledge are there, it’s important to have the credentials that give it validity.

That’s why I have a panel of doctors and endocrinologists who can speak not just about diabetes, but also how it can affect other hormonal aspects. So, I think that creates an overall awareness about how your body works.

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Because we all work with, you know, hormonal imbalances at some point in time, be it PCOS, be it stress, just basic stress of living in a city, that can cause so much hormonal imbalance that it creates havoc in your body.

“Just the stress of living in a city can cause so much of hormonal disbalance that it creates havoc in your body,” says Bhagyashree (Image: PR Handout)

Q. That’s true. In fact, many people are returning to rural areas, embracing a quieter way of life. There’s also a lot of digital fatigue. Being an internet personality, do you experience it?

Bhagyashree: For me, that awareness came very early. While I take care of all these worldly city life things that we are supposed to do, I take regular short breaks and go off to where it’s quieter, where it’s nicer. This weekend, I’m going off to Benaras, which will give me that sense of peace.

I take those holidays and take that time off very regularly. It doesn’t have to be expensive. You can just read a book in nature, be with your family, or play games outdoors. There are so many different ways.

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Also, medication cannot always help. It’s also about how families can support each other. Because often, one person wants to diet, and the family says, “Hum alag khana kyun banayein (Why should we cook something else)?” That becomes an issue.

Or someone is trying to diet and people keep poking. “Kya diet kar rahe ho? Kuch farak nahi pad raha (What diet are you on? It doesn’t seem to be making any difference).” There’s body shaming, too. There are many aspects that affect health — mental, physical, emotional, and genetic.

Q: The ideal age of motherhood has changed, with many young women freezing their eggs and embracing motherhood in their 40s. What do you think about that?

Bhagyashree: I feel any age can be a good age to become a mother as long as you are responsible towards your child. I don’t say that 20, 30, or even 40 or 50 is the best age, as a matter of fact. As long as you know a responsibility that you have towards a life that you have created, that becomes your responsibility. Probably, a relatively older mother might get tired or exhausted sooner, but it’s not set in stone.

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But if you are ready to become a mother, say at the age of 35 or 40, and you feel you have done your bit and you have enjoyed your independence, you have enjoyed your work, and now you’re ready to settle down and raise kids and have a family, I think it’s wonderful. I just feel you have to be responsible enough to do that, then.

Don’t bring children into the world if you’re not responsible for them. And that life is also fine. It’s each to its own. I don’t look down upon people who don’t want children. I mean, thank God. At least we know they don’t want to take on another person’s responsibility.

I just feel that children require that nourishment and bonding from their parents. And in fact, now that I see a lot of men also getting actively involved in bringing up their children, I think it’s a wonderful thing. Because a child requires both parents.

“Don’t bring children into the world if you’re not responsible for them” (Image: Instagram/Bhagyashee)

Q: When we were young, society used to worship parents and children were scared of them. In modern times, whether it’s Gen Z or Gen Alpha, parenting has changed drastically. Many people of your generation believe that first we were scolded by our parents, and now our kids are. Do you also feel this way?

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Bhagyashree: A 100 per cent. I think our generation is stuck (laughs). We listen to our parents and we listen to our children. And children listen to Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini — I don’t know what all.

Gen Z or Gen Next, whatever you say, is far more exposed at a younger age. We were still dependent on our parents for a lot of things to understand, to learn. We needed to hold on to their finger to step out. But today’s generation is more worldly aware.

So if you understand that, you get to learn a lot from the children. I like to spend a lot of time with the younger generation because I think I get to learn and it’s easier for me to access their lives if I just simply listen, which is very important.

But at the same time, I feel that the Gen Next loses patience very soon. There are certain things that need a little time to understand, to assimilate. The younger generation doesn’t seem to have that. Jisko Hindi mein bolte hain thehrav (What we call stillness in Hindi).

Q: If Gen Z watched Maine Pyar Kiya today, what do you think their reaction would be?

Bhagyashree belives that Maine Pyar Kiya’s “Pyar dosti hai” theory still stands (Image: imdb)

Bhagyashree: I’m fortunate that even Generation Next loves those films. That’s because they’re also very emotion-based. My children watch the movie and say, “Arey yaar humko aisa pyaar milta toh… (Oh man, if only I had love like that)”.

That longing, that feeling, that waiting, that aspiration — all that is lost today. But if they had to live it in real life, I don’t think they would have the patience for it. (laughs)

Q: Leaving your mansion and going around the factories labouring to prove your love?

Bhagyashree: Yeah, definitely not. They would just say, they would be like, “Kaun karega ye? (Who would do this?)”

Q: Many years ago, you taught us in Maine Pyar Kiya that “pyaar dosti hai.” Do you still believe that?

Bhagyashree: That I truly believe. Yes, friendship matters. In every relationship, friendship is very important.

And even your relationship with your own body should be a friendship, which we keep forgetting.

Q: You’ve been working closely with a lot of doctors and speaking more about health lately. What sparked this interest in collaborating with medical experts and in spreading health awareness? Was there any personal health experience or concern that pushed you in this direction?

Bhagyashree stresses on the importance of regularly taking breaks and holidays to rejuvenate (Images: Instagram/Bhagyashree)

Bhagyashree: About 9–10 years ago, I woke up one morning not being able to move my hand. That scare made me realise there’s so much going on in your body that you don’t notice or simply bypass it as a passing phase.

You know, as women, we tend to be very nonchalant about our own health. We take our health for granted. And we also have, I think, a higher capacity to bear pain. So we tend to push it to the background because other things feel more important in our lives.

So that, along with what followed, really started my journey. I have since met many doctors. We even held a ‘free-for-all panel of doctors at Nanavati Hospital, talking about women’s health and what menopause does—not only to women, but to their families and to the people around them.

And interestingly enough, after those nine sessions at Nanavati, they started a special clinic just for women entering menopause, which I think is wonderful. Even that small step can create awareness, and so many women benefited from it.

It’s easy to think, “ek din baat karne se kya hoga” (what change will just one day of conversation bring) —that it will be a drop in the ocean. But I feel every drop counts when you want to make a difference, especially when you do it with sincerity and a genuine desire to help others. I think when that intention is there, the path opens up.

Q: That’s true. Awareness around menopause is gradually building. But even today, so many men are simply unaware of what the women in their lives are going through.

Bhagyashree: Yes, and strangely, perimenopause can last almost 10 years. That’s 10 years of mood swings and hormonal disturbance. That’s often when obesity, diabetes, blood pressure and heart issues strike – because your body’s defences are down.

That’s why awareness matters.

Bhagyashree believes that the younger generation lacks “thehrav” (Image: PR Handout)

Q: What kind of fitness works best in your 50s, especially for menopausal women? Of course, we can’t forget that in India, many women are still hesitant to go to gyms or work out, given the societal lens.

Bhagyashree: There is no one-size-fits-all. Some women benefit from yoga, while others benefit from walking. Don’t blindly copy what you see online.

When you work out, cortisol levels also rise. For menopausal women, exercise must be carefully regulated.

If you do very hardcore workouts and your cortisol keeps rising continuously, it’s going to cause more harm than good. That is why not every woman needs to hit the gym. For some, yoga may be beneficial; for others, simple walking may be enough.

It really depends on your individual health. You should meet a healthcare professional, discuss your concerns and your lifestyle, and then let them guide you on what is right for you. You cannot simply pick something from the internet or Instagram and think, “A celebrity my age is doing this, so I should do it too.”

There are many actors right now, some my age and some younger, who are deeply into fitness, and you can see them doing exceptionally well. But that is fitness designed for them—not every woman can achieve it.

If you look at my Tuesday Tips, which is a small initiative I started on Instagram, they are mostly simple *ghar ke nuskhe*. The exercises and suggestions I recommend are easy to do at home by almost anyone, with no side effects.

My advice is simple: don’t overdo anything. Don’t pick up routines that create more stress for you, your body, or even the people around you. It is very important to make informed decisions.

Q: How was your menopause experience? Were there any unexpected symptoms that you weren’t prepared for?

Bhagyashree: I didn’t know what hot flashes were. I had heard about them, but I didn’t know there would be so many.

But when I understood my body and made changes, I became much stronger and more vibrant in my 50s than I was in my 30s. And I am very grateful for that. Being aware of your body and then making those changes can do wonders.

Q: What does your fitness routine look like?

Bhagyashree: My routine is essentially 45 minutes to 1 hour of workout, 6 days a week. And it could be yoga, walking, sport — any kind of dedicated physical activity or movement, when you’re not thinking about anything else. And when you are doing the movement, you are also paying attention to how you are breathing.

I believe that movement is a medicine which you give to your body.

Our bodies are meant to move. It’s like a car in a garage. Gaadi kitni bhi expensive ho, aap chalao nahi toh jang lagne wali hai (“No matter how expensive a car is, if you don’t drive it, it will rust).

Q: Is your fitness also the secret of your glowing skin?

Bhagyashree: My only recommendation for glowing skin is that you don’t hold grudges and smile a little more. Help people more. Have gratitude. Aaj ek aur din mil gaya humko kisi aur ki zindagi ko sawarne ke liye (Today we’ve got another day to help shape someone else’s life). We have to be grateful for the time we have on this planet. You have to be happy inside. Kitni simple hai na tip (Isn’t it such a simple tip)?

Q: It has almost become a norm on social media that if you have to be fit or want to lose weight, it can be achieved only with a certain kind of food. Maybe you have to have avocados or quinoa to achieve that look. But they aren’t exactly affordable to many. Do you think the idea of being healthy has become too expensive, or is it just a status symbol?

Bhagyashree: It just confuses people. Dal-roti-sabzi khao ya quinoa khao (Eat dal, roti, and vegetables, or eat quinoa.), it doesn’t matter as long as you are creating a diverse gut microbiome. There are so many gut bacteria that keep your stomach healthy inside. If we focus on just one food, we are not allowing our stomach and intestine to experience that diversity. Fir aap ek galat cheez kha lete ho aur halat kharab ho jati hai (Then you end up eating something unhealthy and your condition gets worse).

I remember, earlier, whenever someone used to come from America, we used to think, “Arey isey Bisleri ka pani pilao warna pet kharab ho jayega (Give him Bisleri water, otherwise his stomach will get upset)”. But we Indians are used to everything. Hum kahin bhi khalein humara pet kharab nahi hota (We can eat anywhere and our stomach never gets upset).

Having a variety of food is important. It’s just that whatever you eat, have it in moderation.

Fresh, clean, home-cooked food will rarely let you down. Your stomach should be able to handle everything — raste ki pani puri to avocado on a plate in a five-star.

That’s real health.

Q: But what about those with hectic, sedentary lifestyles who can’t always cook and have to depend on packaged food?

Bhagyashree: There are lots of foods that you can make at home (in less time). I would give the example of my own home. My children are okay with having patties, or 2-3 patties together for their lunch. They don’t want to have a heavy meal. But in those patties, you can have all the nutrients.

If you don’t want to make fresh patties every day, you can make them in batches and keep them in the fridge, so you just have to heat them. Kabhi paneer ka bana diya, chana hai, chhole hain, rajma hai (Sometimes I use paneer, sometimes there’s chickpeas, chhole, and rajma). Galouti rajma kebabs taste lovely. And it’s got a lot of iron and protein. This becomes easy to carry to the office.

People think that you don’t have anything, chalo pizza ya burger hi mangalo (Let’s just order pizza or a burger). Instead of that kind of attitude, if you plan slightly in advance.

That being said, don’t give up on food or life. I also eat everything, including my cakes, brownies, and ice cream. I love them. Garam garam jalebi aur pakodo ka to mausam hai. Banaras me bhi mai sab khane wali hoon (It’s the season for hot jalebis and pakoras. I’m going to eat everything in Banaras too).