Brief Answer: High Calorie High Protein and Iron Rich Diet Detailed Answer: Weight gain requires eating more, but at the same time, you need to be careful not to eat just anything but thoughtfully so that the actual purpose is solved. Binging and careless eating will lead to weight gain but there might be multiple nutrient deficiencies. Your wife’s reports suggest that she has a deficiency of iron. It is important to aim at healthy foods loaded, not only with calories and protein but with a balance of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Here are some tips to help you manage her diet. • Healthy Fats : Avoid trans fats as present in bakery food. Other fats like vegetable oils, coconut oil, and saturated fats are good. These would provide the necessary calories in a healthier manner. • Increase Protein Intake: Protein help in muscle development. Increasing the lean body mass is the healthiest way to gain weight. The sources of protein are - o Milk and its products like yogurt, cheese, etc are good protein sources. Choose from the low fat dairy products. o Soyis also a known source of good quality protein of plant origin. It’s products like tofu, tempeh (soy product of bread like texture) and soy milk provides quality protein when taken on a regular basis. o Mature legumes and beans like Rajmah, Chick Pea, Green/ Dried Pea should be a regular part of the diet. Try to include them thrice a week in your diet. o A regular consumption of Whole Pulses is also recommended along with the nuts like almond, cashew and peanut. Replace the regular butter with peanut or almond butter. o Mushrooms are not only rich in protein but are a good source of minerals like niacin, zinc, potassium selenium etc. o Non vegetarianfoods are storehouse of good quality protein. If she eats non veg, then include it in her regular and routine diet. These foods supply the protein of higher biological value. However, it’s recommended to limit the non veg intake to chicken, fish and egg white. As her LDL cholesterol levels are on the higher side. • Add Foods that help in weight gain, like butter, fresh Fruit juices, hole wheat breads etc. Include nuts in the diet,they are high in mono saturated fats, and even contain a healthy combination of protein and calories. For a better weight gain strategy, you can use peanut butter for a tasty treat. Don’t overlook flax seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, and other nuts and seeds. • Add healthy calories to your plan in form of peanut butter, energy bars, high fiber starches like potato and banana, fruits and fruit shakes, and healthy oils. Additional calorie intake is important as this has aprotein sparing action, i.e. these foods support the proteins to do their primary work of building body muscles rather than providing the calories. • Dietary supplements may also be added: Dietary supplements can be taken for fast results. However it is important to start the supplements under medical supervision. Excessive or wrong use of the supplements may sometimes lead to over nutrition e.g. Hypervitaminosis (excessive vitamin intake), causing symptoms like vomiting and loose stools.Some commonly used suppliments are ensure, protenix, resource high protein and B-protein. • Lifestyle modification is also an important … o Sufficient rest. Compromised sleep leads to metabolic fluctuations and impaired fat metabolism. o Chew the food properly. It improves digestion and also the absorption of the nutrients after complete digestion. o Maintain a variety in the food, in place of sticking to a favorite food. Include foods from all food groups for creating a balance in nutrition. o Staying hydrated is important for improved nutrient assimilation. This would also help in eliminating the waste through the urinary pathway. o Avoiding tea or coffee immediately after the meals. It reduce the nutrient absorption. o It is important to keep a track of the weight. Use the same weighing machine every time and also it is good to maintain same timing of the day for more reliable measurement. The best time to weight is early morning. o Avoid snacks or heavy drinks, immediately before the major meals. doing so would reduce the appetite for a full meal. o Avoid eating while driving, reading, watching television or in office meetings. To summarize, a right combination of healthy meal, proper exercise and a better lifestyle would go a long way in keeping you fit and healthy. Also, a diet sufficiently rich in Iron is important for improving the haemoglobin profile of the blood. Vit B 12 and folic acid are also important in correcting the anemia. Iron Rich Foods – Dark green leafy vegetables, egg, dry apricots, whole wheat bread, dry Fruits like prunes and raisins, beans, lentil, chick peas and soya bean, Rice Flakes with lemon, Pumpkin seeds and watermelon seeds, honey ( use in controlled amounts), Green onion, beetroot and reddish. Vit B12 Rich Foods – This vitamin is required for making the red blood cells. Its sources include milk and its products, egg, whey extracts, low fat cheese and salmon. Folic Acid Rich Foods- Folic acid is also an important nutrient that helps in the cure of anemia. Its sources are dried beans, lentils, soaked almonds, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, oranges and whole grain breads. Include Vit C rich foods like orange, Amla, lemon etc. in the diet, for conversion of food iron to the useable form. Avoid taking milk and its products with iron rich foods Hope this would help. Also remember that it is extremely important to stay happy and maintain a positive attitude. Stay fit. Meenakshi

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Brief Answer: Reports referred Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Greetings from HealthcareMagic. The diet suggested for your wife was planned as per the medical reports, also the doctor's opinion has been taken on the same. Please go ahead with the diet and feel free to contact me for further discussion. Meenakshi

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