#125: Calcium and Bone Health with Dr. Rajiv Bajekal (Nutrients of Concern Series)
“I wish people knew that Cow’s milk is not what it’s cracked up to be.” -Dr. Rajiv Bajekal
Dr. Rajiv Bajekal discovered the power of diet and lifestyle after he had developed type II diabetes and was experiencing health ailments. Now he is one of four family members that are vegan, eat a mostly whole food plant-based diet AND work to help others adopt healthy lifestyle habits so that they can live long, healthy and happy lives.
Dr. Bajekal is also an orthopedic surgeon and he knows about bones. In this episode of Veggie Doctor Radio, we discuss calcium and bone health as well as other lifestyle habits and behaviors that are important for developing strong bones.
We discuss:
His plant-based journey and how he was motivated to make the change himself
What conditions he treats as an orthopedic surgeon
How he addressed nutrition and lifestyle with his patients
What calcium is, where it comes from and why it is important
Milk, and whether it is essential for bone health
The difference between calcium supplements and fortified foods
How to obtain calcium on a plant-based diet
Lifestyle habits and behaviors that are critical for bone health
What habits, behaviors and diet factors may harm bones
How menopause affects bone strength
What he wishes more people knew
The personal habit he is most proud of
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Dr. Rajiv Bajekal
More about my honored guest:
Dr. Rajiv Bajekal is a Consultant Spinal Surgeon with a practice on the National Health Service and Privately in London.
He was appointed Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in 1998 and has been working in London at the Royal Free London NHS foundation Trust since 2002 as a Spinal Surgeon. He has published widely and lectures Nationally and Internationally besides being a Senior examiner for the FRCS Orthopaedics. He is an active member of the Plant Based Health Professionals, UK.
In 2016 he had some personal health problems and had put on a lot of weight during his time in the UK. He and his wife researched diet and nutrition and he embarked on a way of living a healthier life with compassion and care for the environment. In the process, he lost 25 kg of weight, reversed his diabetes and found a new zest for helping patients live a healthier life.
He decided to study lifestyle medicine as a lot of the disorders affecting people nowadays are lifestyle related and he and his wife (Consultant Gynaecologist) both studied and passed the Diploma examination in Lifestyle Medicine conducted by the American board of lifestyle medicine, He and his wife Nitu are now certified lifestyle medicine practitioners with a Diploma from the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine- by far his proudest achievement.
Lifestyle medicine is a relatively new approach to the management of chronic diseases as a result of widespread recognition that conditions such as Coronary Heart Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes, Osteoporosis etc. are totally preventable and can be reversed or ‘cured’ by changes in lifestyle, because they are in fact caused largely by lifestyle, especially dietary excesses.
There is little doubt that conditions such as Diabetes, Hypertension, Cardiac problems, Eczema, Asthma, Alzheimer’s disease and indeed even a lot of Cancers are related to lifestyle of the patient. Until now, these were often blamed on ‘bad genes’ or unavoidable.
While the ill effects of smoking, overuse of alcohol, stress and lack of sleep are more clearly accepted by patients, they are often sensitive about their diet and most believe they have a ‘healthy diet’, based on what they have read.
Chronic health conditions cannot be managed purely by medication. That is a very naïve way of looking at it. Real change though must come from the patient. A lifestyle medicine practitioner is trained to give guidance, motivate, monitor change and assist the patient in a quest for better health. He and his wife now practice medicine hoslistically- looking at the causes and prevention of chronic illness while at the same time treating problems. They also lecture on lifestyle medicine and prevention of long term ill health. Mr. Bajekal has also written the module on Bone Health for the first UK plant based on line nutrition course conducted by the University of Winchester.
You can learn more at: www.rajivbajekal.com
The information on this blog, website and podcast is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to replace careful evaluation and treatment. If you have concerns about your or your child’s eating, nutrition or growth, consult a doctor.
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