South Asian Health: Risks, Cultural Influences & Actionable Solutions

South Asian Health: Risks, Cultural Influences & Actionable Solutions

South Asians, including individuals from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, face unique genetic and lifestyle-related health risks. Understanding these risks and cultural factors is essential for preventing chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and metabolic disorders.

Why South Asians Are More Vulnerable

📌 Early Onset: South Asians develop T2D 5-10 years earlier than other populations.
📌 Beta Cell Dysfunction: The pancreas struggles to produce enough insulin due to inflammation and metabolic stress.
📌 TOFI (Thin Outside, Fat Inside): South Asians may appear slim but have high visceral fat and low muscle mass, increasing metabolic risk.

🥘 Traditional South Asian Diet – Often high in carbs, rice, starch, and low in protein.
🥗 Social Eating Habits
⚖️ Fear of Fat & Cholesterol – Many  believing cholesterol is harmful, while underestimating the impact of high-carb diets.
💖 Heart Disease & T2D Considered ‘Normal’ – Many communities accept high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attacks as inevitable rather than preventable.

🚺 South Asian Women Are Underrepresented in Research 

✅ Reduce Processed Carbs & Increase Protein
✅ Embrace Healthy Fats – Omega-3s from seafood, organ meats, and nuts are essential.
✅ Manage Blood Sugar Naturally
✅ Balance Thyroid & Iodine Intake – Soil depletion affects iodine levels, impacting thyroid health.
✅ Strength Training to Prevent Muscle Loss – Muscle mass is crucial for metabolic health and longevity.
✅ Personalized Health Plans Matter – There’s no one-size-fits-all approach

It’s not just about knowing the science—it’s about taking action, step by step. Your health journey starts with small, sustainable changes that make a big impact.

🎯 Want to make a difference in your health and your community? Let’s start today. 🚀

Chapters

• 0:46 I am of South Asian heritage
• 1:50 Who are the South Asians
• 3:10 Asian are higher risk of T2D, CVD, Lifestyle, genetics
• 4:10 Beta Cell inflammation / Health on Pancreas
• 5:30 Role of Insulin and blood sugar on body
• 6:00 South East Asians are now a risk of T2D - 5 - 10 years earlier. Screening from aged 25 in the UK
• 7:30 TOFI's and muscle loss / mass
• 8:30 Meals for Asians - High Carbs, rice starch, mostly non meat based
• 11:00 Social Eating and cultural influences
• 13:30 Types of foods, then move to other cultures, priorities change
• 16:00 South Asian women not included in research
• 18:50 Asians petrified of cholesterol / Fear Fat
• 21:45 Heart Attacks / T2D the 'normal'
• 23:00 Make a difference to communities
• 23:45 Salt / Blood pressure relationship
• 27:00 The value of vitamins and magic of minerals
• 29:20 Reducing carbs & increasing protein
• 33:00 Apple Cider Vinegar prior to meals
• 34:20 Thyroid health / Iodine / soil health
• 36:25 Organ meat / Liver / Seafood / Fish / Omega 3
• 40:30 Personalised Health Plans
• 42:00 More than science it is behavioural changes
• 43:20 Risks of weightloss injectables
• 47:20 Bone muscle / Sarcopenia / muscle atrophy
• 50:25 South Asian Women's health - PCOS / T2D
• 51:40 So much you can do, one step at a time