Karan Sarin, certified metabolic health coach and author who focuses on insulin resistance and lifestyle fixes. He explores why Indians tend to store hidden visceral fat, the thin‑outside‑fat‑inside phenomenon, and how colonial famines rewired genes. Short practical topics include tests for insulin resistance, CGM use, which carbs spike glucose, simple hacks like vinegar, and the big rocks: nutrition, activity and sleep.
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Evolutionary Roots Of Indian Metabolism
Indians evolved 'thrifty' epigenetics due to repeated famines under British rule that favor fat storage.
That survival wiring now backfires in an age of caloric abundance, raising metabolic disease risk.
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Thin‑Fat Phenotype At Birth
South Asian newborns have lower muscle and higher visceral fat compared with Western newborns.
This 'thin‑fat' phenotype predisposes Indians to early metabolic dysfunction despite low BMI.
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How Indian Fat Cells Worsen Risk
Indians tend to enlarge fat cell size (hypertrophy) rather than increase fat cell number (hyperplasia) when gaining fat.
Hypertrophic fat cells trigger inflammation and worsen insulin resistance sooner.
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Why is India the diabetes capital of the world? Why do we develop "hidden fat" even when we look thin? In this episode of Doctor Vs Internet, host Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor sits down with Karan Sarin, a certified Metabolic Health Coach, to deconstruct the Indian gene— how it’s more prone to metabolic disorders like diabetes, heart diseases, fatty liver and hypertension. More importantly, can we do anything to fight our genes?
We dive deep into insulin resistance, sugar spikes and carbohydrates to understand how our food habits and lifestyle lead us to diabetes. Karan Sarin elaborates on the blood tests, symptoms and signs of insulin resistance. We also explore if it is possible to reverse diabetes.
This episode rewinds into how British-induced famines rewired the Indian epigenetics, creating a body type that stores fat for survival—a mechanism that is now backfiring in our age of abundance. From the hidden dangers of "carb-loading" in marathon runners, to which roti has the least glycemic index, this podcast is a masterclass in Indian metabolic health.
Key Topics Covered:
-Indian nutrition and diet: which is best for diabetics? Ragi, Khapli, Bajra, Jowar, which have the lowest glycemic index. Which other Indian foods are low glycemic index. The concept of Calories in, Calories out.
-Muscle vs. Fat: Why Indian babies are born with more visceral fat than European babies
-The TOFI Syndrome: Being "Thin Outside, Fat Inside" and why BMI is misleading for Indians
-Metabolic Rocks of Health: Nutrition, Sleep, managing stress and Exercise and how lifestyle can stand in the way of Indian genes
-CGMs: Continuous Glucose monitors: Are they helpful or not
This episode is essential viewing for anyone searching:
Diabetes Prevention, Weight Loss Tips, Indian Genes, CGM glucose monitor device, what is insulin resistance, insulin resistance treatment, Diabetes, Pre-diabetes, Sugar control tips, reverse pre-diabetes India, metabolism boost, metabolic health coach India, Karan Sarin.
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