What if I told you that your health is completely in your hands- as what you consume with that hand matters the most? Many people the world over understand this fact. Still, they are practically unable to follow- due to logistics, lack of time, many myths and misinformation, and lots of second-guessing about food and Health Goals.
People with diverse clinical conditions and wellness Health goals got what they were looking for- in Health and wellness without stressing about the food they eat, dispelling myths and fads and customizing it to their food habits when they consulted a Bangalore-based qualified Clinical Dietitian and Wellness Nutritionist– Sreemathy Venkatraman
“Struggling with gut health issues was exhausting until I found Mitha Aahara. Sreemathy Ma’m is superb; her diet plan and nutrition advice have greatly improved my digestive health. I am grateful to her and can’t thank her enough. They are so good, and I highly recommend them if you really need help with digestive health,” says Raksha Tapase in her five-star rated Google review.
Another one, Rohini Shahare, praises in her five-star Google review, “Mitha Aahara has helped me a lot in my struggle with managing depression. Before starting my treatment, Sreemathy Venkatraman ma’am explained how even food can change our mental state, which I was unaware of. She explained the gut-brain axis and finally made a proper nutrition plan for me. Her personalized approach to nutrition has transformed my relationship with food and my mental well-being. Her expertise and compassion have helped me achieve a healthier mind and body.”
Offering the Best Health Mantra
The Founder of Mitha Aahara—Eat to Live, and having a distinction of ‘Healing with food,’ Sreemathy has a vast clinical experience of 25 years and has specialized in ‘Diet in Health & Disease’ from the USA. She works on all gut health issues, including IBS, food intolerances, IBD like Crohn’s, and Ulcerative colitis.
Sreemathy also deals with PCOS, Food intolerances, Food Allergies, Brain Health, Metabolic dysfunctions like obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension and also conditions like fatty liver disease, infertility, mental health like depression and anxiety, autoimmune conditions, skin diseases, GDM and several other neuro conditions like Parkinson’s, ALS and swallowing difficulties and tube feeding.
Sreemathy’s trailblazing journey is as fascinating as her healing touch, which involves prescribing a well-personalized plan for everyone. In her reflections, she says, “To be honest, I took home science in my higher secondary to avoid math and loved it.”
She majored in Nutrition, Food Service Management, and Dietetics in her undergraduate courses. Her postgraduate course was in Hospital Dietetics, with a six-month internship at CMC, Vellore. There was no turning back, and “I always believed in the concept of food and nutrition as a healing tool and its role in disease prevention and healing clinical conditions.”
Establishing the Best Benchmarks
Sreemathy took a women’s entrepreneurship course, and her startup was incubated at NSRCEL, the startup incubator at IIM Bangalore. At Mitha Aahara, they currently have clients from 11 countries. Post-COVID- people are more open to virtual meets and consultations and prefer food as a healing tool rather than medicines, she says, sharing the guiding philosophy that has propelled them to tremendous popularity amidst their clients.
Focus on whole foods and balanced nutrition: This philosophy emphasizes the importance of eating unprocessed, nutrient-rich foods from all food groups. It avoids fad diets and restrictive eating patterns, instead promoting a sustainable and enjoyable approach to healthy eating.
- Client-centered approach: The Nutritional Therapy program prioritizes the individual needs and goals of each client. It recognizes that there’s no “one-size-fits-all” solution to nutrition and focuses on creating personalized plans that cater to preferences, allergies, food intolerance, regional roots, and lifestyle factors.
- Science-based advice: The therapy emphasizes basing nutritional recommendations on credible scientific evidence. It avoids promoting trendy diets or miracle cures and instead focuses on providing information and guidance backed by research. “We never use the word Reverse and cure; instead, we set realistic expectations,” insists Sreemathy.
- Sustainability and long-term health: The regimen advice goes beyond quick fixes and weight loss. It emphasizes building healthy habits that clients can maintain for life, promoting long-term well-being and disease prevention and understanding their bodies
- Holistic approach to wellness: The program recognizes that nutrition is just one piece of the wellness puzzle. It considers the impact of sleep, stress management, exercise, and mental health on overall well-being and may incorporate these factors into the client’s plan.
Sreemathy explains, “Our specific role is to create a supportive environment where clients feel empowered to make positive changes to their diet and lifestyle.”
Expanding their Wings
Testifying to Sreemathy’s effectiveness is another client, Pranay Nikure, who says in his five-star Google review, “It took me years to realize the importance of consistent physical activity and a balanced diet. While physical activity made me feel good about my weight and appearance, diet made me feel good about my health overall. I came across Mitha Aahara at the right time. Sreemathy Ma’am and her team were responsive and adaptive to my need to lower my body weight. They gave me proper diet plans as per my body requirements and helped me a lot with a proper understanding of nutrition to lose weight. Sreemathy Mam is the best dietician I have worked with to date. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs help with healthy eating.”
There are many more five-star client reviews on Google, which substantiate Sreemathy’s impact on the scores of people from countries like Australia, Dubai, Qatar, Germany, the UK, Canada, Ireland, and the USA, apart from India.
Adapting to the Times
To ensure they remain adaptable and ahead of industry trends, providing innovative solutions to their clients, Sreemathy says that Mitha Aahara tracks emerging trends in nutrition science, consumer preferences, and technology. Nutrition conferences, scientific journals, and social media analysis are our valuable tools,” she adds, while constantly motivating herself and encouraging her team (nutritionists, dietitians) to attend workshops and conferences and pursue continuing education to stay updated on the latest advancements.
Sreemathy and her team offer virtual and offline consultations and coaching programs to provide accessible and convenient nutrition guidance to their clients.
Recognized as an inspirational force behind Mitha Aahara’s achievements, Sreemathy shares her leadership and team-building approach: “I invest in my team’s professional development by providing mentorship opportunities and encouraging them to pursue continuing education.” This fosters growth and builds a strong talent pool.
Building a Collaborative Team:
Diverse and Inclusive Environment: Sreemathy’s team comes from diverse backgrounds, skills, and experiences. This fosters a wider range of perspectives and understanding of different cuisines, traditional recipes, and kitchen-based solutions for their clients. Their approach is to personally curate food solutions that are close to the clients’ regional roots. They speak multiple languages and “connect” with their clients’ expectations and set clear goals at the start of the program. They provide WhatsApp support throughout the program and a lot of hand-holding to successfully complete the program with positive outcomes.
- Build trust and allow team members to feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns.
- “To recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements to maintain morale and motivation has made my team stick to my company and have loyalty,” she says.
Balancing Expectations with Experiences
The essence of entrepreneurship lies in bringing innovation and advancements to the niche program one is working in. Thus, Sreemathy says she balances customer expectations with user experience with
*Segmentation: “To Identify our client personas and set goals, e.g.” – weight loss or weight gain, healing from clinical conditions, to respect their dietary preferences (vegan to turn plant based, flexitarian, mediterranean with healthy animal food sources etc.) – to personalize the user journey and to listen to what they want to achieve by enrolling in our nutritional therapy program is our USP
Needs and Pain Points: “To understand our clients’ needs, challenges, and frustrations with nutrition advice.”
To Focus on Measurable Goals: “Align our program with client goals.” Is it weight loss, disease management, or overall well-being? Track metrics like engagement, goal achievement, and client satisfaction.
Fostering Sustainable Food Habits
Sreemathy adds that many clients are happy to eat local and have dishes with locally sourced ingredients. “Our USP is to provide food solutions with regional roots to clients, as food is something very personal. We listen to their likes, dislikes, and cravings and provide recipes and quick and easy meal plans that can be a part of their Health Goals.”
She is also an ardent believer in sustainability and environmental responsibility. “In our corporate workshops, we create awareness and develop strategies to minimize food waste in their canteens and their eating habits. We also talk about recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable packaging materials for products,” explains Sreemathy.
Highlighting a transformative initiative, she says they developed a local thickening agent to thicken foods that help patients with dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing. This thickener was nutritionally better than the starch thickening agents and was fortified with minerals, fibre, and vitamins. “We tried in a few places across the country, but I had to shelve it due to Covid and lack of funding.”
Driving on the Tech Wave
Also a believer in the power of technology, Sreemathy integrated advanced techs into her services to offer a digitally enhanced user experience.
*Telehealth Consultations: She says they leverage telehealth platforms to offer video consultations, making nutrition guidance more accessible.
*Automated Appointment Scheduling and Reminders: Utilize online scheduling tools and automated appointment reminders to improve client convenience and reduce administrative tasks.
*Data Analytics for Business Insights: “We analyze client data to identify trends, track progress, and gain valuable insights to improve our service offerings and marketing strategies.”
Sreemathy adds:
- They have a presence across multiple digital platforms (website, , social media) to reach clients where they are and provide a seamless experience.
- They create valuable and informative content (blogs, articles, videos) on nutrition topics, building trust and the right information based on evidence and science.
- They offer online consultations, personalized meal plans, and educational resources to cater to a wider audience and provide easy accessibility.
Thriving into the Future Bliss
Speaking about the challenges, especially during COVID-19, Sreemathy says, “Incidentally, I started the company because of the pandemic, where immunity and food were sought for cures and prevention.” The virtual meeting options were also embraced out of necessity, and now clients are more comfortable taking counseling online. Distance is no longer a Barrier to healing and getting the right help for a personalized therapy plan.
Looking ahead, Sreemathy shares her plans. “We aspire to continue making a significant impact on India’s health landscape by revolutionizing the approach to nutrition through personalized, accessible, and technology-driven solutions, empowering individuals and communities to achieve optimal health and well-being. “I also have plans to develop sustainable products that will play a role in prevention as well as curated healthy food options in many clinical conditions,” she concludes.
Awards and Accolades:
- The Best Nutritionist & Dietitians in India – CIOLook India Magazine.
- India’s Top 5 Consultants Ruling the Diet and Nutrition Industry 2023 – Swift N Lift Magazine.
- The first place in 10 Most Promising Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics Company –Silicon India Magazine.
- Golden Awards- For Excellence and Leadership in Healthcare.
- Most Trusted Online Nutritionist in Bangalore- Dynergic Business Solution.
- Michael Donovan Award for advocacy in Dysphagia- Dysphagia Research Society- USA.
