Sheena, a 39-year-old domestic worker in Kerala, was asked by a gynaecologist to stop consuming white rice, wheat, red meat, and milk, as a lifestyle change to address her Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). To regulate her long-delayed periods and address weight gain and extreme fatigue, she was told to eat more vegetables, lentils, pulses, millet, brown rice, and omega-rich fish instead. But everything mentioned in her new diet was two or three times costlier. “White rice is a staple in Kerala. We use it for most breakfast dishes as well. Rice with bran is Rs 120 per kilogram, whereas from the ration shop, I can get regular rice for Rs 20. Millets are between Rs 120 to 150 a kilogram. How can I afford to buy enough vegetables to replace rice every day? I earn just Rs 12,000 a month, which is not even enough to live the way I live now,” Sheena points out.
PCOS is a hormonal condition that leads to menstrual irregularity, excess hair growth, acne, and obesity, among other problems and is quite common in women of reproductive age. To treat PCOS, doctors and nutritionists first recommend a lifestyle change, which is not affordable for many women, especially those from the lower middle class.