How gluten-free diet changed Vyshak's fortunes

Vyshak Vijaykumar has had an impressive domestic season with the Karnataka senior side across formats and the pacer extended his good run, making an immediate impact on his Indian Premier League for the Royal Challengers Bangalore at his home venue - M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The 26-year-old may not have been as effective in the next couple of game as he was in his opening match, but with more game time he is bound to improve in all aspects of his game. What, however, caught immediate attention was his the clicks he clocking on the speed gun. The lanky lad was hurling the white ball consistently above 140 kph and on occasion breached 145-mark.

All this seemed a distant dream when his parents noted something abnormal in his teens. Despite sticking to the usual rice, roti and largely vegetarian diet, Vyshak was piling on the pounds. From weighing 50 kgs at 16 years, he shot up to 90 at 19.

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Initially, his parents thought heavy rice consumption was the reason behind his excessive weight so they substituted it with wheat (chapathis) without knowing they were worsening the situation. It’s a misconception in India that wheat aids weight loss but when Vyshak was losing none, his parents knew something was amiss with their kid.

“Despite a very disciplined wheat-based diet filled with fruits and vegetables, Vyshak was putting on weight," Vyshak’s father Vijaykumar Brunda BV told DH. "He wouldn’t eat junk food also. Being a pacer, the weight gain was really hampering his cricketing dreams. That’s when we knew we needed medical intervention.

“Someone suggested sports nutritionist Ryan Fernando and we decided to consult him. Ryan ran a series of tests and quickly analysed that Vyshak was allergic to gluten. We were literally feeding him poison without being unaware. Since Ryan’s consultation, Vyshak’s life has changed completely. It would have been great if we had met him earlier itself.”

Fernando, whose client-list includes the who’s who of cricket and film industry, felt had Vyshak met him at 17, things could have been a lot better for the aspiring pacer. “When Vyshak came to me, like I do for every client of mine, I did a comprehensive blood test and nutrigenomics test. Nutrigenomics is the study of the effects of nutrients on the expression of an individual's genetic makeup.

“When we did all that we figured that Vyshak was allergic to gluten. To give up gluten is really tough. But Vyshak was one of the most motivated and disciplined kids I’ve met. When (Novak) Djokovic started talking about a gluten-free diet in 2010, it was a game-changer. So I used him as an inspiration for kids to give up gluten.

“But the good thing is we live in Bangalore where there are plenty of gluten-free options. Stuff like rice, jowar, bajra and millets are gluten-free. Gluten is essentially found in wheat, barley and rye. Vyshak has promptly avoided these and that has changed his life. Had he come earlier, he could have gained a few inches. But better late than never.”