Transforming Lives with Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine: A Conversation with Rohini Bajekal

Nutritionist and Lifestyle Medicine practitioner Rohini Bajekal brings more than clinical expertise to her work—she brings lived experience. Her journey through hormonal health challenges has shaped a career focused not just on nutrition, but on the full spectrum of factors that support long-term wellbeing.

A Personal Journey to Professional Purpose

Prior to this, Bajekal struggled with various PCOS symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, known as PCOS. She hit an all-time low while studying for her finals at Oxford University - she experienced hormonal acne, hair loss, weight gain and anxiety. PCOS is the most common hormonal or endocrine disorder with reproductive, metabolic, and psychological consequences. PCOS affects at least 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. Despite this, most people have never heard of it. Depending on how hard one looks for the condition, up to 3 in 4 (75%) of those with PCOS remain undiagnosed.

“Health is not about cold-pressed juices or hot yoga. It’s about something a lot deeper,” Bajekal reflects, thinking back to her mid-twenties when she moved to Mumbai, India to work for a health-focused food and beverage startup. This experience became a turning point in her understanding of the link between nutrition and health.

While in Mumbai, her eating habits changed, and so did her health. As she incorporated more whole plant foods into her diet, she experienced better sleep, clearer skin, more energy, and reduced anxiety. This personal transformation sparked a professional calling.

Coming from a family of medical professionals (both parents are surgeons), Bajekal was no stranger to health and wellness discussions. So it was fitting when she decided to focus her own career on health as well, returning to the UK to complete her Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences, followed by a diploma in Lifestyle Medicine.

A Practical and Holistic Approach to Health

Today, Bajekal’s practice focuses primarily on hormonal health conditions, including PCOS, endometriosis, fertility nutrition, perimenopause and menopause. She looks at all aspects of clients’ lifestyle: food, sleep, stress management, social relationships, movement, and intake of alcohol and smoking. “My whole focus is behaviour change… how can I help transform their life?”

Her client process begins with a detailed intake, including a 3-day food diary, lifestyle questionnaires, and health history. This helps Bajekal to personalise her recommendations. She typically recommends three-session packages, carefully structured to build sustainable habits without overwhelming clients. Throughout the sessions, Bajekal ensures that clients learn practical tips and strategies for long-term success. “People often intuitively know what their bodies need. Once they’re given the right tools, they can use those tools effectively and apply them in different scenarios.”

The Results Speak for Themselves

The impact of her work is evident in the transformations she witnesses: “I see amazing results with people. It is so rewarding to see people get their quality of life back.” Clients report regaining regular periods, successful and healthy pregnancies, improved skin conditions, better weight management, reduced bloating, and finally feeling at home in their bodies.

Beyond individual consultations, Bajekal runs a PCOS group program, creating a supportive community for women who often feel isolated in their health journey. In 2022, she co-authored Living PCOS Free with her mother, Dr Nitu, an OBGYN, combining lifestyle medicine with allopathic medical approaches.

Looking to the Future

Bajekal’s vision for the future is clear: she aims to run a sustainable business while reaching more people with hormonal health issues. She’s particularly passionate about integrating lifestyle medicine with medical care: “Lifestyle medicine works alongside modern medicine. It’s not either or. It’s part of the toolbox.”

Expanding her practice internationally is another key goal for Rohini. She aims to build a larger team and increase her presence in North America. By scaling her practice, she hopes to make nutritional and lifestyle advice accessible to more people while maintaining the high standards of care that define her work. Additionally, she dreams of writing more books and continuing to educate and inspire others through her published work, building on the success of her book, Living PCOS Free.

At the core of her aspirations is the desire to balance innovation with a personal touch. Rohini recognizes the value of AI in streamlining certain aspects of her work but remains committed to the human connection that is central to her practice. She believes that while technology can assist with tasks like content creation or diet planning, people ultimately seek personalized care and nuanced guidance. Her long-term vision is to combine these advancements with her expertise to empower clients and ensure that lifestyle medicine becomes an integral part of how healthcare is delivered globally.

For those struggling with hormonal health issues or seeking to improve their overall wellbeing, Bajekal’s message is clear: transformation is possible with the right support, knowledge, and tools. Through her work, she continues to prove that sustainable health changes come not from quick fixes or extreme measures, but from understanding and implementing evidence-based lifestyle changes that work with each individual’s unique circumstances.

The effects, as she says, are truly transformative.

5 Practical Nutrition Tips from Rohini Bajekal:

Focus on whole foods rather than processed alternatives.
Increase fiber intake by incorporating more plant-based options - less than 1 in 10 people in the US and UK get enough fiber! Whole plant foods such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds are all packed with fibre. Swap some servings of animal-based protein for plant protein such as beans, tofu and tempeh.
Incorporate frozen fruits like blueberries, which are often more nutritious, affordable, and convenient than fresh options.
Swap refined cereals for nutrient-rich options like steel-cut oats, quinoa and barley.
Top your oatmeal with ground flax seeds for added fiber and plant-rich omega-3 fatty acids

Rohini Bajekal (MA Oxon, MSc Nutrition and Food Sciences, Dip IBLM) is a nutritionist and board-certified Lifestyle Medicine professional.

Find out more about Rohini at rohinibajekal.com and follow her on Instagram @rohinibajekal for daily tips on healthy living. She has a Substack newsletter called Full of Beans where she shares more top tips and insights around healthy living.