Interview: Dr. Indu Partha

When I decided to tackle the Interviews section of my blog, I thought of my friend Indu Partha almost immediately. I think of her as someone who has a great handle on life, her enthusiasm for life is very infectious and she seems to give life and work her all, every single day. And yet, she is so down-to-earth! Here are Indu’s sagacious words about health, cooking and life.

First things first, do you drink coffee?:-) Research seems to give an overall thumbs-up to moderate consumption. What do you think?

I do drink 1-2 cups of coffee per day. One is a latte at home, and one is a not so tasty cup from the office coffeepot after lunch. My husband is a coffee connoisseur, and I am a bit biased, but I think most items are fine if consumed in moderation

Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.

I was born and bred in Southern California. After completing medical school at UCSD, I went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for my Internal Medicine residency. I completed two years there, and then graduated out of the Northwestern IM residency program. I was lucky to find a third year transfer spot; had to move because I got married. I have been practicing outpatient internal medicine since September 1996. I am also a mother of three, and a wife of one!

Any patient stories to share that have touched your heart and made you grateful for the work you do?

I learn from each and every patient. The ones I am most touched by are the ones who are dealing with serious, life-threatening illnesses and yet maintain an air of joy and gratitude on a day to day basis. My heart breaks when they thank me for taking the time to take care of them.

What is one health habit that is overrated?

I think one health habit that is overrated is the gluten-free diet, for those who don”t have celiac disease or true gluten sensitivity. It seems to have become the cure-all for everything that ails mankind.

What is one health habit that is underrated?

Cooking at home.

What are you doing at present to ‘edit’ your health?

My time is very limited. It is very easy for me to make excuses to not exercise. I am trying to commit to exercising on a regular basis. I try to take advantage of opportunities like walking on the river walk while my son practices soccer.

The one cooking trick you picked up from mom

The ease of making a green vegetable mixed with lentils (“kootu”). Quick, easy, nutritious.

What are your top four kitchen gadgets?

Pressure cooker, rice cooker, hand blender, Kitchen Aid blender.

What is the easiest midweek meal ever?

Panini salad fruits/yogurt. /- chips!

What words do you live by?

What goes around comes around. No matter what it may seem like, everyone is carrying their own load. Be kind.

Thanks so much Indu!