Luke Coutinho on Why Personal Growth is the Secret to Great Leadership
Luke Coutinho, a renowned Indian bestselling author, integrative and lifestyle medicine expert, shares his inspiring journey from early career beginnings to discovering his passion for holistic health.
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Feb 20, 20260:02: Like a lot of people as they climb the corporate ladder,
0:04: Oh, I'm a CEO. I have no time. I'm jet set. I'm on flights.
0:06: What about the other CEOs who have time?
0:09: What's the difference between the two of y'all? It's our priority.
0:13: A very good morning to all our listeners.
0:15: And I welcome you to yet another episode of Godrej's podcast, Be All You Can.
0:20: My name is Debashis Sahu and I work with CEO's office.
0:23: Our guest today is someone I'm very excited to interact with today.
0:27: A stranger to no one, he has helped countless individuals online and offline
0:31: achieve their health and wellness goals.
0:33: In an age where health and wellness fads come and go,
0:35: he believes nutrition and lifestyle are ways to unlock a healthier you.
0:38: It's my great pleasure to introduce Mr. Luke Coutinho to our podcast of Be All You Can.
0:44: Welcome, Luke.
0:45: Hi, good morning. It's good to be here.
0:47: I'll begin by asking you that, you know, you have helped several people
0:50: find balance and purpose through your guidance with respect to health and wellness.
0:56: And this influence, I must say, is not just restricted to people who you have been guiding in person,
1:02: but also to those lakhs of followers on social media, that includes myself.
1:07: What was your journey like in discovering your purpose?
1:10: So what has made you Luke Luke?
1:12: I think every part of my life has made me who I am today.
1:15: The good times, the bad times, the regrets and everything.
1:18: So I studied hotel management and I didn't like it.
1:21: But part of my whole course was food science, technology and nutrition.
1:24: And I think I had to go through three years of hotel management just to discover that subject
1:28: and my love for nutrition and the human body.
1:31: But after that, I didn't get into the field of nutrition.
1:33: I joined corporate companies.
1:35: I worked, my last job was at IBM for about 10 years.
1:37: But in that space, that's the time I started seeing that, you know, the upper management,
1:42: mid-level management, people were always complaining about cholesterol issues, diabetes, back pain.
1:48: And I would always think that, you know, as you rise the corporate ladder,
1:51: you're earning more money, but you're suffering more.
1:54: You know, all these people, I remember one very high position in the elevator saying that
1:58: I can't even fit comfortably into a first class seat.
2:01: My back hurts so much.
2:03: And I was like, what's the point in life if we're growing up, you know, in our careers,
2:06: but we're losing our health.
2:08: So at that point, I said, let me get back into my field of nutrition.
2:10: I was privileged to have a mentor at Yale University, Dr. David Katz.
2:14: And he was like, he spent a lot of time with me while I was in the U.S.
2:17: And he said, are you sure you want to move into this subject?
2:20: Because it seems like you want to work with people's root causes,
2:23: like why they get sick, why they get diabetes, why they get cancer,
2:26: not just fix it, you know, with exercise and nutrition and medicine.
2:30: So he introduced me to a subject called integrative and lifestyle medicine.
2:34: And I fell in love with that subject.
2:35: And from then onwards, it was all about fixing people's lifestyles
2:38: and addressing the root causes of why people fall sick
2:42: so that they can treat the symptoms, also address the root cause and get better.
246: So I think what makes me me today is my experience with people.
2:50: It's very humbling when you're working with terminally ill patients,
2:53: patients that you will speak today to and maybe next week you will not speak to them.
2:57: So I think my journey with my patients every day is what makes me who I am.
3:02: But I love what you spoke about.
3:03: I love I love how you've termed and coined this phrase for this program that you have.
3:08: Be what you can.
3:09: I just love that because most individuals today have so much more that they can do,
3:14: not just in their work lives.
3:16: So much more that they can explore within their own selves to be who they can.
3:21: So I love how you've actually coined this program.
3:24: That really intrigues me.
3:25: Yeah, thanks for sharing that, Luke.
3:27: Pretty interesting to know the trajectory of life.
3:29: And I must mention that you and I share this common background.
3:32: My first job was in IBM.
3:34: So, you know, you touched on an interesting aspect that the great irony of life is
3:39: as your earnings rise, so does your discomfort, right?
3:42: Not just the physical aspect of the health, but also the mental part.
3:45: You know, for a lot of our working professionals like us, like myself and our listeners here,
3:50: there's this tendency to ignore our personal health, which, of course, impacts both physically and mentally.
3:57: The irony is most of our medical science today takes care of the diseases once it has inflicted us.
4:03: So it's kind of post facto.
4:05: Now, you touched on a vital aspect there that how do we prevent the onset of diseases in the first place?
4:11: Going by the age old axiom of prevention is better than cure.
4:15: What as per you are some of the telltale signs?
4:18: So there are two ways I want to answer this question.
4:20: Number one, it's not a human tendency to ignore our health.
4:23: It's our mindsets that have controlled us that, oh, I work in the corporate world.
4:27: That means my health is going to be compromised.
4:29: We started to believe mindsets that have been put into our head as we go through life.
4:34: But I want to break that today because the word, you know, more than diet plans and medicine,
4:39: most of us have to identify limiting beliefs and mindsets that we have.
4:43: For example, if I work a night shift, that means I'm going to have health problems.
4:47: But the truth is everyone working night shifts sick?
4:50: The answer is no.
4:51: Is everyone in the corporate world burnt out?
4:53: The answer is no.
4:54: Is every CEO sick?
4:56: No.
4:56: Is every enteral employee level sick?
4:58: No.
4:59: So if everyone was sick, we can blame it on the corporate world.
5:02: We can blame it on all of these things.
5:04: But the point is, it's our mindsets.
5:05: We believe that, oh, I'm so busy, which means when I'm busy, exercise, nutrition, sleep, emotional wellness is on the back burner.
5:13: But it doesn't have to be that way.
5:14: So when you look at successful employees, I'm not talking about position, but they're successful in working well and managing their health without anyone having to tell them because it's important to them.
5:24: How do they do it?
5:25: And how can we get other people to do it?
5:28: So the first thing is, what are these limiting perceptions and mindsets that we've built?
5:32: Like a lot of people, as they climb the corporate ladder, oh, I'm a CEO.
5:34: I have no time.
5:35: I'm jet set.
5:35: I'm on flights.
5:36: What about the other CEOs who have time?
5:38: What's the difference between the two of y'all?
5:40: It's our priority.
5:41: As human beings, we always prioritize what we value.
5:45: This is not what I'm saying.
5:46: It's how we are as human beings.
5:48: You know, for some people, the value is health, which is why they will manage their health first and then their jobs.
5:53: So that's number one.
5:54: Number two, the human body.
5:55: And to come back to you that, yes, we're only looking and waiting for disease to hit us before we get well, because I'll give you a bitter, ugly truth.
6:02: There is absolutely no money to be made being healthy or being dead.
6:07: All the money to be made is in chronic sickness.
6:11: People need to be sick all the time.
6:13: And look around you.
6:14: Chronic sickness is the biggest business today.
6:16: Now, we don't have to become consumers and victims for that.
6:19: The human body is always speaking to us all the time.
6:22: So, for example, if you constantly have cravings, if you constantly have indigestion, what is your body trying to tell you?
6:28: You have a gut problem.
6:30: You're eating too fast.
6:31: You're eating when you're stressed.
6:32: If you wake up and you're craving carbs and sugar, your body's telling you you're sleep-deprived.
6:37: If you need four, five, six cups of coffee in a day, tea to start your day, your body's telling you you're sleep-deprived.
6:43: Because you're sleep-deprived, you're going to have a low immune system.
6:46: Because you have a low immune system, you're going to have high inflammation.
6:48: 96% of the diseases are inflammatory conditions, which means these diseases are caused by inflammation in the body.
6:56: If I'm unable to touch my toes, unless, of course, I have an injury or I'm not physically able to do that.
7:01: If I can't touch my toes when I'm 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, what's my body trying to tell me?
7:06: That your spine has already started shortening.
7:08: So, you see, the body's always speaking to you.
7:11: If you have the constant need to scroll, to drink, to smoke, it means that, internally, you're very stressed out.
7:19: Because your body's responding to more and more dopamine.
7:21: Dopamine is a reward molecule. It makes us feel good.
7:24: That's why most of the vices are dopamine-inducers.
7:28: They make us feel good.
7:29: But what's our body trying to tell us?
7:31: That, hey, maybe you need to slow down. Maybe you need to start really looking at the things that matter.
7:35: So, you see, the human body's always giving us signs.
7:38: If we listen to those signs at the right time, we can possibly prevent the onset of a disease.
7:43: It doesn't mean that if we have the disease, we can't get better.
7:45: We also can get better if we take the medicines and we change our lifestyle.
7:50: By only taking a medicine, you're being treated.
7:53: If you want to be healed, you've got to take the medicine and change your lifestyle.
7:57: Because that's when you're addressing the root cause of the problem.
7:59: Because once the medicine brings your lab parameters back in place and you go back to the old lifestyle, the symptoms will come back over and over again.
8:06: If I'm getting constant headaches, your body's trying to tell you you're sleep deprived or you're dehydrated.
8:11: If you're tired all the time, maybe you have low B12, you have low vitamin D3.
8:14: So, you see, if we're really mindful and we don't ignore these things.
8:18: Today, we ignore it because we're living in a fast-paced life.
8:20: Headache, we take a paracetamol.
8:22: You know, we keep masking the symptoms until it becomes a full-fledged condition, a disorder or a disease.
8:28: So, your body's always, always telling you what is wrong.
8:32: We need to listen and at the right time, take the right action.
8:35: That's how we can prevent.
8:36: I couldn't agree with you more.
8:38: Listening is something we as humans are really poor at, aren't we?
8:42: Because active listening either to someone else or to our own body is something that is not ingrained in us.
8:48: So, as per Luke, what are those absolute do's and don'ts that a person should be doing in his or her day-to-day life?
8:58: So, what are those healthy habits?
8:59: Number one, to sustain survival, to protect organs.
9:03: Number three, to age gracefully.
9:05: Okay?
9:05: The human body right now as we speak, there are multiple millions and millions of functions happening at a chemical level, a biological level and at a physiological level.
9:14: Okay?
9:15: We're not even aware of what's happening in our bodies to have this conversation right now.
9:19: So, what does the human body need?
9:21: Number one, rest and recovery, which is sleep.
9:24: Number two, movement and exercise.
9:27: You don't even have to call it exercise.
9:29: The more active you are, it's great for your body.
9:31: Your body needs it for blood circulation, transport of nutrients, oxygen, repair, all of that.
9:36: The third is the raw material.
9:38: Look around Mumbai.
9:39: Look at all the construction happening.
9:41: For the construction to happen, it needs raw material.
9:43: For the human body to build, repair, function, it needs raw material.
9:47: What is that raw material?
9:48: The food that we eat.
9:49: So, if we have the right quality and the right quantity of raw material, we have great health.
99:53: If we have the wrong quality and the wrong quantity, okay, use the analogy of the buildings.
9:58: Buildings built with the wrong quality material are going to obviously have a problem in the present and in the future as well.
10:04: So, it comes down to simple nutrition.
10:06: We're not talking keto.
10:07: We're not talking whether you should be veg, non-veg.
10:09: All of that is complication.
10:10: We're talking about trillions of cells that require raw material to function, to let you work, to allow you to repair,
10:16: allow your immune system to protect you, whether it's pollutants, allergens, bacterias, viruses, and all of that.
10:23: And the fourth is our emotional wellness.
10:26: It doesn't mean we should not have stress in life.
10:28: How are we as individuals managing that stress?
10:32: But some people are emotionally out of control.
10:34: They're always in a state of resistance.
10:36: They're always in a state of reaction.
10:39: And that creates higher levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which is the stress hormone, which isn't great for us.
10:44: That's what causes inflammation, indigestion, anxiety, depression, feeling out of control.
10:50: So, all of these four things is what the human body requires to maintain homeostasis, which is balance.
10:55: When we're in a state of balance, the body is working for us.
10:59: When we're in a state of imbalance, the body's working against us.
11:04: So, like in an autoimmune condition, your own immune system is attacking you.
11:07: It's erratic. It's out of control.
11:09: It's attacking you.
11:10: Our own bodies can attack us.
11:11: So, that's because we're in an imbalance.
11:13: So, this is what every human body, from a newborn baby to a senior citizen, these things will never change.
11:20: There's one more thing.
11:20: There are two more things.
11:21: Our spirit.
11:22: I'm not talking about religion.
11:23: I'm not even talking about spirituality.
11:25: But our spirit, it all craves for something.
11:28: Everything we do in life is gravitating towards either love, a feeling of security, a feeling of safety.
11:35: These are the basic needs of the human spirit.
11:38: So, it is so important for us to also nourish those things.
11:41: And the last is our breath.
11:43: Because without our breath, we can't live.
11:45: So, it's so important for us to remember our breath, whether it's pranayama, exercise, or you're in a stressful situation,
11:51: or you can just slow down your breathing so that you can come down to homeostasis and balance.
11:56: These are the six things that the human body needs.
11:58: The biggest problem in the world today is not a lack of knowledge.
12:01: It is a lack of action.
12:03: So, we need to come down and all of us need to figure out how do I get the basics in place.
12:07: And you'll find when you get the basics in place, even the most complicated conditions start to get solved.
12:13: So, it all comes back down to the foundations and the basics of what the body needs.
12:17: I read somewhere that if someone says that if he or she does not have the time, it simply means that it's not a priority.
12:23: Because if your house is burning, no matter what you are doing, you are going to leave.
12:28: And the talk that I heard goes on to further state that life, you know, you don't make time to pursue life or to do things that you love.
12:37: You pursue those things and life makes time for itself.
12:40: The quote kind of resonated with me pretty well because increasingly that's how you see things happen, right?
12:47: I mean, if you put your mind and heart into something, no matter how busy you are, you're going to pull it off.
12:52: Exactly what you said.
12:53: Yeah, I would like to add a point to that.
12:55: See, we should never forget the basics and the fundamentals of neuroscience.
12:58: It states one fundamental, many fundamentals, but the most important one, the human brain loves to believe what you constantly tell it.
13:05: That's it.
13:06: So, you keep telling yourself you don't have time.
13:08: And even if you have time, you're going to start acting and living like you don't have time.
13:12: You keep telling yourself, I can't do this.
13:14: There's no way I can exercise.
13:16: I hate eating healthy food.
13:18: I can't sleep.
13:19: Guess what?
13:19: The human being starts to believe that and your beliefs become your emotions, your actions and your behaviors.
13:26: So, it's so important for us.
13:27: That's why I spoke about mindset.
13:29: Everyone's change first has to happen in their mind.
13:32: What are some of the most common wellness challenges you think we face today?
13:38: And how can we move beyond that?
13:40: So again, I think like, you know, everyone has 24 hours in a day.
13:44: Everyone.
13:44: Some may be spending more time in traffic.
13:46: Some may be lucky to live next to their workplace like you.
13:49: But everyone has 24 hours.
13:50: Okay, the biggest challenge, the biggest challenge is thinking nothing will go wrong with us.
13:55: And when it goes wrong with us, there'll be some medicine or some insurance plan to help us.
14:00: This is a fundamental belief that people have.
14:02: The biggest wellness challenge is a weak mind.
14:05: When I say weak, I don't mean it in a derogatory way.
14:07: I mean a mind that is not disciplined.
14:09: We really love something.
14:11: How can we find the discipline to do that?
14:13: So people say, Luke, I'm not a disciplined person when it comes to exercise.
14:16: No, you are disciplined when it comes to so many aspects of your life.
14:19: It's just that you've not prioritized or made exercise valuable to you.
14:23: So I really think the biggest wellness challenge today.
14:25: Yes, we have our challenges in our country.
14:27: Clean air, honest food.
14:29: These are big challenges.
14:30: But it's not a challenge alone.
14:32: We can still make better choices.
14:34: I'm not saying we need to go organic.
14:36: Absolutely not.
14:36: But we can make better choices.
14:38: We can move to whole foods from packaged foods.
14:40: There is no packaged food that is healthy.
14:42: Absolutely none.
14:43: They don't exist.
14:44: Okay, but it's a mindset change because we read less oil, baked, not fried.
14:48: And that's marketing.
14:49: We all understand that.
14:50: So a simple shift from lesser junk food to more whole food is a great change that we can make.
14:56: But the point is, we need to understand that we don't prioritize the fundamentals that are required for a great life.
15:02: So even I'll give you a day in my life when you see patients, they come with different medicines.
15:07: Some are on chemo or some are radiation.
15:08: Some are on insulin medication.
15:10: Some are on statins or whatever it is, whatever the medicine is.
15:14: Every one of these patients have one thing in commonality that they need to do if they want to get better.
15:19: They got to change the way they eat, movement, sleep, emotional wellness.
15:23: All of them have to do that.
15:24: There is no medicine that can do the job for that.
15:27: So I think our biggest wellness challenge starts in the mind, our mental health.
15:32: So if you ask me, the best physical health will always start in the mind.
15:36: First, working with our mind.
15:37: Take one little meal and get that right for a week.
15:39: Add exercise, even 20 minutes a day.
15:41: Get that right for a week.
15:42: Try to get into bed 30 minutes early or add 30 minutes more to your sleep.
15:46: Break it down into the smallest win.
15:48: Do it for one to two weeks, then take the next.
15:51: Then take the next.
15:52: Don't try to do everything at one shot.
15:53: Some people are very disciplined.
15:54: They'll say, that's it.
15:55: I'm going to do everything and they'll do it.
15:57: But some of us need to break it down into small wins.
16:00: So the biggest wellness challenge right now is a lack of action.
16:03: People, everyone knows what to do.
16:05: But we got to ask ourselves, why aren't we doing it?
16:09: Very well encapsulated, Luke.
16:10: It reminds me of this quote by this world famous marathon runner, Elliott Kipchoge.
16:16: And he said that only the disciplined ones are free.
16:19: And that's exactly what you mentioned, right?
16:21: It's all in the mind.
16:22: And you know, good habits have this real power of compounding.
16:26: You start with these tiny good habits and suddenly they percolate into your life and
16:31: something else better starts happening.
16:33: So absolutely.
16:34: And I want to touch upon the word discipline because most people don't understand what
16:37: discipline is.
16:37: They think discipline is so strict.
16:38: And when they fail, they feel bad about themselves.
16:41: No.
16:41: Discipline is, let's say, I planned to work out today, but I didn't work out today.
16:46: It doesn't mean I'm a bad person or an indisciplined person.
16:49: As long as I get back on track tomorrow, that is also discipline.
16:53: It doesn't mean getting it right all the time.
16:55: It means that if I fail today, I will get back on track tomorrow.
16:58: If I ate a bad meal now, my next four meals are going to be excellent.
17:02: That is the discipline and consistency.
17:04: That is the gold.
17:06: Indeed.
17:06: So let me ask you this.
17:07: You have influenced and impacted countless lives through your advice and guidance.
17:12: How important do you think it is for people to connect their purpose to something that
17:17: serves others or the world around them, looking beyond their own self?
17:20: I think there are two ways of looking at this.
17:22: This find your purpose has also become a big drama.
17:25: Many people will not.
17:26: They get stressed out and depressed and anxious because they can't find their purpose.
17:29: I like to look at it differently.
17:31: OK, if you ask me, what is my purpose in life today?
17:33: My purpose is my next patient.
17:34: It's as simple as that because it brings me my biggest joy.
17:37: My purpose is also to look after myself, look after my family.
17:40: So today, someone's purpose could just be I want to go to work and give my best.
17:44: That's a great enough purpose.
17:46: Our life purpose.
17:47: Not many people really find it.
17:49: But a great start is to be in the field of service.
17:52: When I say that, you don't have to quit your jobs.
17:55: Anything that you can give back.
17:56: And I'm not talking just money.
17:58: You have a skill.
17:58: Can you share it?
17:59: Can you teach someone even just giving the gift of listening to someone who's just talking
18:04: and feeling sad is service.
18:06: Service brings us the greatest joy.
18:08: And I believe one purpose that every human has should have that can bring them joy is
18:13: service.
18:14: You can just go and donate blood.
18:15: Guess what?
18:16: You've saved lives.
18:17: It's service.
18:18: We all find our purpose by living life.
18:21: I think the biggest issue is when people stop living life to find that purpose.
18:24: They're like, oh, I'll give up everything now and I'll just meditate every day and whatever.
18:28: No, you find your purpose by living life mindfully.
18:32: If I'm not living my life mindfully, but I'm living it as a complaint.
18:35: Oh, no, it's Monday.
18:36: I got to go to work.
18:37: Oh, no, it's Tuesday.
18:38: Oh, no, it's Wednesday.
18:38: No, you're struggling through life.
18:40: You're not living life.
18:41: But when you're living life, everyone starts to slowly find that meaning, that purpose.
18:46: But you got to be living mindfully and with awareness.
18:49: So if your friends have purpose and you don't, don't feel bad about it.
18:52: There's absolutely no reason.
18:53: Your purpose today is probably to go work.
18:56: The money you earned, maybe you've been helping your mom, your dad, you're bringing up your family.
19:00: That's purpose as well.
19:01: So I just don't want social media and society to confuse people in their own personal search
19:06: for purpose and meaning in life.
19:08: Living life meaningfully.
19:10: Such a lovely thought.
19:11: As we approach towards the end of this wonderful conversation.
19:14: What is this lasting remark that you'd like to leave with our friends who have tuned in
19:19: to listen to you?
19:20: I think I just want people to understand two things.
19:22: Slow down.
19:23: Slow down in life.
19:24: It doesn't mean that you should.
19:25: In fact, you got to slow down to move faster.
19:27: Like I want to move faster in life because I have a ton of patients on my wait list.
19:30: But I got to slow down to move faster.
19:33: I got to slow down to move faster.
19:34: That's what I mean.
19:35: That's the definition of slow.
19:36: Slow down.
19:36: Do things a little bit slowly, but be fast when you need to be fast.
19:40: Okay.
19:40: I'm not saying slow down means go and take a sabbatical for six months and stuff.
19:44: If you need it, take it.
19:45: But my point is, how can I start my mornings a little slower?
19:48: Maybe with a little prayer, spirituality, meditation, gratitude.
19:51: Even if it's 10 minutes.
19:53: Rather than put on the phone and jump straight into the corporate world or the virtual world
19:56: and then just completely being thrown off.
19:58: Where in your life can you slow down?
20:01: Okay.
20:02: It's with your kids.
20:03: Maybe you want to spend two hours with your kid.
20:05: Your kids don't need two hours.
20:06: Give them 30 minutes of quality, meaningful time, and they'll be more than happy.
20:09: So that's what I mean.
20:10: Slowing down in two ways.
20:11: Don't become part of the herd.
20:13: Today, everyone is part of the herd mentality, following trends, following fads, getting
20:18: sucked into other people's lives that in no way will ever add value to your life.
20:24: It just brings entertainment and dopamine because we're just feeling not good about
20:28: ourselves all the time.
20:30: Every one of us are given a unique, beautiful mind.
20:33: Have a mind of your own.
20:34: Don't think like everyone else.
20:36: Think differently.
20:37: Use your own mind.
20:38: Use your own.
20:39: You know, just that's your independence and that's your true freedom.
20:42: Remarkable, Luke.
20:43: It just follows so beautifully from that earlier statement that you made of live life meaningfully.
20:48: Slow down.
20:49: Have meaning of your own and not necessarily be a part of the herd.
20:53: Thank you so much, Luke, for this wonderful conversation.
20:55: I certainly enjoyed it thoroughly.
20:57: And I hope that our listeners who have tuned in to listen to you had every single minute
21:02: worth it.
21:02: Thank you for having me.
21:03: I appreciate it.
21:04: Thank you.
21:04: Thank you, Luke, for inspiring our listeners to live a healthier and more mindful life.
21:09: And to all our listeners, thank you once again for tuning in to yet another episode of Be
21:13: All You Can.
21:16: Thanks for listening to Be All You Can, a podcast by Godrej Enterprises Group, exploring
21:22: the passion, purpose and dreams of pioneers.
21:26: Stay tuned for more stories that inspire action and impact.