Protecting Health Through Nature

Hi, I am Suriyaa

HIGH SCHOOL RESEARCHER
DIABETES & ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

I am a high school student from Michigan with a passion for understanding how food, health and the environment are connected. My goal is to use science to help people make informed, healthier choices.

Suriyaa Sabaribala

My mission is to empower people with knowledge so they can live healthier lives in harmony with nature.

Why I Built Eat for Healing

Diabetes affects millions of people, yet many are never taught how different foods influence their blood sugar. I created Eat for Healing to make that information easier to understand and accessible to everyone.

My interest began with a simple question: How does the food we eat affect diabetes? Since then, I have spent countless hours studying nutrition, glycemic index, glycemic load, carbohydrates, fiber, and the science behind how foods impact blood glucose. I research medical literature, analyze nutrition data, and continually expand my knowledge to better understand the connection between diet and metabolic health.

This website is the result of that ongoing learning. It helps people explore foods based on their nutritional characteristics so they can make more informed decisions. While no single food can cure diabetes, informed food choices - combined with guidance from healthcare professionals - can play an important role in managing blood sugar and supporting long-term health.

My mission is simple: to transform complex nutrition science into practical, easy-to-understand information that empowers people to make healthier food choices every day.

My Mission

Learning from nature and caring for the world around us.

My mission is to learn more about the connection between nature, the environment, and our health, and to help others learn along the way.

I enjoy being outdoors, learning about animals and insects, exploring nature, and helping clean parks and other outdoor spaces. The more time I spend learning about nature, the more I realize how connected everything is. Clean water, healthy soil, plants, animals, and insects all play an important role in the world around us.

I want to learn more about how pollution, litter, waste, and habitat loss affect our environment and the communities we live in. I also want to encourage people to appreciate nature and understand that small things - like recycling, picking up litter, protecting plants, or simply spending time outside - can make a difference.

I don't have all the answers, and I'm still learning. Through volunteering, research, and exploring the natural world, I hope to keep learning and share what I discover with others.

My goal is simple: to better understand nature, take care of the places around me, and encourage others to do the same.

My Research

Exploring chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration.

I wrote a research paper about chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration under the guidance of Dr. Jobin Varkey, Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California.

Read my research paper

Activities

Japanese Quiz Bowl

I studied Japanese and competed in quiz bowl tournaments during 9th, 10th, and 11th grade.

Science Olympiad

I competed in Science Olympiad in 11th grade. My events included entomology, remote sensing, and dynamic planet.

Work Experience

I worked at a store during summer break. I helped as a cashier, stocked shelves, cleaned, and handled store tasks.

Volunteering

I am building more volunteer work through park cleanups, food pantry service, and community projects.

Diabetes Research

My father and grandmother were diagnosed with Diabetes. My dad continued to eat fried banana chips since he was under the impression that fried food did not affect diabetes. Since fried banana chips did not have carbohydrates.

I researched on the internet and told him that this was not right and fried banana chips were not good for diabetes. He asked me to prove it. This started my journey into food and the impact of food intake on diabetes and hypertension.

I started to create a journal with the names of the foods and their glycemic index so that my grandma and dad could easily refer to it. I started with simple fruits, vegetables and grains. Later I expanded to prepared food like whole wheat bread and cake and other varieties.

I wanted to create a website that others can easily look up foods that they eat on a regular basis. My website should be able to make a recommendation based on the glycemic index and other nutritional values of the food and other dishes. This will allow the user to figure out if the food is good for them and their condition.

Most of the nutritional values comes from the University of Sydney, the USDA and other sources on the internet.

Disclaimer

The content on this website is provided for educational and academic purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Information related to food, nutrition, diabetes, or lifestyle choices is shared for general knowledge and learning purposes only. This content should not be used to make medical or health-related decisions.

Always seek the advice of a licensed physician, registered dietitian, or other qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition, dietary changes, or health lifestyle choices. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

References & Credits

Foster-Powell, K., Holt, S. H. A., & Brand-Miller, J. C. (2002). International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76(1), 5–56.

Glycemic Index information and related resources provided by The University of Sydney, https://glycemicindex.com/ .

Nutritional data sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) FoodData Central, https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/ .