A Stroke In Her 20s Changed Her Life

SHARAN Nutritionist Madhura Vayal shares how she got her life back by going whole food plant-based

The common belief is that strokes and attacks happen only in your old age and nothing untoward can affect your health in your 20s. But this myth was busted in my case when I suffered a stroke at the age of 25!

My life took a 180-degree turn one morning when I went to sleep healthy and woke up with facial paralysis. Until that day I was a carefree and happy-go-lucky kind of person with bad eating and lifestyle habits. Non-vegetarian food especially eggs, dairy, chicken and fish were a part of my meals every day. I wouldn’t eat a meal at all if one of them wasn’t there. Stressful working hours and zero physical activity were also adding fuel to the fire.

And the irony of it all was that I was a nutritionist! Academics had instilled in me that protein and calcium are very important so dairy and meat products are very good for health. And to top it all my doctor-mother further endorsed this lifestyle.

The stroke left me half-crippled, yet the zeal to live took me to the US and I got back partially on my feet leading a semi-normal life. Following my limited nutritional knowledge, I gave up oil, sugars and processed foods and started feeling somewhat healthy. I met my future partner there, got married and had two beautiful children.

But the pregnancies took a toll, the weight was back and the weakness in my left side started returning. Around this time my husband was detected with high cholesterol and pre-diabetes. His intense dislike for medication got him researching.

He was the one who brought the miraculous SHARAN lifestyle home. The nutritionist in me fought tooth and nail to not give up dairy and fish. But when the benefits started rolling in, especially the 3kg weight loss in the first week, I started giving this lifestyle a shot.

What I got in return – a 26kg weight loss in 7 months, all stroke and BP medication stopped, migraines and allergies vanished, periods became regular, overcame my depression and gained the purpose of my life.

My husband lost 14kgs weight and reversed his high cholesterol and pre-diabetes. My then 3-year-old fussy-eater daughter started experiencing hunger and enjoying food. And my youngest has not even tasted dairy since birth. He turned 9 years last month. I proudly say we don’t have a family paediatrician or physician.

It’s now been 9 years of this lifestyle. I can never see myself going back, only marching ahead and helping others to achieve the same health and freedom that I enjoy.

And the bonus? Animals and the environment are appreciative of my choices as well.

Coconut Butter

Try this whole plant-based version of ghee to be used in small quantities as a topping to get the flavour, without the harmful effect.

Ingredients

• 1 cup desiccated coconut

Method

Place the desiccated coconut in the grinder, until the grinder jar is completely full. Grind until it turns to butter, scraping down the sides at regular intervals, to ensure that all of it is blended. Do not add water. This should take about 6-7 minutes.

Do not refrigerate. Store at room temperature. Will stay fresh for 2 months.

Tip

• Use organic desiccated coconut powder for best results.
• Always use a mixer with power of 900 W or more.
• Give breaks while blending, to cool the mixer.

Makes ½ cup

Food For The Mind

FACEBOOK SUPPORT GROUP

If you love Facebook, then join us to be supported on your plant based journey. We are offering two possibilitie

1. SHARAN India is SHARAN’s main Facebook page which you can like and follow for getting useful daily updates and news from the plant based health world. You will also get news about the latest SHARAN events, see testimonials, and more.

2. SHARAN’s Vegan Support Group is an open support group to know more about vegan/plant-based lifestyle. Here you can ask questions and share inspiring stories, tips, recipes, etc.

All our doctors and presenters will be here to answer your questions and give you tips. If you have attended our events join this group to be a part of our family.

Please like the main SHARAN page and join the group(s) applicable to you.

What Is Wrong With Ghee?

Ghee is more harmful than plant-based fats for several reasons. Read on to find out why.

1. Ghee and all animal fats are solid at room temperature Unlike most plant-based fats, these are solid at room temperature and cause thickening of the blood just by their structure.

2. Has cholesterol There is no cholesterol in plants. People suffer from high cholesterol these days and ghee is only adding fuel to the fire.

3. Full of toxins Milk per se is unhealthy because it contains hormones, antibiotics, chemicals from non-organic feeds, as well as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) thanks to the cows grazing on plastic. (Watch The Plastic Cow). Ghee is a concentrated and refined form of the same.

4. Adulteration Much of the ghee is not even real ghee, but rather clarified animal fats obtained from the meat industry. This means it’s not even vegetarian. Or real ghee may be adulterated with this fake ghee.

5. Has no fibre Ghee is a refined fat that quickly enters the bloodstream causing the thickening of the blood. Plant-based fats are always accompanied by fibre in the whole form and the lipids enter the bloodstream slowly, causing far less harm. Further, the fibre prevents overeating. Nature is always protective.

6. Cancer-causing Cooking in ghee at high temperatures can cause the formation of acrylamide which is carcinogenic.

7. High in fat The major cause of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, coronary artery disease and high BP is fat, and ghee is 100% fat.