Madhura Vayal has a Masters in Nutritional Science from University of Kentucky, and also holds a Certificate in Plant-based Nutrition from E-Cornell, New York.

After graduation with a BSc in Food Nutrition and Dietitics from University of Mumbai and a PG Diploma in Food Nutrition and Dietitics from SNDT University, she worked in India as a dietician for 5 years and then moved to the US to pursue her Masters in Nutritional Sciences. She specialized in ‘Effects of a high fat diet on cardiovascular disorders and diabetes’ and published her work (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3220787).

Madhura does nutritional consultations, and conducts workshops and talks at SHARAN.

Her personal health issues along with those of her husband led her to explore a plant-based lifestyle which is also completely free of oil and refined sugar.

Madhura started putting on weight after an emergency appendectomy in her mid-teens which had her on bed rest with minimal activity. She also suffered from allergies and migraines. Despite all conventional treatments she remained unwell. As a result of her obesity, in 2006, at the young age of 25, she suffered a stroke due to sudden rise in blood pressure. This left her paralyzed on the left side. Though doctors had given up hope of her survival, she got back on her feet thanks to a few diet modifications, exercise and medical treatment. However, weakness on her left side along with tremors were making even everyday activities tiring.

A few years on, with marriage and 2 kids, the weight was back. The migraines were excruciating and she did not have the energy to manage her home. Her own and her husband’s annual medical check–up with elevated cholesterol levels was a wakeup call and she was determined to not let history repeat itself. The documentary Forks Over Knives was instrumental in her family adopting a 100% plant-based lifestyle. Within a month, her weight had dropped by 4 kg, her allergies had gone, migraines were under control and she regained energy. A year on, she had lost 26 kgs and all her health issues were gone!

Since then, she has been a proponent of a holistic whole food plant-based lifestyle and firmly believes that our health is the best investment and the more we invest in ourselves, the higher the returns.

She also runs ‘The Gratitude Kitchen’ in Mumbai, from where she provides whole food plant-based meals and treats to subscribers.