A fall one day made her health rise

Every member of the SHARAN team has experienced the benefits and wishes to spread awareness of the same. Our cooking presenter Palak Jain shares how she reversed her high blood pressure with simple changes in her diet.

No-Coffee Coffee

We can guarantee that this recipe is going to take you by surprise! It’s unbelievable, yum and healthy too. Enjoy it, guilt-free. Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated fresh coconut
• ½ cup dried white peas (safed watana)
• 2 cups warm water
• ½ cup pitted soft dates
• 4-5 ice cubes

Method:

Soak the grated fresh coconut in 1 cup warm water and set aside for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, dry roast the dried white peas in a pan on high heat, stirring occasionally, until they turn dark brown. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

Blend the soaked coconut in a blender jar for a few seconds and strain through a muslin cloth. Squeeze the coconut milk into a bowl and transfer the coconut pulp back to the blender. Add 1 cup warm water and blend again for a few seconds. Strain the coconut milk again into the same bowl, using the muslin cloth.

Powder the cooled roasted peas in a dry grinder to a fine powder. This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 weeks. In a blender, blend dates, coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of the prepared “coffee” powder until smooth. Strain the prepared mixture twice into a bowl. Add a few ice cubes in a serving glass, pour in the prepared cold coffee and serve immediately. Serves 2 Note

Use coconut milk judiciously and occasionally as it lacks fibre and is high in fat.  

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.

To get rid of or prevent high blood pressure, remove its cause

Our body is constantly responding to external factors, so as to maintain the equilibrium of health, without us even being aware. The body has an amazing self-healing mechanism that works only if we get out of the way and allow it to do so. Most people, when they are diagnosed with high blood pressure, take medicines for it and get on with their regular life. Over a period of time, medicines and their dosages spiral upwards and eventually they end up with complications of hypertension and side effects of medicines!

Here is what you can do to prevent or reverse hypertension.

1. Avoid all fat Fat goes into the blood stream, thickening the blood and also narrowing arteries. Therefore, we must reduce the consumption of fats that have no fibre – oil, ghee, butter. Also, animal products including meat, dairy and eggs since they too are full of fat.

2. Avoid high cholesterol foods Only animals produce cholesterol. There is no cholesterol in coconuts and cashews or any other plant foods. We are animals and we produce all the cholesterol that we need, naturally. The excess cholesterol comes from animal products in our diet.

3. Increase fibre Fibre holds onto fat and prevents it from going into the bloodstream. Fibre, therefore, keeps the blood thin and flowing. Avoid all refined foods, and peeling of fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

4. Overcome addictions Avoid tea, coffee, colas, alcohol and smoking. All of these raise the blood pressure. Even green tea with its lower levels of caffeine is not good for health. Green smoothies are an excellent way of overcoming addictions.

5. Avoid excess salt Most packaged foods and ready-made products are full of salt. Avoid consuming them.

6. Reduce stress Get out of the rat race. If that is not possible be aware that when we are stressed, we produce adrenaline and other stress hormones. Similarly, when animals are stressed they too produce stress hormones. When we consume animal products or their secretions, we are taking in these stress hormones. This is another reason that plant-based diets are best for hypertension.

7. Get some exercise Being overweight can lead to high blood pressure. Make sure that you get your daily dose of exercise.

8. Get enough rest Lack of sleep can raise the blood pressure. It’s best to go to bed latest by 10 PM and wake up without an alarm. The earlier we go to bed the more restful the sleep is likely to be.

9. Avoid overstimulation Mobile phones, computer games, late-night shows all keep our brains stimulated and stressed.

10. Lack of vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause high blood pressure. It’s vital to check the vitamin B12 levels and supplement with methylcobalamin regularly. How to supplement can be seen here https://sharan-india.org/vitamin-b12/