I had a different pregnancy

Young & beautiful Neha Ranpise, shares how changing to a plant based diet helped her in so many ways, including becoming a mother at 38!

I had been a hardcore non-vegetarian all my life. A short encounter with plant-based foods, while taking an Ayurvedic therapy to tackle my then newly acquired IBS, made me feel a lot better. But old ways are hard to go. I continued my way of life after that therapy. However, again in a matter of 1-2 months, I had to attend a meditation program for which I had to go plant-based for two full months and that brought about a change.

I had always seen videos on cruelty in dairy and poultry and I would feel really bad but couldn’t do anything beyond feeling bad. But going off those, made all the difference. I can no longer consume something for my pleasure by harming another being. Since then my migraines subsided – both in frequency and intensity. I no longer had to shut myself in a dark room and call it a day. I started feeling lighter and happier in general. And after turning to whole foods, along with regular yoga I have reversed my PCOD. My cycles which were never regular since puberty came to the most optimal 29 days! Even my sinus issues subsided in less than 6 months. I conceived naturally without any therapy/medicines or even supplements at 38!

Now coming to the pregnancy – it was different. With everyone from my doctor to my househelp asking me to consume milk, ghee and eggs, and my refusal to go for anything processed like a protein powder,  I wanted to ensure I was not missing anything. And for this SHARAN nutritionist Shalini Goenka came to my rescue. She is immensely knowledgeable in the area and has scientific backing. She also has a pitara of amazing recipes and ideas. Apart from providing support on the diet, she also helped me sail through my pregnancy with her very cool and positive mindset. Especially in the first trimester, when things were changing too quickly and everything was shaky – she would give me quick ideas for the foods which I could eat as I wasn’t able to eat much. Same for the second, because the cravings were unending! And lastly, she helped me with the most important thing – trust and patience. She used to take timely reviews with me through the tenure and edit and amend wherever needed based on what I was able to do and what not. Thanks a lot, Shalini, for being there and helping me have a plant-based pregnancy as I wanted. My boy is soon turning one – and is hale and hearty!

Peanut and other nut butters

Nut butters are super easy to make and very handy when you go vegan. They are made in 15 minutes and last 3 months outside the fridge! Do try them out as they are useful in so many recipes.

Ingredients

• 100 g raw peanuts

Method

Roast peanuts on low heat until the skins crack, or roast in an oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes.

Fill peanuts in a grinder up to a height of 1”. Grind. You will first obtain a powder. Grind until it turns to butter, scraping down the sides at regular intervals.

Store in a glass jar for up to 3 months at room temperature.

Variations

You can use different nuts and seeds to make your own butters, using the same method.

Tips

1. Nuts and seeds with high fat content like sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, etc. do not need roasting. You can also mix different seed butters.
2. You need a high-powered mixer, preferably 900W and above.

Makes 100 g

Food For The Mind

FACEBOOK SUPPORT GROUP

If you love Facebook, then join us to be supported on your plant-based journey. We offer 2 possibilities.

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.

Dairy spells disease

Milk causes a number of diseases. Just replacing dairy in your diet with plant-based alternatives is the ideal way to enjoy your favourite foods, without suffering from the dangers of dairy. If you have not given up dairy yet, why not try it for the next 30 days and experience for yourself its healing powers?

Here are just a few of the many conditions you may prevent and reverse by eliminating dairy.

1. Colds, coughs and sinus Both Ayurveda and naturopathy recognise milk as mucus forming. Almost everyone who stops consuming dairy will see, after an initial cleansing reaction that colds, coughs and sinus problems disappear or become less frequent.

2. Acne Acne is linked to puberty, when hormones are changing. Dairy is both full of hormones and fat and therefore promotes acne. Most people notice that their skin becomes soft, clear and even glows after stopping dairy.

3. Premature puberty & women’s issues The increase in consumption of dairy has led to a consequential rise of these problems. Dairy is laden with growth hormones, and oxytocin. PCOD, menstrual problems and menopausal problems are all linked to dairy intake.

4. Diabetes Dairy, not carbs, is one of the biggest causes of type 2 diabetes. Dairy contains fat without fibre, hormones, IGF, all of which promote high blood sugar. Thousands of our clients have replaced dairy with fruit and experienced a significant drop in their blood sugars!

5. Breast, ovarian and prostate cancer These are amongst the most common cancers seen today, and they are hormone-dependent. Dairy is full of hormones. The growth in dairy consumption has seen a rise in incidence of both these cancers.

6. Colon Cancer All animal products, including dairy, lack fibre. Fibre cleanses the intestines and is necessary for easy bowel movement. Lack of fibre causes constipation and the consequent absorption of toxins causing colon cancers.

7. Acidity High protein foods cause excess acid secretion in the stomach leading to acidity. Contrary to popular belief, stopping dairy actually helps reverse acidity and ulcers. The conventional home remedy, cold milk, may neutralise the acid temporarily but ends up maintaining the cycle of acidity.

8. Obesity One of the biggest causes of the obesity epidemic, so prevalent today, is the consumption of dairy in concentrated forms such as cheese, paneer and sweets.

9. Asthma and allergies Stop dairy and other high proteins and watch allergies gradually disappear in months!

10. Constipation Dairy with its lack of fibre can cause severe constipation. This can be reversed with a high fibre plant-based diet.

11. Depression and Anxiety In order to produce dairy, cows are repeatedly made pregnant and their babies taken away from them. They are often kept confined in extremely stressful conditions. This causes adrenaline secretion, which ultimately ends up in our bodies and fills us with stress and anxiety too.