Testimonials

SHARAN’s goal is to inspire you to reconnect to your natural state of perfect, vibrant health. We have already positively impacted the lives of over 20,000 people in India and abroad. Many of them have become so motivated that they have become a part of SHARAN as Lifestyle Advisors.

Video Testimonials

Visit our YouTube channel to listen to more happy people talking about their SHARAN experience.

Written Testimonials

Health Transformation with Raw

Executive Director at RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, 63-year old BL Chandak’s story is truly inspirational. Read on to find how he made the shift from a vegetarian to plant based diet and how adopting a raw lifestyle has proved truly transformational for him.

I am a born vegetarian and have always led an active lifestyle with regular exercising and outdoor activities. Yet, I was overweight and had health issues like hypertension and elevated creatinine levels (a more recent acquisition). I was advised life-long medicines.

In 2012, inspired by my daughter Kavita and my friend Anil Narang, I turned 90% vegan. I got the opportunity to attend Dr Nandita Shah’s seven-day programme and I followed that up with Dr Shah’s three-week health retreat in June 2018 where she spoke about the benefits of raw diet and cited the example of Victoria Butenko who changed her life by just adopting a raw diet. Inspired, I switched to a 100% raw diet. Now, all my foods are sugar and oil free, and comprise lots of salads, green smoothies, berries, beans and seeds. I have also been to the Prakriti Shakti Wellness centre to discover more wonders of the raw diet.

My journey in the last eight months has been phenomenal. I reduced my weight from 80.1 kgs to 68 kgs, my waistline from 40 inches to 32 inches, and my creatinine level to 1.49 from 2.08. My BP remains stable at 120/80 and my medicines have been stopped.

The transformation is incredible. I feel more energetic, clock 10K marathons in 100 minutes, sleep without snoring, and travel world-wide with no change in my diet. My body fat and protein levels are just perfect. My key takeaway from this personal journey is my conviction that controlling hunger is the first element of self-discipline. If we can control hunger, we can control anything.

As added bonus, I have been getting a lot of compliments on looking younger. Truly, going green is the only way to go if we are to safeguard ourselves from diseases and live a fuller life. – RP-Sanjiv Goenka

Our medical problems started resolving in front of our eyes within a matter of week

Shailaja Menon, a professor of language and literacy was diagnosed with early CKD. No one, not even her nephrologist expected the amazing results she experienced.

In mid-2016, I came across the groundbreaking book by Dr. Colin Campbell, The China Study. Inspired by its arguments against animal protein in the human diet, I became vegan for a year. During this time, I found myself under a lot of social pressure to consume dairy, even from my regular doctor who felt that a woman of my age needed dairy to meet her daily calcium requirements. After one year of trying veganism, I reverted to an omnivorous diet by mid-2017.

However, in early 2018, I was diagnosed with early stage Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) marked by protein in the urine, slightly decreased kidney functioning, and elevated creatinine levels in the blood. My BP was pushing at the upper limits of normal (130/90). My nephrologist advised me to lose five kgs to better manage my blood pressure without medications.

Western medicine has no cure for this progressive disease. So, I did my own research, and came across Dr Nandita Shah’s work. I contacted her, and by the end of February 2018, I was on a whole-foods, plant-based diet. To my joy, my husband, who has been a diabetic for over 10 years, decided to join me on the diet, giving me support within the family. At that time, he was taking a cocktail of seven tablets per day for his diabetes, and his sugar was still not under control. He was planning to speak to his doctor about reviewing and increasing his medications.

Our medical problems started resolving in front of our eyes within a matter of weeks of starting the new diet. Every morning, my husband would report that his sugar was lower than it had been the day before! In coordination with his doctor, he started lowering his medications, until they were down to two minimal dosages a day. Within two-three weeks of starting the diet, there was no protein in my urine, and within five-six weeks, creatinine levels had normalised and kidney functioning had become not just normal, but fairly excellent. My BP stabilised at around 90/70. Weight started melting off both our bodies, such that we lost over eight kgs each in under three months. When I went to see my nephrologist (a highly qualified professional) for my three-monthly check-up, his jaw literally dropped in amazement. He said that he had never seen such dramatic BP changes (without medication) in such a short period of time. And while he could understand that the disease had not progressed, he had not expected to see my kidney functioning getting better over time. He asked me what I had done to effect the change, and promised to inform other patients of the same.

I should mention that this was an entirely different experience for me than my earlier year of veganism. At that point, being ‘vegan’ meant eliminating meat and dairy from my diet. It was defined by what I did *not* eat. But, the new diet was all about what *to* eat, rather than what not to eat. Yes, of course, meat and dairy were eliminated. But, in its place came a wonderful emphasis on delicious whole-foods, plant-based nutrition. I found that I took naturally to the green smoothies, salads and whole grains, and felt nourished and sustained by my new diet. The food was actually delicious. This, along with our medical test results, helped me withstand the larger social pressure (at work and within the extended family) that viewed our diet as restrictive and radical. We would point out that it was more radical to undergo procedures like amputating limbs (due to diabetes) or undergo dialysis than to eat as we were eating, that it was more radical to eat ‘food-like’ substances at McDonald or Domino’s than to eat ‘real’ food that is actually meant to be eaten.

Today, I would whole-heartedly recommend this approach to any person seeking to live a healthy/ethical/environmentally conscious lifestyle. Even as you regain your health on this diet, your perspective about what is ‘normal’ will shift – this has been a huge gain for me on my journey with SHARAN! – Shailaja Menon, Hyderabad

Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast – tumours have shrunken!

Update on Nov 2016
When I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma cancer in the left breast in May 2016, my doctor told me that if I didn’t go for an immediate full mastectomy, and then chemotherapy and radiation, then survival after 45 days was difficult. So I started researching. I learnt that chemotherapy drugs totally destroy the immune system, they can kill the cancer cells but cannot kill the cancer stem cells and most importantly, that the chemo drugs are highly carcinogenic thus cause secondary grade cancer in many cases.

I also learnt that cancer cells are present in every one and right from the time of our birth. Our immune system controls them. Thats when it struck me that all I have to do is boost my immune system with nutrition which will take care of the active cancer cells in my body. My search for a nutritionist led me to this wonderful organisation SHARAN. I very happily adopted the Whole Foods Plant based lifestyle immediately. I went for their extremely helpful cooking classes too.

Now my diet is 60% – 70% raw and along with Naturopathy and SHARAN’s recommended Whole Food’s Plant based diet with God’s Blessings I am reversing the cancer very happily without absolutely any difficulties.

Two months after following this diet in the month of August 2016 I had done a thermogram which showed absolutely no metastasis. Out of the 2 lumps 1 lump showed benign and the 2nd lump had an inverted. The CA 15.3 tests which I regularly do till date are very much in the normal range thus showing absolutely no metatasis. The lumps are reducing in size day by day.

From the day of my diagnosis i.e May 2016 till date i.e November 2016 (6 months+) I have not missed a single day of my workout or my work.

Update July 2017
I got the ultrasound done today morning and I am so happy to share with you the lumps have almost reduced in half. The radiologist was very keen to know what my protocol is because of the remarkable reduction in the size of the lumps. I am really blessed to share this news and am sending you the reports. Thank you thank you thank you for starting SHARAN – Nisha Koiri, Mumbai

Surviving Cancer for 10 years!

Ten years ago Jaishree Kannan was diagnosed with cancer, which relapsed within nine months. Her body could not go through chemotherapy again and she decided to do things differently.

Read on as she shares her story of healing naturally…

My life took a turn in 2007 when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I went through surgery and many rounds of chemotherapy and after a few months the doctor told me I was fine and to continue with the regular check-ups. But my problem did not end there, within nine months my cancer relapsed and this time my body could not take the strain of another surgery and further chemos. I felt so sick and miserable and I wondered if I could make it. At this time I was forced to look for alternative methods to deal with my illness and the side effects of my chemos. It’s then, that I began doing my own research and stumbled upon many wonderful articles and websites including SHARAN talking about whole plant based food to reverse illness and that gave me hope to heal my cancer. During the same time my acupressure therapist encouraged me to drink green smoothies and also taught me how to make then. Until then I had never eaten a raw vegetable in my life and also I was very picky on fruits so I hardly ate them too.

One fine morning I just started to eat differently, I ate a whole lot of fruits on an empty stomach, green juices, and huge bowls of salads. Initially I was too scared and my family too was equally tensed and wondered if I was doing the correct thing for one is advised during chemotherapy not to eat raw. I decided to take the risk for at that time I had no better option. Within a couple of days I noticed that I was actually feeling better and all my mouth ulcers just disappeared. I was amazed and wondered how it worked and I became curious and began to explore by reading books and watching films in my quest to know more about the plant based diet and its amazing benefits. A new world opened up in front of me and there was no looking back. I was later fortunate to attend many of SHARAN’s workshops and I understood this philosophy better and also met the most inspiring people in my life and I began feeling truly inspired & supported.

It’s now ten years since I have overcome my cancer and I lead a very healthy and joyous life. I vouch for the whole plant based diet to reverse any kind of illness or to remain healthy.

This doctor was shocked to find that she had diabetes!

Dr Meera Gopi Kurian, a medical doctor based in Dubai who attended our 21-Day Health Retreat in June 2017. She posted her recent photo and got a lot of compliments

Thank you for all the loving messages and wonderful compliments all you dear ones showered on me for my profile pictures.

Quite a few asked me one similar question, what is the secret of looking young .
I can assure you that I didn’t look like this 15 months ago. I was around 14 kg more looking quite like a Telly Tubby wrapped in a Saree. It all started with me meeting Dr Nandita Shah who is the founder of the Vegan group Sharan India. She claimed to cure Chronic Lifestyle Diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, Inflammation, Thyroid dysfunction, Cholesterol and Obesity among other things. As a Physician, I was curious and skeptical to see if it really worked. So I decided to go for her, 21 day Whole Plant Based Organic with no oil Vegan Retreat in June 2017 at Swaswara Retreat in Gokarna, Karnataka. It was literally a Life-changing experience.  Dr Nandita did an extensive Blood analysis before starting the treatment. To my horror and shock most unexpectedly I turned out to be a high Diabetic.  She treated me and all the 25 people who came for this retreat with various ailments with just food. And mind you the most delicious varieties of WHOLE PLANT BASED ORGANIC VEGAN DIET WITH NO OIL. There were a vast majority of cooked and raw food and the most delicious green smoothies you can just drink all day long.

Instead of putting on weight with all this food tucked away till I burst, and the fruits I ate, I started loosing inches and shedding a few kgs of my weight. My energy levels soared, my fitness level which was almost nil improved. Above all my Blood Sugar levels crashed and became normal in 10 days. From Fasting 265 mg% —- 110mg% . All this with delicious food alone.

This gave me a lot of insight about how one feels to be healthy.  I have continued to be on my Vegan diet prescribed by Dr Nandita Shah since. It is the most beautiful space I am in and I love it. 15 months have passed, I have lost 14 kgs, my Blood Sugar levels are almost consistently normal. My body feels free and lighter. And on top of it I look younger and my skin glows. All this with just the right food. Come to think of it , isn’t it fascinating.

Thank you, Dr Nandita Shah and Sharan for putting me in the Path of Health and Happiness. I am eternally grateful. Love you All. – Dr Meera Gopi Kurian, Dubai

My readings almost non diabetic!

I want to share with you this amazing fact that my when my diabetes was diagnosed approximately five years back, my fasting blood sugar was an alarming 265 and HbA1c 8.5 I was put on medication which kept increasing in dosage, but I could bring it down only to 7.2.

Last year I turned vegan, by just following SHARAN online as suggested by my homeopath Dr Devang Shah, and managed to get my levels to 7. After doing the Reversing Diabetes and Hypertension seminar with Dr Nandita in January 2017, I took the 30 days challenge and then went for my annual medicals. My HbA1c level was 6.5 (the lowest in the last five years)!

The results were a great motivation for me to continue following the program and four months later when it was suggested that I reduce the medicines, I was surprisingly shocked to see my readings were almost a non-diabetic level.

I cannot explain the amount of gratitude I feel towards Dr Grazillia, my SHARAN consultant, Dr Nandita Shah and the rest of SHARAN team for guiding me through this journey.

Manager/Cabin Crew with Air India, 48 year old Suman Raina

On the road – Reversal of Diabetes

3 months with SHARAN and still continuing……….

I was a chronic diabetic and hypertensive for the past 10 odd years and my HbA1c levels were way off the normal range (>10). It was a glance at an article which appeared in Mumbai Mirror around the 1st week of April which mentioned that ‘diabetes can be reversed’. Reversal of diabetes ???….. That piqued my curiosity and prompted my wife to follow this up with Dr. Nandita Shah and we eventually met up with Dr. Rashmi Menon (Mulund, Mumbai) for the first meeting.

Typical case history was shared and dietary changes were recommended by Dr. Menon, primarily giving up of animal and animal based products (read non-vegetarian food, milk, curds, buttermilk, etc.), reduction of oil or rather oil-free diet, no fried food, etc. in short move to organic food. Thus began my journey to reverse diabetes from 11th April 2016 onwards………

Medications on then were – Glicazide (60 mg) in the morning, before breakfast, Metformin (500 mg) after lunch and dinner. Over a period of 3 months, my blood glucose levels (both fasting and post prandial) and HbA1c dropped to normal limits (5.8). Today I am just on a single tablet of Metformin (500 mg) in the afternoon. Hope to be off the pill within the next 3 months…….

Thanks to SHARAN – Dr. Rashmi Menon and my wife (Sharda) for her continuous support for the beginning of my diabetes – free journey – Mr Bharat Mani

HbA1c down from 10.9 in Nov 2015 to 5.5 in May 2016 and no medicines!

I was detected as pre-diabetic in 2007. As per my doctor’s advice I started burning calories. Things were ok till Nov 2015 when we went on an Andamans Tour. There I lost my brand new mobile. This and other tensions at office resulted in a spike in my sugar levels. My fasting sugars and PPBS sugars were 190 and 290 with HbA1c, 10.9 and urine sugar 2++. I was immediately put on medication of 4 tablets, 2 for diabetes one for BP and one for lipids.

A month later, by mid December 2015, the results were just the same. My dose was doubled with an additional tablet before the lunch. From 1st January 16, I started exercise, brisk walking after every meal etc. I could manage the numbers to the required levels of 88 and 97 (F and PP). My physician was happy with me and reduced the tablet before the lunch by the last week of Jan 16. Meanwhile I started feeling hungry even immediately after meals.

I started High Intensive Interval Training(HIIT) exercise, vegan diet, organic and whole foods, green smoothies, oil free cooking, salads. I saw some of SHARAN’s YouTube videos including “Health in your Hands – at Ahmadabad”. In a period of 2 months I reduced by 5 inches and about 18-20Kg! My HbA1c has come down from 10.9 to 5.5! Right now I have stopped all medicines!

I myself along with my wife Jyoti are “SHARAN” to you and would like to contribute to “SHARAN” as volunteers – Jayant Kirpekar, Pune.

Medicines reduced, blood sugars and blood pressure lower in just 2 weeks!

I was a strict vegetarian from birth, and in the recent years mainly egg free. Two weeks ago, I gave up milk and milk products (which I used to take in plenty) after watching Dr Nandita Shah’s on You Tube.

A week later, I attended Dr. Shah’s seminar, “Reversing Diabetes and Hypertension ” in Dubai. I had both diabetes and high blood pressure. With 2, 500 mg metformins daily my random blood sugar averaged 136 mg/dL. I am also on 2 medications for blood pressure with which my readings were around 160/94.

Following the seminar, I completely stopped using oil in any form. After being vegan for 14 days and oil free for 7 days the following changes occurred.

My fasting sugar readings are consistently stabilizing around 90-95 mg/dL, despite taking only 1/2 tablet (instead of my usual 2 tablets).
My blood pressure is stable around 131/75.
I systematically monitor and record these readings in order to take the chart to my doctor to taper down my medications. .

I am a long time yoga and meditation practitioner. It is my firm understanding that all diseases are the shameful reflections of our anti-natural life style. I realized how a “small” abrasion in my food habits derailed my health and how easily I could begin the reversal by correcting these food habits.

Dear friends, health is our birth right! If we lose our health, it is only because we do not live, eat and think correctly as intended and designed by God . SHARAN-Vegan is the “airplane route” to help you win back your health – no matter what your illness is.
– Kandanat G Nandkumar, Dubai.

My diabetes and Psoriasis has disappeared

Its almost a year now since I attended Dr Nandita’s one day workshop. My diabetes has permanently disappeared. My psoriasis has disappeared. I’m losing weight gradually but surely. I do enjoy a weekly Sunday brunch where I eat everything but now I naturally don’t feel like eating the dahi wadas and Bengali mithai. That’s me today in the left and me about 10 months ago. Thank you SHARAN. – Sharmila Karnad, Dubai.

I got better despite all my travelling!

‘Just to let you know my diabetes is doing wonderfully well and since I attended your seminar. I have cut down my Metformin Tablets from 4 x 500mg to 2 x 500mg a day and my insulin dose is almost 40% less than before the seminar. I also feel ‘full of energy’. This improvement has happened despite my intense travelling in the last 12 weeks. I carried my plant milk with me and almost totally cut out dairy. I am now in the process of reducing my insulin doses further as I am suffering from ‘low sugar’ ‘now and then’ at the moment despite attending several parties and having a ‘fair bit’ to eat. I sincerely thank Ramesh, Milan and yourself for changing my perspective on diabetes. I have a similar situation with both my brothers who both have diabetes and they have noticed a tremendous improvement since stopping dairy products.’ I have recommended the non-dairy diet to many of my friends, and they have all seen improvement in their diabetes.

– Bharat Shah, Sigma Pharmaceuticals, UK 4 months after attending Reversing Diabetes Seminar

Reduced insulin usage from 175 units to 75 units in just 21 days!

“My sugars have improved considerably, sometime they are falling down to 69 and I have to keep on reducing my insulin! From 175 units a day, I have now reached to 75 units. My weight is stabilizing and in fact my temperament has also changed positively.” – Naresh Shahani

My Journey…

My name is Ramesh Hirani. Two years ago, at age 39, I thought I lived a fairly healthy lifestyle with 4 hours of working out every week. Then the bubble burst! After a routine check up for excess thirst I got diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. There had been no warning signs, no pre diabetic situation – all of a sudden I had a very high sugar count. The doctors wanted me to begin immediate medication.

This diagnosis was a complete shock to me. I was confused and felt angry. I felt that I had let my family down by allowing my health to deteriorate. These feelings started to affect my energy, work and impacted my personal and professional relationships.

Once reality set in, I decided that I would not let my diagnosis and disease beat me. I accepted my situation and chose to take responsibility and started researching for a natural way to combat diabetes. During this search, a friend recommended Gabriel Cousens’ book “There is a Cure for Diabetes”. This book gave me hope. It made me realise that I could actually reverse my diabetes rather than living off medication for the rest of my life.

I followed the principles of the book and within a couple of weeks my sugar levels already started to drop. I felt much more positive that there was a way out of my situation. However, after 4 months my blood sugar levels were still above what they should be and I wanted to eliminate my diabetes once and for all.

I decided to join SHARAN’s 21 day reversal program in June 2014. This was based on very similar principles to what I had learnt in Gabriel Cousens’ book. The program, though, went beyond all my expectations. I learnt to tweak my diet so that my results continued to improve. We were taught about the causes of diabetes, what happens in the body, what medication does, how the disease can be completely reversed and how we could start living a normal life again.

Many participants were on a lot of medication and most had been ill for much longer than I had. By the end of the 3 weeks, all participants were down to normal blood sugar levels and medication was either completely eliminated or significantly reduced.

The difference in my vitality and general health has improved immensely and has already inspired others to learn more and start healing for themselves. This is why I have decided to bring this ground-breaking and proven system to the UK- starting with a 1 day Reversing Diabetes workshop with Dr Nandita Shah, the founder of SHARAN.

I want to support people in their healing so that they can be free of this dreadful disease just like I am. Learning that diabetes can be reversed has liberated me. I feel I have my life back, more importantly, it also means my wife and kids have me back healthier, happier and grateful. —Ramesh Hirani, London

Magic is the word

19th December 2012, the day after the Reversing Diabetes seminar, will always be remembered as a very very special day in my life. My lifestyle had been extreme; too much of non veg and liquor were just a part of life. My sugar levels i have never seen less than 250 and my dosage was increasing. Despite medicines before every meal my sugars were not in control.

Now its exactly two weeks since I started following your advice. I use to take 3 rounds of my park and my legs use to pain and get stiff I had to rest for 15 min and then take another 3 rounds. Now I take 12 rounds at a stretch and feel that I can take another 10 rounds.

On day 3 my sugar levels were below 140 and from day 5 my minimum is 80 and maximum is 133. I am monitoring it daily and getting motivated day by day. A week later I went to my doctor to get myself checked. His first comment was that I looked better. My blood pressure was a perfect 80/120 compared to 110/180, 15 days before. My random sugar was just 90. 15 days back my fasting was 215 and PP was 280.

My weight had also decreased from 97.5kg to 93.5. The doctor cut down my diabetic and blood pressure medications. In just 2 weeks it looks like magic. Now I am not afraid of checking the sugar levels and BP any time and feel proud after that. WHAT AN EYE OPENER SEMINAR AND RESULTS , “MAGIC” IS THE WORD.” —Mohit Sawhney, New Delhi.

Vegan for life!

‘After one year of being on a vegan diet, I’m off my diabetes medication, I have more energy, have lost weight and have peace of mind. It’s not just for a year, I’m vegan for life!’ – Suvarna, Avvari, Hyderabad.

Amazing!

“I have been following your recommendations though not fully but still I am experiencing results. I could reduce my dose of insulin by 8 units. This is something amazing! Thanks for making us aware about the possibility of reversing diabetes.” —Shilpa Abhyankar, Bahrain

Better health

“I started on a plant based diet immediately and I am able to see the results. I have reduced my insulin by four units and am able to maintain better results. Apart from better diabetes management there are other positive indications of better health.” —Anuradha Goparaju, Bahrain

Beneficial to health

“My parents have been following a healthy, vegan diet ever since they attended the Reversing Diabetes seminar. My father saw immediate health benefits in the form of significant drops in his sugar levels. My mother has been regularly preparing curd and buttermilk out of soy and peanut milks but the best part is that neither of my parents even feel a *need* for yogurt of any sort on a daily basis. My father eats salad with his lunch and that acts as the required ‘coolant’ for his tongue and stomach after any spicy meal. Additionally, while both my grandmothers stay at my parents home, even they voluntarily follow a vegan diet and are full of praise towards its health benefits. Thank you!” —Susmitha Subbaraju, Bengaluru (A cooking expert and vegan)

Reduced diabetic medication

“I have so far reduced my diabetic medication by approximately 30% while still maintaining average 14-day levels of approximately 6.4 (which were never below 7.6 minimum previously even with the larger doses of medication). It is still early days but I believe that this is a much healthier way of eating and I have only missed cheese (my old favourite!!!) on one specific occasion. I started this programme at 69.2 kilos and and now at 67.6 with regular exercise. Thank you, once again, for your insight into how we can reverse diabetes.” —George F Middleton, Bahrain

Life changed for good

“Thank you so much for giving us this life-saving seminar. Since 21st January 2012 my life has changed for good. In less than 3 months I have lost 9 kg and am still counting. Sometimes I get cravings and indulge but you have given me that extra push that I was waiting for to get on track. I have been able to make better choices and think wisely. My blood sugar seems to be getting better. Thank you and I am doing as much as I can to spread the word.” —Raees Abdulkhader, Bahrain

Sharpest drop in diabetes

“My HBA1C has dropped to 6.2. The sharpest drop in my “Diabetic career”!! Also the point to note is it’s more than 7 years since the diabetes was detected and it’s only getting better instead of worsening! Our diet is changing the natural history of this rajrog! Thank you all, especially Dr. Nandita & Dr Rupa.” —Dr Munjal Thakkar, Ahmedabad

Off all tablets for 9 months

“For the past 9 months I am off all tablets and enjoying life thanks to SHARAN’s program. Today I did my quarterly checking of blood sugar levels. Fasting was 89.6, and PP was 105.1, HbA1C was 4.97% despite no medicine for diabetes for past 9 months!” —Prof Vijay Joshi, Pune (Prof Joshi also now runs his own nutritional health organization called Yuktahar.)

The guilt and worry of having mangoes when I was diabetic has gone!

USA based Rajeev Sehgal was diagnosed with diabetes five years ago and dreaded the thought that he would be on medications all his life. But things changed…

I was diagnosed with diabetes 5 years ago and started with the smallest dose of metformin and over time, graduated to the highest dose plus another pill to keep my sugar level under control. In addition, I was put on a statin to keep my cholesterol below a certain level, even though my cholesterol was normal. The thought of taking meds for the rest of my life always bothered me but I didn’t see any other option.

Things worsened in 2018 as my work got even more stressful than normal. My A1C had gone up to almost 9. That sort of woke me up and I started exercising regularly and eating a little healthier. It took me over 6-8 months to get the reading to under 7 with the highest dose of metformin and another med. It again started bothering me that I would be on meds for the rest of my life.

I saw two documentaries – ‘Forks over Knives’ and ‘What the Health’ on Netflix. They started churning my brain again. So, I spoke with Shalu Nijhawan who is a certified holistic nutritionist and works with SHARAN. She told me how she helped her husband and had worked with a couple more people and had helped them reverse their diabetes.

She created a diet plan based on the things I like to eat. On 18th Jan I started this new whole food plant based diet totally devoid of animal products, processed foods and oil of any kind. I even learnt to cook without any oil at all and drink green smoothies for breakfast. I totally gave up tea, eggs and diet soda – my favourites.

It was challenging at first but the motivation of reversing diabetes kept me going. I started seeing a difference pretty quickly and Shalu guided me in reducing my medicine dose gradually and on 5th of February I stopped my medicine totally.

Now it has been over 3 months that I am medicine free and my diabetes is gone. I had my last official blood work done in early March and my A1C was 5.8. Overall, my blood report was almost perfect! In addition to this, I am enjoying my mangoes and have lost 22 lbs and reduced 4 pant sizes. Thanks to Shalu for educating me on the benefits of plant based diet and guiding me through this process.

The Method is Scientific and Works!

Delhi-based scientist Dr Suman Govil cannot stop feeling grateful to her son and daughter-in-law for the best holiday ever, where she came back home with zero medicines!

Dr. Suman Govil, a Ph.D. in botany from University of Delhi has worked in the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India as a senior advisor from 1982 to 2018. A vegetarian by birth, she had a lot of health issues including polycystic ovaries and its complications, severe osteoporosis, hypertension, and low immunity resulting in several bouts of cold and cough every year and cervical spondylitis. And if that were not enough, she was also overweight.

Despite her son and daughter-in-law’s warnings that milk is bad for health, leads to leaching of calcium from bones, leads to stone formation she did not make changes, perhaps because of her conditioning and addiction to tea.

Immediately after her husband’s kidney stone surgery, she and her husband attended SHARAN’s health retreat in June, 2018.

She found the methodology adopted by Dr. Nandita and her team scientific, systematic and holistic and appreciated the camaraderie with the team and participants. Apart from health benefits, she felt, it was best holiday of her life. The scientist in her, always wanted evidence and she got enough evidence from the medical tests before and after, which showed significant reduction in total cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. Both she and her husband, benefitted tremendously from following SHARAN lifestyle, are totally free from all medicines, are lighter by 11-12 kg. each, and their energy levels and stamina has improved a lot. And naturally they witnessed dramatic improvements in other participants as well.

Totally motivated, she took up the facilitator training in January, 2019 in order to spread this lifestyle to friends, relatives and everyone that she comes in contact with in order to lead a happier, healthier and ethical life and leave a better planet to future generations. – Dr. Suman Govil, Delhi

I wish to see a healthy India!

Shammi Sethi an avid cyclist and health enthusiast started his plant based journey only four months ago. Delighted with the changes that he experienced, he now wants to support others and has actually launched an online organic store called Rare Earth in Mumbai and is going to come up with a physical store soon!

It has been four months now that I have been on this journey. I eat only organic food, no processed food and a lot of raw food.I have been a cyclist since childhood and very fitness conscious so I thought I was eating healthy because I was vegetarian. I had a lot of cottage cheese for protein and pulses, beans, vegetables,etc. but still felt lethargic. Something was wrong I had to get better.

Then suddenly one day I was diagnosed with hypertension. I was lucky because it was detected just a day prior to me going for a 150 kms cycle ride. My blood pressure was very high and fluctuating and I didn’t have a choice but to start medication. I wasn’t happy because I don’t like chemicals and the medicine could never heal me. I was told I have to take it for life, and not one but 3 bp meds including 1 beta blocker and a statin (please check online for the side effects of these medicines).

A year prior to this I met my dietician who asked me to take some tests before suggesting a diet. My cholesterol was high plus vitamin D was less. I followed it for a while then gave up because I was busy with work. I was stupid and that lead to my hypertension. If I would have followed the diet I would have been okay.
Luckily for me I was guided to Bhavna Kapoor, a nutrionist with SHARAN and after following their diet, I am having only one tablet instead 4! After this one tablet too, my bp is in control and in fact the doctor said he would see for another few months and then remove this tablet too!

I am happy that I was dedicated though I got my tiffin from Shishir Khandelwal and for dinner supervised my food and now have learnt to cook even! Whenever I go for dinner to anyone’s house I carry my own food. I don’t use the microwave oven, no non stick cookware only steel or iron and only eat organic food. My energy levels have definitely gone up. I’m feeling great.

I felt that it was a struggle procuring good organic food. I had to order online or call different suppliers which was painful, so I thought of putting all products under a single roof – Rare Earth – the organic store! I truly wish and hope to see a healthy India. – Shammi Sethi, Mumbai

Blood pressure controlled with no medicines

“I had blood pressure for two years. I tried medicines but they did not work for me as my BP used to drop. After I went completely on Dr Nandita Shah’s diet, I started getting normal reading. My BP used to be 180/90 or 170/100, now it shows 120/70!” – Vijaylakshmi Singh

Reversed diabetes , hypertension and obesity in 4 months

“I am a General and Laparoscopic Surgeon at BCJ Hospital and Asha Parekh Research Centre, Mumbai. Also I am its Trustee and Chief Executive. Being a doctor it was evident to me that this method could work and was risk-free. Since June 2011, I am following these dietary principles. I also attended the health retreat at Swaswara Resort, Gokarna. I reversed diabetes, hypertension and obesity in 4 months and am leading a very healthy life now without any medications. I would now like to spread this message through our hospital as well.” —Dr Suketu Shah, Mumbai

Just wanted to share my story with you

I had been suffering from high blood pressure for the past 18 years. It was not an issue as it used to be under control.

I switched to a whole plant based diet and for the last 10 days was on 3 glasses of smoothie as breakfast. Nothing else till 12:30 or 1pm. My pressure started dropping drastically as well as pulse to the extent I had to go through ECG, sodium tests, etc. My doc reduced the the dosage and yet it kept coming down. Finally I was asked to stop the medication completely and today I am feeling fine. Also I have lost around 13 kgs and today I weigh 49 kgs. A huge thank you to you for I have been able to reverse my high blood pressure. – Vaidehi Mody

Weight loss is also a sign of detox

Chennai based 29 year old Meghna Goyal, a new mom, shares how she managed to lose 25 kilos in six months!

After delivering my baby, I was in a fix with my weight loss. I thought cutting calories was not an option as I had to feed the baby. So, weight loss seemed impossible. Believing in what I was told that breastfeeding would automatically lead to weight loss, I went with the flow for the first three months when I realized I had not dropped even one kg.

At this point, a friend suggested that I go on a vegan diet. I read about it extensively and watched videos related to breastfeeding and weight loss. I learnt that there was no correlation to how much milk we consume and how much milk we produce while lactating. I decided to switch to a vegan diet and started my journey on 4 March, 2019.

I consulted dietician Poonam Sharma and followed SHARAN’s guidelines of the whole plant based diet. Soon enough, I had no milk cravings, egg cravings, or sweet cravings. Instead I started craving vegetables. Vegetables have become my best friends. Now, I am a pro at cooking tasty food without oil.

And here’s the best part of my journey – I lost 25kgs in six months, without a day of starvation. My baby is healthy too!

I have lost an incredible 13.2 kg

31-year old Tabish Ansari from Noida took a consultation from SHARAN dietician Poonam Sharma and not only managed his pre-diabetic condition, he also lost 13 kgs in four months!
When I started my journey with SHARAN, I weighed 107 kg and my HBA1c count was 6.7%, which is the ceiling value for pre-diabetes. A bit more negligence and I would have fallen into the agonizing cycle of medications for diabetes. With Poonam Sharma’s continuous monitoring, guidance, dedication and motivation over the last four months, my HBA1c level is now at 5.6% and I have lost an incredible 13.2 kilos. Of course, I am still obese, but I am also happy, more energetic and feel light.

Before SHARAN happened to me, I had consulted with a plethora of dietitians but none of their approaches convinced me the way Poonam’s did. The recommendation of Forks over Knives helped me understand the concepts and misconceptions around food. For instance, potatoes never spiked my glucose level despite eating them every day. They, in fact, helped me manage my hunger pangs and food craving.

It is indeed difficult to change food habits but the primary thought/mantra that kept me going was, “Let’s eat nutritious food rather than temporarily satisfying taste buds and being on meds lifelong”. All of this was never possible without Poonam’s supervision and my dear wife Mrs. Fauzia Karim Ansari who ensured that the kitchen was always well equipped and my portions were kept on check. SHARAN is not just about a diet, it is a way of healthy living, a lifestyle improvement! Alhamdolillah (Thanks to God) for the SHARAN mentor-ship and for the caring efforts of my lovely wife.

I no longer worry about my health. I feel empowered!

I am a 42 year old mother of two lovely girls aged 19 and 15. I turned vegan in January of 2015 and I proudly declare that it’s one of the best decisions in my life. This was after I attended Dr.Nandita’s Peas vs Pills seminar. Often people ask me why am I Vegan/ whole plant based? In one word, it just gives me so much clarity. I no longer wonder or worry about my overall health. I feel empowered! Watching me blossom, many people around me turned vegan. My children, husband, sister, mom, niece, friends.

I released 21 kgs in 3 years and successfully managed to maintain for 6 months. Initially my weight release was slow but steady but when I coupled it with mind therapy I found an amazing difference. A few side effects of this lifestyle change are more energy (been running half marathons last 3 years), feeling peaceful and calm, age reversal, reconnection with animals and nature, de-addiction from junk and refined food and a step towards minimalism. I urge every non-vegan to give this lifestyle a 90 day trial. I promise, you will report victory!

I have a lot of people to thank on this journey, topping the list is Dr. Nandita. Her simple and straight forward seminar changed my life – Sandhyaashree Rajiv, Mumbai

From XXL to L in 8 months!

I had just graduated from catering college and Reyna aunty encouraged me to put up a food stall at the Juhu Organic Farmers market, where everything was dairy-free! I took it as a challenge and started making dairy-free chocolates. Week after week as I started going to the market and meeting like-minded people, I got inspired to give veganism a try. This made me connect more with animals and after that whenever I would see a dog, a cat or a chicken, I would see them in a different light. That’s when I realised how I was also inflicting pain on animals. I also joined the Cooking for Health class, which is held on the 1st of every month at SHARAN. That’s when I went oil-free, organic and sugar-free too. The time I spent at the market every week made it also easier to stick to the diet, as everything you get there is healthy!

I turned plant based only 8 months ago but I see tremendous changes. I have lost 10 kgs already and aim to get fitter. Also I have gone from XXL to L! I can see a big difference in my energy levels, which percolates into my work! I now take part not only in the Juhu Organic market, but even at the Goregaon and Powai ones organised by SHARAN. I feel so much more lively and am grateful to my family for supporting me. Even though they have not made all the changes, they are going to get there as they can see the changes in me.

The motivation to go on this journey is Reyna aunty and have learnt a lot from her and keep learning. She introduced me to the farmer’s market that influenced me to change my course as a professional chef to being a vegan chef. I started my journey by making only chocolate. Just two months ago I started my own brand of vegan ice creams called Vegan Heart. I love making ice creams vegan and coming up with new flavours! I am now vegan for life. – Kanupriya Wadhwa, Mumbai

Inspite of travelling, I have been able to adapt to the diet very easily

44 year old entrepreneur Manish Rao attended Dr Nandita Shah’s Reversing Diabetes Hypertension seminar in Bangalore in January this year. He believes it is one of the best thing that has happened to him.

“Hi friends, I wanted to share that becoming vegan and eating natural is one of my best journeys because I am getting both – active and better.

Over the last two months, I have lost 8 kilos plus become healthier, more energetic and have a warm feeling of well being. No colds or coughs anymore. I have eaten in abundance fruits, vegetables, sprouts and good foods. I also feel spiritually pure, my heart is lighter and food is a source of joy not guilt or denial as before. I’m working on getting more active in the kitchen and being aware of what goes into my system. I have been following posts of the WhatsApp group created for those who attended the seminar and they give me more and more drive.

I haven’t checked my blood pressure yet but with the amount of weight loss that I have experienced, I am sure that next week, when I go for my check up, the medicines are going to reduce. It’s been a massive breakthrough for me because since that one day with Dr Nandita, I haven’t touched any dairy or dairy products, sugar, white rice, raw, etc. Inspite of travelling at least once a week, I have been able to adapt to the diet very easily. There are abundant options available. Also changing my food patterns after 44 years, has given me so much confidence that I don’t perceive health as a threat anymore. I understand my health is in my hand.

I really appreaciate the conviction and support that SHARAN and Just Be provide in synchrony. Thank you one and all. Wishing every one a good journey. – Manish Rao, Bangalore

Prashant wanted his mother to get cured. The side effects? He too lost weight and regained health!

Twenty-six year old Prashant Iyer took a consultation with SHARAN Dietician Poonam Sharma for his mother Uma who was pre-diabetic. Not only did her health improve, so did his

I got in touch with Poonam back in July for my mother who was pre-diabetic at that time. She was pro-active from the word go and she interacted freely with my mother every week and kept a regular follow up on her health. My mother is 62 years old, and given her age, I thought a major weight loss may not be possible. And diabetes is all about weight management. But Poonam took it hands on and not only did my mother’s weight come down from 72kg to 65kg, her Hba1c also reduced from 5.8 to 5.6, just below the pre-diabetic range!

I also benefitted from her diet – I lost 5kgs as well, and my Hba1c, which was normal, came to a healthy range of 4.6. This diet change is for life! Now we are mindful of eating things, which have oil or ghee in it. We found new ways to cook without using ghee or oil, which didn’t seem possible when we started. Although, it took a bit of time, it was worth it. But as they say, good things come to those who persevere, and rightly so. One just has to be disciplined enough to follow. You won’t need to sacrifice the taste, as the diet is very customisable. You can ask for anything and everything and you wouldn’t be disappointed.

Thank you Poonam for everything… Prashant Iyer

Confident of overcoming temptation!

Alpa Dani (centre) is currently doing the Six Weeks Weight Loss program for Health and Life, and this is what she shares, after the fourth week in the program

Reyna, I want to thank you. Yesterday I had a pre-birthday celebration with my friends, but did not eat anything other than a salad, nor did I touch the cake. My friends were shocked with my perseverance of not having a bite of non-veg as I just loved that before! They even complimented me on my glow! You have helped me overcome one of my biggest weakness!’ – Alpa Dani

I lost 10 kg in 2 months

Neha Veekas joined the Six Weeks Weight Loss program in September. This is what she says – I gained 10 kg health by letting go 10 kg weight in a period of two months. Have become 4 inches and 2 sizes fitter! I didn’t think I could continue the SHARAN way, but I did! And six more months then will have a better after pictures to show you!”

Slow and steady wins the race! -Neha Veekas

I lost 10 kgs in less than 2 months

Myself , Dr. Saurabh Chaudhuri , MD Radiology, Professor & HOD , Hi Tech Medical College & Consultant Radiologist , attended Peas vs Pills program by Dr Nandita Shah on 22nd March 2015 . From that day onwards my life has taken a drastic change for the better. My weight that time was 140 kgs , BP 150/110 and HBA1C was 9.6. Following the instructions given in the program I shifted to total whole food plant based diet and lost 5 kgs every month which continued for one year consistently. So I lost a total of 60 kgs in one year and my weight came down from 140 kg to 80 kg as shown in the photograph. During the program I had asked Reyna whether cooking was possible without oil and when she said yes, it was news to my ears . Subsequently Suraj who stays with me attended the oil free classes and was cooking for me.

The best part about the program ,which I liked was that you don’t have to miss on the delicious items. There is replacement for everything. Because of this , there is no craving. On 3 September 2015, Myself and Suraj attended the 10 days training program at Swaswara by Sharan. I reversed my diabetes and hypertension. My BP came down to 120/80 and HBA1C came to 5.6. Although I am from allopathic background what is most appreciable is that dietary plan is totally natural , based on human instincts and there are no artificialities involved. The understanding touches logic as well as the heart. This journey of weight loss and reversal of hypertension is the journey within and the most enjoyable journey of my life. I had to visit my tailor time and again, got a lot of appreciation from family , friends and well wishers. I sincerely feel that this whole food plant based diet is the need of the hour and this knowledge should spread far and wide . Kudos to Dr. Nandita and her team for spreading this knowledge all around the globe — Dr. Saurabh Chuadhuri , MD( Radiology), Consultant Radilogist and Associate Professor, Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College , Pune

Reyna lost 12 kilos & her acidity!

I joined SHARAN’s program to get rid off my acidity, as the doctors had prescribed medicines and I avoid pills like plague!

My acidity literally vanished in three days! I felt great and decided to give the whole plant based diet a shot for some more time. The side-effect was that i lost 12 kilos in eight months! It has taken me three years to get from 65 kgs to 62 kgs and i was stagnant at that for years…and now i weigh 50 kilos!

Why this diet works, is because Dr. Nandita trains the mind. She explains very systematically what we should eat and what not, why we should eat it and how to even prepare the food! So once the mind is educated, the tongue follows suit. Plus in essence we are actually eating more and still losing weight! There is no concept of starving oneself.

Not only that, I have gained so much energy! I am in my forties and people have started telling me I look like a college girl! But the best part is that my family too has adopted this diet. My husband’s cholesterol level has improved.
One can only benefit by listening to Dr. Nandita Shah..with the biggest gain being ‘HEALTH – Reyna Rupani, Mumbai

I experienced miracles

My weight was 74 kg in 2013 and I was suffering from severe stress and anxiety related issues. I came across SHARAN’s 21 Day Disease Reversal Program and attended it first time in June 2013. The miracles began to happen. With organic vegan diet and quiet mind I learnt to listen to my body and to change my lifestyle. I did it and today I am 62 kgs with glowing skin, high energy levels and already on the path of soulful living. I attended the program again in June 2014 and it indeed deepened my understanding further. Yes, we all are the best doctor for ourselves and we must listen to our body and soul. Considering the ultimate benefits of this program, I have decided to be a messenger of the same under SHARAN’s guidance.
– Smita Bhatt, Ex-Ceo of a Pharmaceutical Company, Ahmedabad

Reverses illnesses

“I just bought Dr. Neal Barnard’s book on Vegan cooking and am enjoying the new tastes. I believe that by choosing a plant-based diet while also adopting meditation and stress relieving practices, a person can truly reverse their illnesses. Dad has lost 11 pounds and Mom has lost 7 pounds. But, even more so, they feel lighter and clearer mentally. Hopefully Delhiites will be ready for this transformation soon.” —Shanna Hughes, New Delhi

Lost weight

“I am following a vegan diet from 26 November 2011. Actually I was a vegetarian and didn’t have milk but ate curd and paneer as the doctor had not said no to them. I had also left tea many years back. I made my tea today with soya milk with a little apprehension but loved it to my great relief! We watched Earthlings and I had to get up in between because it was difficult to watch. Thanks to that even my daughter has become vegan. I have lost weight already!” —Alka Bhalla, New Delhi (Alka continues to be vegan and keeps sharing the advantages with others too.)

Lost 8 kilos in 2.5 months

“It’s 2.5 months I’ve turned vegan and it really feels great. I thought I would miss the tea but not at all. It’s easy for me. I lost 8 kg in this time and that too without any serious exercise. I want everyone to know how great this feels.” —Girish Wadhwani, Naturopath, Pune

A powerful programme

This programme has changed my lifestyle completely. I have become much more energetic and confident. My body has come to proper shape which I desired for a long time. I have realized that my body is a temple and cannot be treated like a dustbin. I have started respecting every part of my body with gratitude. I have clearly understood benefits of change in my eating habits (mindful eating with hunger scale in mind) and physical exercises and implemented at least 90% of whatever we discussed during our sessions.

I have lost 9 kg of weight in 6 months and feeling much lighter overall. I am much more confident in whatever I do and feel very good. This is a very powerful programme which makes you realise the difference between painfully losing weight by dieting which can be short-lived and releasing weight joyfully which can be part of daily routine by being conscious and practicing body awareness. —Naveen Jain, 52, Hotelier

These ideas WORK!

Since attending the “Be Light. Be Well.” programme, I have released 15 kilos in 7 months and feel very light and well. The changes I have observed in myself are: I am eating only when I am hungry. I am eating only the quantity of food required. I am taking early dinners, something lighter than a full meal, more often than not.

Now there is a lot less chemical intake, I was having a lot of chemicals in my food unknowingly. Consumption of snacks and junk food is gone way down. I am eating fruits and dry fruits now, something I never did much of earlier. There is a marked increase of raw food consumption in my diet. I have learnt new and better ways of cooking. I treat my body like a precious friend and can’t think of harming it in any way. I think, this is the best thing ever that you can do to yourself. My only advise is to be “open” to the ideas and concepts as they tend to be a bit different from the conventional ones. But THEY WORK, much better and faster. —Dinakshi Arora, 35, IT Professional

I reversed my Asthmatic Bronchitis of 32 years!

I was suffering from Asthmatic Bronchitis since the age of 12. I used to have attacks of sneezing and I just thought it was allergies. I was 18 years old when I had my first episode of Asthmatic Bronchitis and it used to happen every 2 to 3 months. I couldn’t figure out the reasons and just chalked it up to the Mumbai pollution. I could never get wet in the rain, have cold beverages or travel easily due to my fear of getting an episode.

At the age of 40, I came across information about Dr. Nandita Shah and I attended the Peas vs Pills seminar. There was an eye-opening testimony of a gentleman who was on daily inhalers for asthma as well high cholesterol. He had attended a previous workshop by Dr. Nandita after which he immediately went on a whole-plant based diet. Within the next 2 months, his cholesterol dropped and didn’t need the inhalers anymore!

My husband urged that we follow this diet and since then I’ve been whole plant-based. It’s been 6 years and I haven’t had an attack and sometimes I forget that I was a patient of Asthmatic Bronchitis! I am a homoeopath, BHMS Gold medalist, but still couldn’t ever figure out the reason for my situation.

Today I am so happy as I love playing and getting wet in the rain! I have refreshing cold water during the hot summers! I travel easily with no fear of getting one of Asthmatic Bronchitis episodes! I have not even bought any more asthmatic medicines in these 6 years either! – Dr. Jaghruti K Jani, Mumbai.

My life changed at the age of 61

Being born in a non-vegetarian family, I would not take a single meal without a non-vegetarian dish on the menu. It was not because of anything but taste. However, in my late forties an advice from a wise man triggered me thinking; ‘why to kill a living being for taste of 2 cm of tongue, there is nothing before that and after that?’ On further analysis I realised that there is no taste in the animal flesh itself. It is only the additives which makes it tasty. The horrible condition in which the animals are kept and finally slaughtered because of the demand for their flesh also convinced me to become vegetarian. Within a few months I realised the health benefits of vegetarianism.

The same line of thinking, both medical and ethical reasons guided me to veganism. Milk, which is meant for the calf, is snatched by humans. The condition in which the milking animals are kept and way they are treated is equally horrible. That is why, today at 61, I am vegan.

I attended the one day program – Peas vs Pills seminar of Dr. Nandita Shah of SHARAN. The seminar proved to be very informative, and has given me better understanding about veganism and the benefits of a whole plant based diet. It has also taught me to be vigilant about vitamin D and B12 levels.

Today I feel more energetic, active and my weight has reduced and maintained. As a practicing lawyer, I am on my toes during all working days, with more mental and physical agility. My journey from slumber and unconsciousness to an alert and conscious person has made me feel empowered and a responsible person – Ahmad Abdi, Mumbai

Better in depression, anxiety, panic attacks, BP and lost weight too!

47 year old Vijaylaxmi Singh who was going through mental health issues, describes how the whole plant based diet, is nothing but miraculous….

Hi I am 47 years old My name is Vijayalaxmi Singh I was having depression, anxiety and panic attacks since 25 years almost off and on. Later due to this stress, I got hypo thyroid since the last 12 years and the additional bonus due to all this stress was high blood pressure since the last 3 years.

I had almost left hope and was in a bad condition when I came for the SHARAN seminar. I attended only due to Dr Nandita Shah, as I knew her since very long and trusted her. After the seminar I don’t know WHY but I continued the diet without any hope and just did it as there seemed to be no other solution. However to my surprise, I started losing weight. It inspired me as I always wanted to lose weight. Later after fifteen days, I checked my blood pressure which used to be 180/90 and it was normal! That really pushed me further to continue.

After two months of religiously following the diet, one fine day something very bad happened, where it was sure that I would have got a panic attack but only my thoughts were making me feel that I will cry and get a panic attack, but my body was not reacting! And I realised that day that this diet does MIRACLES. Since so many months now I have not got panic attacks! I don’t know how much my depression has come down, but I can confidently state that it’s a Miracle diet which makes you not only physically healthy but MENTALLY too You become more calm, focused and spiritual. Thank you Dr Nandita Shah and Reyna for all the support.

I am aspiring to reach out to as many people as I can to lead a plant based diet

“I’m on a vegan diet, but not oil-free yet. Although I am free from disease, there was joint pain, which has reduced after going dairy free. I have a few more kilos (8 kg) to shed to reach my ideal weight. My goal in the new year is to reach my ideal weight, explore more vegan and oil-free cooking options personally. I’m aspiring to reach out to as many people as I can to lead a plant based diet. You are quite an inspiration! It all started after attending your Peas vs Pills workshop in Bangalore.” – Janaky Venunathan.

Black discoloration disappeared in just 24 days

‘I had a big black spot on my forehead, which has disappeared within 24 days of adapting to the whole plant based diet. I have also lost 5.5 kgs, thanks to Dr Nandita and my friend Sareeta who told me about SHARAN.’ – Ashok Purohit

Haemoglobin increased from 6.8 to 10.2 in just 21 days!

“Thanks to eating organic plant based foods and smoothies, my haemoglobin has come up from 6.8 to 10.2 in just 21 days!” – Rashmi Lalla

Having Healed Myself, I Now Help Others Heal

As a classical homeopath for 15 years and teacher of homeopathy to medical physicians at the Sharei Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem, I understood that symptoms are the language that our body speaks to help us create change in our lives and adopt new tactics to maximize our health.

Diagnosed with bone cancer at age 39, I refused intrusive interventions, choosing minimal surgery and holistic approaches instead. I am very grateful to have been cured and to be alive today.

At age 52, I was diagnosed with the onset of metabolic syndrome. I decided to do everything possible to avoid the medications that were pushed on me by the concerned medical staff after bad blood test results. I turned to a whole food plant based diet.

It was clear to me that my energy, every cell in my body, every blood vessel, my thoughts as well as my connection to the world around me would be affected by the products that I chose to ingest to nourish myself. I had been so careful to protect myself from violence, stressful situations, enmity, but I kept swallowing products that were detrimental to my health and well-being.

I wanted to learn as much as I could to help myself and others now! I turned to Dr. Nandita Shah, a medical doctor and nutritionist living in India, and the founder of SHARAN India. I attended Peas vs Pills and I sat in Dr. Shah’s clinic for 3 months, followed a course in the University of California, in San Francisco in the Prevention of Chronic Disease through Nutrition. I completely reversed my own symptoms, lost 13 kg without dieting and set on my way to inspire others to follow the same path to vibrant health.

I am now also a graduate of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies with a certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from Cornell University. I now practice as a Whole Food Plant-based Nutrition specialist, with my own organisation, The Healthy Kitchen Initiative teaching people new food strategies to take care of the onslaught of deteriorating health and in most cases reverse their symptoms entirely. I teach people that it is possible to live at optimal health, with youthful energy, compassionate love in the heart and minimal impact on the planet. – Myriam

My first 21 days of the journey to being vegan

I attended the Peas vs Pills seminar in Jan 2016. Just the week prior my gynaecologist had prescribed me a list of medicines for heavy menstrual flow, one of which was HORMONES! I knew I didn’t want to be on hormones. So thanks to the almighty above I was guided to this seminar and it changed my whole outlook on food and our eating habits. I wanted to turn vegetarian again but because of the dieticians who stop you from eating bananas and chikoos and dates because of their high calories, and instead encourage you to eat fish for omega 3 and chicken for protein I was not one!

On day 1, after having no tea, I had a terrible migraine-type of headache all day and throughout the day! No amount of rest or sleep helped but I was determined. I think determination is all one needs to do and achieve just about anything in life! I also did not know how to cook vegan meals and what to eat in between meals. But I managed the day.

On day 2, the headache never to come back. That was it! My addiction to tea was gone! My craving was for the sugar in the tea. Once that sugar craving was satiated with fruits that I’ve loved since childhood, my craving for tea was over. The green smoothie is a magic drink to replace my morning tea habit.

The main change was that I was less lethargic which was previously blamed on my anaemia. So much energy!!! No naps after meals anymore. Things started falling in place with buying organic and cooking vegan. .

My family could not understand. But I was feeling so good inside that I knew I had to make my family aware of the negative effects of the animal products we consumed daily! When my husband booked a trip to Hong Kong, I was terrified as to how I would manage the diet abroad. But again, thanks to the WhatsApp group and its members who are very supportive, the ideas flowed in. I bought a Nutriblend so I could make my smoothies and carried peanuts and dried fruits for back up. Like I said, “your thoughts create your destiny.” I found plenty of vegan options in Hong Kong restaurants! For instance when I ordered a salad I just requested the chef to prepare the dressing without any oil or when I placed an order for a French onion soup, it was minus the cheese and butter. When I ordered a “cream of mushroom soup”, it was just the cream of mushroom soup in the literal sense! It was delicious without any dairy.

My daughter who lives in the US, was surprised seeing my picture yesterday! My skin is glowing, I have lost 4 kilos and she says I look 35. I am feeling so energetic all day. I am feeling blessed. Thank you SHARAN and the entire group on Whatsapp for your support. – Heena Chandani

Blood sugar normal

“I attended Peas vs Pills one month ago. I am trying to implement the dietary suggestions as far as possible. I am glad to say that I have lost 6kg and my blood sugar level is normal. Thank you so much for your guidance and friendship.” —Dr. G.Visakha Kumar

Helps reduce menopausal symptoms

“I came to your course last year and after that I became a vegan. I feel very healthy now and I keep my weight. Now I also understand the connection between a healthy plant-based diet and the symptoms a woman can get when she reaches menopause. The problems I had before I became a vegan are gone. The only thing I use is a natural progesterone cream made out of wild jam – a product from nature.” —Helena Maass, Sweden

Asthma is all gone

“I attended the Peas vs Pills in Hyderabad 5 months ago and the same day I decided to turn Vegan. I have since being following it religiously. I’ve lost nearly 10kgs and it looks like my asthma also has gone. I was allergic to peanuts too, but just this month I experimented on myself and had some peanuts….all looks well as of now. The first week/month was a little hard but I was able to do it! I sincerely want to Thank you.” —Rekha Saraf, Hyderabad

Haemoglobin count became higher

A Christian bought up in Kerala, Rose was lead to believe that she was living the perfect healthy and balanced lifestyle with non-veg up until January of 2015, when she attended one of SHARANs smoothie class. She immediately removed all the milk products from her house and then attended an Eat Well and Live Longer workshop, and removed her microwave oven, and all sugar, oil products from her home.

Her whole family turned vegan with her after watching the documentary – Earthlings, and attended SHARANs workshop too. Which helped to maintain her decision in cooking and staying vegan easily.

For last six months she is following an organic plant based diet and recently carried out a health check-up and, no shock, everything was normal in fact her haemoglobin count was higher than usual. Earlier she used to eat anything which is served and regret later but now automatically she always has to check her food before eating and therefore eats only healthy and never regrets it.

She is also a passionate cook, and wants to spread the word about this lifestyle because lot of people surrounding her are suffering from different sorts of ailments which can be cured with this change. She believes that even if she can change one person she is grateful to God. —Rose, Mumbai

Improved energy, better skin and weight loss

Anney was a hardcore non-vegetarian who grew up in a social and family environment where they believed milk was the lifeline, especially for kids going to schools and colleges and the mantra was “eat anything and everything which doesn’t bite back”.

Towards the end of 2014, she attended an introductory talk by SHARAN and was quite impressed by the concept and decided to give it a try and became a semi-vegan. Meanwhile, she also started observing the positive changes that her other vegan friends were undergoing and sincerely wished to follow this path.

Early 2015, Anney’s husband attended SHARAN’s seminar on reversing diabetes and she herself attended ‘Eat well and live longer’ seminar and both of them became 100% vegans.

While enjoying the health benefits like improved energy, better skin and weight loss, the real gain, she feels, is a clearer conscience due because now her diet is not cruel for the animals. —Anney, Mumbai

The video was an eye-opener!

Tanisha Sangha, Multimedia Director of the India Today Group Digital, saw one video and her life changed.

I chanced upon an online video of Dr Nandita Shah explaining why one shouldn’t consume dairy. The video was an eye-opener to a young mother like me who was struggling to ensure her kids were getting enough milk on a daily basis! As I delved deeper into the subject and discovered SHARAN India, I realised that almost every food that I thought was ‘healthy’ had some form of meat or dairy. It was a realisation that hit me hard because I was always focused on health and nutrition and I had erred simply because I had been misinformed.

This knowledge is sadly not available in mainstream media, it isn’t easy to find and for some people, also very difficult to accept. However, Dr. Nandita’s explaination made so much sense to me that I switched overnight. Oil-free, dairy-free, meat-free, cruelty-free, processed food-free and guilt-free! In 5 months I have lost nearly 9 kilos, never felt more energetic, no more menstrual pain, no headaches, no sweet cravings – and the best part – more mindful, more patient, more grateful, more compassionate.

I have huge respect for the work that SHARAN India is doing and it has transformed my life. Appreciating the natural taste of raw foods, feeling cleaner, simpler, less complicated, free from the guilt of harming animals and the planet – and connecting with myself at a deeper level while understanding and loving my body – these are just some of the things I will always be grateful for.

I am lucky that I have small kids so I can give them this knowledge at the right age. I realised that sharing this knowledge with even one person can transform the health of a full family. And I will do what I can to spread this message of good health to everyone I know.

Thank you, SHARAN India!

Pandemic Positives – Charmaine Behl shares her story

This lockdown has helped me experience my own inner strength and increased self-awareness as well as compassion towards other living beings. The lockdown came as a shocker! Suddenly, I was forced to cook 3 meals every day, handle the never-ending chores around the house and manage my professional work!

Since the family’s and my health is my top priority, I decided to reset some of the major factors that affect it. Food-wise, we normally ate non-veg regularly but due to non availability and fear of compromising immunity meant that we became vegetarian. All thanks to SHARAN’s Timeless Recipe Book, The Salad Revolution and Meat Alternatives sessions, I could moderate the use of spices, oil etc and make delicious dishes.

As a yoga instructor, I had been irregular with my own practice, but I carved out some me-time; daily 1 hour for self-practice and another 30 minutes of pranayama/meditation with the family. Also since there are no more late nights and socializing, now I am able to get my 8 hours of sleep to rejuvenate and face the challenges each day.

Emotionally also I stay positive by chanting affirmations, keeping a gratitude journal, reading spiritual books and also attending SHARAN’s wellness workshops. I also began coordinating a ration providing service for needy families, and crowdfunded mobile sets for needy children. This brought me joy and also made me appreciate my own blessings manifold.

In spite of all the extra work and the stress, I started to feel more active and energetic. I had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2010 and have been on homeopathic medication since then. However, over the past 3 months my symptoms have reduced drastically.

I have realized that food is the real medicine. I have noticed a visible change in my behavior. I decided to go a step further and changed to a vegan diet from July 4, 2020. It’s been just one month; I have not been healthier or fitter than I am today. I have understood and felt the impact of food on my life and made a change for the better. A huge thanks to SHARAN.

SHARAN Facilitator Neelima Sriram and her son tested Covid positive

On 3rd June, my 21-year old son Aditya tested positive for Covid 19.
He had been working 12 hour shifts practically every day at office. He was aware of the possibility of exposing himself to the virus, but wanted to support his fellow employees. He would come home for lunch and share stories about everyone being fearful of the pandemic. It was difficult for him to stay in such a negative environment when he was trying to push back the same thoughts.

After a few days, he started feeling hazy and heavily lethargic, and decided to take a break. An avid believer of food being either one’s poison or medicine, I encouraged him to go on a raw food diet and put him on a juice cleanse. Meanwhile, I was feeling anxious and got him tested. He was positive. The anxiety came in waves, but it slowly settled down as I noticed that his symptoms were very mild.

Within four days he started feeling better, and then I tested positive! My symptoms too were mild and lasted less than 4 days. Throughout this experience I was also quite busy at work, but Dr Nandita kept reassuring me that just rest and good food would help pull us through.

And it worked! We took no medicines at all and it was only food that healed us. My faith in a plant-based diet to keep my family and me safe and immune, is stronger than ever!

21 year old ultra-runner Navaal Rai talks about plant power…

I am an ultra-runner, an adventure enthusiast and most importantly a plant-based athlete. Having been someone who had experienced the joy of running marathons for a couple of years, I wanted to transition to running ultra-marathons. In my pursuit of understanding more about this extremely demanding sport, I came across two amazing books written by world famous ultra-endurance athletes- ‘Eat and Run’ by Scott Jurek and ‘Finding Ultra’ by Rich Roll. Both these books boasted of massive transformations in the authors over an astonishingly short period of time, all of it by simply going plant based. This sparked an interest in me and I wanted to know more.

I have since childhood been an admirer of nature and the creatures that we share this planet with. On researching more about a ‘vegan diet’, I came to understand that not only could I boost my athletic performance and improve my overall health, I could also do my part in conserving the biome. Further reading and research made me understand the cruelty towards animals that goes behind every single meal that has animal-based products in it. By going vegan, I could save over 200 animals a year. I would also be reducing my carbon footprint and conserving water at the same time. All of this was more than enough to convince me of the benefits of going vegan.

As a hardcore meat eater, all of this came as a shock to me and I wanted to immediately effect a change in my diet. At the age of 20, I finally took the step of going vegan. I have now been vegan for a little over a year and have never felt better. Since going vegan, I have completed numerous gruelling ultra-races ranging from distances of 50 to a 110kms in the mountains. I am also associated with Unived, a vegan sports nutrition brand as its ambassador, which has only gone on to prove to me that if athletes pushing their physical limits can be vegan, then no human needs to eat meat or use other animal based products for any reason.

Running over 20 hours in the mountains requires a special kind of fuel, and that fuel for me is completely plant-based.

Corona Virus and what I found out!

Rinku Naren from Bangalore discovered something remarkable since the time of self-isolation due to the corona virus

‘Last evening, I was having a conversation with my friend and he told me that in this time of self-isolation, work-from-home and social distancing, a lot of people are eager to get back to the office. He told me how people have realised that every member in a modern family set up is attuned to a different purpose and routine, and has different wants and desires. He also said that most people are complaining about this whole lockdown. And then it occurred to me why things are different in my house and none of us are unhappy with this situation.

I have two kids, aged six and twelve. My husband works in the IT field but has been working from home like thousands of others. My elderly mother lives with me. Ideally, it should have been pretty boring or chaotic. However, in my home it’s different. We are all happy in our spaces, kids have not complained about not going out to play, they have figured out ways to keep themselves busy (it’s not restricted to just the TV or mobile) and there is no cribbing about malls and restaurants being closed.

What I realised is that adopting a plant-based diet and organic food has changed us in many ways. Firstly, we have been practicing the 20/21 per week meals at home rule for almost 18 months now. Now it is 21/21 meals. So, there is no excess craving to eat out. If there is some change required, I look at the recipes on the SHARAN website and try my hand at different dishes (the potato tofu kofta was a superhit)! A lot of people are missing the takeaways too! Perhaps this is what is making them more irritable and upset. As for kids, they tend to snack on instant noodles, chips or chocolates. Now while that is restricted, their cravings haven’t stopped and they probably get cranky. I make either a vegan cake at home or sesame ladoos that my kids love to snack. Smoothie is also a favourite with them.

Yesterday, when we visited the shop for some non-perishable food, I was surprised to see that beyond a Kissan jam and a bottle of orange marmalade, I really couldn’t pick up anything else! And I reflected on how my buying pattern has changed from two years ago when so much of cheese and other processed food made its way into my kitchen and our bodies!

I have also tried to keep my kids involved in the kitchen every week by having them segregate organic veggies that get delivered twice a week and are stored in the fridge. They also help chop veggies for salads. Their involvement encourages to eat them as well, especially my daughter who is a super fussy eater. For a child who only ate potatoes and tuvar dal growing up, now she appreciates most of the plant food that is put on the table. Truly I have Dr Nandita Shah and Nidhi Nahata to thank – for all the changes that our family has adopted and practice’.

Cheese has shown me a way

Around a year back, I was introduced to an amazing Whole Food Plant Based (WFPB) lifestyle by SHARAN. The experience was a total eye opener. Right from school through to college and later at work, I always had the problem of bloating. The issue was so serious that by evening the same trousers wouldn’t fit me at work!

By eliminating dairy, I felt a tangible difference in one week. A month later, my bloating issue completely disappeared. My friends thought I had lost weight!

SHARAN gave me an insight into how the dairy industry works. How the animals are treated with utter callousness. I realized that turning vegan was not about changing your lifestyle or food choices, it requires a reorientation of the mindset.

The added bonus was to learn how to cook nutritious as well as yummy meals without using oil, dairy or sugar. Prior to SHARAN, my dinner always included salads that had cheese as its main ingredient. Initially, after going on the WFPB diet, I really missed cheese. Out of sheer desperation, I started trying out different types of non-dairy cheese. The experiments were many and extensive. But our efforts eventually bore fruit when we introduced vegan feta cheese as our first product from Simply Pure. When I shared my non-dairy feta cheese with friends at a potluck, it was an instant hit. This encouraged me to share my product with a wider consumer base.

As a committed SHARAN practitioner, I am keen to share, create awareness and make non-dairy products available to many more people; products without preservatives or chemicals that do not harm anyone.

I am grateful to SHARAN for guiding me towards a holistic health journey. Thanks to them, I have been able to sustain my health and also help others!

For enquiries on Simply Pure’s range of non-dairy cheese, which is packed in a paper container, please reach out to Jasmine on 98200-62393. @simply_pure_mumbai

There is no going back now

Delhi-based 50 year old Anita’s life took a dramatic turn within just three months of her introduction to SHARAN. Today, she calls the whole plant based diet a blessing that the Almighty has showered upon us.

Until three months ago, I weighed 74 kgs. That apart, I suffered from breathlessness, swollen and aching knees and ankles, discoloured and puffy face, frequent migraine attacks, heart palpitations, cold sweats and more.

I tried exercising, starving, shakes, creams and belts – all in vain. To my good luck, I was introduced to Poonam Sharma, a SHARAN dietician, and gained deep insights into the benefits of a plant based diet.

Within a week I felt the difference and, within a month, my family members noticed the difference. I started receiving compliments that boosted my morale and encouraged me to stay committed. Earlier, I could barely climb a few flights of stairs. Today, I run up and down the stairs without knee pain, ankle pain or any kind of swelling. Most of all, with no breathlessness! My face glows. Migraines, heart palpitations and cold-sweats are but a memory and don’t bother me anymore. Last but not the least, I have lost seven kilos in these three months without starving myself or living in denial.

From being a non-vegetarian for the past 50 years to eliminating animal food completely from my diet – it’s been quite a journey but worth every bit of the effort. The benefits of staying healthy are so tangible and so important to me that I have no problem saying no when I’m offered a meat dish. There is no going back now.

Passion for Compassion

Shagufta Abdi, a 26 year old vet attended a SHARAN workshop three years ago and went vegan instantly. She believes it is a super investment to one’s health and well-being in the long run.

I always had a compassionate feeling towards animals, which also made me choose my profession when I was 8 years old, so eating animals never felt right even as a child. At the age of thirteen, I finally put an end to eating meat after reading about how badly animals are transported, on their way to the slaughterhouse. Since then the Eid menu moved to mushroom biryani and vegetable kebabs!

Honeslty I wasn’t really convinced of veganism. I thought it was extreme and also I was under the impression that Indian dairies are not as cruel as the dairies abroad. However when I attended a workshop by SHARAN in 2015 and saw a video about the way the cows were treated in Indian dairies, I was disheartened. I then realised that if this is something I cannot watch how can I expect them to endure so much cruelty, just so that I can have my milkshakes, paneer, ice cream and cheese.

Since then I am completely on a plant based diet. I feel fitter and have become more active and strong. I even look younger and eat without any guilt. I have never had a day without a pimple since I was 16, and now it’s all gone. I used to also get frequent cold and cough which has disappeared. My mom who had IBS is totally cured and my father who had frequent sinus attacks, which we thought was due to Mumbai pollution, just stopped having them by changing the diet.

It does involve a little effort but it’s worth it in the long run, for it is for your health. Since most Indian cusines and Far Eastern cuisines are mostly vegan, it’s easy to eat out too.

An experiment that’s still working!

Mumbai-based couple Kiran & Arun Bhatia share how a three month experiment has snowballed to three years and there is no looking back for them.

In 2008 we got our house remodelled. The aftermath of eight months of breathing sand, cement and dust filled air inflicted Arun with a severe asthmatic disorder. An 18 month dosage of inhalers and steroids arrested the situation but the condition of heavy breathing still prevailed. In 2015, a casual day picnic to the Gowardhan Dairy farm near Pune revealed the “well cared but torturous” treatment of cows for milk production. This was truly an eye opener. Then a visit to the SHARAN counter at the organic farmers market where we tasted a dairy-free sugar-free cake made us want to know more. A quick insight on the benefits of ‘being vegan’ and SHARAN’s activities gave Arun new hope of getting rid of his asthma. Our only concern – could a family whose day starts with milk loaded tea and ends with a glass of Horlicks laden milk and umpteen servings of paneer, yoghurt, lassi, basundi, icecreams and other milk based goodies in between give up all of these, in a jiffy ? Tough but not impossible, we told ourselves. No harm in trying for three months, we could always go back to our former diet but try we must, I pointed out.

We have always believed that there is no gradual process of “giving up” – it’s either completely in or completely out. We picked a date 24 December, 2015 – our family dinner on Christmas Eve. The table was laden with a host of meat dishes and milk based desserts. Arun and I simply announced that we were going vegan. Everybody around us had a hearty laugh, my mother-in-law started wondering what to do with the food cooked, but we were adamant. We had crossed one hurdle and we expected many more but we held on to our decision.

We travelled to the UK for a two week vacation and were amazed at the vegan options widely available. Today, after almost three years we have only gained a host of good habits and happily let go practices that were ingrained into us over the years. So now, we experience:

– more energy during the entire day as our body puts less effort to digest what we eat
– less occurrences of asthmatic attacks and are off medicines totally (barring a standby inhaler for emergencies during travel)
– increased intake of raw veggies, fruits and all kinds of nuts
– weight loss by 5-7 kgs
– zero desire to eat meat based food; we just don’t miss it.

If you were to ask us if we have become 100% vegans and do not consume a drop of milk, I would have to say no, not yet. But we are almost there and will admit that besides eggs, our non-veg consumption is zero and our milk consumption has dropped by 90%. We are constantly on the lookout for vegan options to satisfy our small cravings that still persist but whatever we have achieved till date has made a huge difference to our health. And we are aware that there is no turning back now. Our three month trial with so many positive outcomes has convinced us both to accept veganism as our dietary way of life forever. – Kiran & Arun Bhatia, Mumbai.

A Healthy Vegan Family

I started my vegan journey when I first attended SHARAN’s cooking class by Preethi Raghav in Chennai in early 2014 – where I came to know of the horrors of the dairy industry, and how dairy affects our health. I turned vegan the same day – from then on there was no looking back. I started feeling light, healthy and more energetic in very few days.

When we moved to Mumbai later that year, my husband Hari attended a session by Dr. Nandita Shah (“Eat Well Weigh Less”). Her answers to his multiple concerns convinced him, and he turned vegan too. Hari’s frequent headaches and acidity disappeared completely, and he happily lost almost 10 kgs in 4 months. (and maintains that till date).

Moving to Mumbai made me closer to the active SHARAN Mumbai community. Thanks to Reyna and her cooking classes, I started experimenting with the dairy alternatives for various recipes, and slowly started using more whole grains and millets, and started oil free cooking too. It has been an amazing journey since then.

Our three year old daughter Sahaana has been vegan from birth, except for some rare occasions when her grandparents feed her some dairy stuff. We don’t give her any processed food, and she has developed a strong liking for fruits. She is not deprived of any of the food items that kids normally have – cakes, ice creams and cookies – all vegan and homemade. Thanks to this healthy and guilt free diet, she’s been an active and happy baby.

Transforming health

Renu has been suffering with SARCOIDOSIS since 1999. Her left lung was affected. There was massive enlargement of abdominal and thoracic lymph nodes. There were many skin lesions. Liver was affected also. Later on we found that her heart was also involved, her ECG was not normal.(she had to undergo coronary angiogram because of it). Climbing stairs of even one floor was big nightmare. Whole day & night she incessantly coughed. She was on steroids for 10 years.

In 2010 our whole family switched to a whole plant based diet. She became off steroids within 15 days. During subsequent months her tests became normal. Today she can climb five stories in one breath.

Dr. G. D. Agrawal is a surgeon by education. He was suffering with hypertension and diabetes. After switching to a whole plant based diet he lost 10 kg of weight, free of hypertension and achieved almost 70% reduction in diabetic medications. Today he is active from morning till night & full of energy, and he is passionate about spreading this message. You can reach him gdsurgiwear@hotmail.com

Best seven days of our lives

“We first heard of Swaswara at a SHARAN workshop and found the idea of escaping from our stress-filled South Mumbai lives to a resort quite appealing. The lectures, demonstrations and interactive sessions with the possible health benefits that could come our way, was an added incentive. We found the place beautiful and the staff extremely courteous, hospitable and professional. Dr. Shah remained with us throughout, generously shared her rich experiences and guided us on the lifestyle changes we needed to work on.

We enjoyed some of the most delicious dishes, went on long walks on the sea-shore and in the wilderness and got an opportunity to pursue our interests and hobbies – swimming, painting, yoga and a host of other activities. We made some wonderful friends and believe the week we spent at Swaswara to be among the best seven days of our lives. Indeed, Swaswara has helped us listen to our inner-voice. Back in Mumbai, we are beginning to see the benefits and are making conscious efforts to put to good use the Swaswara gains. We’ve promised ourselves that we would practice what we learnt and earnestly hope to derive its various benefits in the years to come.” —Alamaru Sharda and Vijayendra BP, Mumbai

Lighter and energetic

“I have been a vegetarian for many years and these days I also replace dairy with vegan substitutes with good results! I feel lighter and more energetic and my meditation, yoga and energy work goes deeper!!!” —Faraaz Tanveer, Dubai

Physical and mental health, better

“I have been following a healthy vegan diet for the past 2.5 months, and the good news is that I lost 1.35 kg. I also got rid of my morning cold and sneeze attacks. I have more colours on my plate and a new oil-free dish every day. I feel so much better both physically and mentally.” —Karishma Shah, Nutritionist, BCJ Hospital, Mumbai

Urticaria, weight gain and anxiety is now a thing of the past. There is no looking back

I suffered from severe urticaria for nearly two and a half years. I would wake up in the middle of the night with unbearable itching and big red hives on my hands and legs. I had tried everything, nothing cured my condition, no home remedies, no tablets, not even skin specialists could cure it. I was somehow temporarily subsiding the allergy by taking anti allergic pills. I was suffering both physically and mentally, it was traumatic.

Thanks to my pregnancy, last year , I started averting milk. Gradually I stopped consuming dairy products and by 6th or 7th month of pregnancy I quit dairy completely. Within just 5-6 months of quitting dairy, the allergy had gone completely. It was like a new lease of life for me. Now there was no looking back at dairy.
But there was another major health issue . I had gained a lot of weight, close to 25 kilos during pregnancy. Had anxiety issues and post delivery lacked energy to do just about anything. And I was still consuming oils, sugar, jaggery, refined and inorganic products unaware of its harmful health effects.

I had been doing a lot of research on the net on how to live a healthy dairy free life since 3rd-4th month of my pregnancy. And I was lucky to have found SHARAN. One nutrition consultation with SHARAN and I was clear about my future health dietary/lifestyle choices. Dr.Poonam, my nutritionist at SHARAN gave me a detailed synopsis and diet plan to follow. And within a month of following their diet I was able to lose close to 7 kilos.

Thanks to SHARAN I am consistently losing all those extra pounds with more energy and enthusiasm. Anxiety has reduced and as result I feel less emotional now. I hope more and more people get their awakening for food and live a happy healthy life. – Shilpashree, New Delhi

I was immobile due an inflammation in the brain. Now, free of medicines, I am certified in Plant Based Nutrition!

I had been dogged by health issues like IBS, hypertension and musculoskeletal problems for most of my adult life. Around five years back, I attended a Peas vs Pill workshop, which did make me reconsider my consumption of dairy, but since I was neither diabetic nor overweight, I did not feel the need for making sweeping dietary changes.

Then about three years back, a sudden spell of seizures at work left me almost immobile. It diagnosed as an inflammation of the right dural membrane, which basically meant that there was a thickening and inflammation on one side of the membrane covering my brain. I was put on steroids, TB drugs, epilepsy drugs and osteoporosis medicines, as the cause of inflammation was unknown. Because of these my kidney and liver parameters deteriorated and to control that I was given even more drugs.

I came across a nutritionist who treated inflammatory disorders. She put me on a non dairy diet but recommended fish and olive oil in salads. I was also given lot of supplements. I was taking close to 30 pills a day. I had ended up substituting my allopathic medicines with supplements. My condition improved upto a point. When an abdomen sonography revealed early cholesterosis of the gall bladder, it came as no surprise.

To understand for myself the role of nutrition on health, I completed a one year diploma in nutrition therapy from the UK, started reading the book China Study by Dr T. Colin Campbell and slowly it began to dawn on me how the whole, plant based diet is ideal for overall health. Aided by the SHARAN cooking classes and a consultation with Dr Nandita Shah I got on the right path.

After eight months of being medication free, my reports showed no signs of cholesterosis and there are no signs of the other illnesses too. My biggest reward has been that my faltering career is again back on track. As an oil industry professional, I am now strong enough to go for review visits to offshore oil platforms, a far cry from the days when I could not even stand without tottering. To celebrate my recovery, I also recently got myself certified as a plant based nutritionist from the Centre of Nutrition Studies, Cornell University.

Today she has completing a course on whole-plant based nutrition as it has helped her heal tremendously…

Thank you for showing the light, SHARAN!! – Sharmila Roy

The shock of my mother’s diagnosis changed our lives

I was suffering from various health issues like obesity, asthma, high blood pressure, sciatica and hypothyroidism . I thought that medicines would care of all my health issues and in some time I would be back to normal, living my life happily. But this did not happen and I was depressed.

Then the worst happened. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was in absolute anxiety and emotional distress. I consulted SHARAN for her and learnt that a plant-based diet can help us recover from many diseases. Our conversation gave me hope for myself, and my mother. I gave the new lifestyle a try to support my mother.

Within two weeks I realised that my mother’s body was giving a positive response to the diet. My mother did not suffer from chemotherapy as other patients do. This diet helped me reduce 7 kg and helped me recover from all of my health issues.

This incident taught me things about myself that I could not have learned in any other way. I discovered that I had a strong will and more discipline than I believed. We carry all the power to heal within ourselves within us. I now want to help many other people heal with this knowledge. I wish you all good lives! – Swati kothekar, 34 yrs, Thane

Cyst dissolved

“I had been treating a patient with renal stones, a cyst and a fibroid with little improvement. Then I asked the patient to join the 21-day kickstart and she did. Since then she has been trying to follow the recommendations as far as possible and her cyst has already dissolved. I am going to insist on a 100% compliance to cure the fibroid.” —Dr Saravanan R, Kanyakumari

From unwell to certified health coach!

My wake-up call was being admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital at the age of 34 years. I was admitted with a blood oxygen level of 80 instead of 95 and I could not breathe.

The doctors told me I had developed Asthma due to ‘some allergies’ and that I would in all probability need to be on daily medications for the rest of my life. In addition I was told that I was pre-diabetic and due to a ‘family history’ of diabetes, it is only a matter of time before I developed the same. When I was recuperating at home post the health scare, I found that my eyes were dry and painful most of the time. The doctor told me I was at the risk of developing a disease called Glaucoma.

I was prescribed a lot of medicines including steroids and none of the doctors could tell me a single thing that I could do to prevent all these diseases from becoming a permanent part of my life. It was a helpless, hopeless situation to be in. What made it worse was that I was only 34 years, vegetarian (I used to eat eggs occasionally) and a non – smoker / non-drinker.

After the initial shock wore off, I decided that there must be some way that I could help myself. I started researching on the internet. One thing led to another and soon I chanced upon Dr. Nandita Shah’s interview on reversing diabetes. Hearing her say that ‘Diabetes is reversible’ was like music to my ears. I was intrigued and wrote her a long email describing my medical issues and she reverted the next day. I took a one-month telephonic consultation with her and she taught me about the effects that food has on our bodies. I started following what I learnt and in a matter of weeks, I started to feel much more energetic. I stopped taking my daily Asthma medicines and I was fine. I got my blood sugar tested and got back a normal reading. I felt that I got my life back.

I was so impressed with the results that I decided to complete the one of its kind certification course in Whole Food Plant Based Diet from Ecornell University. This is a program developed by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of ‘The China Study’. I successfully achieved the certificate in 2014.

My mission in life now is to help as many people as I can to come off the un-necessary medications given by traditional doctors and share my knowledge that it is indeed possible to prevent and reverse many diseases. – Shruti Malik, New Delhi

Rosemary Parambi discovered a connection between plastic and her health issues

My love affair with plastic began when I was living abroad, where I purchased so-called ‘best’ and ‘safe’ brands. All those boxes were so convenient! They were recyclable too, which gave me the illusion that I was being a responsible inhabitant of planet Earth!

Being a very busy mom, I often used to buy a few ready meals to supplement what I cooked for the family. They came in plastic ‘microwaveable’ tubs, sealed with plastic film.

Slowly, health issues started developing. I continued to gain weight until I was moderately obese, was chronically sleepy and fatigued, had IBS and severe eczema. I consulted GPs because I felt that something was not quite right and I was convinced that it was something physical. The GPs could find nothing wrong with me at all.

I moved back to India and started developing severe perimenopausal symptoms. It was then that I started googling and came across the role of plastic in hormone disruption. That was when I started consciously replacing and reducing plastic. I did see improvements in symptoms as I commenced my journey towards better health.

With the whole-hearted adoption of the SHARAN diet and lifestyle in September 2018, my life has been transformed! I have shed kilos, IBS is a thing of the past, the eczema is gone, I am no longer chronically fatigued and the journey continues… My kids are now young adults – conscious and responsible. With them, I have adopted several measures. Some of them are:

Reusable glass and stainless steel food containers and water bottles, for home and travel
Parchment paper instead of cling wrap for wrapping food to go • Bamboo toothbrushes
Carrying own cutlery and toiletry items when travelling, to avoid using airlines and hotels ones
Carrying cloth bags for shopping, including fabric net bags for veggies
Shopping from farmers’ markets in pre-Covid days. Avoiding produce wrapped in plastic
Cooking food at home and having fruits for snacks means less plastic packaging
Using home-made soapnut liquid and coconut fibre for dishes
Use of menstrual cups by my daughter

Giving the world healthy food to eat!

Nidhi Nahata, food therapist and founder of Justbe resto cafe in Bangalore, is bringing the same change to the world that SHARAN brought to her life.

My journey towards clean eating began with an epiphany three years ago. I was undergoing health issues including high cholesterol, migraine and rosacea, and I was adamant about not taking any medication to control these conditions. The 21-day health retreat conducted by SHARAN changed my perspective towards clean eating. It was interesting to learn about the profoundly beneficial effects of a whole food plant-based (WPB) diet. The fact that such an approach is also evidenced by science and research as the healthiest form of nutrition for humans made it even more convincing and compelling for me.

When I returned from the retreat with the newly acquired power of knowledge, I first changed the way food was regarded and eaten in my family. I implemented the whole food plant-based diet concept in our kitchen and saw my son’s chronic asthma being cured, my husband’s gastrointestinal issues and various other health concerns of my family members and friends being resolved. I was keen to extend this awareness to others as well. Thus was born the Justbe resto café, a SHARAN certified eatery.

I believe in the saying ‘You are what you eat’. Good and natural food not only provides for the body, but also nourishes the soul. I have replicated the same concept of healthy eating at Justbe – to serve nutritious food designed by nature for the human body and brain with no added sugar, oil and dairy, free of all refined and processed ingredients, and free of synthetic colours and preservatives. This to me is the ultimate tribute to SHARAN, which changed my life and those of my dear ones.

The Method is Scientific and Works!

Delhi-based scientist Dr Suman Govil cannot stop feeling grateful to her son and daughter-in-law for the best holiday ever, where she came back home with zero medicines!

Immediately after her husband’s kidney stone surgery, she and her husband attended SHARAN’s health retreat in June, 2018.

Feedback in 1.5 months of the 21 day program

On the first evening, Dr. Nandita Shah gathered all the participants and facilitators of the SHARAN 21-Day Retreat in the SwaSwara library. We sat around in a circle, each taking a turn to express our reasons for being there.

I sat between my Mother and Maasi, shifting uncomfortably in my cushy armchair as people listed various ailments, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and hypothyroid. When they asked me why I was here, I looked at my mother and said, “Well… my mother went to a Peas vs. Pills seminar. And she thought this would be a good idea.”

On the sixth evening, as I was stroking Yogi and Veda, the hotel dogs, I called my mother. “Mom, every single person here is sincere and genuine and they actually want to turn vegan!” I bemoaned. “I don’t want to be vegan; I dreamt about paneer paratha last night!”

By the seventeenth day, I experienced a shift. I think I was actually the very last person in the retreat to experience this shift. There were different triggers, of course. For me, it was learning about the cruel treatment of cows, calves, hens, and chicks in the dairy and egg industries. For some, it was the movie nights in the library. For others, it was seeing blood sugars go down and medicines reduce.

On the twenty-first day, the changes in each person’s physicality and consciousness were undeniable. Perhaps you’ll be quietly reluctant at first, like I was, but day-by-day, as you experience everything the retreat offers, you will become ever more emphatically eager. I could feel myself improving with each lecture, with each walk, with each meal. With each entry in my gratitude journal I grew more aware of how lucky I am and how little I appreciate my life and myself. By recording my goals and efforts and expectations in the Healthy Habits Now journal, I was able to recognize the aspects of the program that most benefited me. I released stress, kilograms, and inches, received an abundance of energy, and through it all, side-by-side, had one of the most rewarding holidays of my life.

I saw dolphins dance during the Prakruthi Walk, enjoyed Mayavi’s incredible vegan ice-cream and Nandini’s mind-blowing mango mousse, huffed and puffed my way to Gokarna 10km away, coaxed my body into surya-namaskars in daily yoga (although daily may be an exaggeration in my case), fed stray dogs and explored a library in the Goan wilderness with Reshma, and enjoyed art therapy in the beautiful art studio. I even swam 60 lengths in one sitting while I was there – my personal best – and helped cook an Indo-Chinese dinner without hurting myself (or anyone else)!

At the very least, attend the SHARAN 21-Day Retreat for pakodas by the poolside, aquarobics with Captain Joseph, beach walks with Yogi and Veda, remarkable recipes, and magical massages. At the most, go to discover what everyone is searching for – happiness and health. – Sanjana Thakur

In just over a month, update and Gratitude

Mr Srinivas Kantheti, Consultant from Mumbai, age 54 who was on several medicines for high blood pressure and had a few other complaints including osteoarthritis due to which both knees had been operated wrote as follows –

It’s slightly more than a month since we first met at the SHARAN 21-day health retreat.

While the camp per-say ended a couple of weeks back and the results were nothing short of amazing, I wanted to update you on the journey since then.

It’s only two weeks but I am seeing major changes Physically Mentally and Spiritually.

Physically I am getting lighter everyday with a total weight release as of now of 11.5 kgs. (this is in 5 weeks!) My trousers are getting loose and the only reason I am not shopping is that I feel confident that another 5 kgs will be released over the next six months.

My BP is now in the 120 /80 range with half a Coversal which may be I should drop??!!

The body has started healing itself. I had an attack of cold and fever last week which got cured on its own without any medication.

Physically I am feeling energetic looking forward to walking and yoga every day. The long walks at Mumbai Airport are no longer a challenge.

I like my face in the mirror and have been complemented by friends on my radiance. Overall I am feeling younger.

Mentally I am much more calmer. I am more in the present and enjoying my old loves of music , reading and photography.

One important experience last two weeks is the complete absence of attraction towards tea, coffee, alcohol, non veg food, dairy products, fried food and packaged food. It’s not a question of will power. Will power is needed where one has to resist an attraction. Thanks to the knowledge, techniques and skills learnt at the 21 day work shop, I have come out of Swaswara with a Mental make up where these addictions have no longer any attraction.

In the past I had paid just a cursory attention to animals and to nature / environment. WFPB diet is the centre stone to expand spiritually by including all gods creatures in our compassion.

The food we eat makes us the person we are. WFPB diet is the way nature intended us to live. I feel every day that I am getting more and more integrated with nature. This for me is as much a spiritual journey as a mental and a physical one.

I want to express my gratitude and heart felt thanks to all the five of you – Dr Nandita , Nandini, Mayavi, Capt Joesph and Dr Sarvanan. ..for guiding me on this path and unlocking this marvellous world for me. – Mr Srinivas Kantheti, Mumbai

Much Happier and Healthier and Fitter

Shashi and I have a decades-long history of medical problems and medication for diabetes, high blood pressure and excess weight. We had heard about the SHARAN residential program for reversing these life style diseases for a long time from our son, but didn’t do anything about it, until he lost patience. One day he just booked us in for the June 2014 program, bought the air tickets, and that was that.

What a wonderful transformational experience it turned out to be! It is no exaggeration to say that our lives have changed in body, mind and soul. The most important learning for us has been that medication (and higher doses of it as time goes by) is not the best and only way to tackle our problems!

It has been six months since we took the program. We are so much happier and healthier and fitter than before. Our medical results are impressive (even our doctors have a hard time believing it). All our parameters are better than before and are further improving. Medication has been halved. Shashi has reduced nine kgs and I five. Life has somehow become simpler in so many ways and more joyful.

We have still some way to go. There are challenges. But we are alert and aware of the pitfalls and taking care! – Siddharth, Pune

Total Health Turnaround!

I came in contact with SHARAN as a filmmaker. I attended SHARAN’s 21day program in June 2015. I already knew that my cholesterol levels were high but I was not on any medications because I did not want to take them. When my tests were done at SwaSwara, I was also surprised to see that I was pre diabetic! I was happy that by destiny I was in a place where I would now heal. Gradually other problems also improved. I had always had digestive problems and frequent attacks of sinusitis and these also improved. In less than 21 days my HbA1c went down from 6.6 – 6.2, and my cholesterol and triglyceride levels too dropped considerably. Today, 6 months later, I have dropped 8 kg and I feel great. – Angana Jhaveri, Award winning documentary film director, Mumbai

I was never fond of cooking but now, cooking has become my passion!

2014 has been a watershed year for both me and Malcolm. We went for the 21 days disease reversal retreat of SHARAN and our entire outlook about our well being and food changed. I was never fond of cooking and was afraid of failure. But now, cooking has become my passion. I enjoy spending time in kitchen and keep experimenting with all kinds of dishes. I have also lost 10 kgs and feel so much lighter and healthier.
So looking forward to a brighter, joyful 2015 and many more years after that. Wishing the same for all of you.
Shashi Khanna, Pune

I feel great and want to be a health coach now!

Making the change to a whole plant based diet and vegan lifestyle is a strong experience of great significance. I thought I had conquered a lot becoming vegetarian, but now I that realise what it really means to be vegan, it has changed my life.
I now consider it a moral responsibility to take care of my body, by respecting it, fulfilling its needs without feeding it as if it were a dust bin.
I was always a great cook and had a food business. With the discovery of raw vegan cuisine and it’s various and delicious recipes, I reversed a 45 years old severe constipation and went from taking many medicines to none in a short period of time. I also experienced a deep change in my approach to the preparation of food, the control of my body’s health and victory over the types of little aches that I have carried on with for years, mistakenly believing they are just part of me.
My plans are to become a Health and Food Coach and change the lives of many others. I am working towards this and thoroughly enjoying it.
-Jenny Sugar, Milano, Italy
info@sugartree.it

SHARAN transformed my life

SHARAN came into my life and transformed me dramatically. I reduced my weight by 17.6 kgs. eating the plant based whole foods vegan way taught by SHARAN at the amazing 21 Day Disease Reversal Retreat. Recently when I met my relatives, they all were so surprised and told me I look 10 years younger. I feel soooo good and young again with increased energy levels.

A year ago I was suffering with severe back pain and I could only manage to walk a few meters. Yoga could not help my back pain as loosing weight was impossible with severe dieting. I was starving myself and only managed to loose 3 to 4 kgs on my own. And I gave up. Then SHARAN came into my life! All thanks to you, SHARAN, for giving me my life back.

I am loving this new lifestyle. It changed my life. Thank you for sharing this plant based whole foods knowledge with us. With lots of love and good wishes to you —Seema Bali.

Life changing experience

“In the year 2002 I went for a complete health check-up at the Lilavati Hospital. I was advised gylcomet since my blood sugar was borderline high. I went for SHARAN’s 21 day reversal program where complete blood tests and regular blood sugar checks were done. My fasting was 126, and PP was 164. That was a shock! Gradually my blood sugar levels came down to 100 fasting and 110 PP. I lost 4 kg of weight in those 21 days, and 4 kg more in the first two months after coming back to Mumbai. I still continue to do well. These days were a life changing experience!” —Ritaa Vazirani, Mumbai.

It’s been wholesome journey till now both inwards and outwards

I really feel deep gratitude to you for transforming my life. I really didn’t know that food was creating so much havoc in my body. It’s been six months now and I can see the gradual changes! I haven’t lost much weight, but I do feel lighter and have lost inches! I feel more confident of myself .Also, the migraines are almost gone but I don’t tell others this because then I feel it gets jinxed .I’m just sharing it with you. I still remember your words from that2nd night at Swaswara when I had got the severe migraine … You said ,The day you know the reason, it will go away! Yes, I know that stress and accumulated emotions they are one of the reasons besides food. I do still get headaches at times, because of a hectic schedule, sun and improper food. But then the next day it’s gone. And another benchmark is that I am able to wear contact lenses in a row for two or three days without migraine. So it’s been a really good feeling.

I am also less weepy now too as the migraines triggered mood swings but don’t overpower me so much. On that note I must say here that not having migraine has reduced my claustrophobia to a great extent. Even on flights! And I have been able to do adventures which earlier I just couldn’t think of because of these.I did snorkeling last week and earlier even open space used to give me phobia of closed spaces, like being in deep sea on a boat or on a top of a mountain… when you don’t see anything except nature ! Now that fear had reduced almost 90%!

So all in a all it’s been wholesome journey till now both inwards and outwards and I feel completely surrendered to it as of now ! – Pinky Sarita.

Nothing short of Magic! Losing five kgs in three months was something I had never imagined could happen to me.

Gautami Desai joined our Six Weeks to Health & Weight Loss program in November last year. After experiencing the changes in herself, she can’t help but spread the goodness of the whole plant based diet. And what a wonderful way she has chosen to do so…

SHARAN has done nothing short of magic for me. I am a portfolio manager with long hours of stressful work. I had help at home, so was able to eat home food most of the time, which I always thought was very healthy… until I was introduced to SHARAN! Since quite some time I was feeling so exhausted that when I reached home in the evening, I could barely get up from the sofa, leave alone spend any quality time with my family. I needed to sleep for 8 to 9 hours a day and I was ashamed at times when my son woke me up in the morning after getting ready for school. I had acidity and stomach upsets often which I easily blamed on stress. Many people suggested many things like exercise, spirituality, dietician, etc. and I did all of it without realising that everything needs extra energy and I did not have that. Obviously, nothing lasted for long.

About six months back, my sister-in-law, Kinjal, who had done the SHARAN Six weeks course, starting sending some delicious dishes for my son and she said it was completely oil-free. That went on for some time and my son loved them so much that, one day, while Kinjal was travelling, he got upset that those dishes would stop coming for a while. That triggered the ego within me and I decided to do a one-day course, and ended up doing the six-weeks course.

SHARAN has totally changed the way I feel and the way I think. Energy comes from the right food and only after the course I realised how wrong I was as far as food goes. I can easily get up early morning, meditate, exercise, work for long hours and spend happy time with my family in the evening. Losing five kgs in three months was something I had never imagined could happen to me. I would recommend SHARAN to anyone. Instead of giving silly gifts, I have been giving the ‘SHARAN’s Basics of the Whole plant based diet one-day course’ as gift to my friends, relatives and staff. I will forever remain grateful to SHARAN and Kinjal for once again planting life into me – Gautami Desai

48 year old Dayanidhi M G saved himself from medications

By leading an active life comprising of walking, badminton, yoga and golf, and also being a vegetarian, I was hoping that I was doing all the right things to avert the health conditions that my parents had. Little did I know then that my food still wasn’t right, especially diary products and oil. My food was undoing the effect of physical activity on my body, and bringing me to the brink of health conditions like hypertension and diabetes. With the family history behind me, my doctors were preparing me for managing these with medications. I thought I had no choice but to manage these life long.

That’s when my wife came across SHARAN. We stopped all animal products, sugar and oil, and now cook healthy food, including lots of fruits. We follow simple activities like regular walking and stress management. While we enjoyed the journey of empowering ourselves to heal with a group of participants, we started seeing wonderful results in terms of weight reduction, normal health parameters, and a fresh and positive outlook to life. The transformation was a wonderful feeling.

Now, 5 months after attending the workshop, we follow the regime and enjoy the food and continued healing.We eat zero or single grain meals, lots of vegetables and lots of fruits. I lost 8kgs and several inches! My wife lost 10kgs. We now feel energetic all day. We owe it all to Anubha and SHARAN for showing the way.

Sarve bhavanthu sukhinaha! – Dayanidhi M G, Bangalore.

Everyone was asking me what my secret was!

I met Anubha in October for help losing weight for my upcoming engagement in January. Apart from weight loss, I also suffered from chronic insomnia for which I used to rely on an Ayurvedic herb to ensure a good night’s sleep. I also had a lot of aches and pains in different parts of my body and I had no idea why. I watched the forks over knives documentary in August and was introduced to SHARAN by a friend in October.

Anubha’s caring and loving guidance really helped me keep my motivation levels high up and I started seeing results in 3 days. I didn’t need to rely on any herbs to help me sleep and all the aches and pains disappeared. I also started losing weight and in about 6 weeks, I had lost 4kg which was beyond my goal of 3 kgs. Suddenly everyone started asking me how I looked so great and my secret of weight loss. My skin started looking clearer and I was in overall better health. I was in a better mood, more energetic and was able to take decisions faster – Srishti Jain, Bangalore

Learnt how to reverse diabetes just by reading a book!

Forty eight year old Rajesh Shet from Udipi developed diabetes in March 2019. He was already on blood pressure medicines for the past ten years. So, he decided to take his health in his own hands and is now diabetes-free!

My wife lost her father (aged 78) due to diabetic complications two years ago. She happened to receive a WhatsApp forward of Dr. Nandita Shah’s video from her friend and chanced upon the online version of her book ‘Reversing Diabetes in 21 Days’. She ordered the book and gifted it to me saying she wished she had read the book earlier as it would have benefited her father.

I had been following the diet as prescribed in the book since September 2019. Along with a daily exercise routine, I lost about eight kgs in five months. I was well supported by my family doctor who made sure that the tests were done every month and the medicines were gradually reduced. I was asked to take my medication on alternate days for one month, then twice a week for one month, and thereafter stopped completely. I feel great and relieved of a burden. I am much more energetic now and this has brought a lot of positivity in my life.

I have gifted this amazing book to some of my close friends and colleagues. They have read it and also tried to change their lifestyle, and seen positive results.

I am truly grateful to Dr Nandita for the inspirational book that has made me believe that diabetes can be defeated. The explanations are simple yet powerful with the personal experiences of many. I could easily relate to the situations mentioned in the book.

I decided to take care of myself, and even my children were interested!

I was diagnosed with thyroid about a year ago and was surprised! I was only 41 years old and leading such an active life; how could this happen to me?! It’s then that I decided to take care of myself. My sister-in-law in Hyderabad who also has thyroid and blood sugar, was also working on herself and had attended the Freedom from Diabetes program. That’s where she learnt about Dr. Nandita Shah, who was Dr. Tripathi’s mentor and bought the book.

I slowly started just following whatever she did, but without much understanding. It was when I visited her and saw Dr. Shah’s book, ‘Reversing Diabetes in 21 Days’, I started understanding more. I am so impressed with the way she has explained why veganism is the lifestyle for a sustainable future. I have explained in her words to my two teenage children who were non-vegetarians, and now they are both trying to avoid milk and meat in all forms. My daughter looks really motivated and even makes different types of vegan smoothies for herself every morning. I’m really happy when she does that. I will not say they have become vegan as they have given in to chocolates and ice creams, though rarely…but each time I tell them that the choice is theirs – as they are young adults. – Suchitra Karnani New Delhi.

From Patient to Health Coach

Syed Abbas – In 2003, I started to lose strength in my muscles. It took doctors 18 months to diagnose me with an autoimmune muscle wasting disease called LGMD (Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy). I was told it was a progressive disease with no way to stop the degeneration. I became weaker as my muscles continued to slowly break down. Mentally, too, I was in a bad state. I was unable to play with my kids, my family life was severally effected. I became scared of any sort of movement as I invariably fell flat while walking or even standing. I was prescribed several medications for anxiety, depression, chronic constipation, skin disorders and chronic pain. Many a times, I would just lock myself in the bathroom and cry for hours in helplessness.

My depression and disillusionment worsened over time. I started getting excruciatingly painful bouts of hip-bursitis and had to routinely opt for the steroid based injections. Eventually, they too stopped working. Needless to say, I completely lost all hope of living a normal life.

Then a very dear friend of mine recommended that I try learning a breathing technique called ‘Sudarshan Kriya’. What followed was surreal but true. After practicing the Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique for about 40 days, my years of stress, anxiety and depression simply went away. The rhythmic breathing gave me immense amount of energy. The best part, I no longer needed anxiety and depression pills and my dependency on stimulants such as coffee simply vanished.

I began to think more clearly. and took the bold step of taking charge of my own health by enrolling for a year-long holistic nutrition program. Based on what I learned, I adopted a Whole Foods Plant Based diet, and underwent lots of cleansing through juicing and smoothies among other things. Very soon, I saw my pains and aches begin to disappear, my balance improved, and frequency of falling down become less and less. Within a year, I stopped taking all medications. It has been six years now that I have been medication free! My condition has improved significantly and even though I still have LGMD, I consider myself the luckiest person on the planet. I am able to walk and do many of the daily chores that I once thought were impossible. I can even play with my son! In the last four years, I have completed three 5K walks as a proof that true health lies in adopting a holistic lifestyle. This has allowed me to find a deeper meaning to life.

Now, my passion is to help others maintain, improve and restore their health. As a health coach, I encourage people to make the necessary changes to their and their loved one’s diet and lifestyle before they are diagnosed with some form of sickness. It is much easier to prevent an illness than to recover from one. – Syed Abbas

Within two years, her thyroid medications have been totally stopped!

Vandana had a hypothyroid problem, where she was advised life-long medication. She was searching for a natural cure since a long time. She came to know about SHARAN and learnt about the plant based diet. She started attending all the possible cooking classes, movie screenings, seminars and potlucks, which were organised by the SHARAN team in Mumbai. As she equipped herself with the knowledge and implemented it in her life, within six months her thyroid levels improved and the doctor reduced her medication. Her acidity was completely gone and she lost seven kilos too! Within two years, her thyroid medications have been totally stopped.

A wonderful cook and a mother to two demanding boys, Vandana started experimenting a lot in the kitchen. She came up with innovative ways to make so many things including raagi noodles from scratch, oil-free pickles, baked samosas, whole wheat bread and more. Inspired by the changes she felt, coupled with her passion for cooking, Vandana now conducts amazing cooking classes for SHARAN.

‘I realised the wrong steps I was taking earlier’

23 year old Radhika Handa, who had PCOD and migraine issues, decided to give healthy veganism a try. In a few weeks, she noticed a difference.

About a year back I had decided to turn vegan (due to ethical reasons) and slowly started transitioning from my non-vegetarian diet. But I could feel that all the efforts that I was taking weren’t working very well, as my health started taking a hit. I had major stomach issues, loss of energy, and weakness in general. I already had PCOD and migraine, and adding the other issues I started to question the vegan diet. During the Covid-19 lockdown I came across the SHARAN Instagram page, and the 2 months personalized weight loss program, and immediately decided to give it a try.

My nutritionist was Shalu Nijhawan and she gave some amazing insights into veganism and a great diet plan. She made me realise all the wrong steps I was taking earlier that were deteriorating my health and gave me solutions to fix them. Just a couple weeks into the program I started noticing changes in my body. Within only 2 weeks, most of my stomach issues were gone. I was no longer having severe bloating or acidity. I had much more energy than before, and within a month, my migraine headaches were completely gone. (Earlier I used to get migraines every 2nd week and had to take medicines).

I have lost 4 kgs, but more than the weight loss, I’m grateful for all the other changes that I can see & feel in my body. My skin is also looking much healthier than before. Seeing all these changes in me, even my mother decided to turn vegan and now follows the same diet as me. I’m very happy with the results of this program and excited to see how much more veganism can improve my lifestyle.

She did it, so can you!

33-year old Prachi Jain, a secondary school teacher, successfully reversed her PCOD and even conceived after eight years of marriage!

I had been trying to cure PCOD for the longest time through a number of treatments but nothing really helped. I was equally keen to conceive. But during the treatment, I was detected with insulin resistance as well. This made the reversal of PCOD even more difficult.

At this juncture, I recalled SHARAN nutritionist Madhura Vayal’s talk that I had attended some years ago. I opted for a consultation with her. Soon after committing to a vegan diet, the symptoms started improving. Eventually, my move to a whole food, plant based gluten free diet completely cured my condition. The programme wasn’t too difficult to follow. In fact I loved the food, especially the plant based cheese and desserts.

I felt a lot more energetic and my skin cleared too. The complete detoxification, thanks to my vegan lifestyle, normalised my menstrual cycle. But the biggest reward I received was the news that I had conceived, within just eight months of going vegan. Today, my husband and I are proud parents of a healthy one year old son.

From Piles to Pregnancy

My story with SHARAN began in December 2014. I have been constipated since my childhood and in my early forties, I developed piles (hemorrhoids). My piles were large and created a blockage internally, due to which, if I had to pass stools it meant a good struggle for half an hour and sometimes pain. I even used to pass blood at times with the stool. After the torturous journey, I needed rest and it meant at least 4 hours as my energy would drain and my legs used to feel weak. My gastroenterologist suggested an operation.

My father said that it was hereditary as he too had it. I saw the operation conducted on YouTube and it definitely seemed painful, and I further researched on what causes piles, symptoms and treatments. Are there any alternative therapies? The answer was affirmatively ‘yes’. Fortunately I attended a smoothie class by Reyna Rupani where I was introduced to SHARAN. I was totally convinced about the whole plant based diet as it meant lot of fiber for the body, which is also a vital requirement for curing piles. I thought of giving it a try and within 2 months, my piles reduced to 70% and that too without any medicines or laxatives! Also I didn’t have to undergo the operation!

I started feeling energetic and light as passing stools became easier. I was losing weight automatically, bloating of stomach and waist size was reducing. My husband was surprised at my energy and he too started the whole plant based diet. Within 6 months we were high on energy, weight was reducing, there was a glow on the face.

Being a childless couple for almost 12 years, we were happy with our life and we had made the decision that we will not try any artificial methods to have a baby. Due to the changes with whole plant based, we became healthy and one day we got the news that I was pregnant. It was a total surprise! We have named our little boy ‘Kreshiv’ – Anjali Tejani, Mumbai

It’s been nine years now and I haven’t had a single asthmatic attack!

Mumbai based Dr Jaghruti K Jani was suffering from asthmatic bronchitis for 28 years until she changed her diet…

I was suffering from asthmatic bronchitis since the age of 12. I used to have attacks of sneezing that I thought were due to some allergies. I was 18 years old when I had my first episode of asthmatic bronchitis that then started to recur every two or three months. I am a homoeopath and a BHMS gold medallist, but I still couldn’t figure out the reason for my condition. I simply put it down it to Mumbai’s pollution. I could never get wet in the rain, have cold beverages or travel easily due to my fear of getting an episode.

At the age of 40, I came across information about Dr Nandita Shah and I attended the Peas vs Pills seminar. There was an eye-opening testimony of a gentleman who was on daily inhalers for asthma as well high cholesterol. He had attended a previous workshop by Dr Nandita after which he immediately went on a whole-plant based diet. Within the next two months, his cholesterol dropped and he didn’t need the inhalers anymore!

My husband urged that we follow the SHARAN diet. Since then I’ve been on whole plant-based food. It’s been nine years now and I haven’t had a single attack. Sometimes I forget that I was a patient of asthmatic bronchitis! However, there have been instances when I have consumed dairy by mistake, and the very next day I would start sneezing. This is an instant reiteration of how harmful dairy can be.

Today, I am a happy person. I love playing and getting wet in the rain. I even have cold water during the hot summers and travel easily with no fear of getting any asthmatic bronchitis episodes! Most importantly, I have not bought any asthmatic medicine over the past nine years! I am truly in gratitude to Dr Nandita Shah and to SHARAN.

I never imagined I would be vitamin D deficient!

I never imagined I would be vitamin D deficient. I live close to the beach in a relatively rural area of India and travel a lot on bike. My skin is exposed to the sun. Yet, after 50 years of relatively healthy teeth, I found myself with a cavity. After being away from dentists for so long I had to visit one! Since I take such good care of my health and my teeth, I felt a bit defeated. But I was determined to find out why I developed the cavity. It was a wake-up call. I got my vitamin D levels tested and found them lower than normal. And, all along, I had thought I was getting a fair amount of sunshine just because of where I live!

The experience taught me a lot about this vital vitamin. I learnt that receptors are around our eyes and that if we wear sunglasses our body is tricked into believing that it’s not sunny. This can cause other parts of the body to behave inappropriately even causing sunburn. I learnt that darker skin, like mine, needs more exposure to the sun to absorb vitamin D. I also understood that calcium deficiency is usually because of vitamin D deficiency and acid yielding foods and not because of a lack of intake of calcium.

Calcium tablets should never be prescribed or taken – they only cause kidney stones and calcification of arteries. Deficient calcium intake is unknown. Dairy is not a good source of calcium either as it’s acid yielding in the body.

We just need to make sure that we get enough of the vital vitamin D.

Vitamin B12 supplements came to my rescue!

SHARAN Dubai co-ordinator Ram Prasad was suffering from a frozen shoulder for months. He took all possible treatments but nothing worked. One email to Dr Nandita and he found his cure!

Some lessons are learnt the hard way. But it does not have to be so for you! I was elated after my first SHARAN seminar and I stopped dairy immediately. It took some time to go oil-free and then organic. I thought everything should be okay now. Little did I realise, there was still something I had overlooked!

I started getting minor pain in the shoulder. Initially, I brushed it off and ignored it for a few weeks. One morning, I just couldn’t move my hand and I was in intense pain. I rushed to an Ayurveda doctor. It turned out to be “frozen shoulder”. The joint movement was stuck. The doctor said that it might take several months to get well. The pain intensified after massage. I then rushed to a chiropractor. That didn’t help either. Finally, I wrote an email to Dr. Nandita asking for advice. I was asked to get my Vit B12 & Vit D checked immediately. The reports showed the levels were alarmingly low! Dr. Nandita advised me to quickly supplement with injections and tablets. In two days, I got major relief. In a week, I was almost normal!

Though Vit B12 and Vit D are in the 5-point SHARAN plan, I neglected them till it turned into an emergency!

I have been enjoying great health since then.

Testimonials

Video Testimonials

Written Testimonials

Digestive Disturbances

5 Years ago My Life Changed

Kidney Disease

Health Transformation with Raw

Our medical problems started resolving in front of our eyes within a matter of week

Cancer

Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast – tumours have shrunken!

Surviving Cancer for 10 years!

Diabetes

This doctor was shocked to find that she had diabetes!

My readings almost non diabetic!

On the road – Reversal of Diabetes

HbA1c down from 10.9 in Nov 2015 to 5.5 in May 2016 and no medicines!

Medicines reduced, blood sugars and blood pressure lower in just 2 weeks!

My diabetes and Psoriasis has disappeared

I got better despite all my travelling!

Reduced insulin usage from 175 units to 75 units in just 21 days!

My Journey…

Magic is the word

Vegan for life!

Amazing!

Better health

Beneficial to health

Reduced diabetic medication

Life changed for good

Sharpest drop in diabetes

Off all tablets for 9 months

The guilt and worry of having mangoes when I was diabetic has gone!

Hypertension

The Method is Scientific and Works!

I wish to see a healthy India!

Blood pressure controlled with no medicines

Reversed diabetes , hypertension and obesity in 4 months

Just wanted to share my story with you

Weight Loss

Weight loss is also a sign of detox

I have lost an incredible 13.2 kg

I no longer worry about my health. I feel empowered!

From XXL to L in 8 months!

Inspite of travelling, I have been able to adapt to the diet very easily

Prashant wanted his mother to get cured. The side effects? He too lost weight and regained health!

Confident of overcoming temptation!

I lost 10 kg in 2 months

I lost 10 kgs in less than 2 months

Reyna lost 12 kilos & her acidity!

I experienced miracles

Reverses illnesses

Lost weight

Lost 8 kilos in 2.5 months

A powerful programme

These ideas WORK!

Peas Vs Pills Health programme

I reversed my Asthmatic Bronchitis of 32 years!

My life changed at the age of 61

Better in depression, anxiety, panic attacks, BP and lost weight too!

I am aspiring to reach out to as many people as I can to lead a plant based diet

Black discoloration disappeared in just 24 days

Haemoglobin increased from 6.8 to 10.2 in just 21 days!

Having Healed Myself, I Now Help Others Heal

My first 21 days of the journey to being vegan

Blood sugar normal

Helps reduce menopausal symptoms

Asthma is all gone

Haemoglobin count became higher

Improved energy, better skin and weight loss

Adopting a Vegan diet

The video was an eye-opener!

Pandemic Positives – Charmaine Behl shares her story

SHARAN Facilitator Neelima Sriram and her son tested Covid positive

21 year old ultra-runner Navaal Rai talks about plant power…

Corona Virus and what I found out!

Cheese has shown me a way

There is no going back now

Passion for Compassion

An experiment that’s still working!

A Healthy Vegan Family

Transforming health