Arthritis affected me early, at the age of 32 years, and all kinds of treatment failed to rid me of the painful disease. The winters in Kerala are significantly milder, yet I was bedridden many a day and had inflammation with excruciating pain in all my joints. I dreaded travel, hated cold weathers and couldn’t tackle stair-climbing, The worst was, I walked like an 80-year-old!

My daughter, who is lactose and gluten intolerant as well as having thyroid-related issues, had started eating a whole food plant-based diet in 2018 and reaped the benefits. She encouraged me to try going dairy-free and oil-free too. And so I did.

In just 6 months, I was free from the shackling arthritic aches. My menopause symptoms like hot flashes and sleep deprivation vanished and my energy levels shot up. Since the lockdown I have been managing household chores like washing vessels, sweeping/mopping and gardening which were previously impossible.

Now I have started travelling a bit. My daughters felt that I should attempt a hill station trip and hence I went to Kodaikanal. I did need warm clothing, but I felt exhilarated as I was able to bear the cold, without any joint pains. I went on a beautiful trek up a mountain to visit a farm. My muscles did get sore but the liberation I experienced was immensely gratifying.

Incidentally, now my daughter has no thyroid problems or lactose/gluten intolerance related complications and her periods have started to be cramp-free too.