Wellcure
Wellcure
06:19 PM | 13-05-2020
Sariyu is a school teacher from Bengaluru who has fought with the issue of excessive weight and spinal pain. She adopted a medicine free approach to overcome these health problems. Read on to know how a whole food plant-based and dairy-free diet helped her to gain health and happiness back.
Sariyu Naik
44 years, Bengaluru
Teacher
Thirteen years ago, I delivered my baby boy through a cesarean surgery. I had maintained a healthy body throughout pregnancy and not faced any weight issues in my life till then. But, due to my negligence in caring for my body, I started gaining weight post-surgery. Irregular eating habits added to my woes and over a period of years I became overweight.
Despite the well-meaning advice of my parents and other family members about controlling my weight, I never paid attention. I believed that I adorn a strong personality and weight is just about the physical outlook. True, as it is, there is a flip side to it too. I discovered that side 13 years later when I developed health problems due to my weight. What had accumulated over the years started manifesting in physical symptoms and pain which increased to the extent of restricting my daily movements.
The Discovery of Health Issues
The psychological stress of losing my father and changing to a new job added to the weight gain. The school where I was teaching at, did not allow teachers to sit while giving lessons. Standing throughout the day, combined with my body weight displaced my L5 vertebrae. The pain started setting in and it was becoming difficult for me to work.
In September 2019, it reached a stage where I was unable to walk even a few steps or climb stairs. I used to feel numbness in my feet and immense pain in my lower back. I was on bed rest for a month, barely able to move even for bathing, etc.
The Realisation
During that time, I realised that I should have taken the advice of my parents and family members about reducing my weight. I always ignored the advice and used to say ‘It is my body, my weight, why should anyone else care about it’?
True, it was my body and my responsibility to keep it in a healthy state. We often ignore our health under the veil of work-load, stress, life-commitments etc. Making time for even an hour of exercise every day seems like a huge task for many of us. However, what we forget is an old adage ‘Health is Wealth’. Nothing and no one can be of any use to us if we are not healthy enough to enjoy the treasures of life. I knew that it was time to take my health seriously.
The Battle Starts
I was not given any pain killers; only bed rest was advised to ease my spine. I also started physiotherapy to gain more movement. It did help me in becoming more active. But I knew that even with slightest aggravation, the pain would come back and worsen my condition.
After an MRI scan, the doctor advised me to undergo a surgery for fixing my spine back in position or at least reduce my weight. I was 83 kgs at that time. For someone who had ignored the weight gain for 13 years, it was easier to opt for the surgery. However, I decided to work towards reducing my weight.
I consulted a renowned dietitian, who had put me on a diet and prescribed a few herbal medicines for blood purification. In the beginning, I lost around 2 kgs but no significant difference appeared after that. Moreover, I wasn’t comfortable taking those herbal pills. I continued a month’s course with her but my back pain was still there. My movements were still restricted. I was scared to go back to work, as standing while teaching might have harmed my back or increased the pain.
First Step towards Natural Healing
The dietician, however, advocated gaining health through natural means. That was my first encounter with natural methods of healing. Her approach was not showing considerable results in my condition but I had started feeling that nature holds the cure for me.
Before the Therapy
The Turning Point
I was already an acquaintance with Anju Chhabra, a nutritionist. We lived in the same residential complex but never before did I share my problems with her. In October 2019, I happened to discuss all my health issues with Anju. She told me not to resort to only dieting for weight loss. According to her, I had to make changes to my lifestyle and regularise my food habits.
She asked me to give it a try and see for myself. She did not just give me a diet plan but also checked my progress frequently. It was difficult but it worked!
The Therapy
I was put on a diet which was free of animal products, including dairy. I belong to Goa and it was difficult for me to stay away from fish. Anju’s guidance helped me sail through those cravings. Here are a few things I do:
I wake up at 4 o'clock in the morning and exercise as recommended by my physiotherapist. I have to conduct the movements cautiously and slowly. Because of the sensitive nature of my spine, I do the exercises recommended by my physiotherapist only and not any other form of exercise.
At 5 o’clock I go for a walk for almost an hour.
I eat a breakfast of only fruits. This supports the body’s circadian rhythm. 4 am to 12 pm the function of eliminating wastes from the body is at its peak. When we eat a light breakfast like fruits, the body can focus on elimination as digestion work is less.
I consume a cooked meal at lunch time which consists of brown rice or chapati, a dal and a vegetable or khichdi.
I eat an early dinner which is always a green salad made of fresh and seasonal vegetables.
I have included nuts and nut-milk in my diet. I have quit tea, coffee and sugar.
The Impact
Following Anju’s advice on the change in the lifestyle and diet reduced my weight drastically. I lost 7 kgs in the first month and gradually lost 24 kgs over a period of 7 months. My weight has come down from 83kgs to 57kgs now.
My spinal pain has reduced and I do not require a surgery now.
The Change in Life
There is a positive outlook about me now, I feel happy for myself. I feel more active and even looking forward to joining back work very soon.
Food and eating habits impact our mental and physical health. Nature has designed us to consume a certain kind of foods and if we deviate from those, our body and mind shows us symptoms that it is time to go back to nature for a healthier life.
About Sariyu Naik: Sariyu is a mother to a 13 year old and teaches at National Public School in Bengaluru. She is a strong person and believes that for one’s own good and healthier life, one must learn how to adapt to eating only natural foods.
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