SHARAN

Testimonial of Bhagawat Balak

Pune based Jayant Kirperkar was detected with prediabetes in 2007. He was asked to lose weight. All was okay till 2015 when he developed diabetes! Read on to understand how he healed himself.

In November of 2015 when we went on a tour to the Andamans island, 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 lunch. From 1st January 2016, 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 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 and salads. I saw some of SHARAN’s YouTube videos including “Health in your Hands – at Ahmedabad”. In a period of just 2 months I reduced my waistline by 5 inches and about 18-20Kg! My HbA1c came down from 10.9 to 5.5! I have now stopped all medicines.

Beetroot Halwa

Yes life can be sweet even if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic! However, this is only possible when you follow the whole plant based diet. So with the festive season around us, check this healthy yet delicious beetroot halwa recipe…You will be surprised!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup finely grated beetroot (with the peel)

•  2 inch piece of coconut or 10 cashews or walnuts soaked for 8 hours

• 1/2 cup deseeded black dates – squished by hand or ground into paste

• 1/4 tsp elaichi powder (cardamom)

Method

Steam the grated beetroot with elaichi powder. Just 5 minutes of steaming is sufficient. If using cashews or walnuts, blend with 2 tsp water to make a thick cream. If using coconut, grind it into a paste with 2 tsp water. Mix all ingredients very well and chill before serving.

Food for Thought

FACEBOOK SUPPORT GROUP

If you love Facebook, then join us to be supported on your plant based journey. We offer 3 possibilities from 1st Jan 2016.

1. SHARAN India This is SHARAN’s main Facebook page which you can like and follow for getting useful daily updates and news from the plant based health world. You will also get news about the latest SHARAN events, see testimonials, and more.

2. SHARAN’s Vegan Support Group This is an open support group to know more about vegan/plant-based lifestyle. Here you can ask questions and share inspiring stories, tips, recipes, etc.

3. SHARAN’s Plant Powered Health This is the new group only for the past attendees of SHARAN’s events: seminars, cooking classes, retreats or longer programs.

All our doctors and presenters will be here to answer your questions and give you tips. If you have attended our events join this group to be a part of our family.

Please like the main SHARAN page and join the group(s) applicable to you.

Pre-diabetes – An alarm

When your blood sugar level is higher that it should be, but not yet in the diabetes range, you are termed a border line diabetic or pre-diabetic. This means that insulin, the hormone that controls your blood sugar is not working well or that you are not producing enough insulin. Pre-diabetes is a wake up call to start taking care so as to avoid getting diabetes, and its other complications like heart disease or stroke.

Most people are not even aware that they are pre-diabetic until they get themselves checked. Some common symptoms are increased appetite, weight loss-despite eating more, increased thirst and urination, and  weakness, tiredness or even blurry vision. One may also develop dark patches at the elbow, knee, armpit or neck area and have skin infections and non healing wounds.

What can you do? Read on to find out…

1. Diet The cause of insulin resistance is FAT inside the muscle cells and so the cure is to remove fat from the diet. This can be done by removing all animal products since they are full of fat. Plant foods on the other hand are rich in fibre which is protective. Refined foods lack fibre and are risky too. A whole plant based diet is delicious and prevents diabetes and other diseases.

2. Hormones Insulin is a hormone. Chemicals are hormone disruptors. Minimise the chemicals in your food by going organic. Minimise chemicals around you by choosing natural personal and home care products. Avoid hormonal treatments.

3. Weight Being overweight is a risk factor. Lose weight by finding ways to exercise that you enjoy coupled with a whole plant based diet.

4. Stress Stress is a major cause of diabetes and prediabetes. Identify the cause of stress and then work on learning how to minimise it. Animal foods also increase stress levels because they are filled with adrenaline as, sadly, the animals in our food chain are always stressed.

5. Family History Our way of eating and living is hereditary more than diseases. And it gets worse with generations. You have the choice to escape the diseases of your parents and grandparents by eating healthily!

6. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, PCOD These also increase the risk of diabetes. Fortunately a whole plant based diet will also bring down blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

7. Medicines Medicines too, are chemicals and certain medicines are known to cause diabetes – statins, some chemotherapy medications, some hormonal drugs like steroids. Real health is the best insurance against medicines.