SHARAN

Testimonial of Sharmia Roy

Sharmila Roy so very beautifully and honestly shares how there came a time where she was literally immobile due an inflammation in the brain. Today she has completing a course on whole-plant based nutrition as it has helped her heal tremendously…

I have 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. I was diagnosed with 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. The other option would have been to go for a tissue biopsy. Soon my kidney and liver parameters deteriorated and to control those I needed more drugs.

Around that time, 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. So with medicines and supplements I was taking close to 30 pills a day. My condition improved but only upto a point. A year later I realised that I had ended up substituting my allopathic medicines with supplements.

Meanwhile to understand for myself the role of nutrition on health,  I completed a one year diploma in nutrition therapy from the UK but still many of my doubts remained unanswered. Hence , when an abdomen sonography revealed early Cholesterosis of the gall bladder, it came as no  surprise. I had also 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. I decided to go for it on my own, aided by the SHARAN cooking classes. A consultation with Dr Nandita Shah later convinced me that I was indeed 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. However, 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 for long 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.

Thank you for showing the light, SHARAN!!

Peanut Curd

Yes, there will most likely be a time after going on a whole plant based diet that your allergies will start to disappear! And yes you can actually then start enjoying peanut curd too! It’s quite easy.

Peanuts lend creaminess to the milk but have a strong flavour which can be reduced by mixing in rice. Rice also helps to thicken the milk and curds.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw peanut soaked for 8 to 12 hours

• ½ cup brown rice soaked for 8 to 12 hours OR 2 tablespoons brown rice flour

• 6- 8 cups water (1 litre water)

• 5 – 6 chilli tops / non-dairy curd starter

Method

Put peanuts in a blender and blend till you get a smooth paste adding a little water at a time. Similarly make rice milk. (If you are using brown rice powder then mix it with 2 cups of water). Stir the peanut milk and boil slowly on low heat. Once it starts to thicken, start adding the rice milk slowly while stirring to prevent clumping. Let the milk fully boil and thicken. Cool to body temperature. Set the yogurt using the chosen starter the first time you make it, and keep some as a starter for the next batch.

The starter can also be stored in the freezer.

Note- If you want a thick set curd then use 6 cups of water for making the milk or if you prefer a bit runny curd use 8 cups of water.

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.

Allergies are simply signals

Nowadays one tends to hear a lot about allergies. We conduct a number of cooking classes, and these questions are persistent – I am allergic to something, what do I replace it with? Inflight meals and restaurants cater to these allergies. An increasing number of children are susceptible to allergies. And yes it can be irritating as one needs to be always on guard!

So what is an allergy? – Its an overreaction of your body’s natural defences to exposure to a particular substance, treating it as an invader and sending out chemicals to defend against it, resulting in hives or rashes, breathing difficulties or other problems. It can be a result of foreign proteins, unnatural to our body. This could be in the form of food that our body is not designed for or even a result of vaccinations, blood transfusions which are also foreign proteins. An injection or some medications can also trigger this response.  But food is a major cause. Our body rejects food that is not meant for us in the first place! And the solution is simple – have the food that your body was designed for! At SHARAN, we have many people that have rid themselves of their allergies by adopting the whole plant based diet.

Read about the Common Diet Mistakes that create Allergies

1. Not having enough fruits and vegetables – We avoid nature’s fast food and get sick faster! Not having enough fruits and vegetables results in low intake of phytonutrients which are powerful anti-oxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits. There is absolutely no limit to the number of fruits and vegetables that you can have per day. So start increasing your intake of these vital foods.

2. Having milk and dairy products – Just stopping dairy has helped many people get free of allergies! After all cows milk is for calves, isn’t it?

3. Having meat and eggs – These too are not what our body is designed for. Our anatomy, physiology and even instincts point to plant based nutrition.

4. Intake of processed foods – Food dyes are known to create allergic reactions.

5. Eating a lot of grains especially breads – Most commercial breads contain dairy, preservatives, oil etc. Though we are accustomed to eating grains its not our natural food. No wonder gluten intolerance is so common.

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