I cured pain the natural way

I cured pain the natural way

For years, I'd suffered weak knees. It started with a feeling of softness in the knees and went to extreme pain. What started as an occasional pain started becoming regular and chronic.Slowly, my movements started to get inhibited.I found it difficult to run up and down flights of stairs, and had to be very cautious when I sat down or got up.

Friends and family were on my case to go see an orthopaedic surgeon. Finally, it could no longer be postponed.The doctor checked my knees, put me through a series of tests and finally concluded it was osteoarthritis. No way! I am not that old!

The doctor assured me this could happen to anyone (people with little exercise, a poor diet and family history) not just older people.

And what did my future look like? Would I need a knee replacement? "We'll put you on physiotherapy right away. Replacement is not predictable. You may need it sooner or later," my doc said matter-of-factly.

More than anything else, I was worried that once I started on the meds, I would need to take them all my life. Anyhow, I started on physiotherapy. What I did not do is to start on the medicines-being unsure.

A Naturopath's Way

Around this time, my husband Madhu was in Kerala, and just happened to meet a naturopath through a friend who is a die-hard follower of naturopathy, and completely lives by Dr Jacob Vadakkancheri's (his doctor) advice.

When he returned, Madhu told me to try Vadakkancheri's prescription-go on a diet of completely raw foods."Eat as much as you want, no restrictions on portions," he told me, "It's very important to not stay hungry."

Only, if possible, he asked me to apply oil on the affected area and expose it to sunlight (a natural source of Vitamin D) for a few minutes daily.But he also asked me to stop physiotherapy immediately.

The rationale painful knees are a result of large amounts of toxic deposits in our bodies which affect the proper functioning of cells. A raw food diet neutralises the toxins and speeds up the cell regeneration process, through better digestion (raw foods aid digestion). And over a period of time the toxins from your body are eliminated and good healthrestored-no more painful knees.

Three Week Therapy

It was tougher than I'd thought. Not the eating, as much as organising all the food-remembering to sprout the lentils (moong or chana), ensuring I had all the raw ingredients and dressings to make my big salads that wouldn't bore me. And the fruits, dry fruits, etc.

A week into the diet, I was alreadyfeeling much lighter, the pain a shade better than before. Not just that, I also stopped feeling drowsy post-lunch, could get my work done sooner andleave for home quicker! By the end of week two, it was an effort for me to remember the pain. And by week three, I was a new person!

What Changed

The one biggest take-away from following that diet was my attitude towards food. I started eating more mindfully, became more disciplined about what I ate, drank and how I stocked my pantry. And professionally, this experience laid the foundation for my new venture Tattva-Fresh Organic Kitchen, which is a workday organic meal delivery service.

By Prevention