Today I am going to share one important experience of my life. In 2014, I joined Ph.D. in IIT Ropar, Punjab. When I came to Ropar I started having the gastric problem. I consulted many doctors but nothing worked out. Some of them suggested that I should leave eating oily stuff, as people think the gastric problem is mainly because of oily stuff. But I belong to west U.P., where every week we have some festival. In my family twice a week it’s sure to have poori and heavy meals. Few dishes are common to that area those belong to the very oily category like samosas, Chhole bhature, chats, lots of potatoes, chips, and so on. So, I felt that oily stuff is not the reason, I am eating it from my childhood. There is something else.
Then one day I went to Apollo hospital Delhi and met with a senior doctor. He was really a very nice person and after all tests, I came to know that I am suffering from vitamin D deficiency, and it also causes stomach fluffiness. I took that treatment for 4-5 months and again went for vitamin D and B-12 tests. Results were positive and I was feeling better.
But, I was still having the gastric problem and was tired of it. I searched online and found that many people are having similar problems. Then I thought I will have to do something. I joined a course on coursera offered by Dr. Maya from Stanford University. I learned a lot from this program and changed my ways of living. After doing that course, I also read many articles on the internet and watched few more videos and courses.
Now it was a perfect time to implement, what all I have learned. I started implementing few tips in my daily life. Just after 2-3 months, I started getting lots of compliments. People said that I look more active. I was also feeling light because I was having a very less gastric problem. I would like to clear one thing to you, that this article doesn’t mean for weight loss. It’s just to make you healthy and to make you look more fit and active.
Now after reading all this, I know you will also be eager to know these tips, so it’s time to share with you. Before reading these, I hope you will make your mind to follow at least few of them. You can also gain weight after this but don’t worry, this will not happen. 🙂 By using these tips, It’s sure that you will feel better.
These are the amazing tips that have changed my life, Now it’s time to change yours:
- Drinking Water: After waking up, have one glass lukewarm water with lemon and honey. And if possible do the same before you sleep. As all people know hostel students are lazy, so, I just started having normal one glass water in the morning and one before sleeping. Try to take at least 3 liters of water in a day.
- A Glass of Milk: We know milk is very healthy for our diet but when should we take it. One doctor suggested me that if I am having gastric problem, I should avoid taking milk in the morning. So, I started having it in the evening, and make sure even after that you should have enough time to digest. One more warning, avoid tea/coffee early morning.
- What about meals: We should take 3 meals in a day and I did following changes in that. I started having heavy breakfast, and normal lunch. In dinner, I stopped taking heavy stuff. You can prepare Raita, fruit salad, veg salad, etc. for dinner. Once you start feeling improvements, you can have a proper meal in the night. It has worked for me perfectly, now I can eat anything and have no indigestion/gastric problem.
- What More, Exercise and Yoga: I do pranayama for 30-40 minutes in the morning and it’s very good for health. Before making changes in my diet, I used to do exercise for one hour daily, but I didn’t feel any improvement. After these diet changes, I stopped doing exercise, but what I used to do was: After having a meal (lunch/dinner) take around 15 minutes rest and then have a fast walk for 30-60 minutes. It was suggested by a doctor from IIT Ropar and It really helped me.
- Just ask one question: I learned this question from an online course by Dr. Maya (Stanford professor) and it has changed my life. Whenever you are having something to eat, just ask one question: why you are going to eat this, Is it really needed? I started asking this and automatically, I was eating more healthy stuff. There are few more tips:
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- Eat food whenever it is served properly. It will help you to avoid junk food.
- Cold Drinks/Soda: These drinks are the best way to spend your money to make your body more unhealthy. Don’t pay much for it.
- Control the intake of sugar: Sugar intake is of two types: Direct Sugar (when we eat it directly), and Indirect Sugar (like fruits and milk contain natural sugar). We should control the intake of direct sugar, like in Sweets, Namkeen, chats, candies, and so on.
- Daily try to eat fruits, and if you are taking fruit juice, then prefer fresh fruit juice. These are much healthier than the packed juices and have no preservatives.
- If you doubt that the food is not cooked with cleanliness, then avoid eating it.
- Sleep on time, it really helps.
Now I am eating almost the same food but I just shuffled the timing and results motivated me to write this much longer post. I was very eager to share this with you because I know, it will surely help you as it did mine. Waiting to read good reviews from your side too. 🙂
I am also planning to write one more list of tips for hostellers, like what they can eat and how they can change their diet system when we all know our main focus is the study, not food/health. Please wait for this. 🙂
Akrati Saxena 