The Myth of Healthy Eating: My Vegetarian Dilemma
Indian food, especially vegetarian, is supposed to be healthy, right? At least, that’s what I believed for the longest time. But here’s the twist: being a vegetarian doesn’t automatically mean healthy. My plate was often piled with delicious carbs, fats, and the occasional bit of protein. Naan, and anything with potatoes—those were my kryptonite. I remember when I could eat for three and still look like I hadn’t eaten in days—ah, youth!
The Wake-Up Call: Pre-Diabetic and Ignoring the Signs
But time marches on. My workout routine grew more sporadic, my diet didn’t get any better, and I wasn’t exactly keeping track. I thought I could get away with it—until one day, during a routine check-up, the doctor hit me with a word I didn’t want to hear: pre-diabetic. I waved it off like a minor inconvenience. The doctor gave me meds, but I wasn’t having any of it. “I’ll handle it myself,” I told myself. My glucose levels occasionally crept to 130 mg/dl (fasting), but hey, ignorance is bliss, right?
The Turning Point: A Family Loss That Shook My World
At least it was until the day my father, who had a similarly laid-back attitude towards his diabetes, suffered a fatal cardiac arrest. His sudden passing rocked my world. It wasn’t just a wake-up call; it was a jolt. I realized that diabetes wasn’t just some background issue—it could silently wreak havoc.
The Decision: Taking Control Without Medication
That was the turning point. I decided then and there: I wasn’t just going to control this thing—I was going to reverse it. Yes, reverse it! I marched into my doctor’s office, resolute. “I’m not taking medication,” I declared. “I’m going to do this by changing my lifestyle, no matter what it takes.”
He was supportive, but skeptical. “Lots of people say that,” he said. “But they usually fall back on medication. It’s not easy.”
I knew he was right. Diabetes is a sneaky thing—it chips away at you from the inside, quietly. But I was done playing games.
The Battle Plan: The Tough Choices to Reverse Diabetes
The doctor laid out my options, the hardest being:
- Eat healthy
- Reduce visceral fat
- Exercise
- Medication
- Surgery
“Okay,” I thought, “this isn’t so bad.” But then came the kicker: carbs. Indian food’s best friend. Cutting out sugar was one thing, but carbs? That meant saying goodbye to roti, rice, naan, and my beloved potatoes. I sighed and said, “Well, it’s either change my habits or let diabetes take over.”
The Experiment: Lifestyle Changes and A New Diet
It wasn’t as far-fetched as it seemed. For two months already, I had been experimenting with a stricter diet, and my confidence came from loosing 10 pounds in 2 months. I went back to the food that once led me down this path, but this time, in moderation. I realized that diabetes isn’t just a medical condition—it’s a lifestyle challenge. And while the standard medical advice is to “control” diabetes, I was determined not to just delay the inevitable.
So, here’s what I did, extreme but simple:
- No sugar.
- No carbs—bye-bye naan, rice, potatoes, and pretty much everything tasty in Indian cuisine.
- No processed food.
- Eat only during daylight hours.
- Drink black coffee (no sugar) for liver cleansing.
- Take a little vinegar before meals.
- Add more walks and workouts to the mix.
I was even growing potatoes in my backyard but not they are of no use to me
My Go-To Recipe: A Meal for the Journey
I became my own guinea pig—an experiment in reclaiming control. One of my go-to meals is quick, simple, and packed with protein. Here’s the recipe that keeps me going:
Technology:
- Stelo a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)
- Glucose monitor(GM) the one that needs to draw blood
Bit of a rant here: I use Stelo but its data does not matches GM, it always off by + 20/30, but since I don’t like pricking my fingers all the time, CGM would do it for now. Stelo was kind enough to replace the device, but the new one is still in disagreement with GM.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons of ghee
- 2–3 cubes of methi (fenugreek)
- A few lotus stems
- Frozen peas
- 1 clove of garlic
- Ginger ( per your taste)
- 1 onion (chopped into big cubes)
- 1 tomato (chopped into big cubes)
- Indian spices (red chilies, coriander, amchoor, hing, salt)
- 2–3 eggs
Recipe:
- Microwave the methi, lotus stems, and peas for 3 minutes.
- Heat ghee in a pan and sauté the garlic, ginger, onion, tomato, and spices for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
- For added protein, toss in eggs cooked however you like.
It’s simple, flavorful, and it gets the job done. I eat this twice a day, sometimes less, and balance it with more walking or a workout on tougher days.
Liver cleaner tonic:
The Goal: Winning the War on Diabetes
It’s not always easy, but it’s either this or letting diabetes win. And that’s not an option for me. War is not over yet, this is just a start and will share more.