My True Story

WLJ & ME

How I replaced the “i” from my illness to a “we” to make it wellness.

WLJ — many call it Warm Lemon Juice and so do I at times but for me, it’s how this Warm Lemon Juice started my Weight Loss Journey.

It was just about two years ago that bells rang hard and continuously, knocking on my head… “wake up, wake up..open your door to wellness; it’s now or never.” Well, this was at that junction in life when I was on total bed rest with only 6 slip discs for 6 weeks and more. All that the doctors were advising at that moment was spinal surgeries with fusions, both cervical and lumbar to be done together in a minimum of 30 hours.

This would have been the 3rd time around as I had already had cervical and lumbar surgery way back in 2001 and 2003, respectively.

Dreading the outcomes and imagining reliving those again, wasn’t something I or my family was ready for at all. It required me to be on the bed again for 3 months post-surgery and since I refused, a few doctors came up with the idea of putting a Harrington Rod in my full spine.

I thought to myself …is that the only solution I have left… only to get cut and then soon again at a later stage prepare myself to get on to the bed or a wheelchair for life? This probability would have been very high because I had reached my maximum ever weight of 86.4kg. While being on bed rest for 8 weeks, all thanks to the medications I ended up gaining 12 kgs. So post surgery again I would have been on steroids for 3 months and would have touched at 100kg maybe, and then what effect would the surgery have on fixing my spine? Well as per me — Negative or only 20% and that too would soon negate.

Thus with all this planning in my mind and of course with my hubby and my kids, I decided not to be a surgeon’s delight for once.

It was then that my physician from Bombay — Dr. Ramesh K Aggarwal ( a living god for all his patients ) guided me once again to try to heal myself naturally, for I was a walking medical storehouse popping pills for relief like Poppins. For in the past 17 years I had visited the Operation Theatre 7 times around and more so I was hanging around with extreme Hypothyroid and that caused loads of other diseases like Syndrome X, Hormonal Issues, Asthma, etc, and of-course weight gain too. He then told me I needed a complete system wash — a full-on detox as medicines too were not working on me but rather were causing side effects.

So 3 years ago, I had tried JNI (Jindal Naturecure Institute in Bangalore, India )for just 10 days to get a cleanse, and I felt better, though I was advised that in my case the detox would take multiple visits. Nevertheless, after a year upon getting a critical post on an asthmatic attack, I went there again to get my asthma under control and it worked, making me develop a strong faith in Naturopathy — and the body’s power to heal by itself.

Thus, as soon as my 8 weeks of bed rest ended, I decided to give it a try and went off to Jindal Naturecure Institute, Bangalore.

For me, I can say that going there was a blessing as that is when my actual healing and cure started. Where all allopaths would say — don’t move and kept me on bed rest, there the naturopaths and physiotherapist said walk and move.

Lying down had made me waste all my muscles, I wasn’t able to use my arms and hands, for that matter even hold a spoon too for more than 2 bites at a go. Sitting and that too only with my legs up and straight was allowed for a maximum of 10 minutes. But with all the effort and daily push of all my wonderful doctors at JNI, I started to walk on the road to recovery.

They explained to me the pros and cons of this surgery, in case I decided to go in for it as the treatment line they suggested, was cumbersome and long.So after discussing it all back home, we decided to take the long route and treat me naturally.

First things first, they made me calculate my weight over the years and the effect it had on my spine. Going back in time and recalling that even with my disc problems when my weight was in the 55–60 range, I was mobile. But every time whenever I had the slip discs at my peak weight, I was on bed rest.

We realized it was a straight link that my spine doesn’t take my weight. Why didn’t the other doctors ever tell me this? All they would do was give me medicines that would numb my pain, increase the weight more, and put me on bed rest which would worsen my situation more and then tell me that they have no alternative but to eventually operate upon me.

For years, every 6 months nearly I had survived this pain and dilemma of what next, each time I had a spinal pain episode and was put on bed rest. But this time around, I was sure that I won’t let any such thing happen.

So my doctors at JNI chalked out a plan to heal my spine with the help of naturopathy treatment massages, Ayurvedic massages, acupuncture, and loads of physiotherapy 2–3 times a day during my stay there. And yes the first 3 weeks worked liked magic and I was able to walk well for short distances and even use my arm and hand a bit.

Moving on with a plan to avoid medicines and their counter effect, as we were working on detoxing my body too so that all the medicinal toxicity flushes out, we decided that I would come back to JNI as soon as the pain re-starts and I can’t tolerate it without medicine.

And yes they explained to me that Weight Loss is most important in my condition and needs to be attended on an Emergency Note. With all this in mind, I went back home and thought that this is indeed a really difficult task that I have taken up to naturally heal.

To get to an 80% stability and function normally, it would take me investing a minimum of 2 years and thus every couple of months away from home and family.

Thus finally agreeing to give it a go, Me, My Hubby and My Kids kept our fingers crossed that it works well, as we were all anti-surgery.

Now, but what about the weight I thought .. as what you loose there, I had heard doesn’t stay and is very difficult to maintain until you don’t zip your mouth. For a die-hard foodie like me, this seemed an impossible challenge to undertake. Well, this is exactly what happened … so when I went back after 2 months, I had put on not only what I had lost but an extra 1 kg too as icing. The doctors were very upset with this and then told me that if this happens again, I can choose to go in for surgery instead. This got me worried and as I sat after the day end in my room that night, I thought I need to do something to fix this.

I had heard from a friend in Dubai about IIN — Institute of Integrative Nutrition, New York — the world’s largest and foremost nutrition school and decided to join it after doing one night of research. I decided that to fix myself and from the core, it’s best to get into the field myself.

So with this vision of seeing myself fit and fabulous a year down from then, I joined IIN, and with that started my Wellness Journey — my journey of self — healing.

Each day as I studied, I learned so much and realized where all I was going wrong. Soon the healing started with making correct food choices and I was getting better. In my next trip to JNI, I was able to maintain what I lost and kept on working on my weight loss. I made my food plans and followed them. Each passing month and learning over 150 dietary theories, I soon knew what clicks where and when. You know the best part about IIN is the Bio — Individuality. — that states that “ One man’s food is the other man’s poison .” No two people can have the same food and have the same results. So by working this concept on myself, I ended up using it well to my advantage and even by mixing some of it with the Naturopathy treatments too, I saw results coming.

Three months down the line in my Health Coach training, I was officially allowed to give people nutritional advice and get them flagged off to start their wellness journey too. I loved every minute of this self-healing as well as this opportunity that I got.

Soon, I was put on a rehab program to build strength and started gymming. This again was a shock to the allopaths and surgeons who still wanted me to be on rest. But now, I had fully lit the spark of wellness in me and was on fire!

There was nothing; no one who could stop me now from solving this health maze of mine. So as I paved my wellness path, starting from a whopping Uk Size 18, in a year and a half I was thrilled to come down to a UK Size 10. Well, it was not just size and weight drop but I can say that I finally learned how to replace the “i” from my illness to a “we” to make it wellness.

As it’s said “ To change the world around you, you must change the world within you “so, in the end, I was so happy that I gifted myself this wonderful Gift of health which was super amazing, totally empowering, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Thereafter, I decided to take this on and try to help as many who wish to make this shift in their lifestyle, to learn to live a healthy life naturally.

Now as a Nutrition, Holistic Health, and Wellness Coach, I wish each day to soar new heights, not just to continue to benefit myself and my family but for all those in need. I want to help create a ripple effect in the world to make it a healthier and happier place to live in.

With the determination for doing so, I started My F.A.N Clan which is my one-stop Fitness And Nutrition destination where you can find daily motivational Fitness and Nutrition tips to keep you going and the help as well as motivation and push needed to make a change in your lifestyle.

Thus, I even made a tag line for myself and the world that “ If you prioritize Fitness & Nutrition, health remains… but if you don’t, wellness drains!”

So, what are you waiting for?

Come join My FAN Clan, Be You- Be the Change for together we can Build a New You!

©️ Geetika Sethi July 2020 A chapter from “Fitnutopia”, my upcoming book on Fitness & Nutrition.

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