Hardik's journey through GERD Management.

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We live in an age of information overload. Every day, every moment, we are saturated with a sea of information. But how much of it can we apply to our daily lives?

This is exactly the challenge that California-based Architect - Hardik faced. Working long hours, irregular meals, and waning energy levels. Eating out and drinking often was another thorn in his side.

He knew what his health challenges were.

• Manage his painful, post-meal acidity,
• reduce weight, and,
• bring down his cholesterol levels.

Within 3 months, Hardik was able to meet all the above! And more!

His cholesterol count dropped from 251 to 209 mg/dl. GERD symptoms vanished and even weight came down drastically.

All this without any calorie counting or restrictions. Ofcourse, Hardik did make a lot of lifestyle changes, which we will discuss in this article, but most importantly, Hardik made changes that will keep him healthy all through his life, not for a short time.

Read on!

Hardki's Journey to Being Healthy.

Hardik's high cholesterol levels put him at high risk of heart attacks and strokes. His cholesterol levels were 40% over the healthy range for his age/gender group!

The REAL connection between his cholesterol levels and his food consumption.

Saturated fats and trans-fats are the fats that boost cholesterol levels.

These are the ones Hardik needed to start keeping away from. This would include processed foods, and fried/junk foods. It was easier said than done! But Vinshu, Hardik's nutrition coach took him through the journey very slowly. She personalised recipes as per his liking and helped him make lifestyle changes that were sustainable and simple to follow. Vinshu kept the nutrition plan challenging, but yet doable. This got Hardik excited to implement small changes every week.

Lifestyle modifications play a huge role in cholesterol and weight management. Watch this:

Hardik's weight was another important factor to consider. When we are overweight, we have an excess of fatty tissue. More fatty tissue means more free fatty acids heading to the liver. This impacts cholesterol levels.

Further, his preference to eat out & consume alcohol often would only make things worse. During the program, Hardik made a serious effort to reduce eating out and drinking. Having an accountability heath coach made a impact.

Hardik's perseverance and determination during the program were commendable!

Hardik also struggled from GERD. He would often have sleepless nights due to acidity.

GERD is a chronic condition where stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. This causes extreme discomfort that we identify as 'acidity', a symptom of GERD.

Here is a blog I have exclusively written on GERD management:

• Indian Diet Plan for GERD Management.

The main cause of GERD is linked to the consumption of high-fat foods. Best way to combat it? Eating foods with high dietary fibre content.

Hardik had gotten quite accustomed to eating out many times a week. Coupled with having alcohol too. To address his acidity , these two challenges would have to be worked on.

Vinshu worked hard on understanding the root- cause of his lifestyle and worked on helping him indulge in activities that were not related to food and alcohol over the weekend. She set weekly targets and diligently followed up with them on her weekly calls with Hardik.

Hardik's customised meal plan was complete with high-fiber foods and specific herbs for GERD management. He found these recipes to be simple to understand and execute.

Hardik also loves to cook and Vinshu took advantage of the same and helped him come up with recipes that are tasty and healthy.

Vinshu also shared a personalised chart of ingredients for him to keep in mind to include with every meal. He learned to include specific foods for lowering cholesterol.

Such as:

• Oats, pulses, barley, and other foods high in soluble fiber such as vegetables.
• Soybeans/ tofu and tempeh
• Nuts and seeds
• Fenugreek
• Amla - This superfood was by far the most effective in reducing his levels.

Here is another article I have on cholesterol management that might help some:

• Indian Diet plan for high Triglycerides and Cholesterol.

Having a blueprint of what to eat and what to avoid further helped Hardik stick to the nutrition guidelines. Instead of being dependent on Vinshu every week to send him recipes, Hardik came up with his own combinations based on the guidelines. This is our intention while working with any client, we help them learn to be independent on the program.

Soon enough he was preparing smoothies in the mornings, salads with every meal. While also incorporating the positive, lifestyle changes we suggested for him.

Top 3 Lifestyle Changes Hardik Made On The Program.

Food Journalling

Hardik's transformation included building awareness around his eating habits. Maintaining a food log brought clarity, fostering mindfulness in his dietary choices. Its the most practical way to take responsibility and accountability for what he was eating.

Each day, Hardik wrote what he ate, drank, and when. Through this, he was able to identify patterns in his habits. When he was most likely to eat out? To have a couple of drinks?

Identifying these patterns, we were able to reduce his eating out and alcohol consumption. A big win!

While Food Journalling might not be for everyone, for Hardik, it was coming to terms with reality. He realised he was eating out more than he though and munching on unhealthy snacks way more than he should.

Vinshu then worked with him to understand between identifying hunger signals and mindless eating. She strategically added snacks in his plan that were truly wholesome and delicious. This cut down Hardik's mindless eating and munching.

Time- Restricted Eating:

It took time for Hardik to align with time-restricted eating (TRE). Did you know TRE is one of the most powerful tools for longevity and disease reversal?

By practicing Time- Restricted Eating, Hardik began to feel less bloated. His digestion improved. Cholesterol levels plummeted. So did his weight!

Backed by my team and especially, Vinshu's support and encouragement. Hardik began to maintain a healthy 12-14 hrs between his dinner & next breakfast.

Being More Active:

The simple mindset switch of being physically active each day was a big takeaway!

At the start of the program we set Hardik a goal of completing 7 k steps every day. A target he achieved with success over the program duration and continues to do to this day!

He integrated consistent physical activity into his everyday life. Making being active a way of life itself. Apart from 7k steps, he also worked hard on the planned workouts we provided him to work on his naggling back pain issues. Resulting in a more dynamic and active lifestyle!

Hardik's Recommendations.

There's been nothing but positive feedback from Hardik on his program experience. The support he received from Vinshu and my team was well received and appreciated!

Vinshu was available round the clock to address any questions he had about the program. Also, to keep him motivated & on track. Having an accountability system was crucial. This was so much more effective compared to looking up health-related content online and trying to apply it. Hardik's results speak for themselves.

There was remarkable reductions in cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers. This progress serves as Hardik's testament to the efficacy of following a healthy lifestyle!

Want to work on your own transformation journey? Fill in the form below and lets get on a call to understand how we can help you.