I’m healthier, more agile now than I was in my 30s. I remember overdoing, overthinking, overworking myself and then landed up with an autoimmune disease. With a collapsed immune system and joints, I was bed ridden. It was time to reflect on whether to continue with this life or find a new path. As the rheumatologist jabbed injections in my knuckles and bones and I screamed, something happened in my brain. Over the next few days, I disconnected with my previous self and started connecting with my future self.
Today, just a couple of days after I celebrated my birthday, I realise that I am able to do a lot of things I couldn’t do when I was in my 30s. Opening a sealed bottle of water, squeezing toothpaste out of the tube are tasks that most people take for granted, which I couldn’t do. I run thrice a week, when I couldn’t walk post diagnosis. Having clarity of mind and a positive mood, when earlier I was suicidal because of the pain. These are all very precious and have been for 17 years.
Sometimes it takes a disease to change us.
Rebuilding isn’t about going back to where we were, how we were. I don’t want to go back to that life, because it gave me disease. Rebuilding is about moving forward and learning that every day, when we wake up, we have a choice to be consistent with our mind and body. Or we can succumb – just one more time. Often, I’ve compared my choices to that of a recovering addict. The recovering addict chooses every morning to not pick their addiction over a healthier life. When we choose ourselves, we find the verve to live. On the first day of 2026, I am grateful for this day, for nurturing my mind so that it can direct my body to walk, love, work, live.
Only fixing our nutrition will do it, we think. But we struggle. Here are my learnings on how and why I healed, because sometimes we don’t know what our starting point should be.
🎀 First, don’t to evaluate or fix anything — but listen. Your cells carry a quiet wisdom.
🎀 Ask yourself: How do I want to show up for my life?
🎀 If you’re reading this, chances are you care deeply about growth, healing, and being youthful — not just for yourself, but for others too. This helps slow down inflammation and ageing.
🎀 Don’t start strong, only to lose momentum. Be gentle.
🎀 Movement is most important, or the body goes to seed. If you can’t walk, sit and exercise, lie down and do yoga. Best anti ageing advice I can give you.
🎀 Believe that discipline means structure, consistency, but sometimes, failing only to rise. Don’t give up, start again.
🎀 Choose a different starting point for 2026.
🎀 Self-discipline isn’t self-punishment.
It’s self-love in action. Choose it.
I hope these will help you be healthier than you ever were. I wish for you the same nurturing and choices so that you can live a full life, because, without having an able mind and body, how can we ever fulfil our dreams? Wishing you a very happy New Year, and grateful that you read my post till the end 🫶🏻
[Autoimmune, Antiageing, Start Slow, Consistency, Fifty, Exercise]