shakti1 “From Bed-ridden to Driving the Car … A true Buddha in my life…”

“If anyone had told me that I could be back on my feet doing all house-chores and also driving a car, I would have surely laughed and also felt hurt of him/ her being so cynical.  Rachna did the same, but there was so much conviction that immediately my husband and I established a strong bond with her. Whatever she said appeared to be coming from the mouth of a Buddha. Being a practitioner of Buddhism, we prayed for the wisdom to choose the right treatment and after hours and hours of prayers, we got our answer mystically through a friend naming RC.”

Shakti Sharma, 38 years old, came to me in November 2014. In the Mumbai humidity (post rains and before the cool breeze had hit us), it was 34 degrees and humid. Shakti was wrapped up in a shawl, feeling bitterly cold and unable to walk well. She had rheumatoid arthritis. I felt a shiver go down my spine. She reminded me of my own state in 2006. The pains returned for a few seconds like a dreadful past, a bad stench, till I refocused on Shakti. She sat down, her husband holding her hand as she did, to support her. I had to help her.

It all started 12 years back in 2002 for Shakti when she was struck by severe rheumatoid arthritis. As the RA factor was negative, the Rheumatologist diagnosed it as Inflammatory Polyarthritis. Subsequently, it was coupled with Fibromyalgia, hence both her bones and muscles were in uninterrupted, continuous pain, causing fatigue, weakness, restlessness and extremely compromised immunity. Shakti began allopathic treatment, but fearful of the numerous side effects, decided to go for homoeopathy. Three years later, the pains had expounded with occasional relief, so she shifted to allopathy. The steroids and methotrexate became part of her life. A few years were manageable, but with a lot of stress and discomfort of regular pains.

But since 2008, even her pain killers had stopped working.

“Each joint of my body was regularly in severe pain that was increasing day by day. My nights were sleepless, days were full of frustration. I stopped smiling and going out of the house. And the side effects of Allopathic medicines also started haunting me with hair fall, skin darkening, indigestion…” Shakti trailed off, explaining to me.

Shakti had shifted to Ayurveda in 2013 and after a few months, there was some improvement. However, with the reduction in steroids and complete removal of methotrexate, her body started showing withdrawal symptoms.

“I was bed-ridden and started feeling depressed. My husband had to help me even to take turns or get up from the bed. That was the time when a friend recommended visiting RC and rest is all now history.”

Shakti loves the good life. It was so difficult for her to control her food and movements, but she understood the importance of eliminating the harmful foods that were causing inflammation. Twice, within the treatment period, she relapsed because she had relatives around and being the nice person she is, didn’t want to inconvenience them. I explained to her that till her foundation of rooting out inflammation & higher immunity didn’t form, she would undergo these fluctuations.

“Rachna, like a sister, started explaining everything—the causes, the imbalance and benefits of the diet. With the treatment of RC in form of balanced diet and supplements with almost daily interaction, I felt the energy coming back in my body within 3 months; the steroids were also completely removed. And after 6 months, the pains almost disappeared. It is the conspicuous benefit that has flowed into my life in the form of the right medicine through the right diet. My 12 years of health issues finally found a solution. And the inconspicuous benefit I have attained is in the form of self-confidence and the way of looking at life in me. I could have never imagined driving my car again.”

To see Shakti go out, enjoy life, have the energy to celebrate life, are my biggest rewards as a health practitioner. What I did with Shakti is what I practice and implement with all my patients: and it’s called mainstream healing. Something that doctors don’t understand because it doesn’t involve deadly chemicals to suppress the body.

“Now, I feel refreshed every day, my skin has started glowing again and compliments on reduced weight come unceasingly. No amount of gratitude is enough for RC to bring me back from the brink of depression to a state of happiness for me and my family.”

Shakti’s glowing skin and spirit to match fill me with new hope every day. Hope that someday, the medical world will recognise holistic healing as a way of life.