I, Bhupen, am an 86-year-old Chemical Engineer from India and Canada, now retired in San Francisco. I was introduced to Lalit Kapoor, also a Chemical Engineer from IIT Kanpur. My wife Minal and I joined Lalit’s WhatsApp class, which led to significant improvements in our health.

Both of us had been living with Type 2 diabetes for over 20 years, along with high blood pressure and severe obesity. We were under the care of several expert doctors and taking multiple medications. As lifelong Jains and vegetarians, adopting a plant-based, whole-food, (PBWF) lifestyle and giving up dairy was extremely difficult. Minal, an expert cook, and I went through many trials and errors to adjust to a dairy-free lifestyle. We eventually grew to love oatmilk chai, soy yogurt/buttermilk, and vegan butter. Remarkably, Minal was able to come off insulin, and we both significantly reduced our medications – surprising all our doctors. Sadly, Minal underwent several unsuccessful surgeries for her knees and eyes, and she chose Santharo in November 2023. She taught me how to live and how to die with dignity.

Today, I feel healthy, happy, and vibrant as I continue following the PBWF lifestyle and strive hard to inspire both Jain and non-Jain communities. I am especially proud that our two sons, two daughters-in-love and four grandchildren now follow aspects of this lifestyle, contributing to environmental protection, animal welfare, and the prevention of chronic health conditions.