Ankita Shrivastava, 28, is a World Record Holder, International Athlete, Liver Donor, Entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and the youngest to enter 40 under 40 Animation, VFX, Gaming and Comics Industry in India.
She is an International Athlete who has won 2 Golds (long jump and ball throw) and 1 Silver (100 m) for India at the World Transplant Games by the Olympics Association.
Here is Ankita’s regime and how has the transplant affected her life, if, in any way.
‘I take my transplant as a boon as it came in my teenage years, a span where we are negligent, ignorant and reckless with our health. When I was asked to increase 15 kgs in a month, I was just 17.
The caution point was this 15 kgs had to be increased organically, not through fast food or junk. That day I realized it’s as difficult as decreasing! I would take in 6 cups of ensure (13-14 spoons per serve), eat cashews, chicken, bananas, carbohydrate all day, vomiting at least once due to the dump! But the intent was clear, it was non - negotiable.
Once I donated my liver, I immediately lost 14 kgs in the 24 hours I was inside for the surgery. But I knew now my lifestyle had to change. I became conscious for extreme reasons but if I could put out a message in the world it would be to watch your plate young.’
Ankita speaks about the diet she follows, ‘Well just after the transplant I was falling sick frequently, without eating too much. I realized I had become allergic to multiple food items like egg, mushrooms etc. which I wasn’t previously. A small liver, no gall bladder and a slow recovery added to the misery. But by heart I am a traveler and being at once place makes me sicker than anything else. That’s when I decided to create a special diet for myself.
I travel, I guess more than my peers, but I am only on dry fruits, fruits, coconut water, curd, fresh milk. I’ve had to visit hospitals in any country I have travelled from Nepal, Indonesia, France to USA making me realize that any freshly cooked meal could also have an egg oil over it which I can’t risk. It’s easier when am home, it’s usually home cooked food. As a promise and self-health-hack I follow is I eat and go for parties making it impossible to hover over food with a full stomach.
Is it just food or are you back to training? ‘For the World Transplant Games I followed a tough regime of 8 hours workout but on a daily basis 1.5 hours is something I like to follow. My recent discovery has been that common as we’ve heard but a rule we don’t follow as health junkies is to give our body recovery time. 3-4 days a week is now what I like to follow so that the body gets ample rest time, this favors my excuses on off days but is also a more sustainable plan to follow.
What will be your give away to youth that follow you? ‘Start young! Live quickly! There isn’t enough time. Everything is easier today than it will be tomorrow. But if you start young, you can graciously age, a phenomenon even the best can’t stop.
Mental health is as important as physical health so do what you like. Even Presidents die and the world moves on, so don’t think about opinions they are a major setback to your mental health. Smile, share and spread love'.
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