Become healthy, the Darryl D’souza way!

In a strange way, Darryl D’souza, Goa based engineer turned health therapist may have to thank the 14 years of continuous ill-heath that he suffered to become the health expert he is today.

Darryl (46) was hit by pneumonia when he was 20 and multiple ailments like amoebiasis, gastro-intestinal problems, severe piles, necessitating surgical intervention and an incurable skin disease tormented him till the age of 34. Diseases, which conventional allopathy, ayurveda and homeopathy could not cure.

This is when someone directed him to Ashvin Dalal, an acupressure expert in Mumbai. Darryl consulted Dalal and found relief in just two weeks. Speaking to the Herald at the ‘Rejuvenation Centre’ which he runs in Candolim a few days ago, Darryl recalled how acupressure therapy changed his life. “I began recovering from the skin ailment rapidly and my digestion also improved,” Darryl said.

This was in 2005. By which time, Darryl had begun serious research on natural foods, diet and nutrition. He became convinced that natural foods like fruits and vegetables rather than red meats, processed food, sweets, milk and yoghurt was ideal for our digestive system. With his new found knowledge, Darryl admits moving a full 360 degrees from being a ‘hard-core non-vegetarian’ to a ‘full-time vegetarian’.

His recovery through acupressure supported by a natural, vegetarian diet, seemed to sow the seeds for his maiden book—‘Become Healthy or…Extinct’ which he self-published in November 2011 and which is in its fourth edition. In the 280 page book which is also freely downloadable on the internet, Darryl focuses on health, nutrition and metaphysics of the human body and suggests how this can cure chronic illness without medication.

Darryl backs his statements with lots of common sense. He is of the clear opinion that all of us must eat at least two portions of fruit every day. He feels people develop a ‘sweet tooth’ simply because they do not eat fruits every day. “When people deprive themselves of natural sugars from fruits, they end up gorging on mithai, processed sweets, chocolates and ice cream which is all harmful to the body because these are processed sugars mixed with chemicals,” Darryl said.

Darryl resorted to what he calls the ‘21-day rule’ to break his own sweet tooth habit six years ago. “I simply ate fruits two times a day for 21 straight days in 2010. And lo and behold, my craving for chocolates and mithai vanished completely,” he said.

Vegetables assume an equally important position in Darryl’s food plan. According to him, easy-to-eat vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, beetroots, carrots and radish must be consumed raw without adding any masalas or spices. “We must trust our taste buds and eat these veggies just the way they were meant to be eaten,” he said.

According to Darryl, fruits and vegetables in our diet must be supplemented with grains and pulses albeit in limited quantity. Grains like wheat must be eaten more in the cooler months as they are heavier and provide heat, while millets like bajra, jowar, ragi etc must be eaten in the summer as they are lighter and easier to consume.  

Expectedly, Darryl says a big ‘No’ to meat. According to the health therapist, meat is meant for carnivorous animals like dogs, wolves, jackals and the big cats. “Carnivorous animals relish raw meat as it is their natural food. If I were to offer you a piece of raw meat, I am sure you would not like the sight, smell or taste of it. Human beings cook, garnish and spice up the meat to fool their senses,” he said.

Similarly, Darryl does not encourage the consumption of milk and milk products.  According to the health therapist, man must be the only mammal who continues to drink milk and consume milk products after the age of three. He attributes at least 15 common diseases in human beings due to the continuous consumption of milk — diabetes, asthma, pneumonia, chronic cough and cold, arthritis, gas and indigestion among others. He said, “I recommend you stop drinking milk or eating any milk product for just 15 days. You will immediately feel lighter and healthier.”

Darryl’s Candolim based ‘Rejuvenation Centre’ is a serene place which conducts courses in meditation, yoga, acupressure, counselling, good environmental practices and even organic farming. The centre also organises a regular ‘Earth keepers’ Market’ every Sunday in centres across North Goa to promote organic products and foods. Besides this, Darryl also organises a two-day annual festival titled—‘Continued Medico Spiritual Education’ (CMSE) in Goa every December, where therapists and healers guide participants towards achieving wellness in their lives.