For many Indian students, moving to the US is a dream come true, but for one Reddit user, the transition became a physical nightmare. In a viral post that has struck a chord with the diaspora, a student from Mumbai shared her experience of how her health spiralled after relocating for college.
“I didn’t realize how much moving to the US would affect my body,” a Redditor wrote, adding, “I came here for college, first time living alone, in a small town. Back home in Mumbai, India, I was always active without thinking about it, walking everywhere, catching locals, eating home food.”
She continued that after relocating to the US, “things changed quietly.” She continued, “Shared apartment, tiny kitchen, US groceries, no real routine. Cooking Indian food felt exhausting. Grocery shopping felt overwhelming. I wasted a lot of vegetables just because I didn’t know how to plan or use them in time.”
As a result, she ended up “skipping meals or eating low-effort food.” Eventually, she faced a series of health issues, including low energy, missed periods, and other issues she hadn’t dealt with before. She concluded her post by asking,”Just wanted to ask if anyone else experienced this after moving? What helped you adjust?”
Social media reacts:
An individual wrote, “Yes, I moved to the USA when I was 21 and back home in India – I never felt that I needed to do anything for my health as everything was way too healthy – home food, actual veggies, groceries were not synthetic, and food had taste! Here, everything is junk. Even when I plan to cook something at home, the veggies taste awful here! Every single thing tastes bad! I had shed some 16kgs within 10-12 months.”
Another added, “I developed eczema and a dairy allergy in the US. As soon as I return home to India, my eczema disappears, and I can drink local milk, eat paneer, and so on. I have no idea why this is happening. I can relate to dealing with not having regular meals; it’s overwhelming to cook and eat fresh food every single day. You can start meal prepping and make your life simple. Focus on your daily tasks, take a walk and meal prep. Slowly, you’ll get used to it.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)