What Suits Them May Not Suit You — Discovering Your Own Formula for Wellness

An Inspirational Reflection by Dr. Abhishek Gilara

In my childhood, I often saw my great-grandfather using sarso (mustard) oil for his daily body massage. He lived a long, disciplined, and spiritually aligned life — and I assumed what worked for him would surely work for me.

But life teaches us otherwise.

Just a few days back, after applying mustard oil on my body, I experienced disrupted sleep. My body felt unusually heated, even though the AC was running perfectly fine. That night was restless. The next day, I traced back every detail — and realised the oil could be the reason.

This wasn’t the first time. A similar event had occurred months ago — same oil, same discomfort. Still, I tried again. And the day after, I applied mustard oil again — this time on my face before a shave. Within hours, my eye turned red. An allergic reaction. My body was clearly signalling — “This is not for you.”

That’s when I learnt a deeper truth: what nourished my grandfather doesn’t nourish me. Our DNA, environment, food, lifestyle, and inner chemistry — all are different.

We often blindly follow traditions or trends, assuming they’re universally good. But the journey of true health is highly individual. What your mentor, parent, guru, or celebrity endorses may not suit your unique design.

Whether it’s food, oil, exercise, or even thought patterns — learn to observe, question, and adjust. It’s not disrespect to tradition — it’s respect for your body.

Because the sooner we identify what suits us and what doesn’t, the sooner we move from imitation to intelligent self-care.

And that, truly, is where wellness begins.