A Reddit post by a 20-year-old Indian-origin man raised in the United States has sparked a wide-ranging online debate after he said severe digestive problems were pushing him to consider moving back to India.
‘My body can’t cope with food here’
The post, shared on Reddit under the subreddit r/returntoIndia, was titled “Moving to India due to digestive problems.” The young man said he was born and raised in the US in a vegetarian Indian family and continues to follow the same diet.
However, he claimed his body has struggled for years to tolerate common foods in the US. He wrote that neither he nor his family can digest American milk and listed multiple intolerances, including rice, processed flour and pasta. The ongoing issues, he said, have left him feeling “sick and malnourished,” turning daily life into “hell”.
Health issues take emotional toll
Beyond physical discomfort, the man also described the emotional strain of living with chronic digestive issues. He said he felt isolated, had no close friends and described his life in the US as “abnormal” because of his health struggles.
He added that he plans to move to India once he saves enough money, even while acknowledging that the country has its own challenges.
‘I could eat everything in India’
The Redditor said he had previously lived in India for three years and experienced a dramatic improvement in his digestion there. “If I can eat food normally then I think it’s worth it,” he wrote, framing the potential move as a trade-off for better health and quality of life.
He ended his post by asking if others had experienced digestive problems only in the US, noting that in India, he felt he could “eat everything” without issues.
Online reactions divided
The post drew mixed reactions. Some users urged caution, advising him to consult doctors or dieticians before making such a major life decision. One commenter suggested that underlying intolerances or conditions could be managed medically without uprooting his life.
Others strongly related to his experience. One user wrote that their digestive condition disappeared during a visit to India, saying they could eat freely without symptoms.
The discussion has since evolved into a broader conversation about food processing, dietary habits, gut health and how environment and lifestyle can significantly affect well-being for people living abroad.