Inaugurated by Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, a BJP M.P., the other day in Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh, India), a medical event took place where doctors of eminence participated in debate on medicinal issues. Dr. P.K. Dalal of King George Medical University, Lucknow, opined that depression is twice as common among women than men. Almost all the doctors in the meet were of an unanimous view that self medication is always hazarduous and the patients have to refrain from so doing. The very factor as to why tendency towards depression is more in the case of women compared to men was, however, not discussed with an adequate elaboration shedding necessary light on the malady. Emotionally women tend to be hyper sensitive and that is one reason why they take even trivial most issues more seriously which in turn becomes the cause for a perpetual sort of strain and tension resulting into depression after a certain gap of time. This is an area which needs serious attention of those who are running the administration of health and medicines and requires to be given a top priority peremptorily.
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Squeezing the patience of customers:
It’s a broad day loot rampant all around these days with the competition amongst the looters as to who can squeeze a customer the most in the matter of charges. The scenario is worst in the case of medical practitioners irrespective of the discipline which they belong to –allopathy, ayurvedic, homoeopathy or even unani. The great thing is that all of them are getting a sumptuous number of customer patients which amply shows that there is no dearth of money at all at their level. Dental surgeons have a typical way of charging their fee. For treatment of a solitary tooth they charge for three on the logic that the adjoining teeth too form the requisite base. How funny? Requisite base is entirely a secondary basis impliedly linked with any tooth otherwise and there can be no logic in charging for it. If one tooth is damaged and requires to be treated or removed why the hell the adjoining tooth be charged for nothing. The most unreasonable side of it is that if the charges for treating one tooth is say Res.3,000/ the amount charged is 9,000/ (1 tooth+2 adjoining teeth by its right and left side). This is a sheer loot and a heinous practice like this on the part of the dentist doctor requires to be arrested peremptorily in the interest of the patients.
Sunday, 17 August 2014
How to start a day?
I was reading Amandeep Kaur, a life coach, in a daily and feel like recording an extract of her writeup that inspired me much. If one feels concerned with his/ her health and wellness, the advice so contained in the extract is worth following and the readers of this blog can take full advantage of it as a matter of awareness and a meaningful pointer in day today life of every one. The extract under reference is reproduced below:
“How we start our day sets the tone for the entire day. When we begin our day with a grateful heart, contemplating the greatness within and around us, its fragrance spreads throughout the day. Taking out some time for ourself, in the first hour, is time well invested. It could be just a few minutes of quiet time, focussing our mind in meditation or being one with nature looking at lush green trees, the blue sky, chirping birds and breathing all in.”
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Relief on drug prices–little but it matters:
Emerge as it did from Modi’s budget presented recently, there is some respite against soaring prices in relation to drugs and also certain food stuffs. The prices of drugs particularly those relating to diabetes and heart ailments including blood pressure are considerably reduced in the range of 35% which places the rates of the medicines back to what was in operation 29 months ago. If it takes a tangible shape this is sure to give substantial relief to a big chunk of patients of diabetes and heart ailment. Moreover, it is something that sets a pattern for days to come when such a relief is extended to various other categories in the medical area. Certain categories of food stuffs and eatables are already rendered cheaper which is much of a relief to common people. In an atmosphere where it had almost become unthinkable that there could be even a smallest possible relaxation in the matter of soaring prices, what is emerging by way of such a relief is not to be branded as the tip of the iceberg but a great pace setter in the direction of curbing the incessant price rise. Well begun is half done and the consumers by and large have a reason to feel convinced on a radical beginning with a positive note.
Saturday, 12 July 2014
Zohara Sehgal–the end of an era:
Born in 1912, Zohra Sehgal was 102 years old when she breathed her last in the afternoon the other day in a New Delhi hospital. She was a pace setter icon of the Indian film industry and was an era in herself. Before switching over to films she was a theatre artist. But for the problem of blood circulation not regularly reaching the veins of her vital organs during her last days, the cause of her death, she was quite in her form and active till the end of her life. She was an inspiration that way to all the health conscious people in different age groups. When she entered the theatre followed by films it was rarest of the rare ventures for a woman to join the industry of entertainment but she proved herself bold enough to take the plunge. She played her record roles with Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Amitabh Bachhan besides several others of the modern era. Wish peace to the departed soul.
Sunday, 23 February 2014
Food habits–Is rice really harmful to health?
There are many a myths in medical area on food intake and so is in relation to use of rice in meals. True, it increases fat and weight but that happens when the intake is too heavy. The digestive system demands that the intake of any kind of food has to be tasty and rice has it in abundance. Tasty food is helpful to health. The need is actually to avoid starch. The ideal way of cooking rice is in the ratio of 1*6 i.e. one cup of rice to be boiled in 6 cups of water without mixing it with any kind of oil or butter. This should be just plain and pulpy without allowing it to get much dried up. The Aayurvedic discipline of medical therapy prescribes that it is better to take rice in meals during day hours avoiding its intake during late hours in the evening or night. Once admitted to Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai for an operation the dietician invariably added rice to the menu prepared for me. I told her that I was diabetic to which she replied saying that some intake of rice is necessary for health even in the cases of diabetes as the very body needs it because of the rich properties it has. In any case the advice is not meant for those in the habit of taking over heavy meals and is practiceable by the moderates.
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Walking as a better mode of exercise:
There are many who brand walking as an exercise meant for old persons but the very fact not to be ignored or taken lightly is that it is compatibly applicable to the people in general in any walk of life irrespective of some age barrier or the other. It’s a different matter that the people in the advancing group of age are supposed to apply certain precautions compared to those in a lower range of age group. There is another fallacy that walking is a mode of exercise to be practiced only in the morning hours and that it is not advisable to go for it in the evening. In fact walking in the evening is much better a mode of exercise during winter to keep necessary safeguard against chilly cold weather in the early morning hours. Those who prefer morning walks only, they should do it after the Sun rises to a moderate level of severity of cold and this should be done, as prescribed in Yoga themes of exercises, with a view for the purposes of the basking in the open which is much beneficial. Walking in any case is much better an exercise to secure the needed results practicing it in whatever hours of the day that suit the individual practitioner from his/her physical status point of view.
Friday, 1 November 2013
Story of a computer maniac:
There are many who take use of some computer or the other as a severe addiction for themselves and they are the ones who can’t afford remaining away from it for longer durations and yet there are several others who start feeling uneasy if they are not on their laptops with a gap of more than a few hours. This is not the end of the anxiety on the part of the computer users as there are exceptional cases like the one, as reported by the media, in some country who sticks to the company of his computer for 24 hours a day. And to pursue his addiction he opted to stay in a computer cafe itself day and night. Even when relaxing for a few moments he reclines clasping his laptop by his chest. Such a practice is in fact a great health hazard and how he is able to keep himself free of different ailments is a matter of sheer amazement. Addiction of a type like this looks like some sort of a lust but in any case the man concerned deserves all praise for his stamina to match a commitment like this.
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Diabetes tools to go indigenous way:
It is certainly a welcome news that the government is planning to go indigenous in respect of diabetic tools used by the patients of diabetes with the result that the cost involved for the purpose is likely to be reduced by 90%. The cost of a test strip presently being between 15 to 30 rupees is supposed to be reduced to between 3 to 5 rupees when the new products are launched in the market. There are about a dozen products being tested for the purpose as duly monitored by ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research). It is a scheduled process with a time frame that the new products be made available to the patients by the end of this year. Next to China India is the one country having biggest number of diabetic patients depending on various tools for the purpose of testing the blood sugar level and they shall be the people who may derive benefits from the new products both quality wise and cost wise.
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Relief for diabetics for insurance:
The largest non-life insurer, the New India Assurance Company, till now had a clause to discourage insurance to the patients having diabetes and hyper tension, or accept them on an additional charge prescribed for the purpose. This has since been modified waiving the additional charge to the relief of a big chunk of people. The company has also modified their provisions in respect of people having tobacco related ailments facilitating the insurance for those having tobacco related problems. This modification is however not to apply in the cases of lever cirrhosis normally caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. These liberalisations considerably facilitate disposal of necessary claims in large number of cases. Overall these are the measures aimed at giving relief to a large number of insurance seekers who will now find it easy to go for it to insure themselves. These gestures on the part of New India Assurance are certainly highly welcome.
Thursday, 11 July 2013
Certain tit bits against monsoon diseases:
A sort of hurricane showers of monsoon are settling down now but that is adversely followed by different kinds of ailments known as monsoon diseases. There is a general tendency on the part of the people that they don’t bother at the initial stage of an ailment and when it aggravates they have no option but to rush to some doctor or the other. Some minor precautions at the outset count more and with them it is normally possible to keep the ailments at bay. The only thing is that the precautions have to be resorted to before it gets too late. A few of such precautions required to be adhered to are like this:
- Avoid sleeping during day hours.
- There should be no over exertion.
- Surroundings to be kept dry and clean.
- Don’t go to AC room immediately after taking bath.
- Avoid eating uncooked food and salads.
- Water intake should be in plenty.
- A clean and cool glass of water should be taken before going to sleep in the night.
- Body temperature to be kept warm as low temperature is vulnerable to virus.
This one is not an exhaustive list of precautions as they are numerous but can serve the purpose to a good extent if applied with a discipline.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
President’s participation in a tobacco event?
The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, says the news, is participating in a tobacco company’s event in New Delhi. It looks ironical on the very face of it in the sense that tobacco products are supposed to be fully discouraged both at the national as well as international level. The proposed event is a prize distribution of the company concerned and there are people who can say that the function has nothing to do with promoting any tobacco product, but such a view is only highly irrelevant in the context of the fact that when President of India adores a function by his august presence, the company concerned is automatically the focus. Company concerned being that of a tobacco brand, the message that goes public is obviously in relation to publicity of the brand concerned. As a result, the relative product gains more of a momentum instead of being discouraged, as per need of the day, once the President of the country attends it.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Use of heater in a closed room is a big health hazard!
There are certain very trivial areas which people don’t realise in their day today life, and these are the aspects which are very much related to the routine of the persons in general. One such instance is the use of heater in the winter when it is too cold like it is these days in North India. People use heaters to brow beat the chilly weather and, with a view to ensuring that the hot currents of it don’t go outside the room so that its effect is not reduced, they keep the concerned room tightly closed. Such a practice disallows a consumer the necessary oxygen intake which may result into a serious health hazard, as in the absence of the required oxygen in the room becomes a cause of suffocation. There are instances when the persons concerned died on this count. Just a simple precaution as suggested above may very well save the lives.
Monday, 10 December 2012
Back to barefoot:
Much earlier the people used to be advised that they should always move with their shoes on in their legs for the reason that there was every chance of some infection or the other occurring to them if they moved bare footed. This advice has since undergone big changes for health reasons. With the exception of those who otherwise suffer from diabetes or are highly vulnerable to infection because of some serious ailment, people in the normal cases need not, rather should not, prefer to keep their shoes in their toes all the time they are on a move outside or even in their house hold. The preachers of Yoga very often suggest that the use of shoes should be the minimal most for the reason that it is of much advantage health wise to walk bare footed to the extent one can afford. This energises the body veins ending at the toe points including heels generating an equitable circulation of blood from toe to head as a result of a modest pressure starting from the paws and the heals going upward to skull. More stress is accordingly laid on walking bare footed to the extent one can feasibly manage.
Saturday, 8 December 2012
On obesity:
Obesity is much worse than a curse if not taken care of timely. The root cause behind several ailments is only obesity. To inculcate necessary awareness on obesity, there are obesity days observed in different places. In fact it is not enough to observe any particular day as such as the need is more on the part of the individuals concerned themselves to include it in their discipline of routines. It is diabetes, blood pressure, heart problems or several other ailments affecting most adversely the whole body system, behind every thing in most of the cases it is obesity which works as a deterrent negatively damaging different physical organs. If obesity is duly checked, it is easy and feasible to control other organs in the body in tact. Some normal level exercises play much of a role in keeping obesity under control. Walking and Yoga are the most convenient modes of physical exercise, and resorting to them is not a difficult task. Remedy lies more in the hands of the persons concerned than medicinal treatment given by the doctors. With necessary will, any individual can adopt the regimen of moderate exercise and this duly takes care of the obesity.
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Cancer is curable, say the doctors!
A dreaded disease like cancer is treatable, and as per studies made by experts in this area, it is curable to a great extent. Robotic Radio Surgery popularly known as cyber knife is the latest technique developed in this direction, as per media news. This technique is fully capable of locating the very spot in the body which is cancerous. It can remove any kind of tumour, malignant or even benign ones. Already recognized by Foods and Drugs Association (FDA) of America, this technique of cyber knife is growing in its popularity based on the satisfactory results of success it has elicited so far. The technique has been found much more functionable in the cases of kidney, lungs and lever cancer after an intensive research work done by the specialists by trying it on thousands of persons. It virtually works as a trusted ray of hope for cancer patients. Some more improvements in this direction are likely to occur soon, as say the researchers on the subject.
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Do more of medical tests really ensure a better health?
Go for regular medical check-ups as a routine is the advice all the doctors unfailingly give to their patients. Looks alright apparently, but if the study conducted by Cochrane review is to be taken on its face value, it is not necessary, as the result, more or less, in all the cases is the same. Those who go for regular medical check-ups, and those who don’t hardly make any difference the review so made indicates. This is somewhat strange in the sense that after all check-ups are the ones which candidly reveal the deficiencies and the defects in the body system enabling the concerned patients to feel alarmed if there is some major health problem with them. If the patients opt for not going to get themselves medically checked, they are just unable to know as to what sort of a medical problem they are suffering from. It is accordingly safer for every body, particularly those in an advancing age bracket, to ensure a regular medical check-up from the health point of view.
Friday, 19 October 2012
Clean the Ganges before it is too late!
There are many a movements launched by several organisations in the country to cleanse the holy river Ganga. They are fighting to seek an immediate remedy to save the holy river from different pollutants which have spoiled it to an extreme level. Nothing has happened as yet, nor there is any sign of any improvement in any manner any where. Promises after promises are there but to no avail. We were told in our childhood that the water of Ganga is purest in the world with the saying that one dip in the river is capable of enhancing the life span of the person who does so. We were also told that the water of Ganga is such that it can never be polluted. What we see now is just different. Pollution in the river is every day increasing by leaps and bounds, and if there is no check on it immediately, the problem is likely to aggravate to the extent that at some stage it may not be reversible at all. The study conducted by the National Cancer Registry Programme under the Indian Council of Medical Research reveals the alarming signals indicating that those living by the side of river or those using its water for drinking purposes are more prone to fall victims as cancer patients. It is high time that the needful be done on urgency footing failing which the menace so indicated may assume graver proportions.
Monday, 15 October 2012
Indian nurses still an exploited lot: Study - Indian Express
There can't be any two opinions on the fact that nurses in India are most suffering a lot. Their union(s) have been agitating on various issues they are confronted with but nothing like any remedial measures are there as yet at the level of the Government. They have to spend a lot on their training before they join the service, and what they get as their salary is too meagre an amount to meet their sustentation needs. The conditions, as per necessary study conducted for the purpose, are worse in New Delhi. Why New Delhi alone, the conditions are much worse in different towns of the country particularly for those who are working in private hospitals/ nursing homes. They are exploited on all counts. As per study, even their co-workers, mainly males, ill treat them. It is actually the responsibility of the government(s) both at the level of the Centre as well as the States concerned. This is a burning problem. An immediate remedial a measure, sooner the better, is the need of the day.
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Watermelon could help prevent heart attack, curb weight - Health - DNA
Watermelon is a normal big sized fruit very commonly used in summer with people in general relishing its juice and fabric laden stuff with taste. As revealed in a recent study, a slice of watermelon taken daily reduces the cholesterol in human body, and thus it helps eradicating the amount of risk involved in the cases of heart disease. The study was tested on mice and there it was found working alright. Watermelon also helps in reducing the fat in the body also. The link given below explains more details in the matter.
Watermelon is a seasonal fruit and it is not available round the year. Those, who take the advice as suggested above, and prefer to go for its intake daily, may not find it feasible to afford the regular intake. They may of course depend on watermelons preserved in the godowns of cold storages. May be this alternative is not that effective compared to fresh ones, but for regulars round the year, this is the only remedial measure available.
Watermelon could help prevent heart attack, curb weight - Health - DNA