Health Adda

When Rahul Saxena (name changed) died recently of liver cirrhosis due to excessive drinking for 20 years, the family blamed the doctors and the hospital for his death. His parents did not blame themselves or their son for drinking away his health. A fleeting mention of his wife for not doing enough to stop him earlier or his friends who gave him company every evening for booze, paled away in the face of the hospital and the doctors who they considered responsible for the tragic outcome. That Rahul was brought to hospital in a critical state having vomited 2 litres of blood did not mitigate their fury. The 10 minutes of delay in the doctor’s attending to Rahul and the one hour time lag for procuring blood for transfusion, they were convinced, caused Rahul’s death and all their problems! In blame transfer or scapegoating, feelings of guilt, blame and suffering are transferred away from a person or group so as to fulfill an unconscious drive to resolve or avoid such bad feelings. This is...

As we Indians refuse to really believe that emergencies could strike our homes and us, we are caught horribly off-guard and unprepared when a sudden crisis does strike. Most of us, for instance, may not know what number to call in case of a fire or a medical emergency. One might argue that there is no point remembering numbers that we are convinced would work, and we rely on our skills of “jugaar” as the best way out. Efficient ambulance services, by quickly bringing people who have suddenly taken critically ill, to medical attention, have indeed saved many lives. The London Ambulance Service, started since 1897, is one of the most efficient with 400 ambulances and 4500 strong staff parked in different parts of the city, poised to rush in. A telephone call to a central command and control center evokes a quick response. The service is not merely of transportation of sick person to a hospital but also provides resuscitaion, preliminary care, oxygen, life support and so on. The quicknes...

Is chronic stress wearing you down, making you anxious or irritable, giving you frquent headaches and preventing you from concentrating? Do you feel exhausted easily, have lost your appetite for food or sex?  If so, you've got stress. It is not difficult to recognize, although mnay people who are obviously stressed tend to deny it to themselves, fearing it as an admission of weakness, in their subconscious mind. Stress is internal, which explains why it can wreak havoc on your health. It feels awful...it's the sense that you're not in control. The easiest way to mitigate its effect is to take charge of the one and only thing you have the power to control...YOU, and let go of what you can't control. Here are few steps to destress: Laugh. Laughter really is the best medicine. It is proven to lower tension, and at the same time, improves blood flow and the health of your heart. Rent a funny movie or hang out with that wannabe-comedian pal, and forget about your worries f...

“Which is the best exercise for me, doc?” is a frequently asked question I find difficult to answer and that I often return with “ Which one do you like best?” If you thought docs always had the perfect lives and answers, this personal recount will tell you how very human and vulnerable we are. Having been a sports enthusiast in my younger days, weight had never been a problem till my 40s, as a daily dose of soccer, cricket or shuttle with young colleagues kept me trim. Games further added that “enetrtainment value” that is so unique about them. Things changed when forgetting may age, I tried a scissor shot on the soccer field, landed with a thud, broke my bone, and realized that soccer had now become a game to be only watched on TV screens. In a few months, when I grew  a paunch, a senior colleague suggested tennis. It was a refreshing change and provided the much needed pauses between points during which my vintage colleagues and I could catch our breath.Ten years rolled pleasant...

The New Year is a good time to make resolutions, and with life-style diseases having emerged as the major threat to our lives, it is time we usher in changes that would ensure health and happiness in the times ahead. 1.     Weight watch . Once the new year partying gets over, check your weight and calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). You can find a calculator on the website http://www.gastroindia.net/ . Make sure you keep your BMI between 20 and 23.5. 2.      Exercise. Regular exercise of atleast 30 minutes a day has emerged as a key factor to good health. Draw up a routine that lets you achieve that through walking, cycling, running, swimming or dancing. Small measures like taking the stairs at the mall or office rather than the escalator, parking a little distance and walking the rest of the way could be simple supplementary measures. 3.      Eat right. Cut down on fast foods to no more than once a week and soft drinks to not...