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Only if hearts were not so fragile as a cafè latte

Obesity - The Increment You Don’t Want

A lot has been said and described about obesity in the past decade, we know how bad it is for our physical, mental & social health. Yet here I am writing this article again on a topic which has already been discussed to unfathomable limits in all forms of media. So, the question arises why am I writing an article on a topic that has already been bleached super white. The answer is a gigantic cliche, because it is that important, significant and beneficial to know about obesity. Therefore when you are writing a series of articles on health, obesity is that big white elephant that cannot and should not be ignored at any cost. Obesity is a booming pandemic that has to be addressed every time so that every other person is aware about it’s extremely alarming and doomful consequences.

What is overweight / obesity?

According to WHO, Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.

How can one assess if he / she is overweight / obese?

Calculating a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) is the most effective way to assess if one is obese / overweight.

The formula is Weight in Kgs / Height in metre2

Overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25.

Obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.

Problems & Complications of obesity?

Raised BMI is a major risk factor for a number of noncommunicable diseases such as:

A. Cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart attack and paralysis)

B. Diabetes

C. Musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis)

D. Cancers (including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon).

E. Sleep disturbances like OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnoea)

F. Overall decrease in meaningful life span & total life span.

Advantages of having a healthy weight?

Advantages are:

A. Reducing greatly the risk of various serious diseases mentioned above.

B. Having more energy, feeling fit & energetic to do more work / performance.

C. Better sleeping pattern and waking up feeling afresh.

D. Having fewer aches and pains

E. Improved ability to move easily and faster

F. Finding it easier to breathe

G. Improved immune system (ability to fight off illness)

How can you reduce weight?

This is a question that has an unlimited answer but in short, weight can be reduced by the following methods:

A. Role of Diet :- Diet plays a significant role in losing weight. Eighty percent of the role in significant weight loss is played by diet alone. Therefore consuming a good nutritious balanced diet is essential to achieve a weight loss goal. A 1200 Kcal diet is a good start. There are many free dieting apps available on Google Play Store which you can use to smartly keep a check on your calories and reduce weight, some examples are ‘Obino’, ‘Diet Plan’ etc.

B. Role of Active Exercise :- Active exercise is voluntary physical exertion. Active exercise is important to improve strength & cardiovascular health. According to WHO, 30 minutes of brisk walking six days a week is highly beneficial in losing weight.

C. Role of Drugs :- Though there are various anti-obesity medications available, these are not actually helpful in losing weight significantly. At most it can only prevent weight gain to a very limited extent. Hence diet & exercise remain the unchallenged choice for weight loss.

D. Role of Surgery :- The most common surgical techniques for weight loss include Gastric Balloon, Gastric Bypass & Sleeve Gastrectomy. Each of these techniques has its own advantages and disadvantages which needs to be discussed with the required qualified doctor. Surgical intervention in general is only recommended when a patient has a BMI greater than 40.

I would end by saying that the road to weight loss is no doubt indeed difficult, but certainly not unachievable, with a little persistence, patience and hard work you can and you will get there. There will be times when it will seem impossible but the only advice I can give you is that when you are going through hell, keep going, do not stop. Believe in yourself when no one else does.

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Diabetes Mellitus - The Raavan of 21st Century

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (DMT2) is a modern day menace. A disease so treacherous that it is often called ‘’The Silent Killer’’. This I believe is no exaggeration, considering how unpredictable, unstable and hazardous DMT2 can be, if not diagnosed and treated adequately. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2015 approximately 1.6 million deaths globally were caused directly by DMT2. In India DMT2 is the 7th leading cause of death after ichemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebrovascular disease, lower tract respiratory infection, diarrhoeal diseases & tuberculosis.

DMT2 is basically a chronic metabolic disorder characterised by high blood sugar, insulin resistance (body cells can’t respond to insulin) and lack of insulin. Obesity is a primary cause of DMT2. Diagnosis of DMT2 is made when on 2 separate occasions the Fasting Blood Sugar is greater than 126 mg/dl or Random Blood Sugar is greater than 200 mg/dl. Alternatively a Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c) greater than 6.5 DCCT% is enough to label a patient with DMT2.

When Raavan appeared he never came alone, with him appeared his 9 other heads to create greater havoc. Similarly, when DMT2 appears, along with it various innumerable illnesses crop up. Some of the most serious disorders caused due to DMT2 are:

1. Kidney damage

2. Heart disease

3. Retinopathy causing blindness

4. Stroke leading to paralysis

5. Peripheral vascular disease that can lead to amputations

Another very important yet extremely underestimated condition that DMT2 leads to is Immuno-deficiency, that is the power of our immune mechanisms is greatly reduced making our body susceptible to various infections and diseases.

Data released by International Diabetes Federation shows that in India there are around 69.1 million cases of DMT2 of which only 25 million are actually diagnosed. If a patient is not diagnosed, he/she cannot be treated. So getting a health check-up every 6 months is the best way to diagnose any illness that may have come up. This ensures that one gets immediate treatment and the disease is resolved in the early stages before it gets too serious and complicated.

A patient of DMT2 has common symptoms of increased urination, increased thirst, increased hunger & weight loss. A person experiencing any of the above symptoms should consult a doctor without delay.

But this was the bad news, that we have a massive problem called DMT2 which has some dire consequences. But we also have some very good news and that is DMT2 is preventable. Yes, you heard it right, with just a little willpower and effort everyday we can stave off DMT2. A little willpower to eat the right food and a little effort into exercising daily. These two steps are the answer to all of this. Eating carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals & proteins in moderation is key. Brisk walking at a speed of 5-7kmph everyday for 30 minutes is enough to stay healthy.

In conclusion I would say that yes, we have a huge 21st century Raavan with its 10 heads but, we also have an equally competent Lord Ram and that is you. You are your own hero, you have to strive everyday to keep yourself fit. You have to keep yourself free from the Raavan. Let your body stay away from diseases. Let good triumph over evil.

Importance of Moderation

Moderation: (n) the avoidance of excess or extremes.

“Moderation? What’s so important about it?” This is the typical question that might be swarming in our heads when we read the title. But! Let me say that the key to a healthy and happy life is nothing but moderation. I can give you quite a few examples to prove my point. To maintain your weight one must have a moderate diet, i.e. one must not completely swear off junk food instead eat it in moderation- once a fortnight, that way you eat healthy food at all times yet give in to your cravings when you feel like it, therefore maintaining not only a good physical health but mental health too. Similarly maintaining a balance between personal and professional life will keep you happy and in control, work and play in moderation.

Procrastination is another notion where moderation can be very successfully applied. If you try to be the first person to complete a project, chances are yours might be the first project to get on your teacher’s /boss’s table but it certainly will not be the best one. We must give ourselves some time to improve on our ideas and learn from other’s mistakes before we jump our guns. If you are a student, and don’t get me wrong when I say this but studying for exams at the start of a semester is a great thing but it certainly won’t reap you results, cause by the time the exam actually turns up after a few months you would have forgotten almost everything. You have to start studying nor at the start nor in the end, start in the middle. And this is a scientifically proven fact. Tim Urban, the founder of “Wait But Why” site, has described the phenomenon of moderation in procrastination very beautifully in this TED Talk (http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_urban_inside_the_mind_of_a_master_procrastinator?language=en).

This concept of moderation can be applied to everything in life! Even to geography, if you live closer to the upper /lower extremity of earth, you are bound to have winters that are extremely cold and if you live at the equator you will have summers that are extremely hot! Living in the centre, like near tropic of cancer or tropic of capricorn is moderation where summers are not so hot and winters not so cold.

So do not live in the extremes of life (not literally but figuratively), instead stick to moderation and I can guarantee you that life will be one hell of a ride.

Why Government of India should not implement Exit Exams / change MCI

1. Exit Exam: The idea of an exit exam to assess quality of medical education is not a good approach, the reason being that a single mere exam will not be sufficient to check the clinical knowledge of a medical student acquired over a period of 5.5 Years. If anything the exit exam will only make the scenario much worse since all students would then prepare only for this exam and will not take interest in learning during the crucial internship period and instead join various coaching classes to clear that particular exam. The best solution to evaluate the standard of medical education of different colleges is to conduct final MBBS Exam at a central level on pan India basis similar to Board Exams. This will test both, the clinical as well as theoretical knowledge.

2. MCI: MCI is a body which is serving the country since many decades, doing its core work of producing quality doctors known world wide for their clinical skill. In the past few years MCI has come under the controversy of rampant corruption related particularly to Private Medical Colleges; the root cause of this is the huge gap between demand and supply of medical seats. Till this gap is present, even making a new body such as Medical Commission or anything else won't help. Infact private medical colleges are run by powerful people capable of doing virtually anything. The best solution is to increase all government medical seats for both UG and PG by converting all good district hospitals into small medical colleges and involving local senior practitioner as a teacher, this approach will not cost much economical burden on government to start and run the medical college. If the government seats increase demand supply gap will nullify and demand for private paid seats and related corruption will automatically reduce.

Thinking positively isn't about expecting the best to happen every time but accepting what happens is the best for this moment.

Anonymous

Blessed are those who do not fear solitude, who are not afraid of their company, who are not always desperately looking for something to do, something to amuse themselves with, something to judge.

Paulo Coelho

I can totally relate to this! 😂

Uhm timepass? Was trying out which one to use, thought was worth a click. I know I am stupid :P

Something to remember.

Physical, Mental & Financial Assault on Doctors! - Part I

FINANCIAL ASSAULT - EMERGENCY SERVICES.

If a courier service charge some extra bucks for an urgent delivery, its ethical and deserving.

If a cable man charges extra money for fixing the TV on short notice for a desperate housewife who is about to miss her favourite TV show, he totally deserves the extra money or maybe even more from the housewife’s point of view and without a doubt, its ethical.

If a family lawyer is summoned urgently for a crucial matter, its totally deserving and ethical.

For any other professions, charging for emergency services, no matter how trivial they maybe, is completely ethical and deserving.

BUT.

For for a doctor, specifically in India, to charge extra money for emergency operation/ check up/ investigations etc. is absolutely unethical and undeserving. Patients in India think doctors must do their duty for the same amount or even no amount. Why? Just because they are a part of healthcare, a noble profession? Because people get so serious and touchy when it comes to healthcare? Because people are going to die in this profession and not any other profession? Or maybe they consider themselves as half doctors and keep thinking that doctors are meant only to drain them off their money? Or wait, maybe they think doctors are superhuman and don’t need to pay for stuffs and obviously don’t need to eat or sleep. So what if a doctor has come all the way from across town, giving up on his dinner, bowing out from sleeping, used Rs. 200 worth of his car petrol to treat a single patient at the hospital who would grumble and yell for having made to pay emergency charges for example, Rs. 400 or if he is a nut case, won’t pay the emergency charges at all and leave by paying the normal consultation charges for example, a sum of Rs. 300. Is it economical? I don’t think so. I have never heard flipkart or amazon deliver products for free if it doesn't meet their “minimum total order bill fee for free shipping” and why? Because its not economical for them. The same goes for doctors. Some of you might say but being a doctor one should not bother about economy and that the healthcare profession is not a business in its true sense. To all those of you, I have two words: GROW UP. Why is it any different from other businesses? Just because its a profession that gives treatment and relief to all your physical and mental pains? Its unethical? Really? Don’t doctors have a right to live life and enjoy its perks and luxury after immensely working hard, 24 hours a day? Think about it, with a cool, calm mind. Doctors deserve it equally or even more. And yes, it is undoubtedly ethical too because they are working extra and hence getting paid extra, so where are your ethics being violated?

Coming back to the nutcase who hadn't paid the emergency charges, if the doctor sues him for not paying him, the court judge will get all sympathetic for the patient, why? Of course, because he is the patient and was ill on that particular day and instead grant a verdict in favor of the patient along with a Rs. 1 crore fine on the doctor for having misbehaved with a patient. But its not the fault of our Indian jury, why? Because in India there is a certain mindset inbuilt in people right from their childhood that doctors are money snatchers and say anything because they never get any better taking their treatments and hence can be exploited. Now, some of you will say but that’s true, I never get better with what my doctor prescribes me. I’ll explain why that happens in my next blog - part II.

Till then I really hope the Indians who think paying extra charges to doctors is pointless, get over it and embrace the reality, i.e. Doctors are humans too. You cannot exploit a profession just because you call it “the noble profession”.

Also, to all those of you who think I am exaggerating stuffs, let me tell you, I feel like I have under exaggerated. I have spent my entire life living in a hospital, getting day to day updates about patient behaviour and seen such stuff happen in real life very, very often. By living in a hospital, I mean literally living in one, cause my dad is a resident doctor.

#respect doctors

“If I had to pick just one great trait to have in the wild, it would be this: Calm in the Storm.”

The above line is a part of one of my most favorite books, ‘A Survival Guide for Life’ by Bear Grylls, the famous Man Vs. Wild star. As a young adult, I had read this book and instantly fell in love with it! I highly recommend this to all the youngsters out there to know what is right and to read an enriched firsthand insight on life’s undeniable secrets. I still always read the book at least once a year, it heavily motivates me to DO and BE better.

Coming to the subject of why I named my blog Sangfroid.

Sangfroid: (n) composure, self possession or calmness, especially in trying circumstances. [From French: sang, blood + froid, cold]

This is also the book where I first read and learned the significance of maintaining your calm and poise in rough and tough situations of life (Not that I am very good at it, still, working towards it ;) ). In my opinion, Bear Grylls has been through the toughest and if he mentions in his book time and again the importance of remaining calm, hell, I am not going to argue with that!

Also, for a while now, I have been trying to practice the same and have had some success in tackling such situations wonderfully, which is, for me, a huge achievement. So yeah, I love the ideology! Panicking leads to nothing but a big pool of mess.

This is why I named my blog Sangfroid, to always remind myself the preponderance of calm over frenzy not just in trying times but all other spheres of life as well.

Hopefully my blog will be a reflection of the literal meaning of Sangfroid, i.e. cool blood. And, my personality, a reflection of being a cool blooded person, SOMEDAY. :)

The view from my flight. Simply Magnificent ^_^ #WindowSeats xD

I have heard many people say motivation for fitness comes from within and that self realisation is key. Although I have realised not so long ago that health is paramount, for me, extrinsic motivation still largely dominates over intrinsic motivation. I need loads of music - everyday, YouTube fitness videos - weekly, merchandise - periodically, to keep myself from NOT working out xD So, got these Asics Gel Cumulus 16 pair recently and its awesome. Hope it keeps me exercising for a good, long, while ;) #Human Behaviour xD Cheers!

Love this quote!

SAPOTA CHOCOLATE SHAKE RECIPE A very refreshing milkshake for all occasions and something I personally love and have been consuming since my childhood. Though its a very popular recipe in India, I never really found a proper recipe on the internet so I decided to write my this blog for that purpose. Sapota Chocolate or Chikoo Choco Shake Making time: 15 mins. Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1) Sapota - 6 chopped (Make sure they are ripe) 2) Sugar to your taste 3) Milk - 4 cups ( You can add more or less milk to get a thinner or thicker shake consistency respectively.) 4) Cocoa Powder - 4 tsp ( Add more cocoa powder to get a more chocolaty flavour) Method: 1) In a big bowl, add all the sapota, sugar, milk and cocoa powder. 2) Using a mixer or blender, mix it all for 3-4 minutes or until you have achieved your desired consistency. 3) Serve cold.

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