Sunday, September 30, 2012

Sexuality In Ancient Mythology

Sexuality In Ancient Mythology


1.Both sexuality and spirituality have been mentioned in mythology to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. An educational art was created at Khajuraho which talks about “multiple positions with one are better than one position with many.”
2.       Asexual reproduction -  Lord Ganesha’s birth from the skin of Goddess Parvati represents a form of asexual reproduction using pluripotent cells.
3.       The birth of Kartikay from Shiva can be linked to success story of in vitro fertilization. Shiva throws away white sparks (semen) in the air (centrifugation), they fell down in river (petri dish) become five petal flower ( 5 cell zygote) adopted by local Kartikayan girls (in vitro fertilization) and Kartikay was born.
4.       Artificial insemination of semen was well described in mythology. The birth of Dashrath’s children, Hanuman all were probably examples of the same.
5.       Sexuality and spirituality are opposite to each other. No Tirath Sthan is ever used  as honeymoon place.
6.       Bull or Nandi represents sexual desires and is always placed outside Shiva Mandir. You cannot enter a spiritual place without sexual desires on.
7.       Polygamy was the need of the day at that time as is evident by three wives of Dashrath and five husbands of Draupadi.
8.       Santoshi Mata Ka Vrat was created to prevent iron deficiency anemia in child bearing age ladies. They were made to eat Gur (iron) and Chana (protein) every week to prevent recurrent abortions and death by anemia.
9.       Ashrams were created in mythology as part of discipline. Brahmcharya was the period for education and Grihastha for active sexual reproductive life.
10.   Dharma Artha Kama Moksha were the four purposes of life which meant earning money righteously to fulfill all our desires which leads to inner happiness.
11.   Sex education at that time was through sculptures.
12. The Science of Kamasutra was the classical textbook which promoted sexual hygiene.
13.   True love was symbolized by Meera-Krishna and Radha-Krishna.
14.   Marriages were not solemnized in Chaturmaas as during this period the mind is always in  a negative state with more chances of divorce.
15. The marriage months have been the month of Maagh, Vaishakh and Kartik. These are spontaneous months with increased fertility.
16.   To enhance fertility Shahi snans were advocated which involve exposure to sun so that vitamin D deficiency can be avoided.
17. Marriage seasons used to start with Tulsi Vivah which meant that Shyama Tulsi seeds are good for fertility and make the semen thick.

Even Children Can Have Acidity

Even Children Can Have Acidity


Children who have continuing recurrence of cough and croup could be suffering from stomach acid reflux problems.
Croup or ‘Kali Khansi’ as it is called in local parlance is recognized by a loud cough that often sounds like the barking of a seal. It can cause rapid or difficult breathing, and sometimes wheezing. Croup is thought to be caused by a virus, but reflux acidity has been suggested as a possible trigger.
In gastroesophageal reflux disease, stomach acid causes swelling and inflammation of the larynx, which narrows the airway. It can trigger more swelling with any kind of viral or respiratory infection.
Identifying children with gastroesophageal reflux disease could help treat and improve recurring croup. It is unusual for a child to have three or more bouts of croup over a short period of time. These children need to be evaluated.
The same is true for adults also. Patients with non responding asthma should be investigated for underlying acidity as the cause of acute asthma.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Always Respect Others Viewpoints

Always Respect Others Viewpoints


It is an old saying that one is proud of his or her own intelligence and somebody else’s partner and wealth. Most of the disputes occur when there is ego clash and that occurs when you want your point to be noticed by everybody. But remember that for every situation, invariably, there will be multiple opinions.
In one of my meetings, I asked my lifestyle students-cum-colleagues to imagine Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of the country. Following were the views of various people:
 1.       He is too young.
2.       He is immature.
3.       He is childish
4.       It will be failure of democracy
5.       He has no political will
6.       He has no strength for taking decisions
7.       He has no experience
8.       He is open minded
9.       He will bring youth to politics
10.   He has experienced team behind him
11.   He will bring a new approach to politics etc etc.
The message is very clear that everybody has his or her own perception and we should learn to respect that.

New Form Of Heart Failure On The Rise

New Form Of Heart Failure On The Rise


Heart failure is routinely described as the progressive loss of ability of the heart to pump blood. But, there is another form of heart failure where the blood–pumping ability of the heart remains near normal,. This second form of heart failure is too often overlooked and is just as lethal.
In this condition the heart muscle becomes thickened. The chamber inside gets smaller and the heart is unable to relax to accommodate the blood it needs to pump out. As there is no room for the heart to relax, the blood backs up into the lungs. This kind of anomaly is not picked up by standard measurements of “ejection fraction” –– the percentage of blood in the heart that goes out with every beat.
Quoting two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This form of the disease is called “diastolic heart failure” because the problem occurs during the diastole portion of heart activity, as the heart relaxes after a beat. Nearly one–third of these patients have an ejection fraction greater than 50 percent, which is very near normal. However, the death rate for this kind of heart failure matches that of patients with the more common form of heart failure, with more than 20% of all the patients dying within a year. There is a steady increase over 15 years of heart failure with normal or near–normal ejection fraction.
For patients, the symptoms of both types of heart failure are the same: Shortness of breath, difficulty exercising and fluid retention in the body. Physicians cannot make a diagnosis on the basis of symptoms or routine examinations. One has to have an echocardiogram and see the heart pumping and see if the ejection fraction is normal or reduced. Until now, relatively little attention has been paid to diastolic heart failure. Advances have been made against systolic heart failure, in which the ejection fraction falls below normal but not much has been done about diastolic heart failure.
Pacing for heart failure
For patients with advanced heart failure waiting for cardiac transplant, biventricular pacing not only improves the quality of life but also prolongs life. If the ejection fraction is low the combo device also gives an electric shock when the heart stops. It is said that all patients with low ejection fraction should ask their doctors for possible implantation of these devices.
Signals of heart failure
One of the commonest presentations is breathlessness on exertion, which is often confused as a part of aging or being obese. Not being able to climb stairs may be the earliest sign of hypertensive diastolic heart failure. Other signals are:
1.      Feeling extra tired even after a good night’s sleep. People with heart failure may limit activities they like to do or take naps to avoid feeling tired.
2.      Weight gain: Call your doctor if you gain weight for more than 2 days in a row or if you gain 2 or more pounds.
3.      Shortness of breath: Heart failure makes breathing harder, especially during exercise. Lying position may make it worse.
4.      Swollen ankles, legs, belly, and/or lower back, the swelling is often worse at the end of the day.
5.      Going to the bathroom more at night.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Symposium on Diet, Health & Religion – Dr Shikha Sharma

Symposium on Diet, Health & Religion – Dr Shikha Sharma


A symposium on Diet, Health & Religion, second in a series was held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on 5th September, 2012. The Chief Guest was Shri J Veeraraghavan, Chairman, Bhavan’s KM Munshi Institute of Educational Leadership and Management.
Welcoming the gathering, Shri Ashok Pradhan, Director, BVB said that the purpose of this symposium was to examine the relation between what we eat, how it affects our health and how all religions look at this aspect. Nature is also related to our health. Nature tells us what to eat. For example, summer vegetables have a high content of water. Speaking on fasting, he observed that not eating on certain days cleanses our body.
Dr Shikha Sharma
Eating a balanced diet is important. There is a lot of diversity that we can bring in our food.
  • All vegetables and fruits are a treasure of vitamins and minerals.
  • So if we start eating only one kind of food, these vitamins and mineral are lost leading to deficiencies.
  • A balanced diet is thus not in terms of carbohydrates, but one which has 7 colors and 6 tastes.
  • Fasting acts like a brake on unlimited eating and helps us to come back to our natural rhythm.
  • Our diets may also differ according to blood groups. Each blood group represents a specific genetic profile.
o   Blood group B – should not eat sugary foods as they are very sensitive to high sugars. They should avoid refined flour, white sugar, white rice and breads. Eat more of chana, kala chana and moong dal.
o   Blood group A – should avoid heavy meals. They are low in acid levels and are prone to indigestion. They should eat lean fish, soya, wheat and green vegetables.
o   Blood group AB – There are no restrictions for this blood group. They can have a mixed diet.
o   Blood group O – people with blood group O should not eat too much of acidic food as their body is very acidic. They should avoid tea, coffee, fried food and sour foods.
  • It is important to understand our body and eat food which is in accordance to our body.

Dealing with Insomnia

Dealing with Insomnia


1. Look for coexisting medical condition, psychiatric disorder, neurologic disease, sleep disorder or drug associated with insomnia.
2. Insomnia that last less than three months: acute insomnia, circadian rhythm sleep disorders (jet lag, shift work), and high altitude insomnia.
  1. Insomnia that last longer than one month: include inadequate sleep hygiene, psycho-physiological insomnia, idiopathic insomnia, behavioral insomnia of childhood, paradoxical insomnia, and insomnia associated with a variety of medical conditions, psychiatric disorders, neurologic diseases, sleep disorders, medications, or drugs.
Acute insomnia
a. Acute insomnia lasts for less than three months
b. Is temporally related to an identifiable stressor
c. Synonyms for acute insomnia include adjustment insomnia, short-term insomnia, stress-related insomnia, and transient insomnia.
d.  Resolve when the stressor resolves or when the individual adapts to it.
e. Stressors can be physical, psychological, psychosocial, interpersonal, or environmental:
f. Stressor as mentioned in Vidur Niti: A thief, A lustful person, A person who has lost all his wealth, A person who has failed to achieve success, A person who is weak and has been attacked by a strong person.
g.Ayurveda describes sleep as an aggravation of Vata. The causes are mental tension; suppressed feelings & acute bitterness.
h. Other stressors :  Changes in the type or level of background noise; changes in the bedroom, such as a different bed or different furnishings, lighting, temperature, or occupants; consumption of or withdrawal from caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or foods or beverages that contain these substances; stressful life events, such as loss of a loved one, divorce, loss of employment, arguments, particularly happy or sad events, work demands, or school demands; acute or chronic injuries or illnesses, particularly those causing pain or discomfort; medications or illicit drugs that have stimulant properties such as  theophylline, beta blockers, steroids, thyroxine, bronchodilators, or amphetamines, withdrawal from central nervous system depressant drugs and nursing home or hospital admission.
i.Stress-induced insomnia is related to increased activation of arousal systems rather than decreased drive for sleep.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Symposium On Diet, Health & Religion – Samani Charitra Prajna

Symposium On Diet, Health & Religion – Samani Charitra Prajna

A symposium on Diet, Health & Religion, second in a series was held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on 5th September, 2012. The Chief Guest was Shri J Veeraraghavan, Chairman, Bhavan’s KM Munshi Institute of Educational Leadership and Management.
Welcoming the gathering, Shri Ashok Pradhan, Director, BVB said that the purpose of this symposium was to examine the relation between what we eat, how it affects our health and how all religions look at this aspect. Nature is also related to our health. Nature tells us what to eat. For example, summer vegetables have a high content of water. Speaking on fasting, he observed that not eating on certain days cleanses our body.
Samani Charitra Prajna said that the core principle of Jainism is Nonviolence. Food is the main source of energy to survive.
  • Bhagwan Mahavir talked about two types of diet – Hitkari (Beneficial) and Mitkari (Moderate).
  • Jains are vegetarins, lactovegetarian. Many Jains are now vegans. Many avoid root vegetables in their diet.
  • Among the seven prohibited addictions, alcohol is one.
  • Also, beverages and drugs that contaminate our mind are prohibited. Anything which distorts the mind, which produces negative emotions are prohibited by the Jain religion.
  • Jainism believes in fasting as a means to purify the mind and body.
  • Jains observe several days of fasting, where they abstain from food, only water can be taken but not after sunset.
  • There are many ways of fasting like abandon of all kinds of food for a day or more, unodari – that means eat less than hunger, ras parityag – give up food like butter, milk, oil for few days etc.
  • No meals should be taken after sunset. If stomach is heavy at the time of sleep, one cannot sleep soundly.
  • In Jainism, there is a mention of abstinence from night eating. Acharya Hemchandra, in Yoga Shastra, says that the digestive system becomes inactive after sunset.
  • So this time is not suitable to eat.
  • Any food which supports spirituality is recommended.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Dil Ka Darbar inaugurated: Telecardiology a welcome advancement in today's era, Dr Ashok Walia





Dr Ashok Walia, Minister of Health Government of Delhi, in his message to the 4th Dil ka Darbar said that telecardiology should now become a part of the facilities in every hospital.
The Darbar was organized by Heart Care Foundation of India in association with Department of AYUSH and various Departments under Health Ministry, Government of Delhi on Sunday at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi.
Messages were also received from many dignitaries.
Shri M. Veerapa Moily, Union Minister of Law said that non-governmental organizations should play an important role in healthcare of poor patients who are unable to meet hospital bills and consultation fees.
Shri Beni Prasad Verma, Union Minister of Steel, expressed confidence that this endeavor of the Foundation would provide a platform to thousand of heart patients to avail facilities like free checkups, etc.
Shri Bhoopinder Singh Hooda, Chief Minister of Haryana, said that priority of the government should be to provide free medicines to those people who cannot afford them. Shri Narendra Modi, Chief Minister, Gujarat said that changing lifestyle, stressful event and competitive environment are responsible for most heart diseases. Shri Lal Thanhawla, Chief Minister of Mizoram said that the time has come for the medical fraternity to educate general masses about healthy living.
Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh, said that the efforts of the Foundation to provide facilities of free check-ups to the heart patients and interaction with top cardiologists during the programme are highly commendable. 
The Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Oommen Chandy said that in our country where cases of heart ailments are on the rise, the activities of Heart Care Foundation of India are truly inspiring.
Shri Raj Kumar Chauhan, Minister of PWD, said that NGOs should come forward to organize free health checkup camps for the public. Prof. Kiran Walia, Minister of Social Welfare, Government of Delhi said that telecardiology consultations should also be used for free health checkup camps.   Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely, Minister of Education, Government of Delhi, said that heart awareness should be the priority of every individual.
Inaugurating the Darbar, Shri B Mandal, General Manager, Central Bank of India said that one should follow the laws of nature to prevent cardiac diseases. He said that wild animals do not get heart attack.
Presiding over the function, Shri AK Ganeriwala, IAS, Joint Secretary, AYUSH, said that the death prevention heart care is when you combine allopathy with other systems of medicines.
Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India, who is also the Vice President-Elect of National Indian Medical Association, said that everyone after the age of 30 should get their risk of getting heart attack in the next 10 years evaluated and take precautions if the risk is more than 10%. He also demonstrated and conducted a workshop on “How to revive a dead patient.” He said that within 10 minutes of death, it is possible to revive a dead person’s heart by following the formula of 10 i.e. within 10 minutes of death, for the next 10 minutes, one should compress the chest of the deceased person 100 times (10 x 10).
Guest of Honour, noted singer and composer Ms Shibani Kashyap, said that music is good for recovery of the heart patients. Chanting various sounds is similar to doing meditation.
Dr Ishwar VB Reddy, Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Dr Ramesh Babu Devalla, DG CHRS, Dr Surender Verma, DG, Dept. of Homeopathy in a joint statement said that blockages in the heart is lifestyle disorder and can be prevented utilizing all systems of medicines.
Dr PK Sharma, MOH NDMC and Dr NK Yadav, Director Health MCD
South in a joint statement said that one should not consume trans fats in diet and reduce amount of salt intake to prevent future heart diseases.
Shri Satish Upadhyay, Chairman, Standing Committee on Education, MCD South said that prevention of heart diseases should start right in school age.
Dr NV Kamath, DHS, Shri PK Jaggi, Head of Office Drug Controller Department of Government of Delhi said that one should believe in natural pharmacy and take medicines only when they are required. Others who were present were Hakim Javed-ul-Haq Director General Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Dr RK Manchanda, Director General, CCRH, Dr Surender Verma Dy. Director Dept.of ISM & Homeopathy, Dr PK Sharma Medical Officer Health NDMC, Dr NK Yadav Director (Health) MCD South, Director ISM & H, Govt. of NCT of Delhi and Dr NV Kamat Director Health Services.
Eminent faculty on the dais included : Dr RK Manchanda, Dr PK Sharma, Dr Rajesh Malhotra, Dr NK Bhatia, Dr. SV Tripathi, Dr HK Chopra, Dr Manju Gupta, Dr Anupam, Dr Praveen Chandra, Dr Subhash Manchanda, Dr Sameer Srivastava, Dr Yugal Mishra, Dr Praveen Bhatia, Dr Sujay Shad, Dr Neelam Mohan, Dr Ajit Saxena, Dr Saurabh Juneja, Dr BN Sinha, Dr RK Tuli, Dr ZS Mehrwal, Dr JC Katoch, Dr Ishwar V Basava Reddy and  Dr Ramesh Babu Devalla.
Over 2000 heart patients were given consultations and checkups.

Symposium On Diet, Health & Religion – Dr AK Merchant Of The Baha’i Faith

Symposium On Diet, Health & Religion – Dr AK Merchant Of The Baha’i Faith


A symposium on Diet, Health & Religion, second in a series was held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on 5th September, 2012. The Chief Guest was Shri J Veeraraghavan, Chairman, Bhavan’s KM Munshi Institute of Educational Leadership and Management.
Welcoming the gathering, Shri Ashok Pradhan, Director, BVB said that the purpose of this symposium was to examine the relation between what we eat, how it affects our health and how all religions look at this aspect. Nature is also related to our health. Nature tells us what to eat. For example, summer vegetables have a high content of water. Speaking on fasting, he observed that not eating on certain days cleanses our body.
Dr AK Merchant of the Baha’i faith said, the Baha’i religion is less than 200 years old and diverse.
  • Baha’u’llah says: “Eat ye, O people, of the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from the wondrous bounties…”.
  • Whatever science has said is healthy for us is welcome.
  • Majority of Baha’is are vegetarian.
  • There is no restriction as such regarding foods.
  • The Baha’i teachings permit the eating of all foods.
  • There is nothing in the Baha’i teachings about whether people should eat their food cooked or raw, nor is it forbidden to eat meat.
  • Moderation is essential.
  • One should eat only when hungry and at a fixed time to allow the body to digest food.
  • Alcohol is strictly prohibited. This includes when alcohol is taken as a drink as well as in cooking.
  • Only medically prescribed drugs should be used.
  • Tobacco and smoking are not strictly prohibited but are highly discouraged.
  • If two diametrically opposite foods are on the plate, choose only one.
  • Baha’is believe that living a simple life, abstaining from the use of alcohol and mind–altering drugs is beneficial to spiritual development, greatly reduces illness and has a good effect on character and conduct.
  • If a person can live on a purely vegetarian diet, it would be most beneficial.
  • Why certain foods are available in certain seasons have a scientific basis.
  • Food should be eaten in a healthy state of mind.
  • Whole wheat and gur  are preferred to refined flour (maida) and white sugar.
  • Mother’s milk is the best food for the child. A child who has been breast-fed has a better power of resistance.
  • Most importantly, we should show courtesy to people of other religions i.e. we should be mindful of the eating habits of other religions.
  • Fasting is very important. The Baha’i calendar has 19 days of fasting from March 2-20, which ends with the Baha’i New Year.

NIH Pilot Study Shows Feasibility of MRI to Guide Heart Catheter Procedures

NIH Pilot Study Shows Feasibility of MRI to Guide Heart Catheter Procedures

  • Heart catheter procedures guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are as safe as X-ray-guided procedures and take no more time, according to a pilot study conducted at the National Institutes of Health. The results of the study indicate that real-time MRI-guided catheterization could be a radiation-free alternative to certain X-ray-guided procedures.
  • A report of the study, which was conducted by researchers within the intramural program of the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is available online in the European Heart Journal.
  • Clinical heart catheter procedures are possible without using radiation, which could be especially valuable in areas such as pediatrics.
  • MRI creates pictures of internal tissues using magnetic fields, unlike X-ray which uses ionizing radiation. In general, X-ray fluoroscopy pictures have higher resolution but less detail than MRI pictures.
  • The research team performed transfemoral catheterization (guiding a catheter from the large vein in the leg to the heart) in 16 patients to examine the right side of the heart, including the attached veins and the pulmonary arteries. The study volunteers all needed catheterization for heart and valve disease. The researchers performed the procedure in the 16 patients using X-ray guidance, and then repeated it twice using real-time MRI guidance of a balloon-tipped catheter filled with air or with a contrast agent.
  • The MRI and X-ray catheterizations were successful in 15 of the 16 participants. One patient had required the use of a wire to help guide the catheter under X-ray, and currently no guidewires are available that work under an MRI.
  • The average procedure time for the two approaches was comparable — about 20 minutes. The team expected the MRI-guided procedure to take much longer because an MRI-compatible catheter can be harder to see in an MRI-generated image than a conventional steel catheter can be in an X-ray-generated image.
  • Developing safe and conspicuous catheter devices for MRI is the chief obstacle to overcome before this approach can be widely applied at hospitals. But with improved tools and further improvement of the procedure, real-time MRI catheterization may become a realistic option for many people.

Symposium on Diet, Health & Religion:Prof Sunil Kumar

Symposium on Diet, Health & Religion:Prof Sunil Kumar


A symposium on Diet, Health & Religion, second in a series was held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on 5th September, 2012. The Chief Guest was Shri J Veeraraghavan, Chairman, Bhavan’s KM Munshi Institute of Educational Leadership and Management.
 Welcoming the gathering, Shri Ashok Pradhan, Director, BVB said that the purpose of this symposium was to examine the relation between what we eat, how it affects our health and how all religions look at this aspect. Nature is also related to our health. Nature tells us what to eat. For example, summer vegetables have a high content of water. Speaking on fasting, he observed that not eating on certain days cleanses our body.
Prof Sunil Kumar, Member, Managing Committee, Ramakrishna Mission, spoke on how Hinduism regards food and diet.
  • Hinduism recognizes that people are different because of their ‘ahaara’, which means not just diet or food we eat, but everything that our mind intakes through our 5 sense organs!
  • We are nothing but the food we eat. The subtlest part of the food that we eat goes to form the mind, and therefore the purity and quality of all ahaara not just food is important.
  • Hinduism classifies all foods as satvik, rajasic and tamasic. The Satvik prefer not to eat meat.
  • Purity of food is directly linked to purity of mind.
  • Hinduism gives one the freedom to follow your culture.
  • Austerity and self control along with Satvik food, which is fresh, simple and wholesome, is recommended.
  • Gur or jaggery is preferred to white sugar.
  • We say no to refined flour.
  • Salt should be taken in moderation.
  • Brown rice and seasonal and locally grown fruits and vegetables should be preferred.
  • Hinduism does not restrict eating eggs. Milk is considered a satvik food.
  • Hinduism does not prohibit use of alcohol, but it recognizes the harmful effects of alcohol.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Symposium on Diet, Health & Religion

Symposium on Diet, Health & Religion


A symposium on Diet, Health & Religion, second in a series was held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on 5th September, 2012. The Chief Guest was Shri J Veeraraghavan, Chairman, Bhavan’s KM Munshi Institute of Educational Leadership and Management.
 Welcoming the gathering, Shri Ashok Pradhan, Director, BVB said that the purpose of this symposium was to examine the relation between what we eat, how it affects our health and how all religions look at this aspect. Nature is also related to our health. Nature tells us what to eat. For example, summer vegetables have a high content of water. Speaking on fasting, he observed that not eating on certain days cleanses our body.
 Shri J Veeraraghavan delivered the keynote address.
  • All religions regard food as holy and sacred. Our Vedas mention that all living things come from food.
  • In Christianity, there is a prayer “… Lord give us today our daily bread…”.
  • All religions place a great emphasis on moderation in diet. One should not overeat. Fasting is common to all religions. Besides physical health, fasting also helps in gaining control over oneself and for spiritual advancement.
  • Functional requirement of food for each person differs. It is for each person to decide on what is required for him.
  • Each religion has some specific restrictions about food. Some of these restrictions may be historical or geographical, while some may have spiritual aspects.
  • Bhagwad Gita says that the universal spirit – God or Brahman – is bound to nature. There are 3 types of bonding: Satva, Rajas and Tamas. Food is also classified into three: Satvik, Rajasik and Tamasik.  No one is pure Satva or Rajas or Tamas. There is a mix with one being predominant.
  • Extreme foods – very hot or very cold – are liked by rajasic people, who are very active and energetic.
  • Satvik foods are sweet and simple foods.
  • Tamas people are very sleepy and lazy. They don’t take fresh foods, which increases laziness.
  • The relation between one’s values and food is not unidirectional. There is a bidirectional relationship.

5% High Risk Patients Get Heart Attacks During Perioperative Period

5% High Risk Patients Get Heart Attacks During Perioperative Period

Patients with underlying heart blockages or those with risk factors are at increased risk for perioperative heart attacks. Perioperative period is the time period extending from when the patient goes into the hospital for surgery until the time he/she is discharged home.
The largest data on the subject comes from over 8000 patients in the randomized POISE trial of perioperative beta-blocker therapy, which has shown that at 30 days after the surgery the incidence of heart attack is 5 percent and 71 percent of these occur within 48 hours of surgery.  Approximately 65 percent of patients with heart attack are without symptoms.
Therefore, perioperative heart attack is not uncommon and occurs with increasing frequency as the number of identified risk factors increases.  Both short- and long-term survival are decreased in patients who have sustained a perioperative heart attack.
Treatment for perioperative heart attack is same as for any heart attack in the general population. However anticlotting drugs should be started carefully.
Perioperative heart attack is detected by presence of an elevated heart muscle injury blood test (troponin) and one or more of the following: ischemic (heart pain) symptoms, ECG changes in two contiguous leads, coronary artery intervention (balloon dilatation or stenting), or evidence of heart attack on cardiac echocardiography or autopsy.
All high-risk patients with cardiac troponin both before and after non cardiac surgery should be screened in order to detect a perioperative heart attack. Cardiac troponin levels should be measured for the following patients:
a. Patients with symptoms or ECG changes suggestive of ischemia or heart attack (2 or 3 serial biomarkers).
b. Patients at high cardiac risk (at 6 to 12 hours, and days 1, 2, and 3 after surgery)
A 12-lead ECG in the perioperative period should be done for the following patients
i.      All patients with symptoms of myocardial ischemia
ii.     All patients with risk factors for perioperative heart attack (baseline and daily for two, and possibly, three days)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Ganesha, The Stress Management Guru

Ganesha, The Stress Management Guru


If Lord Krishna was the first counselor who taught the principles of counseling, Lord Ganesha taught us the principles of stress management.
We should worship Lord Ganesha and become like him whenever we face any difficulty or are stressed out.
The elephant head of Lord Ganesha represents that when in difficulty, use your wisdom, intelligence and think differently. It can be equated to the Third Eye of Lord Shiva. Elephant is supposed to be the most intelligent animal in the kingdom.  Hear wisdom implies to think before speaking. Lord Budha later also has said that don’t speak unless it is necessary and is truthful and kind.
The big elephant ears of Lord Ganesha signify listening to everybody when in difficulty. Elephant ears are known to hear long distances. Elephant eye see a long distance and in terms of mythology, it represents acquiring the quality of foreseeing when in difficulty. The mouth of Lord Ganesha represents speaking less and hearing and listening more.
The big tummy of Lord Ganesha represents digesting any information gathered by hearing to people in difficulty. The trunk represents to use your power of discrimination to decide rom the retained information. It also indicates to do both smaller and bigger things by yourself. Elephant trunk can pick up needle as well as a tree.
The broken and unbroken teeth of Lord Ganesha represent being in balance in loss and gain. It indicates  that one should not get upset if the task is not accomplished and also not get excited if the task is accomplished. In times of difficulty, Ganesha also teaches us not to lose strength and control one’s attachments, desires and greed.
The four arms of Lord Ganesha represent strength. Ropes in two hands indicate attachment, Laddu or Sweet in one hand represent desires and mouse represents greed. Riding over the mouse indicates controlling one’s greed.
Lord Ganesha is worshiped either when one’s task is not getting accomplished or when a new work is initiated. In these two situations, these principles of Lord Ganesha need to be inculcated in one’s habits.

Ten Bypass Grafts At A Go

Ten Bypass Grafts At A Go


In a path breaking surgery conducted by Dr Ramakant Panda, a patient from Ludhiana was saved from a fatal heart attack after 10 separate bypass grafts were created for blood to flow smoothly from and into the heart, reports Kounteya Sinha in TOI. The eight-hour-long procedure, conducted at Mumbai’s Asian Heart Institute last week, could be the first such surgery where so many grafts were created to bypass clogged arteries.
Panda and his team took 18 cm of healthy artery from the chest (left and right mammary arteries) of 55-year-old Pawan Agarwal and divided them into 10 different grafts, which were then connected to the blocked coronary artery.  Dr Panda said, “I have done a maximum of eight grafts on a single patient in my entire career. This was the first time that 10 grafts were created. Most patients require just three grafts. But this patient was in seriously bad condition.”
Panda added, “We noticed multiple blockages in not just the three major arteries of the heart but also in its smaller branches. While we used 10 grafts to bypass blocked arteries, one artery was so badly blocked that we couldn’t create a bypass. We, therefore, additionally conducted an arterial cleansing procedure (endartectomy) to clean up the blockage.”
Number of bypasses
The terms used are single bypass, double bypass, triple bypass, quadruple bypass and quintuple bypass to the number of coronary arteries bypassed in the procedure.
1. a double bypass means two coronary arteries are bypassed
2. a triple bypass means three vessels are bypassed
3. a quadruple bypass means four vessels are bypassed
4. a quintuple means five.
5. Bypass of more than four coronary arteries is uncommon.
A greater number of bypasses does not imply a person is “more sick”, nor does a lesser number imply a person is “healthier.”
A person with a large amount of coronary artery disease (CAD) may receive fewer bypass grafts owing to the lack of suitable “target” vessels. A coronary artery may be unsuitable for bypass grafting if it is small (< 1 mm or < 1.5 mm), heavily calcified  or intramyocardial.
A person with a single stenosis of the left main coronary artery requires only two bypasses to the LAD and the LCX.

Do Your Duty With Discipline And Devotion: The Triad Represents Rama, Lakshmana And The Hanumana

Do Your Duty With Discipline And Devotion: The Triad Represents Rama, Lakshmana And The Hanumana


Vasudaiva kutumbakam” (the whole world is one family) and “Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudavanti” (truth is one but the wise call it by various names) are two basic statements which comes from the ancient Rig Veda and form the fundamentals of Vedic philosophy.
One should do one’s duty with devotion and discipline. This principle can be remembered as the principle of three Ds.

In daily routine ‘one should remember the purpose for which one is born, which to fulfill Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire) and Moksha (liberation). To achieve them, one needs to follow the four Fs: (i) Follow the teacher, (ii) Face the negative devils of the mind, (iii) Fight till the end, and (iv) Finish at the goal.

The essence of Bhagwad Gita can be summarized in one shloka (Chapter 2.48) where Krishna says to Arjuna “yogastha kuru karmani” which means ‘concentrate on actions’ (do all actions while remaining in yoga). He further says that one should take success and failure in the same stride. (yogastha: = steadfast in yoga, kuru = perform, karmani = duties or action).

To acquire spiritual health, one should follow three Ss which are: (i) Satsang (company of good people), (ii) Sadhna (hard work) and (iii)Sanskar (good deeds). Adi Shankracharya in Bhaj Govindam describes them as Satnaam or Simran (bhakti, or reciting the name of their God), Satsang (company of good people) and Seva (good karmas).

Before doing any work, one should follow the principles of three Hs: (i) listen with the Head, (ii) follow the Heart to choose one of the choices and (iii) order the Hands to take an action.
The ABCs of a good professional are Availability, Behavior and Competence. Competence comes the last; the first is the availability of the professional. And than is abrupt by hands.
An action should be based on Truth; it should be coming from consciousness and should end in internal bliss. Various Vedic literatures have termed this triad by different names like satha, chitha, ananda, and satyamshivam sundaram.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

DD India's Take Care Holistically-Organ Transplant

Do Your Duty With Discipline And Devotion: The Triad Represents Rama, Lakshmana And The Hanumana

Do Your Duty With Discipline And Devotion: The Triad Represents Rama, Lakshmana And The Hanumana


Vasudaiva kutumbakam” (the whole world is one family) and “Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudavanti” (truth is one but the wise call it by various names) are two basic statements which comes from the ancient Rig Veda and form the fundamentals of Vedic philosophy.
One should do one’s duty with devotion and discipline. This principle can be remembered as the principle of three Ds.
In daily routine ‘one should remember the purpose for which one is born, which to fulfill Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire) and Moksha (liberation). To achieve them, one needs to follow the four Fs: (i) Follow the teacher, (ii) Face the negative devils of the mind, (iii) Fight till the end, and (iv) Finish at the goal.
The essence of Bhagwad Gita can be summarized in one shloka (Chapter 2.48) where Krishna says to Arjuna “yogastha kuru karmani” which means ‘concentrate on actions’ (do all actions while remaining in yoga). He further says that one should take success and failure in the same stride. (yogastha: = steadfast in yoga, kuru = perform, karmani = duties or action).
To acquire spiritual health, one should follow three Ss which are: (i) Satsang (company of good people), (ii) Sadhna (hard work) and (iii)Sanskar (good deeds). Adi Shankracharya in Bhaj Govindam describes them as Satnaam or Simran (bhakti, or reciting the name of their God), Satsang (company of good people) and Seva
(good karmas).
Before doing any work, one should follow the principles of three Hs: (i) listen with the Head, (ii) follow the Heart to choose one of the choices and (iii) order the Hands to take an action.
The ABCs of a good professional are Availability, Behavior and Competence. Competence comes the last; the first is the availability of the professional. And than is abrupt by hands.
An action should be based on Truth; it should be coming from consciousness and should end in internal bliss. Various Vedic literatures have termed this triad by different names like satha, chitha, ananda, and satyamshivam sundaram.

Do Your Duty With Discipline And Devotion: The Triad Represents Rama, Lakshmana And The Hanumana

Do Your Duty With Discipline And Devotion: The Triad Represents Rama, Lakshmana And The Hanumana


Vasudaiva kutumbakam” (the whole world is one family) and “Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudavanti” (truth is one but the wise call it by various names) are two basic statements which comes from the ancient Rig Veda and form the fundamentals of Vedic philosophy.
One should do one’s duty with devotion and discipline. This principle can be remembered as the principle of three Ds.
In daily routine ‘one should remember the purpose for which one is born, which to fulfill Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire) and Moksha (liberation). To achieve them, one needs to follow the four Fs: (i) Follow the teacher, (ii) Face the negative devils of the mind, (iii) Fight till the end, and (iv) Finish at the goal.
The essence of Bhagwad Gita can be summarized in one shloka (Chapter 2.48) where Krishna says to Arjuna “yogastha kuru karmani” which means ‘concentrate on actions’ (do all actions while remaining in yoga). He further says that one should take success and failure in the same stride. (yogastha: = steadfast in yoga, kuru = perform, karmani = duties or action).
To acquire spiritual health, one should follow three Ss which are: (i) Satsang (company of good people), (ii) Sadhna (hard work) and (iii)Sanskar (good deeds). Adi Shankracharya in Bhaj Govindam describes them as Satnaam or Simran (bhakti, or reciting the name of their God), Satsang (company of good people) and Seva
(good karmas).
Before doing any work, one should follow the principles of three Hs: (i) listen with the Head, (ii) follow the Heart to choose one of the choices and (iii) order the Hands to take an action.
The ABCs of a good professional are Availability, Behavior and Competence. Competence comes the last; the first is the availability of the professional. And than is abrupt by hands.
An action should be based on Truth; it should be coming from consciousness and should end in internal bliss. Various Vedic literatures have termed this triad by different names like satha, chitha, ananda, and satyamshivam sundaram.

Dramatic Rise in Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Dramatic Rise in Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis


Almost half (43.7%) of patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis in 8 countries studied were resistant to at least 1 second-line drug, and 6.7% had extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis, according to a study published online August 30 in the Lancet byTracy Dalton, PhD, a senior service fellow in the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. MDR tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin. XDR tuberculosis is caused by M tuberculosis strains that are resistant to isoniazid, rifampicin, and at least 1 drug within the fluoroquinolones and 1 antituberculosis injectable drug. Fluoroquinolones and injectable drugs are second-line antituberculosis drugs.
Most international recommendations for tuberculosis control have been developed for [MDR] tuberculosis prevalence of up to around 5%. Yet we now face prevalence up to 10 times higher in some places, where almost half of the patients with infectious disease are transmitting MDR strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
According to data from the World Health Organization, 5.4% of patients with MDR tuberculosis have XDR tuberculosis.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Positive Attitudes

Positive Attitudes


All those out there who feel your at your wits end wondering how things don’t ever work out for you can now relax and dwell on all those failures that life has taken you through and turn failure into success.
Positive Attitudes
  1. Failure doesn’t mean you are a failure. But it does mean you haven’t succeeded yet.
  2. Failure doesn’t mean you have accomplished nothing. It does mean you have learned something.
  3. Failure doesn’t mean you have been a foolish. It does mean you had a lot of faith.
  4. Failure doesn’t mean you’ve been discouraged. It does mean you were willing to try.
  5. Failure doesn’t mean you don’t to do. It does mean you have to do it in a different way.
  6. Failure doesn’t mean you are inferior. It does mean you are not perfect.
  7. Failure doesn’t mean you have wasted your life. It does mean you have a reason to start afresh.
  8. Failure doesn’t mean you should give up. It does mean you must try harder.
  9. Failure doesn’t mean you’ll never make it. It does mean it will take a little longer.
  10. Failure doesn’t mean God has abandoned you. It does mean God has a better idea.

Long Term Use Of Painkillers Can Cause Kidney Cancer

Long Term Use Of Painkillers Can Cause Kidney Cancer

A study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine has shown that people who regularly take painkiller drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen are 51 percent more likely to develop kidney cancer. There is no increased risk from taking aspirin or paracetamol.
The mechanism through which painkillers could cause kidney disease is the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis with resulting papillary and tubular injury, and ultimately damage to DNA.
The study analyzed data from 77,525 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and from 49,403 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The risk was related to the duration of use of the painkillers. There was a decrease in the risk by 19% if the painkiller was used for less than four years. There was a 36 per cent increase in risk of kidney cancer for people who used them regularly for 4 to 10 years. The risk increased almost three times for those who used these drugs regularly for 10 years or more.
The good news is that kidney cancer is uncommon so the risk is small for average users.
Two other important causes of kidney cancer are obesity and smoking. So people on painkillers should not smoke and should also keep their weight under control to prevent kidney cancer.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Scientific Aspects of Prayer

The Scientific Aspects of Prayer


It is natural for us to promise or offer to pray for someone who suffers from sickness. So many people believe in the power of prayer that it has now caught the attention of scientists and doctors.
Today most hospitals and nursing homes are building prayer rooms for their patients, based on the principle that a relaxed mind is a creative mind. During prayer, a person is in touch with the consciousness, and is able to take correct decisions. Most doctors even write on their prescriptions “I treat He cures”.
Medically it has been proved that the subconscious mind of an unconscious person is listening. Any prayer therefore would be captured by the patient building inner confidence and faith to fight terminal sickness.  We have seen the clasical example of the effect of mass prayer on a person’s health in the case of Amitabh Bacchan’s illness.
“Praying for health is one of the most common complementary treatments people do on their own,” said Dr Harold G Koenig, co-director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University Medical Center.
About 90% of Americans and almost 100% Indians pray at some point in their lives, and when they’re under stress, such as when they’re sick, they’re even more likely to pray.
More than one-third of the people surveyed in a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine said they often turned to prayer when faced with medical concerns. In a poll involving more than 2,000 Americans,
75% of those who prayed said they prayed for wellness, while 22% said they prayed for specific medical conditions.
Numerous random studies have been conducted on this subject. In one such study, neither the patients nor the healthcare providers had any idea who was being prayed for. The coronary-care unit patients didn’t even know there was a study being conducted. And, those praying for the patients had never even met them. The result: While those in the prayer group had about the same length of hospital stay, their overall health was slightly better than the group that didn’t receive special prayers.
“Prayer may be an effective adjunct to standard medical care,” wrote the authors of this 1999 study, also published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. However, a more recent trial from the April 2006 issue of the American Heart Journal suggets that it’s even possible for some harm to come from prayer. In this study, which included 1,800 people scheduled for heart surgery, the group who knew they were receiving prayers developed more complications from the procedure, compared to those who had not been a focus of prayer.
Many patients are reluctant and do not discuss this subject with their doctors. Only 11% patients mention prayer to their doctors. But, doctors are more open to the subject than the patients realize, particularly in serious medical situations. In a study of doctors’ attitudes toward prayer and spiritual behaviour, almost 85% of the doctors thought they should be aware of their patients’ spiritual beliefs. Most doctors said they wouldn’t pray with their patients even if they were dying, unless the patient specifically asked the doctor to pray with them. In that case, 77% of the doctors were willing to pray for their patient.
Most people are convinced that prayer helps. Some people are ‘foxhole religious’ types and prayer is almost a reaction or cry to the Universe for help. However, many people do it because they’ve experienced benefit from it in the past.
If a patient wants to pray and feels it might be helpful, there’s no reason he should not. If he belives that prayer might work, then he should use it.

Vegetarian Diet and Soya Products Help Reduce BP

Vegetarian Diet and Soya Products Help Reduce BP

Ingestion of a vegetarian diet may reduce systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg. A 5 mm reduction in blood pressure may reduce the risk of heart disease by 21%.
One major feature of a vegetarian diet that may affect blood pressure is the amount of dietary fiber; with an increased amount being associated with decreased systemic pressures. Multiple meta-analyses have shown benefits with dietary fiber intake on blood pressure. Vegetarians, in general, have lower blood pressure levels and a lower incidence of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Experts postulate that a typical vegetarian’s diet contains more potassium, complex carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fat, fiber, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin A, all of which may have a favorable influence on blood pressure.
More significant reductions were observed in older (greater than 40 years) and hypertensive individuals.
Soya is good for high blood pressure because it is naturally high in potassium and low in sodium. Potassium and sodium are electrolytes, and a high-potassium, low-sodium diet promotes a healthy blood pressure.
Soya can be good for high blood pressure when you eat it as an  alternative protein source to unhealthy meats. Soya-based meat substitutes, such as veggie burgers, veggie bacon and meatless cold cuts, can be higher in fiber and lower in sodium than animal-based meat products. They can lower your risk for heart disease because they are lower in saturated fat. However, soya does not contain the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fatty fish and shellfish; these may lower your blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.
Even though soya is low in unhealthy saturated fat, some soya products are high in total fat and calories, and as a result will contribute to weight gain if you eat too much. Losing weight if you are overweight, or maintaining your current weight if you are already at a healthy weight, improves your chances of lowering your high blood pressure.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Free Heart Checkup Camp-Press Conference with Shivani Kashyap

Meaningful Coincidences: Synchronicity

Meaningful Coincidences: Synchronicity

Poor Hygiene Habits May Lead To Typhoid Fever

Poor Hygiene Habits May Lead To Typhoid Fever


Typhoid fever is caused by a bacteria Salmonella typhi and is transmitted through the ingestion of food or drink contaminated by the feces or urine of infected people.
Flying insects feeding on feces may occasionally transfer the bacteria through poor hygiene habits and public sanitation conditions. Though the cases occur all through the year, the number is higher during the summer and rainy seasons.
Symptoms usually develop 1 to 3 weeks after exposure, and may be mild or severe. They include high fever, malaise, headache, constipation or diarrhea and enlarged spleen and liver. A healthy carrier state may follow acute illness.
Typhoid fever can be treated with antibiotics. However, resistance to common antimicrobials is widespread. Healthy carriers should be excluded from handling food.
Sanitation and hygiene are the critical measures that can be taken to prevent typhoid.
  •  Typhoid does not affect animals and therefore transmission occurs only from human to human.
  • Typhoid can only spread in environments where human feces or urine are able to come into contact with food or drinking water.
  • Careful food preparation and washing of hands are crucial to preventing typhoid.
  • Typhoid fever in most cases is not fatal.
  • Prompt treatment of the disease with antibiotics reduces the case-fatality rate to approximately 1%.
  • When untreated, typhoid fever may persist for three weeks to a month.
  • Resistance to common antibiotics is now common.
  • Typhoid that is resistant to common antibiotics is known as multidrug-resistant typhoid (MDR typhoid).
  • Ciprofloxacin resistance is an increasing problem, especially in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
  • Azithromycin is a new drug for drug-resistant typhoid.
  • Typhoid vaccine taken every three years is the best preventive approach.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A non-stop Interaction between Patients and Cardiologists


Addressing a press conference, Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India, said that Heart Care Foundation of India in association with World Fellowship of Religions is organizing the 4th Dil Ka Darbar at Talkatora Stadium on Sunday, 23rd September, 2012.

The Darbar will provide a unique opportunity for non-stop questions and answers between nurses, doctors, patients and cardiologists. The panel of doctors will include clinical cardiologists, preventive cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeon, Ayurvedic cardiologists, Homeopathic cardiologists, naturopathy cardiologists and Yoga experts trained in cardiology. These experts will give a joint opinion for medical queries. Free cardiac consultations will be available on the spot. Cardiologists from Apollo Hospital will also be available on Telemedicine. People can avail concessional cardiac investigations and procedural facilities on the spot.

 Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, AYUSH Department will provide experts from Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy and Yoga. Apart, eminent Ayush experts from private sector will also be available. Cardiologists and experts from other specialities from various hospitals will be participating as Allopathy experts. A few of them include Dr. Z.S. Meharwal, Dr. Rajesh Malhotra, Dr. N.K. Bhatia, Dr. S.V. Tripathi, Dr. H.K. Chopra, Dr. Manju Gupta, Dr. Anupam, Dr. Praveen Chandra, Dr. Subhash  Manchanda, Dr. Sameer  Srivastava, Dr. Yugal Mishra,  Dr. Praveen Bhatia, Dr. Sujay Shad, Dr. Neelam  Mohan, Dr. Ajit Saxena, Dr. Saurabh Juneja, Dr. B.N. Sinha.

Dr N K Yadav, Director (Health) MCD South Zone, Prof. Manju Gupta, HOD Cardiac Surgery, Safdarjung Hospital and Dr. Deepak Khurana, HOD Cardiac Surgery, Max Heart & Vascular Centre, Patparganj in a joint statement said that a second opinion is also required as to when to intervene in patients with congenital and valvular heart disease. There may be situations when one needs to decide whether to go for angioplasty or bypass surgery. Replacement of aortic valve often requires a team opinion. Whether a patient needs a bare metal stent or a drug eluting stent too can be a matter of debate. The answer is - when in doubt go for a joint opinion and not for multiple opinions.

Ms Shibani Kashyap, noted singer, composer and celebrity said that when in doubt, one should go for second opinion either to the same doctor or for a joint opinion. The Darbar will be a unique opportunity to the people for the same. She further said that such concepts are unique and can provide forum for better patient-doctor understanding.