Health and India

India is rapidly transforming. This transformation has ushered swift and profound changes in many aspects of our life. The health consequences of such changes have by far been predominantly prolific. For example, as access to immunizations and basic health care improved there was a dramatic increase in life expectancy at birth for the average Indian.
However, some of the more recent changes have been less sanguine. The substantial increase in obesity, type II diabetes, and associated cardiovascular morbidity are a few problems that have arisen due to dietary shifts and sedentary lifestyles. Several other aspects of recent changes in India - in particular, rapid urbanisation and population shifts to cities, industrialisation, and a steep increase in the combustion of fossil fuels - threaten to impede or even reverse improvements in life expectancy and impair function in both obvious and subtle ways.
In the changing Indian scenario, society is digitising. We are compressing too many things to do in an iota of time. Simultaneously we are dealing with our inner conflicts while our conjectures are combating with changing moral codes and parameters set by society. Our lifestyles are undergoing drastic changes and although there seems to be a heath revolution going on with health spas and gyms mushrooming everywhere; as a society at large, Indians are not moving towards a state of balanced health.
“Health is not only physical, it is also mental, social and sexual. All four aspects need to be looked into to lead a balanced, healthy life,” reveals Dr Ashwini Bhalerao Gandhi, consultant gynecologist, PD Hinduja Hospital. She further comments, “As a society we do not have the concept of investing in our health. We tend to neglect ourselves and this holds especially true for Indian women of all ages. Most of our health concerns can be taken care of by regular exercises and a healthy diet.”
While Dr Vasundhara Atre, cardiac anesthesiologist, Bombay Hospital feels, “It is scientifically proven that all our health problems
develop from the time the child is in the womb. We need to concentrate on prevention and education. There is an urgent need to begin educating our children at an early age about good health and nutrition. Uncontrolled weight gain in childhood results in strokes and heart attacks below the age of 65.” In a national weight survey conducted in the year 2000, 25 per cent men and 36 per cent women were found overweight.
Prevention is better than cure especially when the major health concerns across all age groups today, are diseases that could have easily been avoided. Be it obesity, hypertension or diabetes or their resultant complications like coronary heart or artery diseases.
India holds the dubious distinction of being the world capital of diabetes. Dr RG Naik, consulting diabetologist, Breach Candy Hospital points that 28 million Indians suffer from diabetes.
According to The Global Burden of Diseases study, by the year 2020 India is projected to have 45 million patients of cardio vascular heart diseases.
Dr Gandhi suggests involving exercise into our daily routines and going back to nutritional basics. She says, “Stress and strain coupled with bad nutritional habits has led to hormonal imbalances in women of all ages. Menstrual age has come down while age at which they get married has gone up, leaving a wide age gap in which women are increasingly experiencing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This leads to menstrual irregularities, acne, excessive hair growth, anovulatory cycles and obesity in women. More women in their 40s have breast cancer and many are experiencing osteoporosis post
menopause. Most of these, if detected early, can save the patient a lot of heart ache and physical pain.”
According to medical experts, every woman over 35 years must get around 1000 mg of calcium daily. In today’s lifestyle with hectic work schedules and erratic eating habits, regular diet does not meet this requirement of calcium. For example, a glass of milk provides only 210 mg calcium; therefore a right calcium supplement becomes an imperative pre-requisite for healthy and active lifestyle.
Dr Atre feels, “Our earlier generations led a relatively healthier lifestyle. Our high stressed work environments, fast paced lifestyles combined with our social lives, which include drinking, smoking and repetitive late nights are wearing our bodies down. We are exposing ourselves to cancer and heart attacks.” A recent control case study conducted in Canada reported that women smokers risked contracting cancer 27.9 times, as opposed to 9.6 times with men who smoke.
In a country like ours, where malnutrition and under-nourishment is rampant
- particularly among pregnant women, nursing mothers and growing children - there is a need to bring about a significant increase in consumption of eggs and chicken, which are the cheapest sources of protein and various other essential nutrients.
Chicken and eggs are the cheapest source of animal protein. All over the world, chicken accounts for more than 55 per cent of the nonvegetarian food consumption, and there is an increasing preference for chicken compared to all other nonvegetarian products. In India, more than 75 per cent of the non-vegetarian food consumed comes from poultry products.
Dr Shanshad Sonawalla, consultant psychologist, Jaslok Hospital believes, “We are all a part of a new India and the new generation is far more cutting-edge, growth oriented and intelligent. All they need to do is put their mind to wanting a healthier life. Depression is far more common today. Meditation, regular exercises and good fulfilling relationships can effectively deal with it. Most people feel isolated and cannot vocalise their feelings; most of the frustration arises from not being able to talk it out with someone.”
The sudden rise of spirituality in the last few years goes to show that somewhere deep inside; we feel a need for a stronger faith and want to be responsible to a higher calling.
Good spiritual, mental and physical health is our birthright as human beings and we only need to respect and celebrate ourselves to live well.

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