Are people really healthy?

[Raji Ram]

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There was an interesting debate on a T V channel about the good health of people. One group ascertained

that people are healthy, where as the other group opposed that view. This is what I observe, now a days.


Most of the people are health conscious with regular check-ups and medication. But, does it mean they

are healthy? I don't think so. Arthritis is affecting persons right from their late 30-s. Most of the seniors

have a clumsy gait! Many children are wearing spectacles. There are more cases of allergy. ( When I visited

Boston, I met many Indian kids who have peanut allergy. One kid could eat no other dhal than tuar dhal ).

Almost half the Indian population has diabetes of different stages. Cancer patients are also on the increase!


What does it show? Are people really healthy?

 

[prasad1]

There was an interesting debate on a T V channel about the good health of people. One group ascertained

that people are healthy, where as the other group opposed that view. This is what I observe, now a days.


Most of the people are health conscious with regular check-ups and medication. But, does it mean they

are healthy? I don't think so. Arthritis is affecting persons right from their late 30-s. Most of the seniors

have a clumsy gait! Many children are wearing spectacles. There are more cases of allergy. ( When I visited

Boston, I met many Indian kids who have peanut allergy. One kid could eat no other dhal than tuar dhal ).

Almost half the Indian population has diabetes of different stages. Cancer patients are also on the increase!


What does it show? Are people really healthy?

You have valid argument. I really do not know the answer.
But I think it is only a comparison to say 100 years ago.
There is more awareness so people take precautions. They also complain a lot more. They have the financial means to survive longer.

60-years old was almost the end of life then, average well do people live well past 70 now.
If you had heart attack, it was almost sure death, but now heart bypass saves almost 95% of patients.

 

[renuka]

Answers in black:

Arthritis is affecting persons right from their late 30-s. Most of the seniors

have a clumsy gait!


Reason: Becos of sedentary life style...you will hardly find a simple villager with osteo arthritis...even very old ladies can squat on the floor.

Partly osteoarthritis in on the rise becos we stopped sitting on floors and use chairs.
Western sitting toilets are also the cause for joints not being flexible.


How to prevent?

I make it a point personally to sit on the floor every morning cross legged for sometime ..when I go to parents house I make sure I do not sit on sofa but sit on floor.

I also take meals sitting on floor at my house..got rid of my dining table.



Many children are wearing spectacles.


Reason: High processed carbohydrate breakfast..children in well to do homes tend to have breakfast cereals/corn flakes and sugar laden processed food for breakfast.
High sugar food causes a spike in blood sugar which affects vision and shape of eye ball leading to myopia.

You can hardly find a lesser income house child who still eats a traditional breakfast wearing glasses.



There are more cases of allergy. ( When I visited

Boston, I met many Indian kids who have peanut allergy. One kid could eat no other dhal than tuar dhal ).


Reason: Allergies are on the rise partly becos of being over hygienic...skin allergies..rhinitis etc..becos a too clean environment is sans pathogen and body does not build up immunity and sees even normal harmless bacteria as an "invader" and body over reacts and we get allergy.

In the past children could play in the mud and still not fall sick..partly over use of antiseptics in soap and handwash has stripped the natural defense in the body.

Coming to food allergies..it also could be caused by over use of pesticides which alter the natural make up of foods..not to mention genetically modified food ....also a recent study showed that plants too react to harsh environmental changes and plants too get "stressed" and this its apparently 'toxic"..so we get less healthy food!


Almost half the Indian population has diabetes of different stages. Cancer patients are also on the increase!


This is becos of sedentary life..high carbs diet..low protein..obesity and genetics..the South Asian is genetically predisposed to metabolic syndrome..a triad of Diabetes,Hypertension and Cardiovascular disease.

The South Asian is unfortunately genetically predisposed to have low muscle mass with a central fat distribution ..even those who are thin could actually still have a high fat muscle mass ratio.

To prevent this genetic "defect"..South Asians need to eat more protein and exercise more esp exercises that increases muscle bulk...sadly this is never understood nor given importance.


What does it show? Are people really healthy?


Nope.

 

[prasad1]

Prof. Ruth Lieber, makes a guess on the improvement in overall standard of living:
A good guess is that we’re somewhere between five and 15 times better off in terms of material well-being than we were 100 years ago. Maybe more.
A good point estimate is that our standard of living has increased tenfold in the last century. Not 50% better. Not 100% better. But perhaps something range of 1,000% better.

The characters argue about whether we are really better off or not. The professor’s monologue, with a few of my comments: America’s success since 1900 isn’t really about money. It’s about using that indoor toilet and having penicillin so you don’t die from infection. It’s about women not dying in childbirth. In 1900, the chance of a woman in America dying during childbirth was about eight out of a thousand, almost one percent. Today, it’s about eight out of 100,000. Childbirth is 100 times safer than it was 100 years ago. Think that’s about money?

One out of 100 women dying in childbirth versus about 1 out of 10,000!
I have a good friend who contracted polio just as the vaccine went into wide-spread distribution. I am very glad we are rid of polio. I am very glad that American and Russian scientists have to intentionally work at keeping a live sample of smallpox in storage, since that vicious killer does not exist anywhere on planet Earth outside those two laboratories. Do you grasp the wonderful joy that smallpox is gone and polio is astoundingly rare? That is wonderful!
It’s about painkillers. Try getting a tooth pulled in 1900 if you want to have some fun.No thank you. I’ll go for a big dose of Novocaine and a nice flow of nitrous oxide for my next root canal.


No we have not made sufficient progress, but we are on the right path.

 

[GANESH65]

I think modern food habits are major contributors to the deteriorating health and reduced longevity of people. The traditional foods contained health conscious ingredients from natural resources. Now a days the fast foods we consume mostly contains artificial colours and taste makers which are quite harmful.

 

[sravna]

Health problems are caused and sustained by mainly stress, food and genetics. The allopathic system adds more to the problem as it deeply disturbs the balance of the body while giving superficial relief. It is like controlling the disease by force. I hope as more and more research happens wisdom dawns on how the current understanding of how the body works is very inadequate

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear Renu!

Thank you very much for your detailed reply.

But even villagers have bow legs - may be because of malnutrition!

There is a funny song in Tamil: (last line censored! )

'pAttinnA pAtti,

pazhaiyarisi (old rice) theetti,

kONak kAla neetti,
....................

So, kONakkAl pAttis existed even in earlier generations.

But now, many get this problem when they are much younger. :sad:

 

[Raji Ram]

Dear Prasad Sir,

I agree that medical field has developed very well.

But, is it because people are becoming more unhealthy at present?

The main reason for the deterioration in health is due to adulterated food.

Fruits are ripened using chemicals and many in Sing. Chennai developed blisters on their face after eating mangoes,

this year. We are scared even to eat bananas regularly because they are dipped in chemicals and ripened forcefully.

 

[Raji Ram]

I think modern food habits are major contributors to the deteriorating health and reduced longevity of people. The traditional foods contained health conscious ingredients from natural resources. Now a days the fast foods we consume mostly contains artificial colours and taste makers which are quite harmful.

Dear Sir,

People live longer but many do not enjoy the 'quality' of life.

They prolong their sufferings by eating pain killers and survive with lots of medicines.

 

[auh]

Dear Sir,

People live longer but many do not enjoy the 'quality' of life.

They prolong their sufferings by eating pain killers and survive with lots of medicines.

I have seen this among a lot of Indians, and in that context, it is generally true.

Europeans, and Americans that I have seen tend to value their fitness and they seem less stressed when compared to Indians.

Was there any ethnic study or data on which the debate was centered on?

 

[Raji Ram]

.......... Was there any ethnic study or data on which the debate was centered on?

Some doctors were there on either side of the participants.

They gave some statistical data to prove their POV.

Here is the link for that one hour show:

http://www.hotstar.com/tv/neeya-naana/1584/are-we-healthy

 

[Raji Ram]

Yesterday, I met one of my close friends. She told me that her 90 year mom developed breathing problem and was admitted

in ICU of a renowned hospital. After spending Rs. 90.000, her mom is back home and confined to bed! Is such a life worth living?

 

[auh]

Yesterday, I met one of my close friends. She told me that her 90 year mom developed breathing problem and was admitted

in ICU of a renowned hospital. After spending Rs. 90.000, her mom is back home and confined to bed! Is such a life worth living?

One of the mysteries of life is that we do not know what may happen next. It is quite possible that the ailing mom may recover...

And besides, what really is the option?

 

[vgane]

We met an ailing mom...She was 87 years old..She has very poor bed habits...She passes urine/stool on the floor..Her son is forced to clean the floor...Any solution possible??

 

[sravna]

We met an ailing mom...She was 87 years old..She has very poor bed habits...She passes urine/stool on the floor..Her son is forced to clean the floor...Any solution possible??

Dear Sir,

The only constructive solution possible is to enhance quality of health. Allopathy destroys the quality of health in the name of curing diseases. But let me add more and more research may change that. One can definitely improve the quality of health by spiritual means.

 

[vgane]

Dear Sir,

The only constructive solution possible is to enhance quality of health. Allopathy destroys the quality of health in the name of curing diseases. But let me add more and more research may change that. One can definitely improve the quality of health by spiritual means.

The lady cannot pray! You mean only the son has to pray for her! You can send me a private message

 

[renuka]

We met an ailing mom...She was 87 years old..She has very poor bed habits...She passes urine/stool on the floor..Her son is forced to clean the floor...Any solution possible??

She needs to see a geriatrician for her condition and adult diapers can be used for her incontinent state.

What is the cause of her being incontinent? Sometimes it could even be a neurological condition.

 

[renuka]

One can definitely improve the quality of health by spiritual means.

I think getting adult diapers and finding out the cause of her incontinence would be the sensible approach.

 

[sravna]

I think getting adult diapers and finding out the cause of her incontinence would be the sensible approach.

Dear Renuka,

It is one sensible approach but not the only one.

 

[auh]

We met an ailing mom...She was 87 years old..She has very poor bed habits...She passes urine/stool on the floor..Her son is forced to clean the floor...Any solution possible??

I think the doc has given the apt answer. But assuming the son has already consulted and the condition cannot be improved with medical assistance, he has to take care of her, as she did for him when he was in the same stage as an infant.

 

[vgane]

She needs to see a geriatrician for her condition and adult diapers can be used for her incontinent state.

What is the cause of her being incontinent? Sometimes it could even be a neurological condition.

Thank you Renukaji...I have given your & Sravnaji's suggestions to the concerned person

 

[Raji Ram]

I wonder how the usage of adult diaper is NOT known to an educated person?

They are a bit expensive but the only possible way to help the bedridden patients. :sad:

I have heard that a few super seniors use adult diapers even when they travel by a train or a flight.

Controlling the renal system slowly disappears as people age! It is to be accepted and solved.

If I remember correct, our former forum member wrote once that he uses diapers while he travels.

 

[Raji Ram]

One of the mysteries of life is that we do not know what may happen next. It is quite possible that the ailing mom may recover...

And besides, what really is the option?

Dear Auh Ji,

Since the medical assistance is sought by everyone, even at this sky high cost, probably there is NO other option! In olden days,
the ailing super seniors were given a drink of water and soil saying that the person still has 'maN Asai' and choke them! :fear:

In a village, there is a habit of 'thalaikku ooththu' (??) in which the super senior is given a cold water head bath and left to fall sick!

These were some of the cruel habits which come under the category of mercy killing.

 

[vgane]

I wonder how the usage of adult diaper is NOT known to an educated person?

They are a bit expensive but the only possible way to help the bedridden patients. :sad:

I have heard that a few super seniors use adult diapers even when they travel by a train or a flight.

Controlling the renal system slowly disappears as people age! It is to be accepted and solved.

If I remember correct, our former forum member wrote once that he uses diapers while he travels.

The concerned person forcibly throws the diaper away! Then what can they do?

 

[Raji Ram]

The concerned person forcibly throws the diaper away! Then what can they do?

OMG! That is a difficult situation!

One super senior lived in our village. She was left on a mat spread on the floor and old saree bits were tied as diaper.

An old woman was appointed to clean her up periodically. Her life was pathetic for about five years, till she passed away.

I think hell is NOT any place other than earth. Some suffer the tortures of hell on earth. :sad: