GUEST COLUMN : Open secret of Atmanirbhar Bharat- health, education & nutrition to all
Thursday, 07 April 2022 | Dr BKS Sanjay & Dr Gaurav Sanjay | Dehradun
World Health Day is celebrated annually on April 7 to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. In view of the current pandemic, a polluted planet and increasing incidence of diseases,the theme for World Health Day 2022 is ‘Our Planet, Our Health’.
Health, as defined by WHO, is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Every person has a desire to be happy and we believe that only a healthy person can be happy. A healthy person can do not only his work but the work of others as well. The ability of any healthy person will always be higher than that of an unhealthy person in every way.
Health is not only an asset but also a resource which should be nurtured by all. Health and happiness are interrelated and directly proportional to each other. If you are healthy, you are happy. If you are happy, you are healthy. Health is a fundamental need of any individual and everybody should be health conscious. One should always take care of themselves in order to remain healthy. To achieve good health one can follow the acronym DEWS: Diet, Exercise, Work and Sleep.
A healthy lifestyle can be attained by maintaining a balanced diet and taking all the essential nutrients required by the body. A proper meal plan helps to attain an ideal body weight and provides the energy you need to keep active throughout the day and reduce the risk of various diseases. A balanced diet supplies the nutrients your body needs to work effectively.
In quantitative calorie deficiency, individuals lack adequate calories in their diet and in qualitative deficiency, they have enough calories usually from junk food which lacks adequate quantity of desired nutrients.
Proteins are the building blocks to improve and enhance our immunity.Pulses, dairy products and meat are the common sources of protein. Eggs are the best source of high quality protein, which is almost 100 per cent absorbable by the gut. Micro nutrient malnutrition is very common in our country especially among the poor, although it is also seen in affluent society. It is also common in developed countries particularly in the geriatric age group due to lack of appetite and mal-absorption of food.It is well known that green vegetables and fresh fruits are the main and rich source of micronutrients but people prefer to avoid them as they usually produce gaseous distension and bloating.
It is suggested that we all should take a cup of green tea which is rich in antioxidants, eat a banana which is the best source of energy and magnesium, a lemon which is rich in vitamin C, a green leafy vegetable which is rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, a fresh fruit which has fibres, folic acid and vitamin C and an egg which contains almost all the important elements needed by the body.
About 70 per cent of all diseases are due to the change in lifestyle which has increasingly become sedentary. The main culprits are overeating, less physical work and consumption of tobacco and alcohol. It is suggested that we should eat less and work more.This is the secret of a healthy and a happy life.
Any activity lasting for a half an hour to an hour which makes the body sweat is enough to maintain good health. If we all do our personal and domestic work daily then one won’t need to go to a gym. Unfortunately in our culture, work has not been given due importance.
Sleep is a fundamental need of every living being just like eating. No person can do without sleep for more than 48 hours. Those who do more work have a better sleep cycle and those who work less suffer from insomnia. Lack of sleep and the influence of liquor are the main causes of road traffic accidents in our country and night time vehicular accidents are often fatal.It is observed that fatigue is a proven cause of accidents.In private sector due to the greed for money drivers are forced to drive nonstop for longer hours creating mental fatigue and in public sectors due to non-availability of enough trained drivers the available staff is asked to drive for longer durations.
It is not only our experience as we are sure that you may have experienced it too that in India the health needs of most people are competing with basic human needs like food, shelter and education. In India, we are still not realising the importance of good health and the government is still figuring out how to keep our fellow citizens healthy.It is important for government and individuals to look after the health of all people to make them more stable and strong to complete any task easily and quickly.
WHO is focusing on universal health coverage, so is our government. In our opinion Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme 2018, Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Scheme 2021 and Swasth Bharat Yojana launched by the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a major factor in improving health services not only for the poor and needy but for the entire country. If these projects are implemented honestly then they will prove to be a milestone.
Human resource is the greatest resource on earth. If we want to realise the dream of self-reliant India then the government should make arrangements to provide quality health, education and nutrition to all citizens preferably at subsidised rate.As it is said by ancient Indian Rishi Bhrighu, we all are products of pleasure and to achieve pleasure is the goal of every individual. If we are healthy and happy then we can achieve our desired goal and enjoy our life.
(Padma Shri recipient Dr BKS Sanjay is a senior orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Gaurav Sanjay is an orthopaedic surgeon. Views expressed are personal)
