GUEST COLUMN
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is the prime policy maker related to health which has been working since April 7, 1948 and has aimed consistently to achieve a healthy and happy life for each one of us. Many infections and diseases like smallpox have been eradicated from the planet Earth and incidence of disabling diseases like polio has been reduced significantly even as efforts are underway to eradicate TB infection from all over the world. The theme for World Health Day 2025 is ‘healthy beginning and hopeful futures’.
Human resources are the greatest resource on the planet Earth. The health of the human is the prime factor to take the advantage of the human resource. It is said that ‘Pahla Sukh Nirogi Kaya’ or, the primary happiness is to have a healthy body. Every person has a desire to be happy and to live healthy and longer. A healthy person can do not only his own work but the work of others as well. The ability of any healthy person will be higher than that of an unhealthy person. The authors believe that health is not only an asset but also a resource which should be nurtured by all. It is said that prevention is better than cure but prevention can be done when there is an awareness about the importance of health. The purpose of this column is to spread awareness in society about this.
Whatever we achieve whether natural or man-made can be used and enjoyed only when we are healthy, but how to achieve good health is the pertinent question. Diet plays an important role not only from birth and throughout life but from the conception of the baby to later life. Health of an individual is the foundation of a healthy family, society and the nation. The health status of any nation is assessed by the statistics of infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Food, air and water are the three vital needs for an individual. It is said in our scriptures, Annam Vai Pranam which means food is life. Diet plays a vital role in maintaining good health. Most lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidaemia and many other diseases are linked with bad food habits. Millets are a good source of energy, protein, fibre, minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc, selenium, many other micro nutrients and antioxidants. Consumption of millets can not only supply energy but also the essential micro nutrients needed for maintaining good health by improving the immunity. Overall millets are better than wheat, rice and maize.
We can be healthy only when we take a balanced diet. Here we would also stress on the need of the micronutrients. People are giving due importance to the macronutrients like carbohydrate, fats, proteins but not much importance to the micronutrients. Macronutrients are taken in large amounts but micronutrients in lesser quantities. Micronutrients are needed to perform and regulate the physiological function of cells and organs. Micronutrient requirement is in amounts generally less than 100 milligrammes per day whereas macronutrients are required in grammes.
Iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, Phosphorus, potassium, copper, selenium, vitamin C and vitamin D are important for bone health. Deficiency in micronutrients and vitamins like A, B, C, D, E and K intake commonly result in malnutrition. In general, daily needs of micronutrients can be fulfilled by taking green leafy vegetables, fresh seasonal fruits, dairy products and certain seeds and nuts. If your culture permits then eggs are a cheap and easy source of high-quality protein, essential amino acid and other important trace minerals.
Lifestyle diseases which are non-communicable like diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesteremia, obesity and other chronic diseases are silent killers because they do not give any pain hence, they are ignored by the individuals not only in the beginning but at the later stage as well. Heart attack and brain stroke are the conditions which come suddenly and the consequences are serious and sometimes fatal because the brain cannot survive even for a few minutes without oxygen. The duration of four minutes sans oxygen is enough to lead to brain death.
Being orthopaedic surgeons, we will emphasise on prevention of falls, particularly in the older age group. Osteoporosis is one of the serious problems which can cause falls and fractures. The usual osteoporotic fractures are of the wrist, spine and the hip. Osteoporosis is one of the leading causes of hip fractures which leads to morbidity and mortality. It is precipitated by inactivity and deficiency of vitamins and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and K etc. Further, it has been observed that one third of hip fractures lead to death of an individual within a year irrespective of the quality of surgery and care.
As it is said that prevention is better than cure, one cannot stress enough on the importance of diet and activities in preventing lifestyle diseases. Inactivity is the leading, precipitating cause of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, atherosclerosis and narrowing of the vessels and certain cancers along with a high risk of premature death. The less you walk, the less stress you put on the muscles which leads not only to weakness of the muscles but the weakness of the bones also. Blood circulation is vital to maintain the physiological need of every cell and organ because circulation itself carries the oxygen through the blood and oxygen is a necessity of every cell and organ. It is a common observation that fast and running water doesn’t allow any deposition similarly running and fast circulation prevents the deposits in the blood vessels. Any kind of the irregular heartbeat leads to plaque deposit in blood vessels and associated hypertension that can detach the atherosclerotic plaque which can block the distal narrow vessel. It is the simple explanation of heart attack and brain stroke which can be fatal.
A balanced diet and regular physical activities can lead to a healthy and happy life. To maintain good health adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of intense aerobic activities or 15 minutes of vigorous- intensity activity per day, five days a week. Walking, jogging and running are the no-cost tools to maintain good health. We have coined the acronym DEWS to maintain good health. D denotes diet, E stands for exercise, W for work and S for sleep. One should always take care of oneself in order to remain healthy by having a balanced diet, regular exercise, desirable work and adequate sleep.
(The writers are orthopaedic surgeons based in Dehradun; views expressed are personal)
