20th century has seen many such inventions that have been aimed at making our lives easier. But while doing so, these inventions have also made us considerably lazy! And this laziness has spilled over to our professional and personal lives, where physical activity has taken a back seat in favor of sitting.
While, we all thought that there was nothing wrong with sitting, scientific reports have now pegged prolonged sitting on a daily basis to be extremely harmful to our body. In fact a new study has found that, the more time people spent sitting down, the greater was their risk of death. Researchers from the American Cancer Society, who conducted the study have pointed out that irrespective of the amount of physical exercise that a person gets, the amount of time spent sitting will result in an increase in the death risk.
The study found that Men who sat for more than 6 hours a day were 18 percent more likely to die than those who sat fewer than 3 hours per day. Similarly for women, who reported sitting for more than 6 hours a day, the death risk increased by 37% as opposed to those who sat for less than 3 hours a day!
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Be warned women! For your efforts to keep you house sparkling clean, might just double your chances of developing breast cancer. According to a research conducted on 1500 women by breast cancer researchers from the American Silent Spring Institute, it was found that regular exposure to a combination of various household products doubled the risk of breast cancer!
The study, which is the first of its kind, found that women who reported the highest combined cleaning product use had a doubled risk of breast cancer compared to those with the lowest reported use. The study also found that air fresheners and products which controlled mould were responsible for increasing the risk of breast cancer.
To know more, click here…
With Major Food Corporations being blamed for causing obesity, hypertension and cardiac problems by health activists and nutritionists, a majority of them are going in for a Healthy make-over. Leading the pack is the fast food giant McDonald’s which has plans of soon introducing its global ‘balanced active lifestyles’ in India, with the emphasis being on eating right and staying active. Similarly KFC is hoping that its association with cricket will help to advertise it’s ‘promote healthy lifestyles’ mantra.
Not to be left behind is the World’s largest foods company Nestle’s, advertising for its Milkybar white chocolate brand which shows Indian mothers urging their kids to ‘go out and play’. Even beverage giant Pepsi is planning a removal of sugary drinks from schools across India, in their effort to spruce up their image as a beverage company that do not encourage unhealthy drinks ….. while these efforts are applaudable, the truth remains that they have come owing to the recent backlash and the introduction of the new food law under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which is putting in place a series of mandatory guidelines for companies against promoting ‘unhealthy’ food habits.
Everyone’s heard about Female Menopause, but did you know that Male Menopause exists too! Yes its true, a study has found that some men experience a decrease in their hormone levels when they hit middle age, which in turn leads to menopause like symptoms such as a low libido and fatigue.
A major difference that was observed between female menopause and male menopause was that it affected only 3% of males as opposed to the majority of women who are afflicted as they approach their 40-50s. However scientists also warned that with testosterone levels dropping 1% every year for men, from the age of 30, not every male experiencing a low libido or fatigue was a victim of male menopause!
With obesity levels on the rise amongst children in India, a new study conducted by a Television channel (What’s On India) has found that the Idiot Box is a major contributor to kids becoming obese these days! The study found that most processed foods products were heavily advertising themselves on all children’s channels, leading to an upsurge in the demand for such products which contributed largely to the child’s obesity.
Another study conducted by the Diabetes Foundation of Indian found that the ads of processed food products, which were primarily targeted towards children, were responsible for boosting the demand of a product by up to 54%, which in turn explains the rising levels of obesity and early onset of diabetes amongst young Indians. The study found that Prime Time i.e. from 4-6 pm on popular children’s channels such as Hungama, Nickelodeon, Disney and Pogo saw a flurry of such ads. To quote a figure, the month of April alone accounted for a total of 44,887 processed food ads on these channels!
Nutritionist Hira Mahajan agrees with the study stating that children, who are being bombarded day in and day out with such ads, are bound to demand junk foods constantly, which can lead to lethargy diabetes and obesity….to read more click here
With 345 cases being reported in the short span of 7 days, between 21st and 27th June, it has become clear that the arrival of monsoons has not only heralded the rains but also Swine Flu, in India! And with the virus spreading in areas, previously left untouched, this resurgence has become a matter of concern for the Indian Government.
A meeting called by the Indian government to discuss the country's preparedness to deal with a Swine Flu epidemic, the meeting headed by the cabinet minister saw them arrive to a conclusion that Swine Flu was to replace the seasonal influenza strain to become the dominant virus causing fever, cough and cold!
Dr. V.M. Katoch, ICMR director-general, who was part of the meeting, stated that there were bound to be more cases of Swine Flu in the near future, as it was spreading to areas where it had previously not shown of any signs of being active. For example, the state of Kerala which had reported very few cases of Swine Flu the first time round, now accounts for 266 cases out of the 345 cases!
However there is no need to fear yet, as Swine Flu is completely treatable....
“Cigarettes and Alcohol consumption promote absenteeism!” – Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).
With news that can spell doom for the corridor smokers, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India has found that smoking and alcohol consumption within corporate employees results in a 20% rate of absenteeism every week!
The study further stated that 29% of the corporate employees indulged in smoking and another 5% of them smoked and drank too, this despite being health conscious. Plus, with corporate employees indulging in such vices and falling sick due to them, this unhealthy choice of a lifestyle has been resulting in 20% absenteeism per week, which in turn has been leading to losses of 70,000-80,000 million annually!
The study further found that employees were literally losing sleep over high stress levels and the rise in demanding schedules that have now become a part and parcel of the corporate world. With 24% employees sleeping less than 6 hours a day, productivity levels have taken a hit ….. to read more click here
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that affects the elderly. Often confused with senility, it serves to cripple the individual’s memory and disrupts their daily life.
With Alzheimer accounting for the death of 1 in 4 Indians above the age of 80, lack of awareness about the disease is a major cause of worry. With symptoms of Alzheimer being quite similar to that of old age such as memory loss, change in mood and personality, time and place confusion etc, it goes mostly unnoticed!
Since there is no cure for Alzheimer's, early detection goes a long way in saving a lot of trouble for the patient and helps him lead a trouble free and healthy old age. Plus having knowledge about the early symptoms of the disease helps in its early detection. Following is a list of symptoms of Alzheimer's that should not be ignored,
Memory loss that disrupts daily life
One of the most common signs of Alzheimer's is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.
What's a typical age-related change? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.
Challenges in planning or solving problem
Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.
What's a typical age-related change? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
People with Alzheimer's often find it hard to complete daily tasks. Sometimes, people may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
What's a typical age-related change? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.
Confusion with time or place
People with Alzheimer's can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.
What's a typical age-related change? Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.
What's a typical age-related change? Vision changes related to cataracts.
New problems with words in speaking or writing
People with Alzheimer's may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a "watch" a "hand-clock").
What's a typical age-related change? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.
Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.
What's a typical age-related change? Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control.
Decreased or poor judgment
People with Alzheimer's may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.
What's a typical age-related change? Making a bad decision once in a while.
Withdrawal from work or social activities
A person with Alzheimer's may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.
What's a typical age-related change? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.
Changes in mood and personality
The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer's can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.
Courtesy: Alzheimer's Association, Boloji.com
In what could come as bad news to a majority of Asians, scientists at Harvard have found that eating the white variety of rice, which is a staple for most Indians and Asians, could lead to an increase in the risk of developing Type -2 Diabetes.
And with India already topping the diabetes chart with over 40 million individuals diagnosed with diabetes, this news might just throw light on why Indians make up almost 20% of the Diabetes patients worldwide. The study which was the first amongst its kind to focus on the link between rice consumption and diabetes, found that replacing white rice with other alternatives such as whole grains or brown rice, resulted in a considerable drop in risk levels of developing Diabetes.
The study which was led by Qi Sun and involved 157,463 women and 39,765 men found that the risk posed by white rice consumption stayed the same, despite taking into consideration the various factors that could influence the development of diabetes such as age, smoking status, alcohol intake etc.
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A staggering 25 Million.
That's the figure quoted by experts, for the number of Indians who will be afflicted by AIDS in the current year. Considering the 2.3 million in the year 2007 it is indeed a sharp rise, which horrifyingly will go on to increase in the near future, given the stigma and shame attached to the disease in India, as well as high medical costs that make treatment a remote possibility for the majority afflicted who cannot afford it!
Considering the role Health Insurance plays in making health care affordable to the general public, AIDS being included in the list of permanent exclusions by Health Insurance Companies makes it rather painful.
The case of AIDS v/s Health Insurance in India
So why this Exclusion of AIDS from the coverage under health insurance
Delving deeper into the reasons as to why this exclusion of AIDS from the coverage under Health insurance, leads us back to a very old thought process that still exists in India, that of AIDS being contracted only due to illicit sexual relations. Sudhir Sarnobat, Founder of Medimanage Insurance Broking Pvt Ltd. explains the thought process stating that “When AIDS as a disease was first identified, the genesis of the disease was identified as illicit sexual act which in insurance terms comes under the term ‘Moral Hazard’, meaning a disease contracted by virtue of an illicit act by the person himself and hence AIDS became an exclusion”.
However with ongoing research on AIDS still not able to come up with a complete cure, treatment is relegated to simply delaying the inevitable for patients and not a cure, which makes for another strong point in favour of AIDS in the case of AIDS vs Health Insurance in India. However it wouldn’t be fair to blame the Health Insurance Industry for ‘neglecting’ AIDS. According to the insurance policy terms, the main criteria set for a claim to be payable are that 1) there has to be hospitalization and 2) the treatment should be a definitive and curative one and since both of these criteria are not met by any line of treatment for AIDS, it might continue to remain as an exclusion.
What this means for the population suffering from AIDS is an indefinitely ‘long wait’ till cure for AIDS is ultimately found, following which the health insurance industry could probably draft health insurance schemes for the same.
With the constant rise in the number of AIDS cases, why aren’t we seeing an initiative from the Govt. to cover the 2 million + plus population who are living with AIDS
World Bank states that the Indian Government’s spending on AIDS is just 5% of its total $5.4 Billion budget on health care. This will soon start falling short, what with the AIDS cases being alarmingly on the rise in India. A question that is bound to arise in everyone’s mind is ‘Why isn’t the Govt. taking any initiative to come up with an AIDS specific health care scheme for the poor?’
“According to the Indian Government’s data base, over 36 million people do not have access to even primary health care. And given India’s total population of 1.2 Billon, the 2 million odd number of AIDS cases does not even figure in the priority list for the health ministry” states K.S.Sankar, corporate member of Medimanage Health Insurance Pvt. Ltd., throwing ample light on the woes of the Indian governments health care plans.
Plus with perceptions and awareness regarding the need for health Insurance being quite low in India, a fact highlighted by the dismal figure of only 9.8 % of the total population opting to buy health insurance, the idea of an AIDS specific health insurance scheme by the govt. in the near future does not seem quite probable.
Moreover with 42.5% of the 2 million+ AIDS affected population belonging to the BPL category - who simply cannot afford health insurance, it nullifies the effectiveness of the any such health insurance scheme, even if it were to be launched. This one fact alone can do mighty well to explain the government’s reluctance in launching an AIDS specific health Insurance Scheme.
Is there any hope for the AIDS afflicted?
Is there a consensus with the thought process of getting the IRDA to regulate the list of exclusions, so as to pave a way for AIDS to get covered under health Insurance in India?
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) primarily functions as a regulating body for the Health Insurance Industry, wherein technically its job is to protect the policy holders’ interest and issue directives necessary for the same. “There is a faint chance of the social cause behind AIDS propelling the IRDA to issue directives to Insurance companies to devise cover for AIDS. This is not something such as making sure that a minimum percentage of the Insurance company’s premium comes from the rural areas and so on, so as to ensure that the rural population gets the benefit of insurance” states K.S.Sankar, implying that even assuming the IRDA intervenes it wouldn’t by default amount to much of a difference in Health Insurance Industry’s stand towards AIDS.
In the very same vein of thought, Sudhir Sarnobat states that one cannot expect the IRDA, which is primarily formed to look after the insured persons’ interests to add directives that would push for a health insurance cover for AIDS when almost half of the afflicted population is found to be living below the poverty line. “I feel that coming out with a health insurance scheme for AIDS isn’t feasible at this point of time as most of those who are afflicted fall under the BPL and it doesn’t bode well for the health Insurance Industry from the overall premium perspective. Plus given the market’s maturity level in the current scenario, directives issued by the IRDA won’t account to much in regards with insurance coverage for AIDS”
Suggesting a possible alternative route, he adds that “I would rather expect the government to use the tax benefit angle (better tax benefit) for donations to NGOs working in AIDS domain & thus route more funds which would have better utilization”
The Verdict
The verdict in this case is rather grim for those afflicted with AIDS in India.
The moral hazard angle is strong, which makes it almost impossible for AIDS to get a Government backed health insurance scheme at least in the near future, in spite of other reasons for the spread of AIDS being identified. Plus that a majority of AIDS patients belong to the BPL category also poses huge problems for the health Insurance Industry from the premium affordability perspective to launch an AIDS specific health insurance scheme.
Somehow one can’t help but think that, what really lies at the base of this whole AIDS vs health insurance saga, is the fact that AIDS goes without a health insurance cover in India more than anything else due to the poor social interpretation of AIDS, along with AIDS being more a problem of the poor! As Sudhir Sarnobat puts it, “I think it’s more to do with the stigma AIDS carries with it that has made it very difficult for India to look at AIDS with changed mindset”. Says it all, we guess!