Noncommunicable Diseases in India :What You Can Do Today (Podcast)

I am in a unique position. A Doctor who writes and paints. I enjoy the pleasures and perils of both sides of my life.

But it definitely surprises me that I have managed to write since 2014. I am indeed still writing.I am also still a Doctor.These two professions have no retirement. 

Thats the best part. But there are perils.

Seth Godin talks about making things better by making better things. Thats the reason I pop in on the podcast to talk about all things which matter.

One of our teachers talked about wanting to leave the world while still working. His passion for teaching and taking care of patients was inspiring. He was 78 in 2013, and last I know, he is still keeping up with the excellent work.

But while Doctors’ experience and practice get better with advancing age, the stress takes its toll on the health. As Healthcare professionals, we often fail to follow the basic tenets of good health.

Timely healthy food ,exercise and sleep.

Of all three, sleep and exercise are most easily skipped, and the untimely death of healthcare professionals is a danger sign.In todays podcast I talk about the rising tide of NCDs in India

 I attended a webinar by ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) where they talked about a report prepared by Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI). This was India’s largest primary healthcare survey covering 233672 people in 21 states. The survey was analyzing the rising cases of chronic non-communicable diseases in the country. India’s non-communicable disease burden is growing alarmingly, with the average age for onset falling sharply. 

Please use a head phone while listening. The recording volume was set to low and now its done! The learning curve is tough and I will definitely be re-recording.

Important points:

 Prevalence of NCDs in India:116 per 1000 population

 Hypertension, Digestive Diseases, Diabetes are the top three prevalent NCDs. Others include respiratory diseases, neurological disorders, heart diseases, kidney disorders, and cancer. This is in the order of prevalence. 

Environment factors are one of the most significant causes of NCDs. This is followed by an inactive lifestyle and poor diet.

Some or all are risk factors we face every day. With time it takes its toll. Prevention is the best cure. You need to take it into your own hands. But some of it requires government intervention.

For example, environmental factor like air pollution is not easy to tackle at the individual level. Women and children get exposed to indoor air pollution when they use biomass for cooking fuel. We can do our part. But to make a real impact, Government needs to look into it. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is making an impact on indoor air pollution. Still, for outdoor air pollution, we need a plan of action.

For end-of-life passenger and commercial vehicles, the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) in Ahmedabad will be set up by Tata motors. The Government of India wants to reduce the polluting effect of older vehicles and indemnify car scrapping if the conditions are fulfilled. That definitely could work.

Stress is another risk factor and one of the most difficult parameters to measure. But we all face it. Stress can be a problem for multiple reasons. 

In this podcast I talk about :

In this podcast I talk about the age group which is most affected by Noncommunicable diseases

About the more common NCDs in men and women.

But what can you do to prevent NCDs ?

Eat healthy.

Avoid junk food, low intake of fruits and vegetables, too much dairy, and addictions. Sleep eight hours a day. Exercise 40 minutes per day moderate level of activity. Walking at the rate of 4 kilometers per hour for 40 minutes is recommended. But the point is to include it in your daily routine. Not just occasionally.

Do something which helps you lower stress. It may be a hobby, meditation, gardening. Whatever it is, you need to find that out and do it.

Living healthy is not a choice but a necessity now. Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite channel or subscribe to the blog .That way you will always stay updated.