EXERCISE

I don’t exercise regularly. I usually do it for a few months and then give up. Several months later I may start again. There are exercises that help to build Stamina, Strength and Flexibility. To build Stamina we can run or swim. To build Strength we can do push-ups, pull-ups or weight training. To increase flexibility we can do some stretching, bending or yoga. I try to do these three types of exercises. I usually run on the spot to avoid running outside. I do push-ups but not weight training since I want to avoid the use of equipment. I also do some stretching, bending or yoga. I feel better when I exercise. I wish I could continue doing it without interruption but it is difficult to stay motivated.

WHO and COVID 19

I have been watching the news regularly on TV. It is surprising that the WHO can make misleading statements one after the other. They are funded by the Nations all over the world and are expected to provide guidance and solutions on health issues.

First they said there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted from human to human. It started in China and was spreading. The fact that it was spreading indicates that there was human to human transmission. Like most people at that time, I did not think much about it because it was happening far away in China. There is no free press in China and we cannot expect to get reliable information from there.

The second misleading statement from WHO was that there should be no travel restrictions. If every country had imposed travel restrictions early on, the situation would be much better today.

The WHO also said that the common people should not be wearing masks. They said masks are for health workers.

Now, the WHO insists that testing for the virus is the most important step in controlling its spread. They want mass testing. For a country like India with a population of more than 1.3 billion people it is impossible. We do not have the resources to do that. At present only those with symptoms are tested. Those that test positive have to be tested again and again. When they are cured, they are discharged only after two negative test results. So a person who tests positive will require about four more tests.

The WHO also seems to think that those who test negative are in the clear. There is no guarantee that a person who tests negative today will not turn positive tomorrow.

FISH OIL

I had an ache in my right shoulder which was usually felt in the morning as I got up from bed.  I checked the net for information about it and found that it could be the beginning of arthritis. I also found that fish oil could help provide some relief.  I don’t eat fish regularly and so I felt I may be missing something. It made sense that I should get the fish oil. I started taking one capsule of cod liver oil daily. After about two weeks the pain in the shoulder was gone. A few months later my arm was as flexible as usual. I think I should give credit to the cod liver oil for the recovery.

GINGER TEA

Ginger Tea improves digestion, reduces flatulence and belching.To make ginger tea, take a small piece of ginger and peel it. Cut a few thin slices and immerse it in water. Boil the water for a few minutes and strain it. Add milk and sugar if required.

The way I make it is slightly different and easier. I just cut one thin slice of ginger and remove the skin. I put it in a cup and pour some hot water into the cup and stir it. My ginger tea is ready. I find it to be effective and usually have it after breakfast.

DIET IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EXERCISE

I once read an article about losing weight. I am not fat and losing weight is the last thing on my mind but I found it to be interesting. It says that if you are planning to lose weight your diet is more important than the exercises you do. If you are careful about what you eat and how much you eat, you can easily lose some weight. Otherwise, all the exercise in the world is not going to help you.

A few years ago I had a blood test and my doctor said that my blood sugar was slightly above normal. He told me that I need not take any medicine but that I should reduce my consumption of sugar. That day I started drinking my tea without sugar. I did not make any other major changes. I do some exercises but not every day.

Later on, I fell sick one day. I had a fever and body ache which also meant that I could not do any exercises. A few days later I felt uneasy and checked my blood sugar. I found that it had increased. In those days I used to have corn flakes for breakfast and rice for lunch. I stopped both and had something made of wheat instead. I was surprised to find that my blood sugar was back to normal after I made the change. Most people in South India eat rice for lunch every day, but I don’t anymore. I realised that diet does play a major part in our health.

UPSET STOMACH

This happened in Maldives in 2005. Shortly after lunch I started feeling dizzy. I could not walk. My hands and legs were feeling weak. My mouth was getting dry. I thought that there was something seriously wrong with me. I called a friend who came over immediately. He asked me whether it could be due to an increase in blood pressure since I was taking a tablet for hypertension. I told him I wouldn’t know whether there was an increase or decrease in blood pressure. Suddenly I felt like throwing up and rushed to the bathroom. That’s when I realized that it could be due to an upset stomach. Another friend had called for a doctor who came over and checked my blood pressure and pulse. He told me that both were normal and that it was a good sign.

I was admitted to a health center and given a saline drip and a tablet and syrup for acidity. A few hours later I was normal again. I then thought about what I had for lunch that day. I had cooked some vegetables including potatoes and tomatoes in a pressure cooker to speed up the process. I think the vegetables were overcooked and that caused the problem. Till that day I thought an upset stomach was a minor problem. I never knew it could make a person feel so seriously ill.

SIDE EFFECTS

Most medicines have side effects. Side effects produced by medicines taken for long durations should be of more concern. Doctors generally do not discuss the side effects when they prescribe a medicine. Some patients may be affected, others may not.

Once, I was prescribed a steroid inhaler for asthma. After using it I started feeling uneasy and had palpitations but I did not connect it with the new inhaler. I consulted another doctor and told him I was feeling uneasy. He told me to continue with the same inhaler and changed my medicine for hypertension. Only later, after searching the net for information did I come to know that it was the new inhaler that was making me feel uneasy. 

THREE WRONG GUESSES

I was working in Madras (now Chennai) in 1983. It was my first job. I had to travel a lot. So, I had almost all my food from restaurants in different cities. Some were hygienic, most were not. One day, while I was waiting for a train at a station, I felt so tired that I lay down on a bench. Someone woke me later and told me that the train was arriving. I got on the train and reached Madras that night. Next day, I had a fever.

My roommate, who was also my colleague at work, suggested I see a doctor. We went to a nearby clinic and consulted a doctor. He told me it must be the Flu and gave me some tablets. A few days later, I still had a fever. My friend told me to meet the doctor once again. We went to the clinic and the doctor said it must be Malaria. He gave me some tablets for Malaria and told me that if the fever does not go away in a few days then it must be Pneumonia.

A few days later, I still had a fever. I decided to book my ticket and return to Kerala. After reaching home, I went to a Hospital and consulted a doctor. He told me to get myself admitted there. He continued giving me the Malaria tablets for a few days and then conducted a blood test. The blood test revealed that I had Typhoid. Now, I was given medicine for Typhoid and also told to have only a liquid diet. I was hospitalized for one month, after which I was discharged. I returned home cured but weak. It took some time to regain my strength.

The doctor at Madras thought it was the Flu or Malaria or Pneumonia. He made three wrong guesses.

DIABETES

I had a fever and was feeling tired. So, I bought a packet of glucose and had it. I was still feeling weak. Worse, I felt shaky at times. When I saw a doctor, he suggested I do a blood test. I was shocked to see the results. My fasting blood glucose was 132 mg/dL. I never thought I would have diabetes since I am thin and don’t actually use much sugar, except for the occasional coke. The doctor said it was not necessary to start any medication since the reading was not very high. He said I should make some lifestyle changes. I stopped using refined sugar and became more active. The easiest exercise is to walk for about 10 to 15 minutes after each meal. Some people say diabetes is a progressive disease. Sooner or later you have to start on medications and insulin injections. The thought disturbs me.

I started browsing the net for information about diabetes. It was then that I came across the glycemic index. Certain food items increase blood glucose more than others. I had to limit my carbohydrate intake. I thought my food choices were limited. I bought a glucometer to monitor my blood sugar. Initially, I had higher readings after breakfast. Readings after lunch and dinner were not so high. I was also feeling uncomfortable in the morning after breakfast and sometimes felt shaky. This continued for about three months. I read that sugar is addictive and if you suddenly stop using it you would get withdrawal symptoms. It may have been the case. Type 2 diabetes can be due to insulin resistance or insulin insufficiency. Insulin resistance is more in the morning.  

I read about hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and their symptoms. The only symptoms of hyperglycemia that I had were a dry mouth and a feeling of numbness in my limbs one night. The shaky feeling was associated with low blood sugar and since I was not on medication I could not really have low blood sugar. It was then that I came across the word ‘false hypo’. That is, even if your blood sugar is at a normal level you may have the symptoms of hypoglycemia. This happens if the blood sugar drops from a high level to the normal level and the body thinks it is too low. This is not dangerous and can be ignored.

Later, I read a letter written by an endocrinologist saying that it was okay having something sweet to eat once in while. He claimed, if you avoid sugar completely the pancreas will forget how to make insulin and soon you will have to start on insulin injections. It seemed to make sense as long as you monitor your blood sugar and keep it at a safe range.

Now, about five months later I am fine and eat almost anything. I take vitamin supplements. I avoid refined sugar in my tea but do have an occasional piece of cake or chocolate. I also started eating the fruits that I avoided. I think moderation is the key.

YOUNGBERG HOSPITAL

I used to visit Youngberg Hospital in Singapore with my father. It was during 1966 and I was about nine then and had a throat infection. It was a small hospital. The building was two storeyed. It was run by the seventh day Adventists. The doctors were American. It was a good hospital and also expensive.

At the reception, I noticed the blades of the ceiling fans would tilt at an angle while rotating to cover a wider area. Since then, I have never seen a ceiling fan like that. There was a fish tank and I would watch a group of neon tetras moving together. On the table were some magazines published by the seventh day Adventists.

The first doctor we met was Dr. Coffin. I thought it was a strange name. He advised surgery to have my tonsils removed. By the time we decided to have the surgery, Dr. Paterson was in charge. He asked me whether I liked hot or cold drinks. I said hot. I think he expected me to say cold so that he could tell me that I will be having only cold drinks after the operation. I was admitted to a ward with about ten beds in the evening. It was on the second floor. I had to wear a pyjama provided by the hospital. That night I had an apple pie and jelly for dinner which was again provided by the hospital. There was a small recreation room nearby with a TV and some games.

Early next morning, I was asked to be ready for surgery. A man asked me if I had eaten anything in the morning. I said no. He then gave me a new set of pyjamas and told me to wear it. While putting it on, I noticed a label with my name stitched on it.

I was wheeled to the operation theatre on a stretcher. There was a lift even though the building was only two storeyed. In the operation theatre I looked at the lights above and the anesthetist attached some things to my chest. He looked like an Indian. He asked me if I was afraid. I said no. He then held a mask on my face and told me to take a deep breath. I did as told. He said ‘once more’ and I began to see some patterns and fell asleep. After the operation I regained consciousness for second and turned over noticing some people looking at me. I woke up again while I was being taken back to the ward. My father was following behind. He was waiting outside the operation theatre.

Each bed was provided with a push button switch to call the duty nurse who would respond promptly. Indicator lights at the counter told the nurses which bed had called. I called them often to ask for ice which I needed to relieve the pain in my throat. That day I had only cold jelly for food. My father asked me what I wanted. I told him I wanted some comics. I was crazy about the super hero comics like superman, batman, spiderman, fantastic four etc. My father bought me two comics which I did not find interesting since it was not about any super hero. He also bought a packet of chocolates which I could not eat then.

There was an old Chinese man on a nearby bed. He had his food in liquid form given through a funnel placed in a tube attached to his stomach. He could not eat normally. A nurse would draw a curtain around him to give him a bath. A young couple visited him every evening and spent a long time with him. It was his son and his girlfriend.

Looking through the window I saw a long black limousine with the US flag coming to the hospital. It must be from the US embassy. At night a teenage chinese boy with his arm in a sling went around closing the windows in the ward. He must have fractured his arm. He was also a patient in this ward.

Dr.Paterson met me the next morning and looked at my throat. He decided to discharge me. I needed ice for a few days. My friend and classmate Mohandas would bring me the ice.

ASTHMA

I was above thirty when I first felt a difficulty in breathing. It would last a few minutes and then go away. I did not know why it was happening. I thought it may be due to a lack of exercise and I started to do some exercises, but to no avail. The wheezing occurred more during the night and I had to sometimes get up from sleep and stand bent to get some relief.

I had heard of asthma and began suspecting it. I started to read about asthma. Meanwhile a doctor recommended theophylline slow release tablets. It only made it worse, since it was nauseating.

Later, I happened to see a program on TV about asthma. A doctor was explaining that the first step in the treatment of asthma was the use of an inhaler. Only if it did not work should tablets be used. At that time, I was using salbutamol tablets which took about twenty minutes to provide some relief. The doctor on TV explained that an inhaler works faster because it delivers the medicine directly to the lungs whereas in the case of the tablet, the medicine will take much more time to reach the lungs. I started using a salbutamol inhaler and felt much better since I now got a quick relief.

One day, I got continuous asthmatic attacks at night and could not sleep the whole night. I consulted a doctor the next morning and he recommended a Seroflo (salmeterol xinafoate and fluticasone propionate) inhaler. I used it that night and could sleep soundly.Regular use made me feel uneasy and caused palpitations. Since I had the habit of carrying the salbutamol inhaler with me, now I started carrying the Seroflo inhaler. Whenever I had a difficulty in breathing, I would use it. I did not realize that it should not be used as often. One day, I felt my heart pounding and left my workplace in a hurry to take some rest in my room. After sometime my heartbeat became regular but I felt extreme thirst and had to drink a lot of water. I felt very weak for a few days after that. I could not understand the pounding heart and extreme thirst. I asked a doctor about it but he could not tell me the reason. I searched for information on the internet and found that these are the effects of salmeterol overdose.