Does familiarity indeed breed contempt ? A food for thought.

We as humans are creatures of habit who desire familiarity . So I would say familiarity breeds contempt doesn't hold true in this situation.

As we grow older, we are used to a certain lifestyle, a certain comfort,  habits, routines  etc. Hence we crave and desire familiarity at home and work place.

Atomic habits is a book which explains rules for forming good habits. With growing age I have noticed that it is not difficult to develop a habit. My daily routine becomes a habit if iam following it for ten years or more. Hence accumulating good habit is very crucial. It is well known that good habits die hard.

If iam habituated to a routine at my work place then I crave for it every single day.

E.g my routine starts with checking my msgs and replying to them once I reach office. After that my work starts.

At home I have an habit of watching tv for some time and then reading a book. So, come what may I need to follow this every day . And it gives me satisfaction and peace.

How to generate a good habit and be  productive at work place?

1. Check your msgs and mails first thing in the morning or in the evening before going home

2. Once you start working make sure not to check emails, msgs, social media etc

3. Take a break of 10 -15 min after 90 mins of work. 

4. Resume work. Keeps the breaks minimal.

So, if one wants a productive routine at work place ,then make a time table which you will follow daily . And years of this routine will just make you productive and successful.Work time should be devoted only for work. Meeting s with colleagues should be arranged in such a way that along with catching up it should be work related . 

Since many of us like to meet and catch up with friends at work place, my above advice may seem harsh.

Following a strict routine is only for those who have an aim and want to achieve it. These are only some short tips . For detailed explanation and methods to form good habits and build good relationships one can read the books mentioned below.

I had found these books profoundly helpful

Atomic habits by James clear

Ikigai by Hector Garcia, Francesc miralles

Surrounded by idiots by Thomas Erickson

Human nature.by Robert Green.

what is False Autism? is treatment necessary?

 

Nowadays, we are coming across an increased number of Autism cases. These children can exhibit Autism like features, or they can suffer from True Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

What are Autism like features ? Or I would call it False Autism.

Such cases were especially seen during and post-COVID pandemic period. False Autism features were seen in children born during the COVID pandemic or in toddlers who were on house arrest due to the pandemic. It was observed that during this period, children were deprived of social interaction, playing with peers and were exposed to increased screen time. Hence, due to these aforesaid reasons, the children exhibited Autism like features.

How to differentiate False Autism from True Autism?

False Autism: In toddlers, there will be a history of normal social development, behaviour and speech. This will be followed by Autism like features, which developed during the COVID pandemic period. I have seen many cases of such condition. History itself will help in the diagnosis. The symptoms are less severe when compared to True Autism.

True Autism: ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition in which the child has trouble making eye contact, understanding emotions, or forming relationships. There are communication challenges, such as delays in speech, unusual language patterns, or a lack of verbal communication. These children also repeat actions or words, insist on routines, or exhibit a strong focus on specific interests, and some also have sensory issues like overreaction or underreaction to sounds, lights, touch, or textures. Fixation on specific objects or topics, rigid routines and resistance to change are some of the other symptoms.

Symptoms usually appear before age 3, and early diagnosis helps in providing the right support. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in India is 0.15%-1%. To date, only cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has shown some improvement in the behaviour of these children.

Is treatment required for False Autism?

Yes, treatment is required. Even though it is not diagnosed as ASD by Developmental paediatricians.

There is good improvement when the Ayurvedic line of management is followed. The prognosis is far better in this condition when compared to true Autism. And the children almost come back to normalcy.

Ayurvedic Perspective on Autism:
In Ayurveda, autism may be understood as a manasa roga(psychological condition) involving imbalance in Vata and pitha dosha. The Ayurvedic view does not label a child but focuses on correcting imbalances of doshas, dhatus and supporting overall development—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 Ayurvedic Treatment for Autism Includes:

1.     Medhya Rasayana (Brain-Tonic Herbs):
These herbs help nourish the brain and support cognitive functions. Common ones include:

o   Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) – improves memory and attention

o   Mandukaparni (Centella asiatica) – calms the mind

o   Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) – supports the nervous system and reduces anxiety and hyperactivity. Induces sleep.

o   Vacha (Acorus calamus) – used for speech development in small, safe doses

2.     Panchakarma (Detox Therapies):
These are special Ayurvedic cleansing therapies that help remove toxins (ama) from the body and balance doshas. For children, gentle and adapted forms like:

o   Abhyanga (oil massage) with medicated oils to calm the nervous system.

o   Shirodhara :gentle oil pouring on the forehead to soothe the mind.

o   Nasya: (nasal medication) using mild oils for improving speech and sensory processing.

o   Shiropichu: Placing a small quantity of medicated oil on the anterior frontenella. To improve comprehension and understanding.

3.     Special Diet and Lifestyle:
Ayurveda emphasises a Satvik (pure and calm) diet for mental clarity. Foods are chosen to support digestion and calm Vata and pitha:

o   Warm, fresh, home-cooked meals

o   Ghee (clarified butter) for brain nourishment

o   Avoid processed foods, refined sugar, and artificial additives

Important Note:
Ayurvedic treatment is individualised—each child is different. A trained Ayurvedic doctor will assess the child’s body constitution (prakriti), symptoms, digestion, and mental state before planning treatment. No single herbal formula fits all.

While there is no "cure" for autism, early support and a holistic approach—including Ayurveda—can make a big difference in a child's development. With patience, care, and natural support, many children with autism can lead fulfilling and independent lives.

If your child shows signs of autism, consult an Ayurvedic paediatrician for a safe and supportive treatment plan.

 

Immortal thy name-Man

    

        Man as we all know is mortal. But the genomic transcriptions in man make him believe that he is immortal. Therefore whenever death occurs in the family or to friends, we don't think that it will happen to us.

     It is only with advancing age that we fear for our death. When death is inevitable, why should one crave for name ,fame and fortune?This question has frequently arisen in my mind .Coz,when we succumb to death,whatever we have earned we have to leave it behind in this materialistic world.The answer to this is given in Ayurved. Man is called karma Purush in Ayurved. I.e who performs actions. Hence once born in this world we should do work, actions ,activities etc. Depending on our karma we will get the results. Good karma gives good results. Similarly bad karma gives bad results. The actions of previous life may bear fruit in the present life. Hence we are not able to explain some results which are not due to our actions.

   Leading a satisfactory life by performing the necessary karma without harming anyone and also performing actions in the service of mankind will lead to moksha. This is the ultimate goal of mankind. So it is not wrong to crave for a good name, success and fortune. It is the path which we follow is more important.Since we as humans are meant to perform actions, let us utilise this time to do something which will benefit the fellow human beings. 

     Happiness is personal and internal. It cannot be found in external and materialistic things. Each person should search within himself what gives her or him the true happiness. It can be art,music, dance ,literature,gym,sports, etc. Even though we are busy in our work, some spare time should be given to any of these activities which gives us happiness. This way we can live a more satisfied life. Life should always be meaningful and well lived and in the service of fellow human beings. Such life I would call it complete , satisfying and a well lived life

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Role of Ayurvedic functional foods in preventing lifestyle disorders

 

Dr Preetham Pai, Professor, Department of Balrog(Ayurvedic Pediatrics) 

Bharati Vidyapeeth (deemed to be) University College of Ayurved, Pune

Functional foods are “foods or dietary components that may provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition” according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC). There is great prominence to the notion that food not only provides basic nutrition but it can also prevent diseases and ensure good health and longevity1.

In 1994, the US Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board defined functional foods as “any food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains” 2. E.g cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

       Ayurveda, the traditional system of Indian medicine, mentions healthy and unhealthy diets in detail. The properties of various cereals, legumes and meats of various animals are discussed. In Ayurveda, seven body constitutions are explained. Food has a different effect on each person depending on their digestive fire, body constitution, time of the day, season, etc. Therefore, the properties of functional foods are explained keeping in mind the various body constitution. Amongst the cereals, wheat is said to be nourishing, prevents emaciation and weight loss and is heavy to digest. Rice grown in 60 days promotes health and is heavy to digest.3. such cereals should be eaten in moderation by people having weak digestive fire.Barley reduces fat accumulation in the body and helps to lose weight. Barley is proven to be effective in hypercholesteremia. The addition of barley bran flour significantly decreased total serum cholesterol, as did the addition of barley oil after 30 days of intervention in subjects suffering from hypercholesteremia4. Foods prepared out of whole cereals contain increased concentrations of phytochemicals along with other minerals and vitamins (Slavin, 1999). However, only cereal fibre, not fruit or vegetable fibre, was inversely associated with the risk of total stroke in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study5

       Sanva and common Millets are light to digest and will induce flatulence. Hence, it should be eaten in moderation by people who belong to the air body constitution (vata prakriti)3. The millet grain contains about 65% carbohydrate, a high proportion of which is in the form of non-starchy polysaccharides and dietary fibre, which help in the prevention of constipation and delayed release of glucose to the blood stream during digestion and lowering of blood cholesterol. Lower incidences of cardiovascular diseases, duodenal ulcers and hyperglycemia (diabetes) are reported among regular millet consumers. Millet grains are also rich in important vitamins, such as riboflavin, folic acid, Thiamine and niacin. A smaller percentage of the population used cereals like sorghum and other millets, and their food products are proven to be good. The comparable sources of proteins and other functional components in millets have received their attention in new food formulations (Duodu, Taylor, Belton and Hamaker 2003; Pathak, Srivastava and Grover, 2000). The millets also have considerable levels of an extensive range of phenolic compounds (Dykes and Rooney, 2006). 

In legumes, black gram gives strength, subsides the air entity (vata dosha), and is heavy to digest. This should be eaten in moderation by people having weak digestive fire and possessing kapha ( body humour responsible for growth and anabolism) body constitution. Among the pulses, green gram is said to be the best. It is easily digestible and reduces body humour (kapha), hence preventing weight gain and morbidities related to obesity3. Horse gram alleviates the body humours responsible for growth, anabolism, nervous system, body movements etc. (kapha and vata).

      Similarly the benefits and effects of legumes and meat of various animals is mentioned in Ayurveda. Diet advice should be given according to the digestive fire, body constitution, domicile of the individual and the season. This will help to prevent diseases and maintain  health.

References:

1.Ferrari C. K. B., Functional foods, herbs and nutraceuticals: towards biochemical mechanisms of healthy aging, Biogerontology. (2004) 5, no. 5, 275–289, 2-s2.0-18844402089, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-004-

2.P. R. Thomas and R. Earl, Enhancing the food supply, Opportunities in the Nutrition and Food Sciences, 1994, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA, 98–142. Google Scholar


3.charaka acharya,charaka samita, sutra sthana ,27/13,16,19,21,23,26.chaukambha Sanskrit Sansthan,varanasi.

4.Joanne R Lupton, Michael Clayton Robinson, Janet L Morin,Cholesterol-lowering effect of barley bran flour and oil,Journal of the American Dietetic Association,

Volume 94, Issue 1,1994,Pages 65-70,ISSN 0002-8223, https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-8223(94)92044-3.

5. Liu S., Buring J. E., Sesso H. D., Rimm E. B., Willett W. C., and Manson J. E., A prospective study of dietary fiber intake and risk of cardiovascular disease among women, Journal of the American College of Cardiology. (2002) 39, no. 1, 49–56, 2-s2.0-0037005811, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(01)01695-3

Pointers for Online presentations

 

        Online presentations are the accepted norm  for meetings and academic presentations after the COVID pandemic . We might use online mode of presentation for paper presentations during webinars, as invited speakers or during online meetings. It is very important to note  certain points which  have to be kept in mind during an online presentation.

1. The speaker has to be clearly audible and visible. Being audible is an important part of an online presentation. The listeners will be less forgiving if the presenter is not audible.

2. Check your internet connectivity: a stable internet connection is a must during a presentation.There should be no compromise on that. There are times when the speaker is not heard / or there is a disruption of the voice due to a unstable internet connection. This causes a disruption of the meeting and the agendas which had to be addressed will not be dealt with completely, leading to the failure of the meeting.

3. Check the microphone and the camera: during the online presentation we need to be heard and also seen. Sound has to be checked before the start of the meeting itself.switch on the front facing camera.

4. It is a very common question that where should the   speaker  see while presenting online. We are used to physical presentations. So, we know where the gaze should be during such  presentations. If an audience is uncomfortable, we know to shift our gaze too.  In online mode of presentation, the speaker should look at the camera lens while speaking. Of course the speaker's eyes should not be fixed at the camera lens. The eyes can dart off for some time like in a physical presentation .It is easy for the speaker's eye to wander off. But this should be controlled.

5. The presenter should sit at the centre of the screen. There should be a distance of 4 finger width from the top of head to the top of computer screen. The background can be blurred and the level of the eyes should be at the level of the camera. The presenter should sit upright and closer to the computer screen so that he is clearly visible at the center of the screen. 

6. The room should be well lit. It is important to be seen as it is to be heard during an online presentation.

Significance of Astasthana pareeksha in Balroga

Patient examination plays a vital role in diagnosing the illness.The precursor to treating a patient, is taking a detailed history of the illness followed by examination of the patient. Examination of a patient opens  a window to diagnosing the disease and hence aids in treatment.

     Brihatrayis( acharya charak, sushrut and vaghbhata)have  mentioned the dasavidha pareeksha of atura( patient) . This includes the examination of prakriti, vikruti, Sara, samhanana, ahara Satmya, Bala,dushya, desha, kala and anala.

Whereas acharya yogaratnakar has mentioned astavidha pareeksha. This pareeksha involves the examination of Nadi( pulse) jihva( tongue) mala( stool) mutra( urine) akriti ( general appearance) drik ( eyes) shabda( voice) and sparsha( touch). 

Nadi pareeksha involves the examining the Nadi for dosha dominance. This in turn helps us to know the vitiation of the dosha in the body. Various diseases such as jwara, mala avastambha,rakta vikaras etc can be diagnosed by examining Nadi.

In children too Nadi pareeksha can be used for the conditions mentioned above. 

In children it is advised to  examine the pulse rate after 2 years of age. It is only after 2 years of age ,the heart rate and the pulse rate synchronise.Nadi pariksha can still be used in younger children to diagnose the various dosa vitiation in the body. This aids in treating the disease effectively. Since children cannot express the symptoms, Nadi examination will help us in diagnosing the predominant vitiated doshas.The different types of Nadi in children should be standardized using various clinical trials.

Jihva pareeksha: while we are examining the tongue, we should observe the samata/ niramata, colour, any abnormal shape of the tongue, tongue tie, atrophy etc. in children especially the samata of the tongue tells us the state of jataragni. Children don't express their symptoms. So by examining the tongue we are able to learn about the Agni avastha which is an important component while treating a patient.

Mala: Acharya 's have mentioned to test the stool in water for its samata and niramata. This is a simple test and easy to perform. It tells us about the digestion and assimilation status of the food. Mala is also examined for its colour, frequency,consistency,smell etc.colour of the stools can be shweta, pita, krushna, aruna etc depending on the dosha vitiation.

Smell can be putigandha, visragandha etc.

The frequency and consistency of the Mala helps us to differentiate it from different types of atisara .

Now we have stool examination. We can use this to understand the presence of worms, mucus or occult blood in the stools. This helps us in the accurate diagnosis.

Astasthana pareeksha should be the main examination of the patient. And this has to be updated with newer investigations like urine routine, stool routine, blood investigation s ,2D echo etc.

I have discussed only 3 pareekshas . Rest of them will be continued in the next post.

 

Is Social.media a Boon or a curse?

  

       Social media has become a part and parcel of everybody's life.Be it a Doctor or any other profession everyone is using it. Happy faces, fulfilled lives and successful professions are showcased on social media on varied platforms.

      There are many benefits of using social media to market one's profession. It gives a ready platform for people to showcase their skills from the comfort of their home or office. Hence it is not surprising to see celebrities, artists,musicians , businessmen, and also doctors use the social media platforms to market their profession. Instagram algorithm requires a user to regularly post reels and stories on their insta handle. A couple of hours are easily spent each day to create a reel with good lighting and then subsequently post it after applying filters and editing.

     Social media also helps to connect with peer groups residing anywhere in the world. The world has become a smaller place post COVID pandemic due to the maximum utilisation of these platforms. Some of the Physicians, academicians , researchers are available on social media and post reels regularly. Hence learning and knowledge acquisition has become easier.

       For people from my generation,  professional practice of a Doctor started in the traditional way and then social media came by. So, we had to learn how to use social media to reach out to people for professional gains. On occasions we also had to slowly detach from social media to focus more on our practice. 

     Students and youngsters whose whole life is all about social media, I wonder whether they will know any life outside of it.From using  filters, to edit the pics and videos, everyone's life looks hunky dory.It's hard to believe what is true and what is fake in such a superficial world.This fierce competition to be better from the peers ,drowns the youngsters into  depression.

    Even though there are so many advantages to using AI and social media , the perils are also many.

    It is not just students , professionals are also getting influenced by social media. In an attempt to be a part of the rat race , daily  reels and insta stories are created and posted simultaneously.Doctors have become singers and performers.They are lauded for their skill to vaccinate the baby and sing at the same time. Once, I was taken back when I saw a reel where a Doctor was making weird hand gestures. To my amazement and dismay, pictures started popping up after these gestures. It was only after I had watched a couple of reels I could understand what the doctors were trying to express.In a futile attempt to showcase the practices and specialities of their clinic, these doctors were reduced to clowns.

      The trend at present is to be an influencer by increasing the number of followers. The gimmick is to be an insta influencer and content creator on social media.With editing pics and creating reels I doubt  there will be hardly any time for actual practice for a Doctor .The previous traditional way of Doctors practice is being replaced by insta Doctors ,who can act and create drama at the same time. This new trend of being an  insta influencer, content creator gives a false hope to new doctors entering the profession. They expect a rise in the number of patients within a few months into practice. Instead, they are faced with the harsh reality. This causes anxiety and pushes them into depression.

      Success needs hardwork and perseverance. if one utilises the time to create reels and stories ,then when will they have time for actual practice. Experience and confidence can only be gained by treating hundreds and thousands of patients.

   Social media has many advantages too. It can be used as a secondary tool to reach out to the patients. Posting reels and stories related to one' s profession helps us to showcase our skill and also be in touch with the newer generation of patients and colleagues. Anything new can be hazardous or beneficial. It is up to us how much we weigh the pros and cons and utilise it for our benefit.

     Too much of anything is too bad. At present I feel Social media should be consumed like medicine. Small quantity and only when required. This will keep us mentally and physically healthy .Only time will tell whether inculcating social media into practice is the right way while treating  patients. We will have to wait and see.