PatientsEngage General Community

The recent incident of a mother in Bengaluru causing the death of her disabled child has stirred many reactions and caused a lot of introspection in families with disabled children. But what of the larger community? Did we give it a moment? What can we do? What should we do? During a conversation in a little cafe in Chennai with some of the early contributors of PatientsEngage, people associated with VidyaSagar, an organisation for children and adults with special needs, the commonly held…

Dr Avinash Joshi, a psychiatrist, has set up a marriage bureau for people with psychiatric and physical disabilities in the hope of providing them not just a soul mate, but also helping build a relationship on trust . You have started a marriage bureau for people with psychiatric and physical disabilities, the first of its kind in India. What spurred you to set up this unique initiative? I have set up a matchmaking site called, manomarriage.com for people with psychiatric and physical…

Health is paramount to life and necessitates the body and mind to be in good shape, irrespective of age, gender, background or profession. We did a random survey of people who do some form of exercise regularly to find out what fitness means to them. Here are some of their answers that will inspire healthy living. Snigda Vakharkar, 36/F  Medical doctor Fitness means LIFE for me. Can't imagine a day without exercise...   Shivas Nath , 46/M  Sports industry educationalist …

Poesy Liang 小詩 is an artist who uses art to question and break down stereotypes. She survived 3 spinal surgeries and battled paralysis twice caused by a rare benign tumour in her spinal cord (thoracic intradural meningioma).This is her speech made during the media conference to open the exhibition for Arts Beyond Sight feat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  "I’d like everyone to relax, don’t look at your phone, close your eyes. Relax, it’s okay. Close them. Let your eyes take a minute break…

And the mistakes people make when dealing with people with disability and hidden illnesses. Aarthi Sampath who has Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy shares her some of worst experiences of being a wheelchair user. I am quite accustomed to people staring at me, curiously, inquisitively. They often wonder whether I have polio as awareness of other illnesses leading to paralysis  is limited. So I have to face inane questions like, “Did you get some fever which paralysed you?” “Did you visit a…

By maintaining a healthy gut or gastrointestinal tract, you can ward off a host of uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, flatulence and constipation and conditions like bowel cancer, Depression and IBS. Tips from Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju. The importance of gut health Gut health is important. The health of the body starts with the gut to help reduce the risk of conditions like bowel cancer, constipation, etc. The food you consume is broken down to fats, proteins, and simple carbohydrates…

Geetha Paniker, a breast cancer survivor, shares her views on how various forms of creating art, and even photography, can heal both the mind and the body. Art and craft is a source of healing the mind and body. Creative pursuits can be transformed into healing arts, which, in turn, transform you. "He who works with his hands is a laborer; He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman; He who works with his hands, head and heart is an artist." Francis of Assisi The healing powers of…

Usha Jesudasan, who is affected by polio, diabetes and breast cancer, is a prolific writer of inspirational books and articles. Here, she advises on a holistic approach to cope with the diagnosis of chronic illness and move forward without letting life crumble. Sitting across from the doctor’s table, I hear him say something. “It is what we call a chronic disease.” 1. Your Attitude Matters Chronic disease? The doctor explained: “A chronic disease is one which continues for a long time. There is…

With the rapid increase in ageing population, elder abuse is predicted to increase in the coming years. We speak to Sailesh Mishra, who is working passionately for the advocacy of senior citizens and geriatric care, on the existing scenario and how best we can create an elder friendly society. How many senior citizens are there in India today? What percent of the total population do they comprise? There are 100 million plus senior citizens (above 60) in India today. They comprise about 10% of…

This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Chloride levels in the electrolyte panel. Read the first part on Sodium Levels and second part on Potassium Levels An electrolyte panel is a blood test that measures the common minerals in the body such as sodium, calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Electrolytes are essential for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and brain as they are needed to…