About one in five of suicides are of senior citizens. It is a cause for enormous concern that warrants attention from healthcare providers, policy makers, communities and us as part of the larger society, writes Samiksha Sivan.
In an effort to raise awareness about suicides and suicide prevention, and destigmatize it, we observe September 10 as World Suicide Prevention Day, a concept organised by the International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO…
Older adults often feel vulnerable and disempowered. They may feel that they are losing their independence . But does it really have to be like that? Can older persons reclaim the feeling of being in control? Here is a practical list of what to do and avoid. The Covid-19 pandemic has reduced everyone in their 60s and above to being termed ‘Vulnerable Elders’, with its associated feelings of fear and isolation from even friends and relatives. But it is now time to redefine Ageing and focus on…
Leading photographer and artist Samar Singh Jodha, has been conducting workshops for marginalised and disabled children in Asia and Africa to empower and bring joy to their lives with the help of the camera. Here he talks about his transformative initiative. I have been conducting photography workshop on pro bono basis for underprivileged children in Asia, Africa and Middle East. Over the last several years, the workshops have been going beyond the honing of children’s creativity to help raise…
Can a person with diabetes eat fruit? Which fruits and how much? Can they eat nuts? Dietitian and Diabetes educator Ujjwala Baxi has all the answers. Fruits are healthy, but even healthy individuals cannot binge on fruits. Excessive fruit intake has shown to have negative implications on triglycerides (a type of lipid detected in the blood lipids profile test). A healthy, active individual can have 4-5 servings of fruit a day, which is 500g of fruit. अब हिन्दी में पढ़ें…
Rima Desai Rao, a registered dietitian, nutritionist and National Executive Member of the Indian Dietetic Association explains how your diet works to keep you healthy and help build immunity. Keeping our immune system in prime condition is always of top priority in these challenging times. Any mention of boosting immunity, one starts thinking of superfoods and thinks it is a very quick job. Immuno boosters are not a magic potion that would provide immediate protection from disease.…
There is increasing evidence on use of Yoga as a complementary therapy for people undergoing active treatment of breast cancer, and for coping with mental health, fatigue and range of motion issues in survivors. With Dr. Rohini Patil of Knitted Knockers. More studies are showing that yoga improves Quality Of Life for breast cancer survivors and those undergoing active treatment. We have also learned from many personal lived experience on how yoga has benefitted them. Dr. Rohini…
Running out of ideas on what to cook? Here are 5 easy to cook one pot meals or mid day snacks that are nutrititious and tasty. By Dietician Shruti Hirlekar Mughalai Groundnut bhel Ingredients Groundnuts (½ cup or 28 grams) soaked and steamed Finely chopped spinach/palak (1 cup) Kidney beans or rajma (1/4 cup) soaked and steamed Puffed rice (1 cup) Rice flakes (1/2 cup) Green chutney as per taste Dates Chutney as per taste Salt as per taste. Directions Mix all…
Shikha Aleya, who has dealt with anxiety, shares her experience of accepting the changed scenario due to Covid-19, her self-care routines and coping strategies that address the various aspects that matter to her. I understand anxiety having worked through it over decades. First I suggest we accept that a certain degree of anxiety has its place in this scheme of things. What is that degree? To the extent that you are okay with it, understand it and are holding space for yourself. I choose…
As we move into varying degrees of home quarantine, stay home setting and lockdown, Shital Raval compiles a list of tips for handling this situation. As psychotherapist H'vovi Bhagwagar said in the webinar (video link below), its important to start with Acceptance of the situation. The word “quarantine” first came into place during the Plague epidemic in Italy. But to be clear, quarantine and isolation are two different and separate things. Quarantine means confinement of individuals who…
