We are living in an age where we have taken medicines as a routine part of our lives. Doctor is that member of family who does not belong anywhere but often dictates your lifestyle.
There is generally at least one member in the family with a chronic illness - be it diabetes, blood pressure, tumour, cyst, some immune disorder, COPD (which is pulmonary or breathing disorder) or PCOS/PCOD. They have their medicines, which they accept as a necessary part of their life. They undergo regular tests, eat according to what the doctor says, avoid activities that they have been advised not to do. In general, they lead a controlled existence.
Even others who are relatively healthy, frequently or otherwise take supplements - vitamins, minerals, health foods and drinks or protein supplements. They say that since the food these days is not as healthy as it was before - because of GM seeds, fertilizers, out of season harvesting, the supplements are necessary. I have believed the same for a long time now.
But suddenly now, a veil has been lifted as I saw a strong willed lady degenerate from a loving mother, a caring sister, a faithful friend, a doting grandmother into a frail helpless old woman begging to be taken away from the doctors and hospital, back to her home. And the time that we took to realize that it was the treatment that was killing her more than the disease, turned out to be all of the little time that she had left.
Everything that the doctors said, was done. Even against her wishes. All the tests, medicines, treatments. And yet, did it all save her? Did it allow her a dignified death? Did it help her live a little in the time that she had? No. Then why did we trust doctors so implicitly?
Truth is that for a long time now, we have been slowly made to believe in these new age doctors as the only hope for good health. These doctors now - who do not look at the patients as persons - at their disposition or willpower, but only at the results of the numerous diagnostic tests. Who go with treatment courses prescribed by scientific research organizations, without understanding if there is even one parameter in their patient that is different from the research group.
Media and new diagnostic tests. These two have gravely affected our own pragmatic thinking powers when it comes to health and diseases. Whether they are selling a toothpaste or a paint, the ads are full of doctors recommending things. I wonder sometimes if the Indian Medical Association is a body appointed for approving advertisements.
Diagnostic tests are another matter altogether. When I was a kid, my doctor checked my eyes, throat, nose, nails and sometimes pulse, to tell me that I was fit as a fiddle and I just needed a sweet syrup to get that cough out and sleep peacefully. And I felt better immediately. Not only did I recover quickly, but doctor visits were really rare. There was never a need for a test any time. Now what do most diagnostic tests tell doctors? Most of the time, they only tell which more tests are needed.
But now, every time you go to a doctor, you wonder what tests he will ask you to undergo. Gone are the days of those sweet sugar syrups (blamed by the medical world for being addictive) and those that induced sleep (which might have contained a wee bit of alcohol, again outcasted by all now) which got us on our feet within a week. Now there are scores of different medicines, and then some antibiotics. And yet the illnesses linger way beyond a week.
I really don't understand doctors who prescribe antibiotics just because the illness has continued for more than 2-3 days. If we do not have high fever, our body is dealing with the infection on its own right? And I do not understand people who keep rushing to doctors at the first sign of common cold. Remember, it is called 'common' cold for a good reason. We have numerous home remedies for most illnesses, taught by our grandparents, why don't we trust them as implicitly?
And then there are supplements. That come with all good reasons. Immunity, weight gain, strength, balancing our diet considering our unhealthy eating habits and unnatural, inorganic chemically saturated food sources. Truth is that we can survive without a balanced diet. Do you think most people on this planet eat a balanced diet? The disadvantaged sections of our societies - do you think they take health supplements? Those wage labourers' kids, who run around in the sun half naked, playing in the mud and dirt, they all seem relatively healthier than our kids. How? Without a balanced diet?
If balanced diet was so necessary, I would have been the frailest kid at school. Never did know about DHA or minimum recommended levels of vital nutrients that we had to have every day. We ate what we had. Not many choices. But we never gave a penny for what anybody else thought was important in our diet or for that matter, in our life. As kids, we lived life mostly stress-free, and that kept us healthy.
Today, looking back, what I have learnt from the most difficult lessons of my life, the only two requirements of a healthy life are love and positivity. Having your loved ones nearby at all times can keep you safe from most negativities. And having a positive pragmatic attitude can help you enjoy life to the fullest. Do not give diseases or doctors or media or anything else for that matter, more importance than they deserve. Once in a while, go on this special media diet (idea suggested by my colleague) - no news, tv, social media, internet for a week. It will definitely help put things in perspective. Health is important; but life is more important.
