INDIANS HAVE HEART ATTACK AT MUCH YOUNGER AGE:
Death from heart attack occurred at least five to 10 years earlier than among people in other countries,

It involved 1,732 persons, who had suffered heart attacks and 2,204 controls from 15 medical centres.
At least 60 per cent of the Indian participants were from the lower and middle-income groups.
Bangalore: It is well known that with changing lifestyles and diet patterns, Indians have become more prone to heart attacks in recent times.

Now, a study published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) on January 17, suggests that Indians and other South Asians have heart attacks at a much younger age compared to other ethnic groups because of higher risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The research, conducted across five South Asian countries — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka — revealed that death from heart attack among people in these countries occurred at least five to 10 years earlier than among people in other countries, including European and West Asian countries and the United States of America.

This analysis, called “Risk Factors for Early Myocardial Infarction in South Asians Compared with Individuals in Other Countries” involved 1,732 persons who had suffered heart attacks and 2,204 controls from 15 medical centres, including the St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore; All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and the Government Medical College, Nagpur and around 10,700 heart attack cases and 12,500 controls from other countries.

Part of international study

The research is part of a larger international study, called INTERHEART (International Heart Study) conducted across 52 countries involving around 30,000 persons.

Prem Pais, Dean and Head of the Clinical Trials division at the St. John’s Medical College, Bangalore, who is one of the investigators in the study, told The Hindu that the message to be taken from the findings of the study is that awareness about risk factors of heart disease and the need to take precautions to prevent them should be created among adolescents and school-going children.

“The risk factors for heart disease included smoking, high cholesterol levels, hypertension and diabetes, which is seen among people in all countries, but among South Asians, harmful factors such as cholesterol and history of diabetes were more common,” Dr. Pais said.

He added that the study dispels the myth that heart disease was a rich man’s disease as at least 60 per cent of the Indian participants were from the lower and middle-income groups.

According to the study, the mean age for first heart attack among persons in South Asian countries was 53 years, while it was 59 years for those in other countries.

Protective factors

Protective factors were lower in South Asians compared to other countries — exercise (six per cent in South Asians, 21.6 per cent in other ethnic groups); daily intake of fruits and vegetables (26.5 in South Asians, 45.2 per cent in others) and alcohol consumption once a week (10.7 in South Asians; 26.9 in others).

good 1.thank god atleast some 1 understands it………………..lol.

प्रेरणा जी , आपका यह आलेख महत्तवपूर्ण जानकारियों से भरा रहा । समस्या गंभीर है परन्तु विकल्प बहुत ही कम हैं । आप ऐसे ही लिखती रहिये हमारी शुभकामनाएं

u rock!

Neeshoo

Cool well Done : At least some one has the guts to wrtie in native language

Prerna

Nice choice of topic. I think there can be much positive discussion around it

Cheers

TO PRERNA,
Good article on obesity. A very relevant issue. In 2008 the maximum searches by Indians on google was on obesity.
But Prerna i have my disagreements. In my very limited experience in America i took notice of this problem. And I realized that Americans r not that obese as they themselves and the world have been made to believe. If the standard is size zero then most Americans nd Indians r obese. Else not. I think plump is healthy.
As far as heart-attack among indians is concerned it has little to do with sugar ,cholestrol etc. It is due to the mindset of Indians. Indians suffer from three things. Curry, Worry and Hurry. The lead a uni-dimensional life. They rush through life. They actually pant through life. They r the shallowest breathers in the world. This leads to blockage in their heart. Resulting in myocardial infarction or heart attacks. Biologists now say that 80% of the diseases r due to emotional repression. Their roots r in the mind . They r psycho-somatic. Emotional expression is considered as a weakness in India. Culture at home nd office forbids emotional expression. Long faces and emotional callousness is appreciated.No wonder therefore that Indians suffer from heart attacks. Cancer too is increasing.
Prerna my point is that the problem is somewhere else. It is not in sugar cholestrol, or Mcdonald’s burgers. It lies in the mind. Which is nothing but the inner layer of the body. Vested interests like the now-dead Dr Atekins create the panic regarding health hazards of food.

TO DR. NADDU,
once again a nice article. but i see this one is related to ur field. Naddu what do u say about the role os sexual repression in health.Now there is reliable research that a few types of cancer can be traced to sexual repression. Nd Indians r the prima donna of sexual repression.keep up the good work honey.love ankur.

Gentic dispositions, life style, psychology, and bad habits need to be considered when it comes to diseases. The human needs to be seen a whole in his life and environmen, in his universe.
A person with a tendency of a low basal metabolic rate will easier lose weight balance than a person with a higher basal metabolic rate.
It´s an advantage when people know what kind of disposition could exist. With a conscious behaviour and healthy life style you can minimize your risk.
A preferrable way to avoid a high risk is personal prevention.
A drinker, smoker, overweight person increases a risk to suffer from many diseases.

Humans know so many facts and figures about healthy nutrition and health care, nevertheless, it´s easier to surrender to temptations or desires than living a disciplined life.
The mind is willing but the flesh is weak. People tend to be lazy, seek comfort, due to evolution we eat too much when food is available to care for worser times. Each calorie you don´t burn will become a depot in a fat cell.
Our life has become comfortable, not less hectic, but physical work has been reducing more and more. Food is available, anywhere, at any time.

A Calorie is a measurement of energy, usually used to determine how much energy is in the food you eat. One pound of fatty tissue contains ~3,500 Calories of usable energy. Therefore, to gain or loss that amount of fat, you need to either eat that much more or less than what your body needs over a period of time. You can do this by adjusting your intake or exercise level. (Suggested ‘normal’ intake is about 2000 Calories for an adult woman, and 2500 for an adult male; obviously this varies greatly based on age, activity level, and weight)

For example, by eating 500 less Calories than you burn every day for one week, you would lose one pound. If you ate 500 Calories less than normal, and burned 500 more Calories than normal in exercise (every day), you would lose 2 pounds a week.

The paradoxical part of each and any diet is, that a body or metabolism adjusts to lower calorie consumption, your body slows down the the basal metabolism due to reduced consumption to care for sustenance. Only by eating less, you won´t reduce weight. Once you would eat a usual quantity or quality again, you would gain more than before, this is the so called Yo-Yo effect.

The secret of a balanced weight is to burn the amount of calories you take in. What burns calories?
Muscles burn calories, cardio training burns calories. The ideal mixture to keep or maintain a body healthy is appropriate nutrition combined with physical exercise. Simple, but too strenuous for many, one needs to keep an attitude to manage this in a daily routine.

Intake of fast food has become a comfortable habit for people in the daily hectic. Especially for those who don´t care for food and healthy nutrition. The problem is not really a lack of time or money. You can enjoy a healthy dish wherever you go, you just need to plan and prepare it for yourself.
I`m an adversary regarding fast food or convenience food. I dislike all kind of canned food or any prepared Maggi help or mixture. Urgh! We have so many fantastic spices, herbs, ingredients, I prefer to know what I would have to swallow. Additionally, better flavors and tastes makes the work and time of preparation worthwhile.

For many years we´ve had Mc Donalds in Germany. When I was a teenager, it was trendy to enjoy a Big Mac or some french fries. A phase of experiment, a little freedom we teenagers enjoyed…it was fairly cool, because it was different and new, food from America, wow! After we had enjoyed it for many times, we just got fed up, later, after I had a better knowledge about food, nutrition and relations concerning health, I condemned it absolutely.

People, especially children, get in touch with this fast food through tv spots or other advertisement.
One of the greatest trick to allure families to visit Mc Donalds was the marketing strategy of a “Happy Meal”. Children got promised special toys they could chose when they buy a “Happy Meal”. The toys were always related to a latest Disney movie or some other fashion.
The motive behind a fast food campaign is obvious.
All the fast food concepts weren´t made to make people happy, the purpose is nothing but a huge profit oriented business with unhealthy side-effects for people. Not that the consumption of a Burger would cause a disease, firstly a matter of the quantity could be harmful, secondly the frequency matters. Fast food should never become the one and only way of nutrition or a food habit for a human.

Nowadays, we cherrish and value to cook our own meals, even three course menues. There are several shows on tv called like “The perfect dinner”. You watch people in their homes preparing 3 course menues for some likeminded guests who take part in a kind of little competition. They rate each other´s menues, in the end the winner receives a nice sum of money. These shows infact had an impact on many people, they are a great successs and cause that people get back into cooking and food preparation. They help to develope a better culture and understanding regarding nutrition. I appreciate it.

Cooking is a sensual matter. It´s a wonderful method to get rid of tension or stress. A nice ritual in a family and a great possibility to socialize. Although time is not always plenty, I would never neglect or forget to care for healthy dishes for my family. For the children we prepare lunch boxes for school. When they come home, we enjoy a warm lunch together, in the evening it is supper.
Parents need to teach their children in this matter.
When you don´t set an example, children will not learn to appreciate good food or develope a food habit.
The best way to inspire children is to integrate them in food preparations and after that, just celebrate and relish what you have prepared altogether. It´s a delicious fun!

You are what you eat!

Greetings,
Naddu

*genetic dispositions* (sorry for my mistypos, time before dinner, needed to rush) lol

Good message.
Thanks

A good subject matter chosen to be focussed. Keep writing and all the best
Anwar

I agree with you Prerna
Bibhu

Thanks for the informative mail.
kashif

thanks Ashu

@Naddu — great synopsis of all the issues concerning a healthy diet. thank you!

@Sandhya — thank you so much for your personal anecdotes. it is really great to hear of families practicing healthy eating habits together!

திரு ஆசி ஐயா அவர்களுக்கு,
தாங்கள் ஆசிதான் என்பதில் எனக்கு எந்த ஐயமும் இல்லை. அனால் நீங்கள் “ஆஸ்திரேலியர்” என்பதில் எனக்கு பெருத்த ஐயம் உண்டு. தங்கள் பெயரை மட்டுமின்றி மற்றவர்களின் பெயரையும் பயன்படுத்தி சில பலர் எழுதும் போக்கை இந்த வலைய பாதுகாவலர்கள் கண்டித்தால் தங்கள் உரிமை மட்டுமல்லாமல் மற்றவர்களின் உரிமையும் பாதுகாக்கப்படும். நானும் இந்திய மொழிகளில் ஒன்றான என் தாய் மொழியில் எழுதியுள்ளேன். நீஷுவுக்கு அளித்த ஆதரவை எனக்கும் அளிப்பதில் தங்களுக்கு உடன்பாடு தானே?

@ Prerna
I think most so called modern and educated indians take their health for granted. They don’t know their blood pressure, sugar level, cholesterol, haemoglobin level. They are just happy in knowing their height and weight.
Actually hypertension is the most silent killer, which if untreated may lead to major problems affecting different body parts like brain, heart, kidneys, liver, and even eyes, and by the time you see the symptoms, it’s too late.
Problem with hypertension is that people don’t realise it unless and untill they get check their Blood Pressure, because our body tend to function normally without showing any apparent symptoms even at BP level of 150-100 (120-80 is normal).
So according to me only solution is to get your full body check up annually and keep the things under control.
I myself maintain 2 different files.
1. Income Tax File.
2. Health File.
Both on annual basis.
Because for me HEALTH IS WEALTH, literally.

Regards
Rahul

Dear Ashu,

thank you for your question. I hope this article may help you to understand that fat is necessary for your health. You only need to consider the quality and quantity of the fat you consume.

Essential Fatty Acids

The main components of all fats are the fatty acids which might be saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Fats containing a high proportion of saturated fatty acids are solid at room temperature. These are commonly known as saturated fats and are usually derived from animal sources e.g. lard, suet and butter. Most plant fats are high in either polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats except palm and coconut fat which is highly saturated.
Saturated and monounsaturated fats are not necessary in the diet as they can be made in the human body.
Two polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that cannot be made in the body are linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. They must be provided by diet and are known as essential fatty acids. Within the body both can be converted to other PUFAs such as arachidonic acid, or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
In the body PUFAs are important for maintaining the membranes of all cells; for making prostaglandins which regulate many body processes which include inflammation and blood clotting. Another requirement for fat in the diet is to enable the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K to be absorbed from food; and for regulating body cholesterol metabolism.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids – Dietary Sources
Food sources of the two main dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid) are listed below.
Linoleic Acid (Omega 6 family)
Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts
Grains
Seeds
Good sources:
Oils made from:
Safflower
Sunflower
Corn
Soya
Evening primrose
Pumpkin
Wheatgerm.
Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega 3 family)
(Please note – fish is not the only source of omega 3 acids.).
Flaxseeds (linseeds)
Mustard seeds
Hemp seeds
Walnut oil
Green leafy vegetables
Grains
Spirulina
Good sources
Oils made from:
Linseed (flaxseeds)
Rapeseed (canola)
Hemp seeds
EPA and DHA
Alpha-linolenic Acid is converted in the body to EPA (eiocosapentaenoic acid) usually found in marine oil and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) usually found in marine fish oil. Many factors affect the rate of conversion and one factor seems to be a high food intake of linoleic acid which is typical of vegan diets and may suppress the body’s ability to convert alpha-linolenic acid to DHA. Vegans can achieve a better balance of PUFAs in their body tissues by using less sunflower, safflower and corn oils and more oils containing alphalinolenic acid such as rapeseed (canola) oil, or soya bean and walnut oils. This would encourage their tissues to make more DHA.
Conclusions
Numerous expert committees have recommended a reduced consumption of total fat by the general population. Only vegan diets generally comply with current guidelines that fat should not contribute more than 35% of the total energy intake of adults and older children.
Saturated fats contribute to high levels of cholesterol in the blood, a risk factor for atherosclerosis and heart disease, while polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) have the opposite effect. Vegan diets, containing no meat and dairy fats, are low in saturated fatty acids and high in beneficial PUFAs. Vegans consume considerably more of the essential PUFA linoleic acid than do omnivores, and approximately similar levels of the other essential PUFA, alpha-linolenic acid.
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two non-essential PUFAs, do not generally occur in vegan diets. The human body can convert alpha-linolenic acid into EPA and DHA but, even so some of the body tissues of vegans contain less DHA and EPA than those of other dietary groups. The consequences of this difference, if any, are not known.
Similarly, breast milks of vegans, vegetarians and omnivores contain differing proportions of various polyunsaturated fatty acids, and these differences are reflected in some body tissues of infants. It is not yet known what, if any, effect these variations may have on the growth and development of infants.

Ashu, if you really want to test whether the promised effect of the tea is valid, have it for 4 weeks without changing any other habit.
For myself, considering the loss of Vitamins that wouldn´t get absorbed in regard to the mode of operation of the mentioned tea, I would restrain myself from following this theory.

There´s no other way to lose or change weight but changing habits that caused this overweight.
Analyse your food habits(exchange fatty products with low fat products, plus consider the quality of the fat), buy a pedometer, a frequency of 10 000 steps in a day is the suggested number for an adult. If you aren´t fond of jogging, do walking at least 3 x 30min in a week. Your muscles decline when you don´t use them, hence your metabolism slows down as well. Build up muscles, you will burn more calories, this would help to keep the fire always on, even when you don´t move your body. (resting metabolic rate will increase)

It would be wonderful would anyone invent a pill or any magic that helps to reduce weight, but
that´s still an utopia or false promise.

We are coming to understand health not as the absence of disease, but rather as the process by which individuals maintain their sense of coherence (i.e. sense that life is comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful) and ability to function in the face of changes in themselves and their relationships with their environment.

Greetings,
Naddu

Naddu

I am trying multiple things at the same time – Cutting on carbs, sugar, while also swimming/walking for min number of hrs/week. My target is to lose 4 kgs, so I am hoping that it will not be too tough. I was hoping that Tea might be another way of getting me my target weight.

thanks

Excellent Article Naddu

It is Undigested SUGAR which causes diabetes and hence blindness, heart problem and overweight.

Am I right ?.

DEAR “ALL”

Please read next few lines:

“On Friday morning Cardinal Pell, head of the Catholic Church in Australia, said he agreed with Pope Benedict XVI that condoms were aggravating the African AIDS epidemic by encouraging promiscuity.

“The idea that you can solve a great spiritual and health crisis like AIDS with a few mechanical contraptions like condoms is ridiculous,” Cardinal Pell told Sky News.’

SINCE CHILDHOOD I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THAT “CONDOMS ARE BEST WAY FOR BIRTH CONTROL AND AVOID DIESES” NOW I AM 100% CONFUSED WHOM TO BELIEVE.

@Prerna & @Naddu : (I have no medical qualification but this is what I can understand)

SUGAR IS ENEMY NUMBER ONE: WHY ?

Increasing muscle mass increases basal metabolic rate. Aerobic exercise does increase resting energy consumption. Lean tissue (fat free) in men and women requires approximately 16 calories per pound of energy. Thus, once a lean mass is known it could be multiplied by 16 to reveal daily caloric needs based on the activity level of the individual.

Multiply your lean body weight (fat free) by 16, that should be the maximum daily calorie intake under normal unstressed conditions. When stressed brain activity is exceptionally high, hence calorie intake decreases. Also when we have more fat in body, our lean body weight is less (ratio) but we eat as per body requirement. Hence we need to eat less as we grow or do athletic exercise to maintain lean body weight (muscles).
Since female loose calcium as they grow, hence their lean body weight decreases rapidly with age. Same goes with male who have high sexual activity in old age.

Few basics are:: (Respiratory Quotient is most important factor to in calories burning)

Carbohydrates:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
Because the gas exchange in this reaction is equal, the respiratory quotient for carbohydrates is 1.0: R.Q. = 6 CO2 / 6 O2
For fat : The overall equation for fat is:
C16H32O2 + 23 O2 → 16 CO2 + 16 H2O Thus the R.Q. for fat is 0.696: i.e. R.Q. = 16 CO2 / 23 O2 = 0.696

Also more energy is needed to burn a saturated fatty acid than an unsaturated fatty acid.
While in case of protein:
C72H112N2O22S + 77 O2 → 63 CO2 + 38 H2O + SO3 + 9 CO(NH2)2
The R.Q. for albumin is 63 CO2/ 77 O2 = 0.818

Hence based on above Respiratory Quotient, it is sugar which is worst enemy.

NADDU YOU ARE BLOODY INTELLIGENT.

Naddu :: I agree with you about Glucose and Sugar.

(Firstly Happy Easter)

ONE SIMPLE QUESTION: WHY DO WE FEEL BREAST HEAVY WHEN HEAVY INTAKE OF SUGAR IS CONSUMED AT ANY GIVEN DAY.

My body can tell me if I have taken more than fair share of sugar for a given day.(I do not suffer from any sugar related issue at all).
? ?

TO ANKUR

A strained marriage can lead to heart disease risks for women. A new study show the chances of developing depression, leading to metabolic syndrome and obesity is worse for women in strained marriages than for men. The result is increased heart disease risk for women who are in an unhappy marriage.

“The gender difference is important because heart disease is the number-one killer of women as well as men, and we are still learning a lot about how relationship factors and emotional distress are related to heart disease.”

The researchers looked at 276 couples, married an average of 20 years, ranging in age from 40 to 70. The couples filled out questionnaires reflecting quality of marriage, emotional support, warmth, friendliness, and communication among the couples. The questionnaires also looked at depression resulting from disagreement over kids, in-laws and money.

The couples received blood tests, and blood pressure measurements to examine how strained marriages might affect health. The scientists found that women in unhappy marriages were more likely to feel depressed, and had more risk factors for metabolic syndrome that can lead to heart disease. Men also reported depression from strained marriages, but did not show the same signs of health risk factors related metabolic syndrome as seen among women.

Tim Smith, a psychology professor and study co-author from University of Utah jokingly suggests women avoid men to reduce their risk of heart disease. On a more serious note, Smith says, women really should consider the negative impact of an unhappy marriage on heart health. “There is good evidence they [women] should modify some of the things that affect metabolic syndrome – like diet and exercise – but it’s a little premature to say they would lower their risk of heart disease if they improved the tone and quality of their marriages – or dumped their husbands.”

Improving mood by making a concerted effort toward a happy marriage is most likely to keep women healthier, and reduce risk of heart disease found among women in unhappy marriages. Smith believes metabolic syndrome probably develops from depression in women who are in unhappy marriages. Intimacy and marital bliss seem to be important for physical health in women. The study may be important for helping women reduce risk of heart disease.

Marital strife and heart disease an unhappy pair

A lousy marriage might literally make you sick. Marital strife and other bad personal relationships can raise your risk for heart disease, researchers reported.

What it likely boils down to is stress — a well-known contributor to health problems, as well as a potential byproduct of troubled relationships, the scientists said.

In a study of 9,011 British civil servants, most of them married, those with the worst close relationships were 34 percent more likely to have heart attacks or other heart trouble during 12 years of follow-up than those with good relationships. That included partners, close relatives and friends.

The study, in Archives of Internal Medicine, follows previous research that has linked health problems with being single and having few close relationships. In the new study, researchers focused more on the quality of marriage and other important relationships.

“What we add here is that, ‘OK, being married is in general good, but be careful about the kind of person you have married.’ The quality of the relationship matters,” said lead author Roberto De Vogli, a researcher with University College in London.

De Vogli said his research team is doing tests to see if study participants with bad relationships have any biological evidence of stress that could contribute to heart disease. That includes inflammation and elevated levels of stress hormones.

Another recent study also looked at quality of relationships but had different results. There was no association between marital woes in general and risks for heart disease or early death. But it did find, over a 10-year follow-up, that women who keep silent during marital arguments had an increased risk of dying compared with wives who expressed their feelings during fights. What appeared to matter more for men was just being married; married men were less likely to die during the follow-up than single men.

That study, of nearly 4,000 men and women, was published online in July in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

In De Vogli’s study, men and women with bad relationships faced equal risks. Volunteers filled out questionnaires asking them to rate the person to whom they felt closest on several measures. These included questions about to what extent does that person “give you worries, problems and stress?”

They also were asked about whether they felt they could confide in that person, or whether talking with that person made them feel worse.

Over the following 12 years, 589 participants had heart attacks or other heart problems. Those with the highest negative scores on the questionnaire had the highest risks, even taking into account other factors related to heart disease such as obesity, high blood pressure and smoking.

James Coyne, a University of Pennsylvania psychology professor who also has examined the health impact of social relationships, said De Vogli’s results “make intuitive sense.” But he said the study found only a weak association that doesn’t prove bad relationships can cause heart disease.

“It is still not clear what to recommend,” Coyne said.

“Do we tell people who have negative relationships to get therapy? They may have other reasons to do so, but I see no basis for them doing so only to avoid a heart attack,” Coyne said.

Ending a bad marriage is not necessarily the answer either, he said, given evidence that being unmarried also could be a risk.

warm greetings,
Naddu

good and interesting piece!!

ramakrishnan

interesting

What precisely, through your various essays, you wish to convey…!

Is your drinking alcohol openly.. of any consequence.. besides having ..ability, desire and means to do so, as assuredly, your choice to be a vegetarian inspite of financial freedom to indulge otherwise.
yet denying your aunts the same courtesy. That courtesy being… aunts making their own personal choice..regarding alcohol.
To drink liqour responsibly, if important at all… individually…, should that be in the privacy of their own home or in public or both…

Your desire to be different from them and public announcement of your taste to imbibe,considered a courageous step that must be proclaimed and announced with all its merits.Belittling the entire cultural taboos ..that prohibits women to drink. As well as withholding merits of the bias… which includes higher risk of them devolping Alcohol dependancy and relatively small amount of alchol required for a woman to devolp alchol intoxication because of her body size and body volume. Not to mention birth defects

Yet a personal discovery….”Being Different “….which is a longing desire…., but getting painful … because… of a very slow acceptance…almost a rejection by the populace, A desire expected to be a source of joy…but proving to be extremly painful. And the reason ?
The reason of this unkindly attitude… cannot be anything else… but the ever present…proven yet again … ” discrimnations …Biasis…”
….Discrimination …race, color, gender, language, culture,eating habits ….!!

In due time some thing remarkable happens. Without clear reasons one person and then another starts the communication…” Hello…
And just like that .. they… overcame this nasty social evil.. “.the discrimination..”… It took THEM some time to over come their biasis . Evantually THEY did !

Reminds one of Mark Twain….commenting about his father…
…How very dull and ignorant his father was when Mark Twain left home at age 14 and how ….very brilliant… he the father turned out to be … when Mark Twain caught up with him at his own age of 22 or so. ..!

HI UR BLOGS R INTERESTING ON HINDUTVA SO PLEASE MAKE DEBATE ON OUR RELIGION TO SAVE FROM OTHERS IAM PROUD HINDU LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH SAME INSTINCT TO SAVE HINDU RELIGION OTHERWISE IT WILL BE VANISH IN COMING FEW DECADE IN THE HAND OF OTHER RELIGION OUR POLITICIAN MUST AWARE INDIA IS ONCE UPON A TIME HINDU COUNTRY THANK U

madam,..

intresting lessons thank you………..

nice piece of article.
regards,

Hi Prerna,

Excellent article and discussions. Here is a blog I wrote on healthcare at home.

http://desicritics.org/2009/03/08/033023.php

My diet for daily lunch consists of raw vegetables and fruits, does not cost me more than $2-$3 per day. So it is not true that healthy food is expensive.

Regards,

Ravi

@Naddu

1) Yes active sex life is important for health. Weekly, daily and monthly all depenends on two individual(Until unless some one lucky to have intruder(thrid party when one of them in inactive).

2) One slight disagreement: Sex burn calories but it not the last act. It is the journey which helps to burn the calories. Obvious result is professional sex worker. They are all obesse( Sorry just a guess work: Never been there).

3) We live in a competitive world(both professionally as well as on personal front). I have seen marriage collpasing due to sex inactvity of one partner.

Money can hold two together for daily needs but loving, caring is important. Sexual dissatisfaction bring anger. IT IS TRUE.

(I am not a qualified doctor)

@NADDU

(Firstly thanks for adding Health information here: I did bit more than my fair share of writting:Bit annoying but all in good spirit)

YAKULT ? I AM SURE EVERYBODY HAS SEENS IT ON “SUPERSTORES AND HEALTH STORES”. The Tiny 20ml bottle costing few dollars. I always wandered why it is important and popular and why it is called HEALTH FOOD.

After spending lots of hours, I believe :They are right. Yakult improves Respiratory Quotient of our food.

As I said Carbohydrates Respiratory Quotient is 1.0., Fat’s R.Q is 0.696 and Protein’s R.Q is 0.818. Yakult brings down our entire food Respiratory Quotient below 0.85(or nearby) hence good for health(Remember everything in Moderation Please).

So guys RED MEAT IS GOOD FOR HEALTH(R.Q. below 0.696).

(I am 100% vegetarian but not religiously)

Dear Prema Gupta,
I wish you the best in life. You have written this very important and sensitive article in a wonderful way.
Best Regards.
Dr Ijaz Anwer
Pakistan

thanks for excelent writings .

@Gurpreet

Honestly we don’t know which food is best. Make a visit through Hong Kong Airport and you will not find even single fat(obesse) girl. So may be chinese is best.

However Prerna’s point is clear:Another 10 years and Indian Cities will not be far behind than great USA in Obessity.

I am not sure how much I am right(Some one did a research) but after 15 years of stay in USA most Indian Immigrant to USA are no better than locals when it comes to obessity.

TO PRERNA, NADDU AND WHOEVER READS THIS,
The present education system emphasis mind-orientation over heart-orientation. I feel that the more mind-oriented a person is, the more prone he is to heart ailments. Indians r the most mind-oriented persons in the world. They have completely lost contact with their hearts.Is it the reason for their being more prone to heart-attacks.

Ankur wrote :”Nature has made woman polygamic. They cannot be satisfied with one man”.

I am speachless to read this from a westernised boy i.e ANKUR.

Hi Naddu

You hitting the nail at right place i.e.

“We are, it seems, trapped in a vicious cycle of soul-less automation and we have become like the machines we operate – fast, rigid and impersonal. As a result, expressing and feeling our emotions have taken the back seat. We either deny or repress what we feel until all the “ugly stuff” explodes and expresses itself in a deep depression, a nerve-wracking back ache or worse – a heart attack”.

THIS IS REALITY OF MODERN LIFE. BUT WAIT WHO SAYS LIFE IS NOT WONDERFUL. WE LIVE LONG & ARE MORE HEALTHY THAN 50 YEARS BACK.

Easy to fix above problem.

One just need to be honest with herself/himself.

WHO IS PERFECT?. NO BODY. SO WHY BOTHER.

The things of which you write are the “bane” of America’s existence, not the “bain.” (Although, interestingly, “bain” means “bath,” and perhaps that is more to the point!) To add: throughout history, whenever Whites have brought whatever culture they’re from to a place, disease follows. I don’t know why it is that we White people have intrinsically carried destruction with us, particularly in the foods we eat, but it it so. I have recently lost 80 pounds. While it is true that a salad from the outrageously expensive and deliberately overpriced Whole Foods can cost $12, I go to my local grocery store and make my own at the local salad bar for half that. It’s not so hard. Just takes discipline, which we hate.

Dear Prerna,

I had earlier written to you on why you must delay your reaction to events that take place around you. There is a lot to gain from that and you can share it with others.

Perils of Modernization is a well done piece. I attribute a part of the wisdom in it to possibly your delayed response to what you saw in the US. Keep doing and doing better.

Regards.

Ganesh P.

GOOD ONE, indeed………………………..Ayodhya P Chopra NewDelhi,India

This applies coke to pepsi also,Which is a Billion Dollar Empire
selling just sugar coated water

very thanks for your message

It’s not only fat and sugar, its adultration in packed food, preservatives, artificial colours and added flavours as well which are responsible for vague pains, fatigue , lack of stamina etc. etc.

All thesea re chemicals which keep on accumulating over a long period and body is unable to clear all of them.

God knows when man will learn to respect nature and what’s natural.

Dr.S Goel

Dear Prerna,
I really appreciate u for such a good mail.
thnx n rgds,
mks

Dear Ms. Gupta;

Greetings

I don’t remember when I subscribed to this blog of yours however, I find the topics interesting (although I tend to differ sharply with many of those) and the knowledge and your backing of your thoughts, impressive.

Best regards,

Syed Amed Zafar

thanks
dr sam

WOMAN R POLYGAMIC, NATURE HAS MADE THEM SO, AUSSIE
Women have the capacity to achieve multiple orgasm during a single act of incourse. While men can achieve only one orgasm during an act of intercourse. I also clarify that orgasm is not the same as ejaculation. Ejaculation is part of orgasm. As the sexual act reaches its climax the woman want to have more of it. While the men feel spent and want to end it. You can say that men follow law of diminishing marginal utility while women follow law of increasing marginal utility in sex.
Actually all the opression of women by men started when men realized that women r polygamic. They r free birds. They cannot be kept as men’s property , as one’s land. So men started oppressing women, started killing them, started killing the feminity in them. The greatest massacre in the history of humanity has been the massacre of women, the massacre of their feminity.Nd not the holocaust. Also also the words like husbandie etc that Naddu told us have their basic roots in the word husbandry.
So aussie dear sooner or later women would reclaim their right of polygamy. And u and me would have to be content with being part of some woman’s [like Naddu or prerna] harem. Meet u then. take care.love ankur.

TO NADDU HONEY, I M AWESTRUCK,
Every word of ur last blog is a gem.Like diamonds r falling from ur mouth. U have really expressed the truth. I m really awestruck. Words fail me. Happy Easter Week. take care.love ankur.

PLEASE U RICH OF THE WORLD, DONT ROB US POOR OF COKE AND PEPSI
Pepsi nd coke give employment to millions around the globe. Pay millions to local government in taxes. Spend billions in marketing nd thus support sporting events like the Cricket World Cup . In the hot sun of India they quench the thrust of poor guys who dont have the roof of their AC cars over their heads . And that too for only 7 Rs. A labour works for the whole day under the sun on the construction site of Delhi metro. During his lunch break he reaches out for a cup of fountain pepsi for Rs 5. It quenches his thirst nd gives him energy.
But the rich who travel in their AC cars dont want the poor to even quench their thrist with a cold drink. So they shout against the Pepsi nd Coke. Please u rich people if u dont want to drink coke nd pepsi, please dont.But please let us poor people live with our beloved coke and pepsi under the hot sun. We dont have the luxury of air-conditioned cars. Please we beg of u , u rich beautiful people. Dont rob us of our one little pleasure of enjoying a cup of coke or pepsi.
HAPPY EATER WEEK,
WARM REGARDS,
THE PROLETARIATS OF THE WORLD.

A very easter holidays to Prerna nd all my fellow bloggers on Yaari. Love ankur

Agree with you Naddu
(I admire your contribution here)

1)Most highly depressed people hardly sleep, hence keep eating. Since metabolism work better during sleep so fat(and all jaargon) keeps accumulating

2)Active life style(including personal life) is

(I am not a qualified dcotor)

thnx for the info…..
i also agree to what all you have expressed..

Dear Prerna,

Your reference on’FAT & SUGAR’ is interesting. However, I am unable to accept the medical statistics and the calorie details. Medical research initially indicated Asprine to be an analgesic medicine, subsequently recommended the same to be banned for expansion of blood vessels and at present accepted the same to be a vital drug for prevention of Cardio blocks. Now the consistency is lost.

Scientific research keeps changing that the same thing considered to be good yesterday becomes bad today and tomorrow it shall become vital. Therefore we wait for the next change of opinion.

Most of the restaurents and medicine manufactures are only commercial people whose sole interest is economy only. There are certain Restaurents in Chennai, who in the name of providing natural and healthy food, sells grass and vegetable extracts at a fancy price.

Enough is enough. Let us understand the situation better. The number of Heart attacks have increased could also be false. Do we have the statistics of those fatal cases of Heart attack in the last 50 years. No, not effectively. Many of our people died without knowing the symptoms and ailment natures.. Perhaps, the cases of Heart attack has come down. Medicine has improved the average life of us, but we donot take in to account the number of deaths due to negligence of medical practitioners and wrong medication.

We have seen the municipal workers bringing the vaccination kit to every house in a kettle and ice box, with the kettle having only water and not hot water, while the icebox containing water instead ice. The Vaccines create problems to the vaccinated individual more than when he was not vaccinated. We find Presidents, Chief Ministers and Political leaders administering Polio Drops, commiting a legal violation. They are not qualified to administer, but they need popularity.

Our culture has given us a reasonably a good Planned food for all occations.. If we just follow this, perhaps we will get rid of Obesity or Heart Attack or for that matter any major ailment.

Therefore please do not quote statistics, which is sickening as tomorrow a scientific magazine would publish en entirely opposite statistics prompting people to go for Bergers and Pizzas, to save their health.

I hope all the Indians learn

Hi Prerna,
Thanks for a nice mail.

Dear Prean, Hello…… How R U
Thanks for your kind & usefull information.
Best Regards,
Zaidi.

thank you but am too cautiuos about my food …………..

Preena Darling…..nice blog!..Bye tc

Quite so! Another interesting way for the rich and the powerful to grind lesser human beings into the earth. The continuing struggle of the ruling evil to hold its sway over the weakened good.

are you a writer ?

Dear Prama,
I beleve Americans should come and live with indian and Bangladeshi family how live a simple and plain live as I am sure that todays recession is due to over consumptions of American and its gradually grpas the whole world. Again i would rather say we dont nothing to learn from them rather robbery and invasion.
Shahid

Yes, dear Prerna I agree with you in that many things Indian are worth more than preserving–they deserve to aggressively marketed.
dr sadasivan

DEar Prerna,

This is wonderful. I do appreciate your concern . It is heartening to note that there are persons with concern particularly the latest food habits of Indians… Indeed Mc Donalds provide fast foods, which are quite poor in fibre content and it has been established that over a period of time lack of fibre cause colon cancer . In fact, I shall be grateful if you could enlighten many through your blogs……Thank you……….Raghavan

Hi Prerna Gupta,

You are too informative. I am recalling a statement of Shri.Atal B. Vajpayee that India has sufficient stock of food items, when America likely to impose sterilized seeds to India.

Thanks,
Dhananjayan.

good article,keep it up

excellent and thought provoking discussion.
The fact remains that inspite of prevailing obesity and some unhealthy food habits, general health standards in US are much better. We indians live less, carry lot of chronic problems, donot have very high standards in sports leading superior power.
They have (at the same time) good gymnasiums,play grounds, swimming pools etc along with general conscienceness about health importance.

AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF INDIANS IN 1947 [WHEN THERE WAS NO MCDONALS AND PIZZA HUT IN INDIA AND WHEN INDIANS WERE THIN LIKE GANDHI]-47 YEARS

AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF INDIANS IN 2009 WHEN THERE R MCDONALS ND PIZZA HUTS IN INDIA AND NO GANDHI, ND INDIANS R OBESE LIKE AMERICANS-64 YEARS

The reason why we live longer

It is, of course, impossible to attribute the increase in life expectancy during the last 100 years or so to any one particular reason or factor. Improvement in medical care has without doubt played a prominent part in the decline of infant mortality. More advanced obstetric techniques, better perinatal and postnatal care, as well as increased vaccination against fatal infant diseases such as measles, diphtheria, polio and whooping cough, have all contributed to the overall improvement.

With adults, as for infants, there has also been a significant, and undeniable, contribution from better medical treatment but the situation is not as clear. Several studies have been done to evaluate the relative contribution of preventive and therapeutic practices to the reduction of, for example, cardiovascular mortality. Most of them have concluded that prevention and treatment have had almost equal impact. Factors in prevention have included, better food availability, variety and balance, more appropriate nutrition, recognition of the benefits of physical activity and a reduction in smoking habits.

The genetic aspect is also important as illustrated by the fact that in virtually every population in the world, women live longer than men – by an average of 7.0 years when estimated from birth and 5.4 years at 50 years of age. The exact explanation for this phenomenon is not known. Since this occurs almost universally, it would seem to be irrespective of differences in culture, diet or lifestyle.

Non-medical factors, such as better living conditions and hygiene, better food availability, variety and balance and improved nutrition, have also played a significant role but direct and clear evidence for their individual importance is difficult to obtain. Indirectly, however, their potential importance can be judged by the fact that declines in mortality from certain diseases have preceded medical advances in the treatment of the particular diseases. An example of this is tuberculosis (McKeown, 1976). It shows the mortality from tuberculosis in England and Wales, which was very high at the beginning of the 19th century, had declined by about 50% by 1880, the year that the causative tubercle bacillus itself was first identified. Mortality had substantially declined even further by the mid 20th century, when the first effective treatment and vaccines were developed.

In the case of tuberculosis, therefore, the advancement of medicine was obviously secondary to that of other changes occurring within this particular population. Among the likely explanations for the decline in tuberculosis before the advent of medical treatment, are improved housing conditions and better hygiene.

The influence of food availability and nutrition in promoting health is no longer news and it is generally accepted that these factors have also played some role in the observed increases in life expectancy.

Again direct evidence for this is very difficult to find but there certainly have been improvements in nutritional status in many populations over the same period of time. Changes of body height may suggest a correlation.

The height of army conscripts in Europe, for example, has increased markedly since 1960. Although a difference in height has always existed between the countries (north-south bias), in all of them the average height of the conscripts increased between 5-8 cm during the 30 year period.

The Future

The question for the future is whether there is an upper limit to human life expectancy and, if there is, when it will be reached-in the next decade, some- time during the 21st century, or perhaps even never? Theoretical estimations (Olshansky et al., 1990), how- ever, put the maximum life expectancy from birth at 85 years of age for any population of both men and women. Today, the average for many European populations stands at between 77-79 years. Are Europeans nearing their maximum limit? Only time will tell.

Some Conclusions

It is obvious that many components have been involved in making our lives safer and healthier. This conclusion is by no means new. Hippocrates, stated something similar over 2,000 years ago – in the 5th century BC:

“Positive health requires knowledge of man’s primary constitution and the powers of various foods, both those natural to them and those resulting from human skills. But eating alone is not enough for health. There must be exercise, of which the effects must likewise be known. The combination of these two things makes regimen, when proper attention is given to the seasons of the year, the changes of the winds, the age of the individual and the situation of his home”.

Interestingly, Hippocrates incorporates almost every element that we now consider important for improving health and increasing our chances of longer life – namely, genetic makeup, food availability (both fresh and processed), nutrition, exercise, sanitation and hygiene, the weather and a subtle reference to medicine.

In conclusion, it would appear that, when judged by changes in life expectancy, health in our modern society is improving all the time and is not, as is often suggested, getting worse. Progress in medical care, better living conditions and hygiene, better food supply, improved nutrition and the importance of physical activity can be associated with this development.

To Ankur

A deafening silence on funny money

S GurumurthyFirst Published : 03 Apr 2009 02:29:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 03 Apr 2009 08:56:26 AM IST
It was unthinkable six months ago. Switzerland, once a pet of Western capitalism, is now its hate object. During World War II, the tiny nation was the common love of both the Allied and Axis powers, at war with each other. But neutral Switzerland, a friend of all since Napoleonic days, is friendless today. Its prime attraction, financial secrecy secured by law, has become its nemesis.
Germany first, France next, the US later, with the UK joining last, have, individually and together, declared a war against secret banking and tax havens like Switzerland.
It is a crusade by the West against the Swiss, says the media. Tax havens ask for no income tax from non-citizens and their banks ask no questions about their money. Modern capitalism had all along winked at secret banks and tax shelters; even nicknamed secret money ‘funny money’. But now the West chases secret money like it targets al-Qaeda.
Why this miraculous shift? The short answer: ‘financial crisis’. The Guardian of UK wrote (March 4), “European leaders grew increasingly agitated at how tax havens have fostered secrecy that has contributed to the collapse of banks the world over”. The newspaper’s Tax Gap Series estimated the unaccounted global wealth held in secret havens, including Switzerland, at $13 trillion. The annual tax evasion on the dirty fund, estimated at $255 billion was, the newspaper said, twice the global budget for poor nations. Der Spiegel, a German magazine, reported (March 3) that “Cash strapped governments around the world see the opportunity to finally put an end to bank secrecy” to access the money concealed by their nationals. It added “British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicholas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are now joining forces” and “they have set their sights on Switzerland”.
The crusade against Swiss banks was started by Germany in early 2008 when its intelligence bribed — bribed? Yes — an informant in LGT Bank in Liechtenstein and got a CD containing the names of some 1,500 tax dodgers, and raided half of them, who were its citizens. It also offered, free of cost, the names of citizens of other countries. Many accepted the offer gratefully.
Thereafter, in the third quarter of 2008, Germany pressed the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to blacklist Switzerland for protecting tax dodgers.
Switzerland is an OECD member and twothirds of the Swiss speak German. Yet Germany couldn’t care less. Soon, France joined Germany.
“We want to put a stop to tax havens”, thundered Sarkozy.
At the preparatory G20 summit in Berlin early February, European leaders vowed to launch a global crusade against tax havens at the G20 meet in London, said the Irish Financial News. Europe’s anger was explicit in its refusal to allow the Swiss plea to be presented before the G20 in London.
The US moved even more menacingly. On February 18, the US Inland Revenue threatened the largest Swiss bank, UBS, with a lawsuit — that would have bankrupted it — unless the bank disclosed the names and accounts of some 300 American tax dodgers. A frightened UBS forthwith surrendered the secret data to the US before the account holders could stall it by a Swiss court order. Later, the Obama administration told the US Senate that it would bring laws to prise open the world’s most secretive tax havens.
At this point the UK joined the crusade.
Switzerland wilted under the pressure. Spiegel wrote that, for generations, the Swiss had held bank secrecy as “not negotiable”, and added that it was “no longer” so. The magazine quoted Swiss finance minister Merz as saying that they would have “to compromise”. The Swiss justice and foreign ministers, the magazine reported, had hinted that the country might have to stop protecting tax dodgers. Subsequently, a nervous Merz met Gordon Brown on March 14 with a deal to prevent any move in G20 to blacklist his country. The deal was that Swiss banks would adopt the bank transparency rules of OECD countries. Brown claimed that it was “the beginning of the end of banking secrecy”. Yet, the US is pressing ahead with a law to punish banking secrecy.
When the crusade of the West against Swiss banks is succeeding, here Dr Manmohan Singh and his government, instead of celebrating, seem to be worried at their success. Three bits of evidence expose the Congress-led government’s not-so-well-hidden worry. First, when Germany’s finance ministry offered the LTG bank secret data to any country that needed it, the government would not ask for it despite reports that it contained some 100 Indian names. When in April last year, L K Advani wrote to Manmohan, requesting to him to ask Germany for the data, the then finance minister responded evasively. Transparency International noted India’s “stoic silence over the issue” and that it “has not approached the German government for the data’’ (Economic Times, May 25 2008]. More, the revenue secretary in Delhi has reportedly advised the Indian ambassador in Berlin not to push Germany for the details as Germany might not like it – clear proof that the government is scuttling, not getting, the details.
Second, when, in the G20 preparatory meeting at Berlin, Germany and France were threatening to blacklist Swiss and other secret tax shelters, India’s silence at Berlin was deafening.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the PM’s righthand who, along with Dr Rakesh Mohan, represented India at Berlin, did not utter a word in support of Germany and France. India, a principal victim of banking secrecy, should have been leading the war cry against it. But it did not even morally support those waging the war.
Third, when on Sunday last L K Advani told Manmohan Singh that India should join in the G20 effort to break banking secrecy, the PM did not respond. The spokesperson of the Congress Abhishek Singhvi responded that G20 was not the forum for that, being blissfully ignorant of the fact that it was a main agenda of G20 meet.
In fact just ahead of the meeting, Sarkozy had threatened to walk out unless the G20 decisively acted against secret banks and tax havens.
No need to strain further to understand Manmohan’s compulsions. The fear that drove the ruling family to abort the 1987 probe into Indian monies secreted abroad is still evident. But Advani’s threat to turn the recovery of Indian wealth secreted abroad an election issue has got the PM and his party off guard. The party has blundered, saying G20 is not the forum, when it is precisely that. Now the prime minister cannot remain silent. He has to do something. At least make a show of doing. But can he? QED: Dr Manmohan Singh stands between the devil and the deep sea — between his party and L K Advani.

Hi Prerna,

nice writing and good skills,

With Warm wishes,

Sunil Rana

Thanks for providing the sincere information
Regard
zaki

Thanks Prerna for the good article. I too believe its correct. Pl keep sharing such wonderful articles. thanks
M Goyal

Nice article.

Be a proud Indian.

We don’t have strong media to put our rich customs, culture and many more things on the Global platform. But time is coming now.

21st century is India’s century.

Many thanks
Naqi Haider

ya i agree,ur opinion is too good,we the people of india, we hav lot culture and tradition we follow of them never follow western country.

Dear Prerna,

Good, i m also agree with u……..

Well, keep yourself in writing on such valuable topics…

Urs,
Dr. Girish Tripathi .
Lucknow.

hi prerna gupta
it very good information for all ,pl take it continue

Hi! Its great to read your Blog. India is soon picking up on couch potato children and after a while a society of these youngsters.
Sukthanker

Dear Ms. Gupta,
It was indeed fun, reading your blog. In America everybody claims to be excersizing, yet they are fat. Consumption of junk food, in the daily food regimen, is the root cause, as you very clearly stated.That is why Heart disease & obesity are on the rise. Not that all Indian food is harmless. There are some Indian foods which are also non-healthy but for people like me Indian food is the only food, in the daily regimen. KHAO DESI, RAHO DESI.
Keep doing the good work. Dont stop writing, because I think that is the only way of keeping in touch with the community, firstly & then it is good to read nice information, rather then involving ourselves in the present day political gimmicks of our country.
Mahinder
PROUD TO BE STILL AN INDIAN

ur thoughts expressed are very true. hope fdee of u understand
and follow it sincerely.
adil Palia.

thanks a lot

kishan

Dear Prerna,

Very very informative and a lesson for one and all indians. One of the best write up from you. Good luck.

With profound regards.

Yours

Mamraj Tomar

Prerna,

Its so true.Luckily I made it sure to refuse Coca-Cola in front of my daughter when she was 2yrs old and even said no to all of these “Ñ fries from McDonalds, a slice from Pizza Hut and a cold coffee from Starbucks if anybody offers during a birthday party etc. etc.

So my daughter who is eight years now does not even look at those things and since in schools they are teaching young children regarding junk food she has become more conscious about it and so as you said she love Tawa Roti,Dal,Salad,any one vegetable curry and Curd for the meal..She loves all kinds of fruits and has plenty of them in between meals.

So teaching can begin at home and if each Indian family does the same you have got no one to be blamed and I am sure all these companies selling junk food would wind up one day..

You article was very thought provoking so keep going.

Madhukar

hi prerna…
Really an interesting site!!!
Great article…

hi,
prerna ur msg r really apreciated

Dear Prerna!!
it is indeed a very informative mail. we Indian do have very balanced food which are wholesome, having less fat and enough fibre, fat, protein, carbohydrate etc. So, definitely there is no need to copy Americans or for that matter anybody once we have our own time tested food items which is appropriate as per our climate and environment.
So, I do agree with your thoughts and all the best for the kind of training and values your planning to imbibe in your children!!!!

Warm regards

Vikas Sharan

Excellent stuff.PL keep up d gud work of educating people who otherwise r falling prey to everything that is American
murali

love your article prerna
thanks for such interesting read!
cheers
madhu

I like your language and the bandwidth that you have presented in your write-up….well done….best wishes – hari

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