Where Are We Going Wrong — Combating Lifestyle Diseases

The rising graph of lifestyle ailments in India and across the world — especially now with the younger generation also getting affected in a major way — is a testimony to the fact that we as a society have gone wrong somewhere, particularly in the past few decades.

Diabetes, cardiovascular health issues, hypertension, PCOD, hypothyroidism, migraine, fatty liver, rheumatoid arthritis — the list seems ever-increasing — have become common household names with people across the entire cross-section of society getting affected.

A booming sickness economy

The health and wellness sector is a booming business today — be it mushrooming diagnostic centres, wellness clinics, gyms, weight loss centres, pharmacy shops, hospitals. And everyone seems to be mistaking these as an indicator of a prospering and developing society.

But should we take pride in the fact that the number of chemist shops in our neighbourhood has increased manifold? Or should we be worried that the number of sick and unhealthy people around us is increasing with every passing day? It obviously boils down to simple economics of demand and supply, and till the time we as a society do not wake up and realise that these are disturbing trends, we are staring at a disaster.

Who is preventing the disease?

The doctors are busy treating the sick. But who will ensure that we do not fall sick in the first place — that we do not become diabetic, do not have high BP, do not have high cholesterol? Telling an obese person to lose weight is not a brilliant piece of advice — he knows that already. Similarly, telling a person suffering from lifestyle ailments to take medicines is fine; that is like putting water to douse the fire. But who will address the source of the fire?

And with the advancement of medical science, it sounds strange to accept that these lifestyle ailments are with us to stay till our death — that we have to take medicines for them throughout our life. But that is what we have been made to believe and accept.

Lifestyle is the only thing left to change

It is high time that we wake up and accept our mistakes. The very fact that these health conditions have been categorised as "lifestyle ailments" substantiates the fact that our wrong lifestyle is the root cause. As far as life is concerned, this is the only life we have. So it is the style we have to focus on and review. Our style of eating, resting, moving, sleeping — all needs a review and retrospection. Once that starts to happen correctly, all these lifestyle ailments can be reversed.

"Popping a few pills every morning is not cool. It is complacency. Let's not go wrong any further."