OPINION

Every minute 3 people die, somewhere in India, because of cardiovascular diseases, namely heart attack and stroke* The sad part is - they need not die. According to a paper published in Current Science journal in 2009 hypertension or High Blood pressure is responsible for 57% of all stroke deaths and 24% of all deaths due to heart attack. Tragically, in majority of cases , patients are unaware of their high blood pressure. Hypertension is called the silent killer .If not treated properly, it can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and eye complications. How to prevent…

Overweight and Obesity are fast emerging as global pandemic. 72% of the most developed country in the world, USA's population is overweight and obese. In India , more than 30 million people are overweight, and the fact that 20% of school going children are overweight, paints a grim picture. In a study conducted in 2007, by Department of Food and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College , New Delhi, revealed 13.1% of affluent schoolgirls in Bangalore are overweight, and 4.3% being obese. According to another study cited by Dr Izhar Hasan, Unani Doctor, Bangalore has 35% overall prevalence rate of Obesity. Obesity…

First it was Aindrita Ray, who was crying on television accusing a veteran director of slapping her and touching her inappropriately. Then it was a seasoned and veteran actress Ramya, weeping on small screen to get her money from a producer who had not paid her dues. Then it was another super actress, Pooja Gandhi who threatened to take a producer to court and complained about harassment and threats to her life from another person in the industry. And more recently Nikitha Thukral, although was not seen crying in public, must have shed plenty of tears in private after receiving…

That smoking kills is no news. That smoking can cause death to your near and dear ones is also perhaps known to most. That one out of two tobacco users is destined to die is something most of smokers would not wish to know or accept. Yet, this is what World Health organisation says. Out of the six million people who die because of tobacco use, 5 million are users and ex users. Six lakh are those who die of gift of smoke (Second hand smoking) from their near and dear ones. Almost 40 % of children breathe smoke polluted…

Kannada Actor Darshan's act of domestic violence has been in the news for the past few days. Yes it has not been proven, yes his wife has taken back the case. But the fact is his wife is in a bad shape and is attending court cases with her hand in a cast. The case is pending before the Magistrate. Initial Police inquiry suggests that he attacked her in a moving car. The driver said he didn't see or hear anything because the partition is sound proof. What would you have done had you witnessed this happening while you drove…

In the midst of Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement, an event of significant importance went unnoticed by citizens of Bangalore. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) presented the much delayed annual budget for the fiscal year 2011-12. A cursory look at the budget suggests that BBMP is in as much a mess as Satyam Computers was at the time of confession of fraud by its founder. Little wonder even after three weeks of release of the budget, it cannot be found on Palike website. Ramalinga Raju the founder CEO of Satyam Computers booked fictitious revenue to inflate profits of his company.…

"Be the change you want to see in the world" - M K Gandhi A friend of mine, talking about corruption once said, "India is like this only, we just have to flow with the tide... who has the time to spend... it's just not worth it". Another friend, a senior manager in a reputed company, talking as if corruption was a commodity, once said, "This is the going rate... what's wrong in paying?". Attempts to refute these statements and questions were resulting in long debates and at the end of it, strained relationships... so I breathed deeply and let…

In principle, your rights evolve from the principles of equity and justice, the principle of respecting your autonomy, your dignity, and right to your privacy and confidentiality. Rights of a patient You have the right to be informed of your disease as diagnosed by the doctor, proposed medical care and the risks involved in treatment whether medical or surgical. You cannot be discriminated against on the basis of your caste, creed, religion or race. You are entitled to respect for privacy and confidentiality of your identity and your medical condition. You have the right to refuse any treatment which may…

Very few things in life can compare to the joy of becoming a new mother. The nine months' wait, severe labour pains, all find expression in the joy of mother when she hears the baby cry at birth . However, this joy transforms into sleepless nights, when the parents return home from hospital. If the baby cries too much, it is disturbing. If the baby cries too little, it is worrisome. The absence of a senior person (read mother or mother in law), compounds the situation in a nuclear family. Our professional experience is interspersed with frantic calls, from mothers…

BMTC fares went up a month ago, and hikes in petrol/diesel prices were cited as the reason. The story is more complicated than that. The real reasons are the three C-s -- ‘Collection' , Corruption among staff, and Complete apathy towards commuters' convenience or rights. 364E is a route that plies from Boopasandra in north Bangalore to south Bangalore (beyond Jayanagar) so it is very convenient for people like me who travel from north to south regularly. If I get 364 E, I can go directly to Jayanagar, otherwise I have to take two buses, one to Majestic or Shivajinagar…