By Anu Dev
Well, some may think it’s the time to be jolly and all that but for others it’s that time of the year when the denizens of universities are gearing up for finals. Trying to force in all of the work from the semester into the old grey matter.
No jollity here, I can tell you! It’s times like these that I miss QC’s tradition of only having course-work for the first term.
But up to now (three whole months!) medicine is fascinating. And I haven’t been grossed out by anything yet. I found it interesting that they plugged in “Medical Ethics” right up front… does it become a dim memory by the time we finish? I was also struck by how finely balanced all our regulatory systems are, ensuring that all of the processes in our body are in sync. And by how elaborate our immune system is to prevent us from getting sick all of the time.
There are an awful lot of bacteria and viruses out there launching attacks on us, but we don’t spend every waking moment sick, do we? That’s because our immune system is fighting off the invaders all the time.
And I realised how much we take these things for granted. We eat what we want, when we want, not caring about what the nutritional content of the food or our irregular eating times might be doing to our bodies. Or we adopt a sedentary, couch potato lifestyle. And while we take in the car every 3000 miles for the oil and filter change, we don’t make regular check-ups with our doctor just to check if the systems are OK. Until we get sick, that is.
But being healthy isn’t just about being physically healthy. The WHO defines health as, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
There might be interminable arguments by philosophers about where the mind might be located but there’s no question mental health is as important for normal functioning as any of the other aspects of health. Mental health is defined as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (OK… that one’s from the text!) What about social health… we are social beings, aren’t we? Well that deals with your lifestyle choices.
Do you want to die early from lung cancer? Then by all means, keep chain-smoking those cigarettes. But secondary smoking is even deadlier to those around. So just quit! Smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol are all lifestyle choices that you should say no to, if you (or those around you) want to stay healthy. Remember alcohol and domestic violence are highly correlated.
Other decisions you can make about your lifestyle are about the food you eat. Eat smarter, eat healthier.
In Guyana, we’re at high risk for diseases like hyper tension and diabetes. These diseases don’t have absolute cures, just ways to manage the illness. So let’s take preventative measures to prevent ourselves from getting these diseases.
We really should be focusing more on prevention, rather than just treatment.
And there are little everyday things that persons could be a little more aware of. Things like sneezing or coughing into a tissue.
Germs, remember? The importance of washing your hands is something that cannot be stressed enough. And while we’re on the subject of hands, nail-biters really should ease up – it really isn’t sanitary, not to mention unsightly.
Laughter’s a better way to deal with tension.