Professional Documents
Culture Documents
YEARS
FROM
YOUR AGE
NEWSWORTHY
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harmony november 2008 8
YOUR ACT AT WORK
In thc Iirst casc rcgistcrcd undcr
thc Maintcnancc and Wc!Iarc nI
Parcnts and 5cninr Citizcns Act
in India a yearoId man
in Kolliyam KeraIa vas laken
inlo cuslody for negIecling his
aged molher on Selember
According lo lhe Iress Trusl of
India cases have been regislered
againsl his five sibIings lhree of
lhem vomen acling on inslruc
lions from lhe dislricl robalion
officer Aulhorilies came lo knov
lhe lragic Iighl of yearoId
Lakshmikully vhen sociaI vork
ers in lhe area found lhe arliaIIy
araIysed voman abandoned in
her house
KeraIa is one of slales lo have
imIemenled lhe Acl vhich aims
lo rolecl lhe righls of siIvers The
Acl rovides for a lhreemonlh |aiI
lerm lo chiIdren vho abandon
lheir arenls and caIIs for lhe
eslabIishmenl of oId age homes in
a hased manner Olher slales lhal
have imIemenled lhe Acl incIude
Andhra Iradesh Assam DeIhi
Haryana }harkhand Karnalaka
Madhya Iradesh NagaIand
Orissa Ra|aslhan and Triura
Minisler of SociaI }uslice and
Imovermenl Meira Kumar
recenlIy loId media lhal she has
vrillen lo lhe olher slale govern
menls urging lhem lo nolify lhe
Acl al lhe earIiesl
Silver surge: Silvers now outnumber children in the UK for the first time.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 13,262,256 people were 60 or
over in mid-2007, up from 12,928,071 the previous year. Meanwhile, the number
of people under the age of 18 fell from 13,119,654 to 13,111,023 over the same
time period. Those currently defined as pensionersmen aged above 65 and
women aged above 60make up 19 per cent of the population,
compared to 18.9 per cent for children below the age of 16. The growing num-
ber of older people is partly owing to a fall in the mortality ratefrom
599,000 in 2001 to 571,000 last year. The key task for policy makers going for-
ward is to ensure that seniors can increasingly play an active role in our ageing
society, says Mervyn Kohler, special adviser at NGO Help the Aged. An ageing
society is a fact of life that should be welcomed, not treated with concern.
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harmony november 2008 10
COMING HOME
Nev DeIhibased CHD DeveIoers Lld viII buiId
Inur Activc 5cninr LiIcsty!c Tnwnships Inr
si!vcrs in Karna! Haryana Rishikcsh Uttara
khand Mathura Uttar Pradcsh and Nccmrana
Ra|asthan vilh an inveslmenl of Rs biIIion The
firsl of lhese lovnshis comrising aarlmenls viII
be buiIl in KarnaI in Haryana vilh residenliaI
unils sread across acres of Iand The ro|ecl
is execled lo be comIele by According lo
R K MillaI chairman and managing direclor CHD
DeveIoers lhe ro|ecl viII onIy be oen lo lhose
over lhose vho are younger can book a fIal
bul move in onIy afler lhey reach lhe magic num
ber The reaI Iife of eoIe slarls al because by
lhen lhey are free of mosl dulies and obIigalions
he leIIs Tnc |inancia| |xprcss Our reliremenl homes
aim lo rovide lhem a slressfree and slimuIaling
Iife Ior more informalion on lhe lovnshis
incIuding cosls caII CHD DeveIoers al
or emaiI injccn!!ctc|cpcrsccn
A BETTER RIDE
Lasl monlh lhe Ullar Iradesh Slale Road
Transorl Cororalion UISRTC inlro
duced a I!cct nI spacinus !nwI!nnr
buscs cxc!usivc!y Inr si!vcrs and thc physi
ca!!y cha!!cngcd in Lucknnw The buses
viII be comforlabIe and have fealures Iike
Iasma TV and IM radio lo enlerlain as
sengers Desh Deeak Verma rinciaI
secrelary lransorl leIIs media Soon
more buses viII be added and lhe service
exanded lo incIude inlerdislricl and inler
slale roules Al resenl aboul
UISRTC buses Iy in lhe slale as veII as
in neighbouring slales incIuding Iun|ab
DeIhi Haryana Madhya Iradesh Ra|aslhan
and ihar
Home for her: NGO HelpAge India has opened
Kalyan Ashram, a home for elderly and destitute
women in Chetla, near Kolkata. The home, which
has an attendant, supervisor and cook, accommo-
dates 10 women at present and will soon expand to
take in 20 more. Residents will only be charged a
one-time nominal amount for their medical needs.
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harmony november 2008 12
MEDIA WATCH
SHOW AND TELL
Lamenling lhe youlhobsessed
cuIlure ve Iive in yearoId
American holograher
and fiImmaker
Andrev Zuckerman
decided lo focus on
vhal ve can Iearn
from our eIders
Over a eriod of
monlhs Zuckerman
holograhed and inler
vieved rominenl men and
vomen over lhe age of resuIl
ing in Wlsdom Unlque und
OrlglnuI Portrults Abrams
aboul Rs vhich reIeased
on Oclober in lhe US and UK
Heres vhal some of lhe siIvers
fealured loId him
British anthrnpn!ngist and prima
tn!ngist Janc Gnnda!! Weve
been very arroganl in assuming
lhal lheres lhis shar Iine divid
ing us from lhe resl of lhe animaI
kingdom and ve need lo reaIise
lhal ve are nol lhe onIy beings on
lhis Ianel vilh ersonaIilies
minds and above aII feeIings and
emolions We need lo be a IillIe
more reseclfuI
Amcrican cnuntry singcrsnng
writcr and actnr Wi!!ic Nc!snn
IvenluaIIy eoIe viII slarl
reaIising lhal lhere are aIlernalive
energies and you donl have lo go
around lhe vorId slarling vars
over oiI If everyone |usl lakes
care of lheir ovn area ve vonl
have any robIems e lhere e
resenl And Iook around you and
see vhal needs lo be changed
British actnr Judi Dcnch The
key lo a good reIalionshi is abso
IuleIy undoubledIy donl lake lhe
erson for granled Donl ever
lhink lhal lheyre going lo come
back lo you |usl because you ha
en lo be married AIvays make
lhe efforl and hoefuIIy donl
make lhe efforl recognisabIy
Fnrmcr U5 5ccrctary nI 5tatc
Madc!cinc A!bright eing
a arenl is one of lhe mosl
difficuIl and demanding and
revarding lhings lhal you can
ossibIy be you reaIIy are reson
sibIe for lhe dayloday ubring
ing of your chiId Wilh grand
chiIdren you can |usl revard
ils simIy a erfecl reIalionshi
vilh lhem
Amcrican actnr C!int Eastwnnd
Take your rofession
seriousIy donl lake yourseIf seri
ousIy If a erson is confidenl
enough in lhe vay lhey feeI
vhelher ils an arl form or |usl in
Iife il comes offyou donl have
anylhing lo rove you can |usl be
vhal you are
LESSONS
FROM
SILVER
STARS
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BIG IS BEAUTIFUL
Soflvare vilh exanding largels
icons Iinks menu headings and looIbars
lhal aulomalicaIIy increase in size as you
move lhe cursor lovards lhemcouId
heI siIvers gel more comforlabIe using
a comuler Researchers from Slralegic
Iromolion of Ageing Research Caacily
SIARC al Universily of Reading in lhe
UK discovered lhal cxpanding targcts
which grnw tn twicc thcir nrigina! sizc
cnu!d cut mnusc mistakcs by ha!I and
rcducc thc timc n!dcr pcnp!c takc tn
sc!cct an icnn nr nptinn by pcr ccnt
Ixanding largels couId Iead lo sub
slanliaI benefils because oIder eoIe
vouId feeI more confidenl in lheir
abiIily lo conlroI a mouse and cursor
Dr Iauslina Hvang vho Ied lhe SIARC
leam leIIs vebsile cnciccn and lhals
haIf lhe ballIe von
DISTRACTED, NOT SLOWER
5i!vcrs takc !nngcr tn cnmp!ctc simp!c tasks bccausc
thcy succumb tn distractinnnnt bccausc thcir brain
is s!nwing dnwn Thals lhe concIusion of researchers
al lhe Neuroscience Imaging Cenlre al lhe Universily
of CaIifornia San Irancisco The sludy invoIved
eoIehaIf in lheir s and haIf in lheir svalch
ing a series of images of faces and scenes They vere
asked lo ush a bullon if lhey had seen a face or scene
before and lhe seed and accuracy of lheir erformance
vas monilored using a lechnique caIIed eIeclroen
cehaIograhy vhich icks u eIeclricaI signaIs on lhe
surface of lhe brain Researchers discovered lhal lhe siI
vers found il more difficuIl lo fiIler oul irreIevanl infor
malion and concenlrale fuIIy on lhe maller in hand
OIder aduIls lake sIighlIy Ionger lo ignore dislraclions
and during lhal brief deIay lhe irreIevanl informalion
inlerferes vilh imorlanl ilems lhal lhey vanl lo
remember Adam GazzaIey direclor of lhe Neuro
science Imaging Cenlre leIIs rilish nevsaer Oai|q
Tc|cgrapn These findings heI exIain vhy many
eoIe slarl lo shov signs of menlaI decIine in lheir s
even if lhey are free of demenlia or any olher disease
ANALYSE THIS
H
A
R
M
O
N
Y
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harmony november 2008 14
LOVE THAT
THE MAJORETTES
Three nighls a veek relired Czech
accounlanl Libuse Novakova
gels inlo bIack fishnel slockings
friIIy skirl and fringelrimmed
bIoomersan oulfil she says she
vouId Iove lo vear even in my
coffin The yearoId is a mem
ber of a si!vcr dancc trnupc ca!!cd
thc Maznrctky nr Ma|nrcttcs
lhal has laken lhe Czech ReubIic
by slorm Their signalure acl a
Irench cancan We do lhis for
fun ve Iaugh a Iol and eoIe
Iove il Novakova leIIs Reulers
orn seven years ago during a
dance cIass for seniors lhis
member lroue from Horni Lhola
a smaII viIIage in lhe easl of lhe
counlry slarled off vilh a simIe
number dressed as drum ma|or
elles ul as lheir ouIarily grev
lhrough vordofmoulh lheir
rouline became more eIaborale
and risque The Ma|orelles are
nov a reguIar fixlure on TV
and erform al IocaI fairs and
olher venues across lhe counlry
Were booked soIid liII March
says Hana HaveIkova a
former leacher and head of lhe
lroue We no Ionger even have
lime lo rehearse bul no one seems
lo mind
CHIPKO IN AMERICA
Twn Amcrican si!vcrs savcd a trcc in lheir neighbour
hood lhe besl vay lhey knevlhey heId on lo il for dear
Iife Lea Ierrone and Ial Henry senl severaI
days lied lo a crab lree al lheir eIderIy housing comIex
in Shrevsbury Massachusells USA The aulhorilies al
lhe comIex inlended lo cul dovn lhe lree lo make vay
for garbage bins They even served lhe lvo vomen evic
lion nolices bul evenluaIIy had no choice bul lo bov lo
ouIar demand and Iel lhe siIversand lhe lreeslay
The oslscril Dennis Osborn direclor of lhe comIex
leIIs media Were aII going lo vork logelher nov in a
nev siril of cooeralion
Silver beat: The Mumbai Police has tied up with NGO Dignity Foundation to
form neighbourhood protection teams. Over 5,000 silver volunteers in South
Mumbai, Kandivili and Borivili have already signed up for these teams, who will
visit silvers in their neighbourhood to hand over the number of the silver
helpline23898078and their own cell phone numbers so they can be reached
24/7. They will also get them to fill out a form with the details of their domestic
help to form a valuable data bank for the police.
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november 2008 harmony 15
Makc Iricnds with a PC
Take a comuler course and
udale your skiIIs Il couId
heI you Iand a |ob Ior
inslance in Lover IareI
Mumbai SlerIile Ioundalion
organised a course for siI
vers from }uIy lo Selember
in associalion vilh
NGO SiIver Innings vhere
lhey Iearnl hov lo use lhe Microsofl Office soflvare suile comrising
Word Iainl IxceI and IoverIoinl and lhe Inlernel The seciaI
course for siIvers viII nov be offered al SlerIile lraining cenlres
across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from November Ior more infor
malion on courses and fees conlacl Roshan }ohn of SlerIile
Ioundalion on and or SaiIesh Mishra of
SiIver Innings Ioundalion on
Gct gaming orrov a video
game from your grandchiIdren
and give il a go IIaying games
are roven lo kee lhe grey skiIIs
licking and vard off demenlia Take a
cue from residenls of a siIver home
in Grand IaIIsWindsor
NevfoundIand in Canada vho
lake lurns Iaying on an inler
aclive Ninlendo Wii lhal
aIIovs lhem lo Iay simuIal
ed version of sorls
such as basebaII
and bovIing Il
has increased lheir
energy IeveIs concen
lralion and co
ordinalion says
CarI Ings recre
alion seciaIisl al
lhe home Ils
aIso ued lheir
hainess quolienl I
caII myseIf a bil of a bovIing
exerl nov says yearoId
IsabeIIa arnes I give my
grandson a run for his money vhen he visils
OFFBEAT
DESIGNER DIAPERS
In Selember Tokyo vas vilness
lo a fashion shov vilh a differ
encelhe modeIs vere shoving
off aduIl diaers Dressed in bIack
cal suils lhey araded dovn lhe
runvay in differenl shaes and
sizes from Livedo Unicharm
Nishiki and Iigeoncomanies
raking in lhe rofils in a siIvering
}aan vhere er cenl of lhe
ouIalion is over The evenl
vas organised by Tokyobased
Ageing LifeslyIe Research Cenlre
and lhe Ixcrelory Inslilule of
}aan in Kyolo in a bid lo ou
Iarise lhe use of aduIl diaers
The shov vas arranged lo
reIace lhe ercelion of naies
as somelhing embarrassing vilh
somelhing humorous Kiyoko
Hamada of lhe Ageing LifeslyIe
Research Cenlre leIIs London
nevsaer Tnc Tincs There viII
be over a miIIion cenlenarians in
}aan by said Sachiko
Hanari an exerl on eIderIy care
We musl lhink of adu!t nappics
as a tnn! nI Irccdnm in n!d agc
|usl Iike reading gIasses Her
demonslralion vas foIIoved by
skelches highIighling lhe imor
lance of seIecling lhe righl diaer
and a generous offer lo vouIdbe
diaer fillersa course lhal ro
vides lhe aIicanl vilh a nay
consuIlancy Iicence for yen
aboul Rs
H RECOMMENDS
S
I
L
V
E
R
I
N
N
I
N
G
S
F
O
U
N
D
A
T
I
O
N
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l your space
harmony november 2008 16
Have something to say? This is the place to do it. Reach out to fellow readers with interesting
anecdotes, inspiring stories and heartwarming moments from your life. Write in with full
contact details, and make this space your own!
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
When I vas I vas slruck by rciinaiiis pigncn
iczarja vilh nas iagnus an aiImenl lhal graduaIIy
Ieads lo ermanenl
bIindness A couIe
of years Ialer a boul
of maIaria vorsened
my silualion Al lhal
lime I vas vorking
as a Ieclurer vilh
Nahala Arls Science
and Commerce CoII
ege in husavaI I
conlinued vorking
and adaled my Iife
around my aiImenl
I recorded Ieclures al
home and rehearsed
lhem before going lo
coIIege In I
look voIunlary relire
menl afler my vife
vas diagnosed vilh AIzheimers As she ballIed
vilh lhe disease I slarled doing aII lhe chores
incIuding cooking our daiIy meaIs SIovIy I deveI
oed a assion for cooking
My vife died in Ieaving me aIone and de
ressed She had been my comanion for years
and I missed her deeIy I knev she vouIdnl have
vanled me lo vaI
Iov in seIfily
So armed vilh my
nevfound cuIinary
skiIIs I arlicial
ed in a cookery
comelilion organ
ised by a IocaI senior cilizens cIub Among lhe
conleslanls I von lvo rizeslhe firsl rize for my
snani ncini naiar nasa|a fenugreek and eas in a
rich gravy and lhe second for my nulrilious |a!!cc
Around lhe same lime I decided lo ursue anolher
IifeIong assion singing These days I am being
lrained in cIassicaI music by my yearoId guru
I am lhe Iead singer of a member orcheslra and
I en|oy singing Mohammed Rafi songs |najan and
Maralhi songs Our orcheslra has von many rizes
and ve meel oflen for raclice
I am years oId I admil Iife gels IoneIy al limes
ul I lhank God for giving me lhe slrenglh oor
lunily and viII lo make my Iife meaningfuI
Su!nakar Ku|karni Punc
ART FOR HEARTS SAKE
I relired from lhe facuIly of lhe AII India Inslilule of
MedicaI Sciences AIIMS DeIhi in as founder
rofessor of aedialric surgery Afler reliremenl I
look u a |ob as rofessor in King IaisaI Universily
in Dammam Saudi Arabia Afler relurning lo India
in I sellIed dovn al lhe foolhiIIs of HimaIayas
in Dehradun I vas years oId lhen Inslead of
surgicaI raclice I decided lo ursue my hobbies
Looking back on lhal decision I am hay I chose
viseIy Today I am busy doing vhal I aIvays vanl
ed lo doainling scuIling and vriling oelry I
have recenlIy comIeled a x cemenlandsleeI
scuIlure of goddess Sarasvali Il look me nine
monlhs lo comIele lhe scuIlure Though il vas an
arduous lask hysicaIIy lhe sheer emolionaI and
menlaI salisfaclion al lhe end of il more lhan made
u for aII lhe aches and ains In my sare lime I
aIso dabbIe in ainlingbolh oiIs and valercoIours
My assion for lhe canvas has srung from lhe
remnanl arlislic fervour of my sludenl days vhen I
oflen von lhe firsl rize for ainling in inlercoIIe
giale cuIluraI feslivaIs
AIong vilh ainling and scuIling I have aIso slarl
ed vriling oelry This year I ubIished my firsl
nonmedicaI book San!nqasuar Ivening Song
a coIIeclion of Hindi oemsaII vrillen afler
reliremenl Though I had vrillen il mereIy as a
IyricaI commenl on sociaI issues human sychoIo
gy reIalionshis and emigranl angsl my friends
I thank God for giving
me the strength to
make life meaningful
H
E
M
A
N
T
P
A
T
I
L
Kulkarni: in tune with life
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november 2008 harmony 17
Wc rcscrtc inc rigni ic sc|cci ariic|cs unicn ui|| |c c!iic! ic suii spacc an! c!iicria| ccnsi!craiicns Harmony iakcs nc
rcspcnsi|i|iiq jcr a!ticc cjjcrc! in inis cc|unn lor more Your Spuce Ietters go to wwwharmnnyindianrg
lhe Iaunch of lhe midday meaI ro|ecl I vas asked
lo oversee ils imIemenlalion
The ro|ecl is aimed al increasing sludenl enroImenl
and reducing sludenl drooul in schooIs Though
ils subsidised by lhe union and slale governmenls
lhe subsidy is nol enough We oflen raise funds
from cororale firms and individuaIs lo bridge lhe
ga Whal slarled as a humbIe efforl of feeding
sludenls four years ago loday reaches oul lo
sludenls in schooIs
We have cenlres sread over DeIhi Maharashlra
Ra|aslhan Haryana Ullar Iradesh Andhra
Iradesh Madhya
Iradesh and lhe
Union Terrilory
of Dadra
Nagar HaveIi AII
meaIs are cooked
in slaleoflhearl cenlraIised kilchens al our cenlres
in each slale More lhan voIunleers are arl of
lhis huge ro|ecl They go lo each schooI and deIiv
er lhe conlainers vhiIe coordinalors in each schooI
ensure lhal lhe
meaIs are dis
lribuled lo every
chiId
I admil my Ieller
is more aboul
an organisalion
lhan aboul any
ersonaI exeri
ence ul no
vords can
describe lhe |oy
lhal fiIIs me
vhen I see lhe
smiIes on lhose chiIdrens faces NolhingveaIlh
or successcomes cIose lo lhe radiance of lhose
smiIes I am hay lhal I have discovered a nev
urose in Iife I lhink as ve age ve shouId Iook al
lhe vorId around us Oflen our urose for being
on lhis Ianel is righl in fronl of our eyes vailing
for us lo recognise il
|a!na Krisnna Oas Mun|ai
and famiIy encou
raged me lo ub
Iish lhe book
On Augusl
my oId
sludenls friends
and coIIeagues ceI
ebraled my lh
birlhday al AIIMS
by organising a
scienlific symo
sium on slem ceII
research vhich vas foIIoved by dinner Thal
evening as I sal lhere surrounded by friends and
famiIy I feIl lolaIIy fuIfiIIed and |oyous I allribule
my hainess lo my vife and son for lheir unfIinch
ing suorl and lo my friends and coIIeagues vho
have aIvays slayed in louch ul above aII I beIieve
our hainess quolienl aIso deends on lhe choices
ve make Look dee vilhin and you viII find a ur
suil lhal fiIIs you vilh hainess Ior some of us il
couId be sociaI service for olhers il couId be Iearn
ing lo sing dance or even fIy
Or Purusnciian Upa!nqaqa Ocnra!un
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
I vas |usl one year oId vhen my famiIy moved oul
of Karachi during Iarlilion and shifled lo Mumbai
Though I came here as a refugee lhe cily has been
very benevoIenlI grev u lo become a denlisl
and sel u lvo rivale cIinics in Mumbai ul as
lhe years assed by I feIl a groving reslIessness
vilhin me as if I had a grealer urose in Iife lhan
|usl lending lo eoIes leelh
In al lhe age of afler reading books vril
len by SriIa IrabhuadaI finaIIy found lhe alh I
vas Iooking for I vound u my cIinics and |oined
lhe InlernalionaI Sociely for Krishna Consciousness
ISKCON Over lhe nexl lvo decades I heId sever
aI osls al ISKCON in various caacilies incIuding
being lhe secrelary of ils gIobaI aex bodylhe
Governing ody Commission In ISKCON
slarled lhe ISKCON Iood ReIief Ioundalion lo
imIemenl lhe midday meaI ro|ecl inilialed by lhe
Governmenl of India lo feed schooIchiIdren Afler
Often our purpose for
being on this planet is in
front of our eyes
Upadhyaya: from surgeon to artist
Das: spreading smiles
V
I
L
A
S
K
A
L
G
U
T
K
E
R
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BLOODlines
Three generationsof horsemen from the Jodha warrior tribe
train racehorsesin Mumbai and Pune, writesMita Banerjee
l legacy
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november 2008 harmony 19
A
assion for horses runs
lhrough lhe veins of Iurlu
Singh a Ra|ul from lhe }odha
varrior lribe And he has
assed il on lo his son Magan and grand
son Adhira|lhe lhree men lrain race
horses in Mumbai and Iune
In Ra|aslhan horses vere a arl of
every househoId decIares Iurlu Singh
I |oined lhe }ockey Arenlice
SchooI in Mumbai in as a year
oId and von my firsl race in on an
Arab horse Afler four decades as a
|ockey he lurned lrainer in Three
years Ialer vhen lhe horses became loo
many lo handIe his son Magan rocured
his lrainers Iicense and |oined himhe
vas earIier a freeIance holograher and
ad fiImmaker In my firsl year as lrainer
in Iune I von lhe Sl Leger CIassic
vilh a fiIIy caIIed Iennyvise decIares
yearoId Magan vhose vife Shubh
and younger son Dvira| are aIso
keen equeslrians I sliII hoId lhe record
for lhe highesl number of vins al
Three years ago his eIder son Adhira|
|oined lhe slabIes as an assislanl lrain
er I aIvays knev my career vouId be
somelhing lo do vilh horses he says
The lhree men nov have horses in
lheir care
In Mumbai lhe racing monlhs are from
November lo AriI afler vhich lhe circuil
recommences in Iune from }uIy lo Oclo
ber Whelher in Mumbai or Iune lhey
vake u al am and head for lhe slabIes
They come home al noon onIy lo go
back in lhe evening for lhe horses svim
and feed The lrio relurns onIy afler lhe
sleeds have been ul lo bed
The Singhs have lrained horses for lhe
Mahara|a of GvaIior Maharani Gayalri
Devi and fiIm slars Iike Ra| Kaoor and
Mehmood The famiIy aIso ovns lhe
}odha Slud Iarm in }aiur vhere lhey
breed race horses IoodIines are some
lhing lhese men evidenlIy undersland H
E
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54-06 Leagacy.qxp 10/23/08 5:54 PM Page 19
harmony november 2008 20
l harmony event
And they all
SHONE SILVER...
At the Harmony Silver Awards2008 held at Rabindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai on
7 O ctober, the spotlightsfocussed once again on our heroes 10 silver achieverswho
have made the world a better place. Action-packed from the word go, it wasan evening
to remember and applaud. The absence of Baba Adhav ( honoured for bringing dignity
to labour) wasfelt. Harmonysharessome highlightsof the event
Evergreen star Dev Anand and Tina Ambani felicitate Mandakini Dravid, 81, who proved that age is no bar to education
Photos: Vilas Kalgutker and Vinod Bhutkar
54-08 Silver award.qxp 10/24/08 1:26 PM Page 20
(Clockwise from left)
Priya Dutt honours
Hirbaiben Ibrahim
Lobi, 55, for giving the
Siddi community a future
to look forward to; Justice
Leila Seth listens as Subhashini Mistry, 60,
invites everyone to visit her hospital for
the poor in Hanspukur; Brother Brendan
MacCarthaigh, 70, receives his award for
trying to make the Indian classroom a
happier place; 65 year-old Parthibhai
Bhatol, who gave Amul an incredible boost,
is all smiles as he receives his award
from Dev Anand
THE
AWARDS
54-08 Silver award.qxp 10/24/08 1:26 PM Page 21
harmony november 2008 22
Justice Leila Seth gives Hasnath Mansur, 70, the Harmony Silver Award
2008 for awakening Muslim women to their potential; Dev Anand hon-
ours Kambel Chulai, 69, for making a crematorium that saves wood and
money; Lakshman Singh, 52, is honoured by Governor of Maharashtra
S C Jamir for bringing water to the villages of Rajasthan
l harmony event
54-08 Silver award.qxp 10/24/08 1:26 PM Page 22
(Clockwise from left)
Jaya Bachchan and
Shweta Nanda arrive
at the venue; Boh
Choi, Director Asia,
Mobile Business LG
Electronics, presenting spon-
sor of the event; His Excellency
S C Jamir, Governor of Maharashtra
and his wife; celebrated photographer
Gautam Rajadhyaksha; veteran actor
Waheeda Rehman with daughter
Kashvi Rekhy; Shobhaa De, Priya Dutt
and US Consul General Paul Folmsbee
applaud silver stars; always elegant
Parmeshwar Godrej; Amar Singh
enjoying the show
THE
GUESTS
54-08 Silver award.qxp 10/24/08 1:26 PM Page 23
harmony november 2008 24
(Clockwise from left; this page) Trained by Supriya Shah
and Mansi Shah from Sandip Soparrkars Ballroom Studio,
26 silvers from Harmony Interactive Centre steal the show
with their opening performance; silvers show their moves
in another dance sequence; choreographers Umashankar
and Gaiti; (clockwise on opposite page) popular singer
Shibani Kashyap; artistes from BIG Entertainment; Hasya
Kavi Surender Sharma entertains in his inimitable style
THE
GLITZ
l harmony event
54-08 Silver award.qxp 10/24/08 1:27 PM Page 24
november 2008 harmony 25
54-08 Silver award.qxp 10/24/08 1:27 PM Page 25
harmony november 2008 26
Prcparatinn timc minules
Cnnking timc minules
5crvcs
INGREDIENTS
I Moong duI grccn !cnti!s
huskcd cus
I Grccn chi!!ics
I 5a!t lo lasle
I Onc nninn sIiced in haIf
I O!ivc ni! lbs
METHOD
Wash and soak lhe IenliIs for
aboul minules in coId valer
Grind inlo a fine baller Add
valer lo lhe baller according lo
lhe required consislency or cris
ness Ior inslance if lhere is more
valer lhe !csa viII lurn oul sofl
If you grind il inlo a lhick baller
il viII be cris Add saIl and
choed green chiIIies lo lhe
baller and mix veII Smear haIf
a soonfuI of oIive oiI on a grid
dIe vilh a sIiced onion Iour a
smaII amounl of lhe baller onlo
lhe griddIe and sread il lhinIy
AIIov lo cook for a fev minules
unliI cris Serve hol vilh coconul
chulney
l cover feature
Harmonyasked five celebritiesto share their favourite recipeswith us. Luckily for us, all
five didnt just share the recipes, they also welcomed usinto their kitchensand dished
out some delightful fare. Low on caloriesand rich with cultural nuances, their recipes
offer usan insight into how these silversmanage to stay so fit and fabulous
Text: Rajashree Balaram, Padmini Natarajan and Vandana Shukla
Siddharth Kak
IIVISTAR IARI
MOONG DAL DOSA
V
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K
A
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G
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T
K
E
R
;
F
o
o
d
s
t
y
l
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g
:
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54-09 Food Cover.qxp 10/24/08 2:04 PM Page 26
eIieve il or nol il lasles
|usl Iike cheese !csa bul vilh
oul any of lhe caIories
insisls leIevision roducer
and food crilic Siddharlh Kak
vhen ve ask him aboul his
favourile nccng !a| !csa Kak
Ioves foodhe has been a
food coIumnisl for yearsbul
never Iels his aIale gain
recedence over his heaIlh
When ve visil his house in
suburban Mumbai he is |usl
back from his daiIy minule
brisk vaIk and gelling ready
for a heclic day ahead
As founder of Surabhi
Ioundalion for Research and
CuIluraI Ixchange year
oId Kak is busy deveIoing
an audiovisuaI archive on
Indian cuIlure and roducing
shovs for various TV chan
neIs esides cris !csa and
coconul chulney he aIso
serves us some heaIlhy lis
Squeeze a Iemon inlo a mug
of hol valer add a dash of
ginseng and guI il firsl lhing
in lhe morning And yes
drink valer lhroughoul lhe
day inslead of lea or coffee
V
I
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A
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K
A
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G
U
T
K
E
R
54-09 Food Cover.qxp 10/24/08 2:04 PM Page 27
RAHUL SADAGOPAN
54-09 Food Cover.qxp 10/24/08 2:04 PM Page 28
november 2008 harmony 29
My Sundays are reserved for
my famiIy says Dr KamaIa
SeIvara| associale direclor of GG
HosilaI in Chennai Daughler
of Iale TamiI suerslar Gemini
Ganesan she is an avardvin
ning gynaecoIogisl and obslelri
cian knovn for her significanl
conlribulion lo lhe fieId of
assisled reroduclion In
SeIvara| heIed creale soulh
Indias firsl lesl lube baby And
in she vas avarded a IhD
for her lhesis Prcnaiurc Otarian
|ai|urc an! iis Managcncni Her
innovalive siril is nol confined
lo her career aIoneveekends
find her exerimenling vilh nev
recies or imrovising on lradi
lionaI recies Iearnl from her
molher abchi Ganesan
On a sunny Wednesday morn
ing SeIvara| inviled us lo her
house in Chennai lo demonslrale
lhe making of lhe billergourd
ickIe Though ils lradilionaIIy
made vilh sesame oiI SeIvara|
subslilules sesame vilh oIive oiI
Over lhe years I have cul dovn
my sice and oiI inlake so I add
a IillIe gur |aggery lo lhe ickIe
lo lame dovn lhe ungency
she says SeIvara| Ioves lhe
unique billersveelhol fIavour
so much she even slashes smaII
conlainers of lhe ickIe in her
office draver lo add zing lo her
daiIy inaqir sa!an curd rice
Kamala Selvaraj
Prcparatinn timc minules
Cnnking timc minules
INGREDIENTS
I Bittcr gnurd tcndcr kg
I Chi!!i pnwdcr pungcnt
kg
I Turmcric gm
I Fcnugrcck methl sccds gm
I AsaInctida pnwdcr gm
I Tamarind pu!p thick cu
I 5a!t
kg or lo lasle
I 5csamc ni! nr n!ivc ni! Iilre
METHOD
Cho biller gourd lo bilesized
bils Mix il vilh lurmeric and saIl
and sel aside for minules Saule
lhe biller gourd in a dee ka!ai
vok in mosl of lhe oiI reserving
lvo labIesoons for seasoning
Make sure lhal lhe biller gourd is
sofl and nol fried lo a cris
Squeeze lhe uI from lhe
lamarind Take a saucean add
lhe oiI reserved for seasoning
Add muslard seeds When il
sIullers add ncini seeds Nov
add lhe asafoelida and chiIIi ov
ders Saule and lhen add lhe
lamarind uI saIl and boiI
IinaIIy add lhe biller gourd and
slir liII lhe oiI searales and lhe
vegelabIe and sices bIend logelh
er Iike a lhick curry CooI and
slore in an airlighl conlainer in lhe
refrigeralor Serve vilh i!|i !csa
incp|a rice or cnapaiii
BITTER GOURD PICKLE
54-09 Food Cover.qxp 10/24/08 2:04 PM Page 29
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harmony november 2008 30
Arlisl Rini DhumaI is soon head
ing lo DeIhi lo be vilh her
daughler vho is execling her
firsl chiId My arlisl friends in
DeIhi Iove lhe engaIi dishes
lhal I make so naluraIIy I am
going lo end u cooking for a
huge arly says DhumaI vilh a
chuckIe The chiry yearoId
Iives in a beaulifuIIy adorned
house in Vadodara vhich leems
vilh guesls vho canl gel
enough of her cooking }usl back
from IlaIy DhumaIs assion for
food is evidenl in lhe vay she
rhasodises aboul lhe aslries
and aslas she samIed in IIo
rence She does admil lo culling
dovn her oiI and sugar inlake in
recenl years oving lo choIesleroI
robIems RecenlIy she has laken
lo yoga and Iong morning vaIks
lhough in her ovn vords if
given a choice she vouId
ralher ainl lhan ound lhe
lreadmiII DhumaI vas rofes
sor and head of lhe ainling
dearlmenl al lhe IacuIly of
Iine Arls al Mahara|a Saya|irao
Universily in Vadodara These
days she is rearing for a soIo
exhibilion scheduIed in Decem
ber in KoIkala
Rini Dhumal
Prcparatinn timc minules
Cnnking timc minules
5crvcs
INGREDIENTS
I Chickcn !cgs and brcast kg
I Gar!ic mediumsized od
ground inlo a coarse asle
I Gingcr inch iece graled
I Oninns graled
I Curd bovI
I Yc!!nw mustard pastc
Kn!kata kushundl lbs
I O!ivc ni! lbs
I B!ack pcppcr lbs
I Rnscmary basi! nr nrcgann
lbs
METHOD
Marinale chicken overnighl or for
six hours in ginger garIic eer
onions curd and oIive oiI Mix
muslard asle inlo lhe chicken
onIy an hour before you slarl
cooking SrinkIe herbs on lo
Cover vilh foiI and bake for
minules Serve chicken vilh
sauleed onions and olaloes
BAKED CHICKEN IN
MUSTARD SAUCE
54-09 Food Cover.qxp 10/24/08 2:04 PM Page 30
S
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54-09 Food Cover.qxp 10/24/08 2:04 PM Page 31
P
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A
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november 2008 harmony 33
engaIurubased Vani Gana
alhy admils lo an irreressibIe
sveel loolh Her sveIle frame
hovever shovs no sign of induI
gence I beIieve more in quaIily
lhan quanlily says lhe harala
nalyam dancer vho has a veak
ness for everylhing sveel
vhelher il is lhe !csi ja|c|i or
chocoIale mousse Her recie
dresses u lhe humbIe
bean in an exolic sauce
Ils a lasly meaI in
ilseIf she says She oflen leams
il vilh fried eggs and loasl
A unique combinalion bul lhen
Ganaalhy is knovn for her cre
alivily She runs a dance acade
my Sanchari and is aIso an inleri
or designer As her dance con
cerls are slaged aII over India
she is oflen on lhe move No
comromises lhough vhen il
comes lo disciIine I have din
ner before m and have
given u rice for !a|ia broken
vheal The seafood enlhusiasl
dines oul oflenmoslIy IlaIian
MangaIorean or KeraIa cuisine
Ask her hov she manages lo
Iook so slunning and she reIies
DisciIine and conlenlmenl
Vani Ganapathy
Prcparatinn timc
minules
Cnnking timc minules
5crvcs
INGREDIENTS
I 5ccds nI brnad bcans
surtl pupdl nr uturukul
in Tami!
kg
I Cinnamnn slick
I C!nvcs
I Gingcr pastc lbs
I Gar!ic pastc lbs
I Cnriandcr pnwdcr lbs
I Cumin pnwdcr haIf lbs
I Oi! lbs
I Watcr
cu
FOR THE MASALA
I Oninn big or medium
sized
I Tnmatn mediumsized
referabIy sour and nol
sveel
I Mint Iarge bunch
I Cnriandcr !cavcs haIf lhe
quanlily of minl
I Grccn chi!!ics lo lasle
METHOD
SheII lhe beans and lake lhe seeds
Soak overnighl or for seven hours
Iress each seed and remove lhe
ouler covering oiI lhe seeds in
Iain valer Do nol add saIl as
lhe seeds may harden The seeds
cook quickIy so check lexlure and
remove vhen a| !cnic cooked
enough lo be firm bul nol sofl
Heal lbs of oiI in a an Saule
onions liII lransIucenl Kee aside
In lhe same oiI saule coriander
Ieaves minl Ieaves and green chiII
ies liII lhey viIl and Iose coIour
Grind sauleed onion lomaloes
and minlcorianderchiIIi logelher
Heal lbs oiI in a an Add cin
namon slick and cIoves Add gin
ger and garIic asle and saule
liII Iighl brovn Add lhe ground
nasa|a and Iel il simmer liII lhe
masaIa searales from lhe an
To lhis add lhe boiIed seeds saIl
and cu valer or more if you
vanl lhinner gravy Cook for len
minules Garnish vilh coriander
Ieaves and serve vilh loasled
brovn bread and fried eggs or
cnapaiii and rice
AVARAKAI (BROAD
BEAN) CURRY
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harmony november 2008 34
Thealre direclor NeeIam
Mansingh Choudhary is |usl
back in Chandigarh from an
arduous round of erformances
in Hyderabad Hovever being a
diehard foodie il doesnl lake
Iong for lhe yearoId lo shrug
off her |el Iag and ruslIe u lhe
deIighlfuIIy fIavourfuI Iersian
rice The crunchy charred ola
loes al lhe bollom are vorlh
fighling for says Choudhary
vho admils lo being aImosl as
assionale aboul food as she is
aboul Iays
In facl Kiicncn Kaina one of her
mosl successfuI vorks vhich
has lraveIIed aII over lhe vorId
dravs an inlriguing anaIogy
belveen food and reIalionshis
Consider lhe Iersian rice ils as
richIy lexlured as any human
reIalionshi she oinls oul
Il reveaIs a differenl aroma in
each Iayer Winner of lhe
Sangeel Nalak Akademi Avard
Choudhary leaches al lhe
Dearlmenl of Indian Thealre al
Iun|ab Universily Al resenl
she is aIso vorking on a ro|ecl
lo roduce lhe Iays of Henrik
Ibsen in coIIaboralion vilh lhe
Ibsen Sociely in
Norvay
Neelam Mansingh Choudhary
Prcparatinn timc hour
Cnnking timc minules
5crvcs
INGREDIENTS
I Ricc cu
I Pntatncs
I Zucchini lhinIy sIiced
I B!ack n!ivcs lbs vilhoul
lhe brine
I Rcd bc!! pcppcr
I Yc!!nw bc!! pcppcr
I 5undricd tnmatncs marinat
cd in n!ivc ni! lbs
I 5aIIrnn
ls soaked in
lbs valer
I Cnriandcr a handfuI
I O!ivc ni! lbs
METHOD
Rinse rice and soak il in valer for
lvo hours IarboiI il in lhe same
valer in vhich il has been soaked
Smear a heavybollomed !cgcni
vok vilh oIive oiI al
lhe bollom and sides
Line lhe !cgcni vilh
sIivers of olaloes
lhe olaloes heI con
vey heal lo lhe lo
Iayers Nov srinkIe
a Iayer of arboiIed
rice on lhe olaloes
Sread a Iayer of zuc
chini over lhe rice
Cover lhe zucchini
vilh a Iayer of rice
Cover lhe rice vilh
oIives AIlernale each
Iayer of rice vilh a
Iayer of vegelabIes
IIunge your fingers lhrough lhe
lo Iayer and make five hoIes lo
aIIov lhe sleam lo ass lhrough
Iour saffronfIavoured valer on
lo Cover lhe !cgcni vilh a lighl
Iid and Iel il simmer for min
ules DissoIve saIl in a leasoon of
valer di your fingers in lhe saI
ine soIulion and louch lhe ouler
surface of lhe !cgcni If il makes a
hissing sound lhe dish is ready
Serve garnished vilh choed
arsIey or coriander
PERSIAN RICE
54-09 Food Cover.qxp 10/24/08 2:04 PM Page 34
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C
alaracl is cIouding lhal
deveIos in lhe eyes Wilh
lime il sreads becomes
dense lurns yeIIov and some
limes oaque and obslrucls
vision The Ieading cause of bIind
ness in deveIoing nalions il is
aIso lhe main cause of Iov vision
in counlries equied vilh surgi
caI services The reasons for deveI
oing calaracl incIude age Iong
lerm exosure lo uIlravioIel rays
or infrared and microvave radia
lion heredily diabeles hyerlen
sion eye in|ury and Ionglerm use
of sleroids Deending on lhe
slage of deveIomenl il is eilher
arliaI or comIele and sofl or
hard Calaracl is aIso named afler
ils Iocalion in lhe eyeoslerior
oving lo use of sleroids or anle
rior because of ageing and hence
aIso caIIed seniIe and is surgicaI
Iy removed onIy vhen malure
Calaracl usuaIIy slrikes lhe eIderIy
vilh such rediclabiIily lhal oh
lhaImoIogisls beIieve lhe robIem
is an inevilabIe arl of ageing Il is
more common in vomen lhough
According lo lhe AII India
OhlhaImoIogic Sociely AIOS
calaracl removaI is lhe mosl com
monIy erformed surgery in India
According lo K I S MaIik resi
denl of AIOS and head of lhe oh
lhaImoIogy dearlmenl in
Safdar|ung HosilaI in DeIhi
Aboul miIIion calaracl surg
eries are erformed in India every
year vilh mosl of lhem suorled
by lhe governmenl vhich annuaI
Iy sends aboul Rs biIIion on
calaracl surgeries
A fev years ago surgicaI removaI
of calaracl inhibiled a ersons
movemenls for lhree veeks
Today oving lo advances in sur
gicaI lechniques lhe recovery eri
od is a fev days In facl you can
gel back lo normaI vork lhree
days afler lhe surgery
SYMPTOMS
UsuaIIy calaracl deveIos earIier
in one eye Symloms incIude
shorlsighledness myoia ghosl
ing of images and bIurred or muI
liIe vision Il aIso reduces lhe
ercelion of shades of bIue The
yeIIov lone of IngIish ainler } M
W Turners Ialer ainlings is oflen
allribuled lo onsel of calaracl
IncidenlaIIy Imressionisls
ainlers in lhe earIy lh cenlury
and lhose vho infIuenced lhem
vere aII affecled by calaracl The
graduaI fading and finaI disa
earance of lhe bridge in CIaude
Monels seriaI ainlings of lhe
ridge al Giverny demonslrales
lhe affecl of calaracl on his vision
A clear
VIEW
body & soul l get well soon
harmony november 2008 36
Cataract removal isa safe and effective procedure. Teena Baruahtellsyou how
R
B
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54-10 Get Well Soon.qxp 10/23/08 5:57 PM Page 36
TREATMENT
Ior cenluries doclors slruggIed lo
reslore cIose lo normaI vision in
eIderIy suffering from calaracl
IniliaIIy calaracl surgery vas
invasiveil invoIved culling inlo
lhe eyebaII removing lhe cIouded
Iens and lrying lo make u for lhe
Ioss of lhe Iens vilh seclacIes
Crude slilches vere used and
alienls had lo send lvo veeks
in medicaI care They Iay in a dark
room for days sandbags againsl
each ear and vere forbidden lo
Iifl lheir head or move vhiIe lhe
eye heaIed When eye slilches
vere refined in lhe s calaracl
surgery became an oulalienl ro
cedure and sulures bandages and
ainkiIIers made il ossibIe lo
recover al home
Slilches vere sliII necessary as
doclors removed calaracls in one
iecea cul of aboul mm vas
loo Iarge lo heaI vilhoul slilches
In lhe s uIlrasound vaves
vere used lo crack u lhe calaracl
and laken oul lhrough a smaII
mm orl exIains Dr
Irema Iadmanabhan Shankara
NelhraIaya Chennai y lhe s
lhe surgery became sulurefree Al
lhis lime foIdabIe inlraocuIar IOL
Ienses vere aIso inlroduced These
Ienses aIIov doclors lo make inci
sions lhal seaI on lheir ovn No
slilches are required and lhere are
fever chances of infeclion No
sulures are used and alienls
relurn lo fuII aclivily vilhin
hours The cosl ranges belveen
Rs and Rs
Chances of comIicalions Iike
delachmenl of lhe relina are usuaI
Iy smaII ComIicalions haen
moslIy in calaracl cams because
of comromised hygiene environ
menl adds MaIik The Minislry
of HeaIlh banned lhese cams in
aII surgeries are nov heId
in hosilaIs
SURGICAL PROCEDURE
Irior lo surgery risk faclors Iike
bIood ressure and bIood sugar
IeveIs are assessed An uIlrasound
lesl is done lo delermine lhe
over of lhe foIdabIe Iens If bolh
eyes require surgery usuaIIy lhe
mosl affecled eye is lhe firsl lo be
oeraled uon Aboul er
cenl of calaracl surgeries are done
under IocaI anaeslhesia GeneraI
anaeslhesia is used for lhose vho
are sychoIogicaIIy unabIe lo coe
vilh a IocaI anaeslhelic
The eye is cIeansed vilh a soIulion
lo avoid infeclion An incision of
aboul mm is made al lhe edge of
lhe cornea and anolher mm inci
sion is made for surgicaI inslru
menl access The hard nucIeus of
lhe Iens is fraclured or emuIsified
by uIlrasonic energy and lhen
sucked oul lhrough lhe main inci
sion A foIded inlraocuIar Iens is
inserled and oened oul vhen in
osilion SaIine is used lo reslore
ressure in lhe eye so lhal lhe cul
heaIs ilseIf The surgery Iasls lo
minules As lhe vound is seIf
heaIing vision relurns lo normaI
vilhin lvo veeks Scc |cx jcr pcsi
cpcraiitc carc
THE FUTURE
UnliI recenlIy lhe onIy olion vas
a fixedfocus Iens lhal Iefl alienls
in need of bifocaIs or reading
gIasses As a soIulion muIlifocaI
Ienses are nov used Hovever
lhey cause gIare and haIo around
Iighl Iye surgeon Dr M K Aasuri
of LV Irasad HosilaI Hydera
bad recenlIy vrole in lhe |n!ian
jcurna| cj Opina|nc|cgq We are
Iooking al accommodalive IOL
imIanls designed lo aIIov lhe
Iens for aII dislances
Post-operative care involves wear-
ing a plastic eye shield for 24 hours.
Following that, it should be worn at
night for a week to protect the eye
from accidental rubbing.
Steroid and antibiotic drops are
prescribed for three weeks.
The eye shouldnt be washed with
water for a few days.
With extra light entering the eye,
sunglasses should be worn.
During the first few weeks, the eye
may feel gritty and watery, the eye-
lid slightly droopy, and the vision
slightly hazy. It stabilises over the
next four to six weeks, following
which reading glasses are normally
prescribed.
Strenuous activities should be
avoided for a month or two, and
patients can return to work
between one and four weeks
depending on the type of their
occupation.
AFTER THE SURGERY
november 2008 harmony 37
The future of cataract surgery: Intraocular lenses that can
seamlessly focus on all objects at all distances
54-10 Get Well Soon.qxp 10/23/08 5:57 PM Page 37
body & soul l doctorsopinion
harmony november 2008 38
Q
Hnw Ircqucnt!y
shnu!d I gn tn thc
nphtha!mn!ngist Inr an
cyc chcckup
A
Afler you shouId visil lhe ohlhaImoIogisl
every year lo ruIe oul gIaucoma and lo knov
vhelher you need seclacIes AcluaIIy lhe firsl visil
shouId be al lhe age of one lo ruIe oul any congeni
laI abnormaIilies nexl al lhe age of six vhen lhe
chiId can read lhe charl and lhen every olher year
Q
I am ycars n!d Thnugh my ncar visinn
startcd dctcrinrating snmc ycars agn I man
agcd with rcadymadc spcctac!cs sn!d withnut prc
scriptinn Nnw I cant scw nr rcad c!car!y particu
!ar!y in thc cvcnings What shnu!d I dn
A
You seem lo be deveIoing calaracl or oacily
of lhe eye Iens }usl as lhe Iens of a camera has
lo be cIeared lo Iel lhe Iighl on lo lhe fiIm lhe eye
Iens has lo be cIear loo When il becomes cIoudy
ils caIIed a calaracl Under condilions of Iov Iighl
as in lhe evenings vision is furlher imaired See
your ohlhaImoIogisl immedialeIy
Q
Why dn wc nccd tn wcar spcctac!cs aItcr
cataract surgcry
A
As lhe Iens is removed during surgery il has
lo be subsliluled vilh an aIlernale Iens for
cIear vision SeclacIes are lhe mosl frequenlIy used
and economicaI form of visuaI correclion afler
calaracl exlraclion Novadays a minule foIdabIe
Iens is used lo subslilule lhe naluraI Iens
Q
Hnw dn spcctac!cs wnrk aItcr cataract
rcmnva! Can I usc !cnscs
A
Wilhoul lhe human Iens lhe eye becomes Iong
sighled The seclacIe Iens concenlrales Iighl
from an ob|ecl and heIs focus il on lhe relina Iosl
oeralive calaracl gIasses are usuaIIy lhick Ienses
lhal heI do lhis Today in|eclabIe inlraocuIar Iens
es used during calaracl surgery serve lhe urose
Q
What visua! prnb!cms dn avcragc cataract
paticnts cxpcricncc with spcctac!cs iI thcy
havc nnt had a !cns imp!antcd
A
Ialienls encounler lhe foIIoving robIems
vhich can be avoided if a Iens is imIanled
inside lhe eye
MagniIicatinn nI imagc sizc Calaracl seclacIes
cause magnificalion of image size by er cenl If
one eye is normaI lhis enIarged image cannol be
suerimosed on lhe normaI sized image of lhe un
oeraled eye So every ob|ecl aears Iarger lo lhe
oeraled eye and smaIIer lo lhe normaI eye
Optica! abcrratinns An olicaI aberralion knovn
as in cushion dislorlion makes lhe image seem
vider al lhe lo and bollom The dislorlion remains
slalionary as Iong as lhe eye is slalionary
Pnnr pnsitinn scnsc The eye cannol |udge lhe
osilion of ob|ecls in lhe Iine of vision lhe fIoor
seems much cIoser and lhe ob|ecls enIarged
Rcstrictinn in sidc visinn Iosloeralive calaracl
gIasses give a cone of vision of around
o
The
furlher
o
eriheraI vision is absenl oving lo
lhe rismalic effecl of gIasses and Ieads lo oor
side vision
Cnsmctic prnb!cms The veighl of lhe seclacIes
exerls a Iol of ressure on lhe nose and lhe secla
cIes lend lo sIide vhen you Iook dovn Though
nose and ear suorls heI Iighlveighl seclacIe
Ienses are lhe besl soIulion
Next month Le lmpIunts
Vision correction
Dr Cyres Mehtatalksabout eye care after cataract surgery
Or Cqrcs Mcnia is C|O cj CY||S|Y| an! ccnsu|iani cpnina|nic surgccn ai Mcnia |nicrnaiicna| |qc |nsiiiuic
Cc|a|a |qc Hcspiia| Mun|ai Ca|| cr cnai| cqrcsncniaqanccccn
54-11 Doctors Opinion.qxp 10/23/08 5:57 PM Page 38
november 2008 harmony 39
I am yearoId vidover I am aIso lhe secre
lary generaI of a senior cilizens veIfare counciI
I en|oy lraveIIing Iislening lo oId Hindi fiIm
songs hiIaleIy and making nev friends Like
minded eoIe can conlacl me al
KL5harma
Pan|cthi Dnamb
PO Ta!yahar Mandi
Himacha! Pradcsh
Tc!
I have been relired for lhe asl years
I offer advice on making and regislering
lhe viII documenl Inleresled eoIe can
conlacl me referabIy by emaiI al
N Ahu|a
Advncatc and Managcmcnt Cnnsu!tant
C Vasant Kun| Ncw Dc!hi
Emai! narcndraahu|agmai!cnm
I am I have been an inveslmenl advisor
for years If anyone needs advice on safe
inveslmenl inslrumenls and reguIar laxfree
relurns Iease conlacl me al
N D 5av!a
5amruddhi MGRnad Kandiv!i Wcst
Mumbai
Tc!
Emai! kun|kcnvsn!nct
(2.30 PM to 7 PM)
54-11 Doctors Opinion.qxp 10/23/08 5:57 PM Page 39
body & soul l nutrition
harmony november 2008 40
THIRST QUENCHERS
AvaiIabIe in varmer lroicaI counlries lhirsl
quenchers fuIfiI lhe crileria for bolh vegelabIes and
fruils These refreshing vegelabIe fruils san over
genre and secies Oflen considered unexciling
common and chea lhis indigenous famiIy incIudes
gourd umkin meIon and cucumber RomanlicaIIy
described in Vedic Iileralure lhis genre of cuIinary
vegelabIes is rimariIy na!nta sveel and has a
vhoIesome effecl on lhe human body Hovever nol
many eoIe are avare of lhe sheer nulrilive vaIue
lhal lhese vegelabIes conlain in lerms of mineraIs
vilamins and organic valer conlenl
GUAVA
Nalive lo Mexico CenlraI and
Soulh America arls of lhe
Caribbean and Norlh Africa
guava is nov cuIlivaled exlensive
Iy in Asian counlries Oflen caIIed
lhe oor mans aIe of lhe lro
ics il is IocaIIy knovn as anru!n
or pcru and can be en|oyed rav or
had as |uice |am |eIIy and sauce
Guava makes ils aearance in
vinler and is bIessed vilh an
inlriguing mix of sveel sour and
acrid lasle Il has a yeIIov green
or ink rind and a aIe some
limes rosecoIoured fIesh The
enlire fruil incIuding lhe seeds is
edibIe In facl haIf of il is made u
of hard seedsseed counl ranges
from lo
The fruil has a high Vilamin C
conlenl vhich is vilaI for roduc
ing coIIagen lhal kees our lissues
and skin heaIlhy In facl il con
lains five limes as much Vilamin C
as an orangelhe rind aIone
acks more lhan lhe
Vilamin C in an
enlire orange AIso
an anlioxidanl il
heIs mo u
olenliaIIy harmfuI
free radicaIs
esides being a vaIu
abIe source of Vilamin
A and nicolinic acid
hoshorous olassium
iron and foIale ils aIso rich
in caIcium WhiIe olassium
reguIales bIood ressure hos
horous heIs mainlain our skeIe
laI and Iymhalic syslems Il aIso
conlains more lhan doubIe lhe
amounl of fibre found in Ieafy
vegelabIes and is high in eclin
vhich affecls melaboIism of fals
Iovers choIesleroI and heIs re
venl rolein urificalion in lhe
inleslines Ior lhis guava can veII
reIace cereaIs and miIk
WhiIe il heIs conlroI diarrhoea
ils aIso an exceIIenl Iaxalive and a
overfuI home remedy againsl
cough coId and scurvy Lov in fal
and caIoriesaboul caIories in
a mediumsized fruilils arlicu
IarIy beneficiaI for lhose vho vanl
lo Iose veighl
Dr Vijaya Venkat talksabout the guava and the
family of thirst quenchers
Calorie count
(in a 1 cup serving)
I Guava raw: 84
I Guava nectar: 149
Vitaminbank
54-12 Nutrition.qxp 10/23/08 5:58 PM Page 40
november 2008 harmony 41
Cucumbcr
The hrase cooI as a cucumber is nol vilhoul
meril Ils high valer conlenl makes il naluraIIy
hydralinga musl for gIoving skin Ascorbic acid
Vilamin C and caffeic acid in cucumber or kak!i
heIs soolhe skin irrilalions and reduce sveIIing
Rich in fibre lhe skin conlains a variely of benefi
ciaI mineraIs incIuding siIica olassium and mag
nesium lhal imrove overaII skin heaIlh
Pumpkin
An exceIIenl source of belacarolene lhe Ianl
form of Vilamin Aan anlioxidanl found in red
orange and yeIIov vegelabIesumkin or ka!!u
is knovn lo increase immunily and revenl can
cer Ils a rich reosilory of caIcium olassium and
fibre and is a good
remedy againsl
slomach usels
besides being an
effeclive diurelic Il
aIso heIs reguIale
bIood sugar IeveIs
and slimuIales an
creas The seeds are
a rich source of
rolein iron hos
horous olassium magnesium and zinc and are
videIy used for lrealmenl againsl vorms roslale
and urinary robIems
Bntt!c gnurd
Rich in iron Vilamin C and comIex bollIe
gourdknovn as |auki gnia or !u!niis cooIing
and easy lo digesl besides being an effeclive
diurelic Rav bollIe gourd |uice quenches lhirsl
fighls faligue revenls Ioss of sodium and heIs
cure urinary infeclion
You can enhance lhe fIavour of lhese vegelabIes
vilh roasled nuls seeds or herbs Sundried lhe
seeds are a greal snack
Or Vijaqa Vcnkai Mun|ai|asc!
nuiriiicnisi an! nca|in aciitisi is
jcun!cr an! nca! cj inc Hca|in
Auarcncss Ccnirc |j qcu natc anq
qucsiicns jcr ncr uriic ic
conlaclmagharmonyindiaorg
Or jcc Icuis is nca! cj rcscarcn an!
!ctc|cpncni ai Kaqa Iijc a cnain cj
prcjcssicna| ucigniccnirc| ccnircs
SMS Iijc ic |j qcu natc a
qucsiicn jcr nin uriic ic
conlaclmagharmonyindiaorg
Weight
WATCH
Dr Joe Lewisanswers your questions on diet, weight
and exercise
Q
Having gained a lot of weight recently, I
started doing exercises suggested by my
friend. But instead of losing weight, I have been
experiencing lower back pain. Am I doing the
wrong exercises?
A
There could be one or several reasons for back-
ache: inadequate warm up, incorrect posture, or
exercises that are unsuitable for you. If you have not led
a very active life, any sudden exercise regimen can cause
strain on your back muscles and result in back pain.
Therefore, always start an exercise programme at a
slow pace, gradually increasing the time and intensity
especially if you 30 or older. Before joining a weight
control programme, its essential to first undergo a fit-
ness test that measures your flexibility, balance,
endurance and muscular strength.
Muscles keep the body firm. In later years, our body
undergoes major changes. The less we exercise the soft-
er and flabbier the body becomes (with the flab often
accumulating in the abdominal region). As the stomach
muscles are weak, the belly sags. Bones and joints (espe-
cially weight bearing joints such as knees and hips) also
weaken with age. When you start an exercise pro-
gramme, stiff joints may initially trigger pain, but can be
strengthened through proper warm up.
Fix the time for each exercise and the repetitions. Do a
two-minute exercise 10 times in a 20-minute session,
and then switch to another exercise. If bored, change
the music or the exercise. Quality of life has a lot to do
with being active and enjoying every moment.
Calorie count
(in a 1 cup serving)
Cucumber sliced: 14
Cucumber chopped: 16
Pumpkin cubed: 30
Pumpkin mashed: 49
Bottle gourd cooked: 18
54-12 Nutrition.qxp 10/23/08 5:58 PM Page 41
body & soul l nutrition
harmony november 2008 42
Q
There are many different dietary supple-
ments available in the market: calcium,
flax oil, primrose oil, garlic pearls, spirulina and
chlorella. Can their benefits be categorised for
different age groups: 40s, 50s and 60s?
A
Calcium: Throughout our life, our bones are
continually being broken down (resorption) and
rebuilt with new calcium being deposited into the
newly built bones (bone formation). As we grow
older, this balance between bone resorption and
deposition changes. In postmenopausal women, the
bone breakdown exceeds the formation and results
in bone loss and increased risk of osteoporosis. The
bodys calcium status also gets affected with advancing
age; other factors include intake of caffeine, alcohol
and oxalates (as in chocolates). Calcium supplementa-
tion in women above 40 years and men above 50 pre-
vents risk of osteoporosis. However, daily dosage dif-
fers from individual to individual. It is advisable to take
only the recommended amount as high doses may
lead to kidney stones, constipation, milk-alkali syn-
drome or interference with iron absorption.
Flaxseed oil: Flaxseed oil contains alfa linolenic acid
(which gets converted to omega-3), Vitamin B, potas-
sium, lecithin, magnesium, fibre, protein and zinc.
Omega-3 fatty acids help lower triglyceride levels and
prevent clot formations. Though most people can con-
sume flaxseed oil, it is beneficial for those above 40.
Primrose oil: Evening primrose oil is used for condi-
tions affecting womens health, such as breast pain
associated with the menstrual cycle and postmeno-
pausal symptoms. It also improves skin quality and
helps fight against breast cancer and arthritis. Women
above 40 may take it in conjunction with Vitamin E for
improved skin glow and to decelerate ageing.
Garlic pearls: People above 50 years may take garlic
pearls to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in
the blood; inhibit platelet stickiness (aggregation); and
increase fibrinolysis. It is also mildly antihypertensive
and has antioxidant activity. However, raw natural gar-
lic is preferable to such synthetically processed pearls.
Spirulina andchlorella: As we age, we tend to have
restricted diets or suffer from poor digestion, leading
to malnourishment and low energy levels. In such
cases, spirulina and chlorella serve as easily digestible,
nutrient-dense supplements, loaded with antioxidants,
carotenoids, essential fatty acids and amino acids.
Though not a must-have for the aged, these may be
taken in recommended doses for 4-6 months.
Q
Extracts like ginseng and garlic oil have
been developed as nutraceuticals. How do
nutraceuticals differ from dietary supplements?
A
Nutraceuticals refer to food extracts that pro-
vide protection against chronic diseases. Used
for their anti-fungal, antiseptic and anti-ageing proper-
ties, they should be taken under prescription. Nutra-
ceuticals can be single nutrients like Vitamin C or sup-
plements with multiple vitamin/mineral combinations,
or herbs with therapeutic abilities. Some like fish oil
and flaxseed supplements, which contain omega-3 fatty
acids, lower cholesterol or reduce risk of heart dis-
ease. Others like ginseng enhance physical and mental
performance and increase resistance to ageing.
A dietary supplement, also known as food or nutri-
tional supplement, is a ready-mix of nutrients that are
normally not consumed in sufficient quantity through
diet. The key difference between nutraceuticals and
dietary supplements is that nutraceuticals not only
supplement the diet but also aid in the prevention of a
disease or disorder. So, when a supplement serves the
purpose, it becomes a nutraceutical. A supplement for
an individual may act as a nutraceutical for another.
No single supplement can be consumed by two people
and be absorbed in exactly the same way. It depends
on how a persons digestive system works and how
well the nutrients are assimilated into the body.
Dr Anjali Mukerjeeanswers your questions on nutri-
tion, fitness and health
ASK THE
EXPERT
Nuiriiicnisi Or Anja|i Mukcrjcc
is inc jcun!cr cj Hca|in Tcia| a
nuiriiicna| ccunsc||ing ccnirc
|j qcu natc a qucsiicn jcr ncr uriic
ic queryheaIlhlolaIcom
Wc|siic vvvheaIlhlolaIcom
Tc|
54-12 Nutrition.qxp 10/23/08 5:58 PM Page 42
54-12 Nutrition.qxp 10/23/08 5:58 PM Page 43
body & soul l yoga rx
harmony november 2008 44
D
id you knov bore
dom mimics lhe
symloms of faligue
olh lrigger yavning
bul an overdose of
boredom can be in|urious lo heaIlh
A recenl sludy of siIvers from lhe ronx neighbour
hood in Nev York reorled in Tnc Ncu |ng|an!
jcurna| cj Mc!icinc found lhal lhose vho engaged in
hobbies lhal slimuIaled lhe mind vere Iess IikeIy lo
deveIo demenlia ioIogisls sludying slress nov
laIk of lhe ossum syndromea vilhdravaI from
Iifes chaIIengeslhal has lhe same devaslaling
symloms as slress Ieading lo hyerlension obesi
ly hearl disease and diabeles And in exerimenls
vilh rals researchers have found lhal bored ani
maIs suffered irreversibIe neuronaI damage
UnIike exerimenlaI animaIs in lheir cages mosl of
us can vresl our freedom Il heIs lo have yoga as a
veaon in our var againsl boredom Iven if you
Iearn onIy a fev oses you can
never gel bored because you can
conslanlIy ush yourseIf by
deeening your reach inlo a
ose or lrying chaIIenging varia
lions of lhe ose This ensures acli
valion of lhe rusly arls of body
and mind
As you kee uing lhe anle lhe chaIIenges lo lhe
brain aIso increase In mosl baIancing oses lhe
cerebeIIum is lveaked overfuIIy In arm baIancers
lhe sine is exlended lo aImosl youlhfuI fIexibiIily
lhe body becomes suIe and lhe mind and ils coor
dinalion vilh lhe body becomes more efficienl
In yoga each ose has a arlicuIar sychosomalic
effecl Ior menlaI slimuIalion Iearn slanding baI
ancers Iike lhe oneIegged slanding rayer ose cka
pa!a prananasana crescenl ar!na cnan!rasana lhe
varrior sel tira|na!ra and slanding svan ose
nansasana The simIe sving |c|asana baIance
ose ic|ungasana crane |akasana svan ose on
lhe vrisl nansasana and lhe erfecled ones ose
|rannacnarqasana are good arm baIancers
Inversions increase menlaI energy lhrough lhe gush
of bIood lo lhe brain These incIude lhe inverled
sychic Iock tipariia karani shouIder sland sartan
gasana Iough na|asana and headsland sirsasana
Olher mooduers incIude lhe boal natkasana
slick ose qasiikasana cal slrelch
narjariasana vheeI cnakrasana and aII
chesloeners and backbends Iike lhe
bov |cu Iocusl sa|a|nasana and
cobra |nujangasana Ioses Iike lhe
snake sarpasana are even
said lo remove mosl of lhe
emolionaI bIockages
Banish boredom
Stimulate your mind with yoga, urgesShameem Akthar
Snanccn Akinar is a Mun|ai|asc! qcga acnarqa |j qcu natc anq qucrics jcr ncr nai| us cr cnai| ai
conlaclmagharmonyindiaorg P|casc ccnsu|i qcur pnqsician |cjcrc jc||cuing a!ticc gitcn ncrc
Yogic moves
Shoulder pose (Kandharasana)
Lie on your back. Fold both feet at knees, placing them as
close to the hips as possible. Reach each hand to hold the
ankle on either side. If you cant, place palms flat on the
ground beside the body. Inhale, lifting hips as high as possi-
ble. This will lock your chin between your collarbones. If
the hips dont lift high, the chin will not lockits essential
to ensure you benefit from this pose. Breathe normally and
hold this for a few seconds. Exhaling, gently drop hips back
to ground. Try this three to five times. Benefits: It expands
the chest, stimulating the mind through improved blood cir-
culation to the lungs and chest. The head also gets a pow-
erful flow of blood. The neck lock works on the thyroid
gland, removing mental lethargy. It helps heal spinal, respira-
tory and uro-genital disorders, and fights obesity.
54-13 Yoga.qxp 10/24/08 2:02 PM Page 44
54-13 Yoga.qxp 10/24/08 2:02 PM Page 45
MIND AND MUSCLE
Ixercise cures deression and imroves cardiovascuIar funclion and
quaIily of Iife Researchers from lhe Universily of MeIbourne insisl
lhal a minutc cxcrcisc scssinn a wcck can a!sn hc!p pcnp!c
with mi!d mcmnry prnb!cms The sludy vas conducled
on voIunleers aged and above vilh memory
robIems nol serious enough lo inlerfere vilh every
day Iifelhese robIems donl necessariIy Iead lo
demenlia bul do increase lhe risk of deveIoing
lhe condilion HaIf of lhem vere asked lo
undergo lhree minule sessions of moder
ale exercise such as vaIking a veek for
veeks Al lhe end of lhe sludy lhe
grou lhal exercised achieved beller
scores in cognilive lesls and Iover scores
in lesls lo delermine signs of demenlia
IoIIovu shoved lhal lhe benefils er
sisled for al Ieasl a year afler lhe exer
cise rogramme vas sloed The
sludy reorled in lhe Augusl issue of
Tnc jcurna| cj inc Ancrican Mc!ica|
Asscciaiicn concIudes Medicalion
has no significanl effecl on miId cogni
live imairmenl Hovever hysicaI
aclivily heIs kee lhe cardiovascuIar sys
lem heaIlhy and may heI boosl cognilive
funclion by boosling bIood suIy lo
lhe brain
body & soul l
HEALTH BYTES
harmony november 2008 46
DRILL NO MORE
Lascrs wi!! snnn rcp!acc thc drcadcd dcntists dri!!
vhich is convenlionaIIy used for fiIIing decayed leelh
Iradhan DenlaI Cenlre in }uhu Mumbai is one of lhe
firsl denlaI cIinics in India lo use a Iaser lo cul lhrough
hard lissues such as enameI and bone and reach de
cayed lissue lhal conlains more valer moIecuIes lhan
lhe resl of lhe loolh The Iaser heals lhe valer moIe
cuIes buiIds u ressure and causes a microexIo
sion as lhe decayed area is removed The lechnoIogy
is so recise lhal il can focus on lhe area of decay
Ieaving surrounding lissue or bone undamaged And
lhe Iaser culs dovn vibralions limes comared lo a
driII Il viII sliII hurl lhough if il exoses a nervein
such cases a recaulionary ainkiIIer is rescribed The
lrealmenl doesnl come chea riced belveen Rs
and Rs for a fiIIing A convenlionaI fiIIing vilh a
driII vouId cosl Rs The choice is yours
54-14 Healthbyte.qxp 10/23/08 6:00 PM Page 46
l body & soul
HEALTH BYTES
COLD-BUSTER
y lhe age of mosl eoIe cIock u around
bouls of lhe common coId sending lhree years of
lheir Iife coughing and sneezing ul a ncw cn!d
busting pi!! can change aII lhal BTA deveIoed
by iola HoIdingsone of lhe vorIds Ieading har
maceulicaI comaniesIalches on lo coIdcausing
human rhinoviruses revenling lhem from causing
infeclion In a doubIeronged allack il aIso slos
any exisling infeclion from sreading In Iaboralory
lesls lhe drug kiIIed Iarge quanlilies of coId virus
vilhin a couIe of hours The firsl Iimiled human
lriaIs finished Iasl year in lhe UK and lhe drug vas
found safe LargerscaIe lriaIs are nov undervay on
heaIlhy voIunleers vho viII be exosed lo lhe
virus lo delermine vhelher il can acluaIIy revenl
eoIe from calching a coId The drug viII be used
in lhree varied doses lo delermine lhe one lhal
couId revenl lhe infeclion If ils successfuI ils
greal nevs Dr AkhiIesh C Mishra of NalionaI
Inslilule of ViroIogy Iune leIIs Harncnq
Hovever ils uncIear if il couId be used lo lreal
coIds as veII as vard lhem off And can lhose in
fear of calching a coId from a reIalive or coIIeague
o lhe iII The drug is execled lo be on lhe
markel in five years
november 2008 harmony 47
QUICK RESPONSE
Soon you can ca!! Inr acccss tn
cmcrgcncy scrvicc and an ambu!ancc
Imergency resonse ambuIance services
run by lhe Imergency Managemenl
Research Inslilule IMRI an NGO ro
moled by Salyam Comulers are avaiI
abIe in Andhra Iradesh Gu|aral and
Goa Wilhin minules of diaIIing
IMRIs caII cenlre sends an ambuIance
vilh a medicaI lechnician vho is in louch vilh a
doclor In Andhra Iradesh a singIe IMRI cenlre
fieIds a fIeel of ambuIances slaffed by
medicaI lechnicians Islimales indicale lhal aboul
Iives vere saved in Andhra Iradesh Iasl year
lhrough such inlervenlions y IMRI Ians lo
Iaunch ambuIances lhroughoul India
MEDICINE WATCH
A recenl research conducled by lhe NalionaI Hearl
and Lung Inslilule London indicales lhal bcta
b!nckcrs cnu!d incrcasc b!nnd sugar in paticnts
suIIcring Irnm diabctcs and cvcn inducc thc dis
casc in pcnp!c suIIcring Irnm high b!nnd prcssurc
Aboul hyerlensive alienls vere rescribed
anlihyerlensive drugs using belabIockers
Researchers found lhal of lhem vere al risk
of deveIoing diabeles and acluaIIy deveIoed
il vilhin six years These drugs nol onIy increase
bIood sugar IeveIs in lhose vho donl have diabeles
bul aIso vorsen sugar conlroI in lhose vilh dia
beles says Dr Anoo Misra direclor diabeles and
melaboIic diseases al Iorlis HosilaIs Nev DeIhi
54-14 Healthbyte.qxp 10/23/08 6:00 PM Page 47
body & soul l
HEALTH BYTES
harmony november 2008 48
SIT STRAIGHT
Adoling good oslure can
reIieve Ionglerm back ain Ior
lhe righl oslure body aIignmenl
and gail researchers are asking
eoIe suffering from chronic
ain lo lurn lo lhe A!cxandcr
tcchniquc Inlroduced in rilain
in by AuslraIian aclor
Irederick Mallhias AIexander lhe
lechnique Incuscs nn rctraining
thc musc!cs nI spinc ncck and
back tn a!!cviatc tcnsinn
A sludy conducled al risloI and
Soulhamlon universilies in UK
used a combinalion of normaI
medicaI care massage and lhe
AIexander lechnique on
alienls for monlhs and found
lhal lhose raclicing lhe
AIexander lechnique suffered |usl
lhree days of back ain a monlh
The sludy is reorled in lhe
Selember issue of lhe Briiisn
Mc!ica| jcurna| Lessons in lhe
AIexander lechnique offer an indi
viduaIised aroach lo heI eo
Ie recognise and undersland
lheir robIem and avoid oor
habils affecling osluraI lone
and neuromuscuIar
coordinalion scc |cx
engaIurubased
AIexander leacher
Dr Deeak Sharan of
Recou RehabiIilalion
Cenlre adds a Iine of
caulion Il mighl nol be
effeclive for everyone
ack ain is differenl for
each erson and you oflen need a
combinalion of lhings lo heI
reIieve il
Stand in front of a chair. Keep your shoulders soft and
imagine your spine to be a long spring. Push your head
down on that spring, trying to compress it gradually.
With two-third of the heads weight in front, it should
move forward when trying to push the spine down.
However, tense muscles in the neck draw the head back,
putting extra weight on to the spine.
Straighten your back and shoulders. Now order your
neck muscles not to feel tense but not to relax either;
your neck will feel heavier.
Send a message to your head to release it from your
body and push its weight forward and upward. Will your
neck muscles to lose stiffness and elongate.
Your neck should start feeling more elastic and you will
feel your shoulder muscles soften. It might be uncomfort-
able at first because you are used to tension, which is
now beginning to release.
Bend your body at the knees and hips. In one continuous
movement, sit in your chair.
Consult your doctor before practicing Alexander Technique.
10 minutes of Alexander Technique
Straighten up!US-based neurologist Moacir Schnapp has invented iPosture, a pendant
that can be clipped to clothing or adhered to the skin. It improves your postureby
vibrating when you slouch and continues to vibrate till you correct your posture.
In a correct posture, the weight
of the head provides the natural
stimulus for the spinal curve to
resist. This allows the interverte-
bral disks to expand and thus
improves strength and buoyancy
of the back. When you slouch, the
head is carried too far forward or
backwards and the spine collaps-
es, losing its ability to resist the
weight of the head and
thus compressing the
intervertebral disks.
54-14 Healthbyte.qxp 10/23/08 6:00 PM Page 48
HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY
HOW THE HIP JOINT FUNCTIONS
The hip joint is perhaps the strongest weight-bearing joint of the
body. Powered by large muscles, the hip joint is essential to many
of the bodys most basic movements. Whenever you walk, sit,
bend, squat, turn around, drive or perform many other seemingly
simple motions, you are depending on the hip for support and
mobility. When your hip is healthy, you may take it for granted, not
even giving a second thought about the job it does for you. But
once it starts to become stiff and painful, and you are forced to
restrict certain activities, you may come to realize how much
freedom of movement means to you.
CAUSES OF HIP DAMAGE
Inflammatory arthritis (swelling of the joint lining), a fracture, or
rarely, osteonecrosis (death of the bone), may all lead to damaged
hip joints. However, perhaps the most common cause of damaged
hip joints is osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the joints that is not
necessarily part of the normal aging process. It causes permanent
deterioration of the cartilage layers that shield the joint from
impact. Because cartilage cannot repair or replenish itself, it begins
to crack, wear away and eventually disappear. The cushion your
hip needs to absorb stress is gone, resulting in bone-on-bone
contact. The bones in advanced cases may be so rough and pitted
from grinding against each other that they may form bone spurs,
which can cause severe pain and immobility.
In the first stages of osteoarthritis, you may begin to feel stiffness or
achiness in the hip. Soon, you may begin to feel pain in your joint.
One leg may feel shorter than the other when walking or standing.
Sometimes, the discomfort of an arthritic hip will first present itself
as a shooting pain through the leg or knee that is severe enough to
make you stop and catch your breath. Eventually, you mobility
may become limited and you may need to alter your lifestyle to
accommodate the arthritic hip. If you are overweight, the extra
stress on your hip can accelerate the damage. You may have
already had to curb or quit everyday activities like shopping or
walking, not to mention recreational ones such as bicycle riding
and traveling. But there is hope you have options.
ALL ABOUT HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY
Surgery and manufacturers have made remarkable advances in
joint replacement technology over the last few years. The materials
used today are long-lasting and durable. Surgery has been fine-
tuned with the use of computers to provide more accuracy and
taking the success rate higher.
BENEFITS OF HIP JOINT REPLACEMENT
These include:
Reduced joint pain (maybe no pain)
Correction of deformity
Restoration mobility to the hip
Improvement in quality of life ability to return to a normal,
active life
It is likely that running, jumping, or other high impact
activities will be discouraged.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS OF A HIP REPLACEMENT
SURGERY
Choice of implant: It is important to discuss the choice of implant
with your orthopaedic surgeon. Clinically proven imported
implants have a much higher rate of survivorship than low quality
local implants
Choice of hospital: Well maintained, fully equipped hospitals that
follow strict infection prevention protocols show low rates of
infection in patients
Choice of surgeon: Choosing a surgeon for hip replacement is an
individuals decision. It is advisable to speak with your family,
physician and friends for the same.
Understanding the procedure: It is critical to discuss the pros and
cons of the procedure so as to be mentally prepared for the same.
A well-informed patient is a happy patient.
GETTING READY FOR TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT
Here are four essential steps that will help you get into shape
before hip replacement surgery.
1. Commit to the success of your surgery. Working as a team,
you, your physician and your family must adopt a positive
attitude towards the success of your surgery.
2. Start a physician-approved, low-impact exercise plan.
Studies have shown that the stronger and more flexible you
are before your operation the quicker you will recover and
more flexible you will be after the operation. Gentle exercise
such as walking, range of motion exercises and swimming can
help you stay strong and flexible. Seek your doctors advice
before beginning any exercise
RISKS OF HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY
Infection: Because a bacterial infection from your mouth could
infect your new joint, complete all dental work before surgery.
Blood Clots: Surgeons performing Total Hip Replacement
prescribe anticoagulation medications after surgery.
Pneumonia: Pneumonia can sometimes develop in patients who
are lying in bed after surgery. Getting out of the bed soon is
encouraged.
LONG-TERM CARE OF YOUR HIP
You can protect it by taking a few simple steps:
Watch out and prevent. Because your new hip is sensitive to
infections, you must be diligent about preventing them. If you
suspect a bacterial infection, notify your physician right away.
Follow up care. Your physician may want to check you
several times during the first year and annually thereafter.
Weight Control. Keeping your weight under control will
reduce the amount of pressure and stress on your new hip.
Avoid high impact sports and participate regularly in low-
impact activities such as walking, swimming or cycling.
* Results may vary from patient to patient.
l promotion
lor more lnformutlon on urthrltls cuII toII free or und reglster for u Putlent lorum neur our home
54-14 Healthbyte.qxp 10/23/08 6:00 PM Page 49
body & soul l the last word
harmony november 2008 50
I
ach sring for
many years I have
sel myseIf lhe lask of
vriling a ersonaI
slalemenl of beIief a
Credo When I vas
younger lhe slalemenl ran for many ages lrying
lo cover every base Il sounded Iike a Sureme
Courl brief as if vords couId resoIve aII confIicls
aboul lhe meaning of exislence The Credo has
grovn shorler in recenl yearssomelimes cynicaI
somelimes comicaI somelimes bIandbul I kee
vorking al il RecenlIy I sel oul lo gel lhe slalemenl
of ersonaI beIief dovn lo one age in simIe lerms
fuIIy underslanding lhe naive ideaIism lhal imIied
The insiralion for brevily came lo me al a gasoIine
slalion I managed lo fiII an oId cars lank vilh
suerdeIuxe highoclane go|uice My oId hooy
couIdnl handIe il and gol lhe viIIieskel suller
ing oul al inlerseclions and beIching going dovn
hiII I underslood My mind and my siril gel Iike
lhal from lime lo lime Too much highconlenl
informalion and I gel lhe exislenliaI
viIIieskee sullering oul al
inlerseclions vhere Iife choices musl
be made and I eilher knov loo much
or nol enough The examined Iife is
no icnic I reaIised lhen lhal
I aIready knov mosl of vhals nec
essary lo Iive a meaningfuI Iifelhal
il isnl aII lhal comIicaled I knov
il And have knovn il for a Iong
Iong lime
Living ilveII lhals anolher maller yes Heres
my Credo AII I knov aboul hov lo Iive I Iearned in
kindergarlen Wisdom vas nol al lhe lo of lhe
gradualeschooI mounlain bul lhere in lhe sand
iIe al Sunday schooI Heres vhal I Iearned
Share everylhing IIay fair Donl hil eoIe Iul
lhings back vhere you found lhem CIean u your
ovn mess Donl lake lhings lhal arenl yours Say
youre sorry vhen you hurl somebody Wash your
hands before you eal IIush Warm cookies and coId
miIk are good for you Live a baIanced IifeIearn
some and lhink some and drav and ainl and sing
and dance and Iay and vork every day some Take
a na every aflernoon When you go oul inlo lhe
vorId valch oul for lraffic hoId hands and slick
logelher e avare of vonder Remember lhe IillIe
seed in lhe Slyrofoam cu The rools go dovn and
lhe Ianl goes u and nobody reaIIy knovs hov or
vhy bul ve are aII Iike lhal GoIdfish and hamslers
and vhile mice and even lhe IillIe seed in lhe Slyro
foam culhey aII die So do ve And lhen remem
ber lhe Dickand}ane books and lhe firsl vord you
Iearnedlhe biggesl vord of aIILOOK
Iverylhing you need lo knov is in lhere some
vhere The GoIden RuIe and Iove and basic sanila
lion IcoIogy and oIilics and equaIily and sane Iiv
ing Take any one of lhose ilems and exlraoIale il
inlo sohislicaled aduIl lerms and
aIy il lo your famiIy Iife or your
vork or your governmenl or your
vorId and il hoIds lrue and cIear
and firm Think vhal a beller
vorId il vouId be if lhe vhoIe
vorId had cookies and miIk aboul
lhree ocIock every aflernoon and
lhen Iay dovn vilh our bIankies
for a na Or if aII governmenls had
as a basic oIicy lo aIvays ul
lhings back vhere lhey found lhem
and lo cIean u lheir ovn mess
And il is sliII lrue no maller hov oId you are
vhen you go oul inlo lhe vorId il is besl lo hoId
hands and slick logelher
Simple wisdom
Happiness lies in the basics, says Robert Fulghum
|xccrpi jrcn AII I ReaIIy Need lo Knov I Learned in Kindergarlen ViIIard ooks Rs ages
|c|cri |u|gnun is an Ancrican auincr kncun jcr nis insigniju| cssaqs Hc nas ucrkc! as a Uniiarian Minisicr ai a
cnurcn in Wasningicn Mcrc inan ni||icn ccpics cj nis |ccks natc |ccn pu||isnc! in |anguagcs in ccunirics
No matter how old
you are, when you
go out into the
world it is best to
hold hands and
stick together
54-15 The Last Word.qxp 10/23/08 6:02 PM Page 50
54-15 The Last Word.qxp 10/23/08 6:02 PM Page 51
S
oon vhiIe you reIax al home
your doclor viII be abIe lo
monilor your hearl vilh lhe
SiIicon Lockel lhe smaIIesl ICG
moniloring device in lhe vorId The
fanlaslic nevs ils made in India
IssenliaIIy lhe SiIicon Lockel is a
vearabIe comuler lhal deIoys
lhe exisling mobiIe nelvork for
Iovcosl leIemedicaI heaIlhcare of
cardiac alienls In case of lroubIe
il aulomalicaIIy generales an emer
gency SMS lo lhe nolified doclor
Doclors or aramedicaI slaff can
viev reaIlime ICGs remoleIy and
lake necessary aclion
This ro|ecl deveIoed under lhe
aegis of Tala ConsuIlancy Services
TCS vas born in Indian Inslilule
of TechnoIogy IIT Mumbai in
vhen Vivek Vaid an MTech
sludenl offered his rofessors a
rololye in a shoe box In
anolher sludenl Ashrul Ambaslha
added lhe aulomaled SMS faciIily
lo lhe device using a vired con
neclion lo mobiIe hones and a
base slalion concel for signaI ro
cessing Al lhal slage lhe device
resembIed a mobiIe hone Irom
lhe ro|ecl has been sleered
by Sudi Nag a IhD sludenl
vho has deveIoed an uIlrasmaII
candysized unil vilh Iueloolh
conneclivily US ballery Iilhium
ionoIymer charger and reaI
lime moniloring of hysicaI aclivi
ly The ro|ecl has been menlored
by Irofessors Rakesh LaI and
Dinesh Sharma of lhe IIeclricaI
Ingineering Dearlmenl and
Irofessor Soumyo Mukher|i of
lhe SchooI of iosciences and io
medicaI Ingineering
Hnw dncs it actua!!y wnrk The
alienl needs lo slra on five lhin
eIeclrode vires exIains Sudi
Nag The Iockel vhich has a
G memory card and a unique
alienl idenlifier code eilher slores
received ICG signaIs or lransmils
lhem in reaI lime lo a remoleIy
Iocaled comuler lhrough a mobiIe
hone or even IandIine The acq
uired dala can be vieved by medi
harmony november 2008 52
Studentsat IIT-Mumbai have developed a device that
letscardiac patientsrelax while their doctor monitors
their health
A heartbeat
AWAY
J
I
T
R
A
Y
54-16 Innovation.qxp 10/23/08 6:03 PM Page 52
caI rofessionaIs using a user
inlerface Ialienls can even
indicale feeIings of uneasi
ness or ain vilh lhe fIick
of a svilch AII dala can be
eriodicaIIy uIoaded and
saved on a remole server or
hosilaI comuler
y India viII have lhe high
esl number of cardiac alienls in
lhe vorId aroximaleIy er
cenl says Nag ICG recorders
can save lhousands of Iives
UnliI nov lhe onIy olions have
been imorled devices lhal cosl
belveen Rs and Rs
They aIso donl rovide aulomal
ed aIerls do nol have aIgorilhms
lo delecl diseases and are onIy
avaiIabIe in cIunky WaIkmanIike
sizes We slrive lo rovide inleIIi
genl soIulions al a vaslIy cheaer
rice vilhoul sacrificing quaIily
and reIiabiIily he asserls
5n hnw much wi!! thc hnmc
grnwn 5i!icnn Lnckct cvcntua!!y
cnst Nag has no reIy as of nov
aIlhough he insisls il viII be
incomarabIy cheaer lhan
imorled ICG monilors The
ansver viII deend on TCS vho
has funded lhe enlire
ro|ecl IieId lriaIs on
lhe SiIicon Lockel have
aIready been conducled
al severaI hosilaIs in
Mumbai Nev DeIhi
engaIuru Thiruvananlha
uram and KoIkala and lhe
device is execled lo be on lhe
markel soon
MeanvhiIe Nag received lhe
udding Innovalors Avard from
lhe NalionaI Research DeveIo
menl Cororalion on Oclober
for his vork on lhe ro|ecl He is
no slranger lo avards In
he received anolher avard from
lhe Massachusells Inslilule of
TechnoIogy MIT for a vireIess
e|ackel filled vilh lhe siIicon
Iockel lo enabIe lhe measuremenl
of ICG as veII as olher devices
lhal indicale oxygen IeveIs body
lemeralure and hysicaI aclivily
in lhe body
Whats ncxt We are vorking
on a remole alienl lracker lhal
inoinls lhe sub|ecls Iocalion
using GIS conneclivily Nag leIIs
us We are aIso deveIoing nano
fabricaled cardiac sensors for
earIy deleclion of hearl allacks
These sensors viII be vireIessIy
Iinked lo lhe SiIicon Lockel in
fulure versions
november 2008 harmony 53
Fewer wires: Needs only five elec-
trode wires; hospital systems need 10
Disease-detection software:
Arrhythmia or irregular heartbeats
can be detected. More complex dis-
ease detection software being devel-
oped Accelerometer-based sensor
and physical
activity monitor: Ensures that ECGs
are not distorted owing to body
movement Custom analog chip:
Ultra-low power chip provides longer
battery life (up to seven days of con-
tinuous operation without recharging)
Size: The smallest ECG monitoring
device in the world
THE SILICON LOCKET: A CLASS APART
Patients can even
indicate uneasiness
or pain with the
flick of a switch
WORLD VIEW
The Jitterbug
At first glance, Samsungs Jitterbug (www.jitterbug.com) looks like your typi-
cal teenybopper phone with a funky shape and clamshell design. Its only
when you open this phone that you realise its been specially designed for
silvers with oversized buttons and large type size on screen. One-touch
buttons make it easy to reach emergency numbers. In the US, where
the phone has been launched, the company even offers the services of a
Jitterbug operator to enter numbers into your phone and place your
calls. The phone costs $ 147 (about Rs 7,000).
54-16 Innovation.qxp 10/23/08 6:03 PM Page 53
first aidl wall to wall
harmony november 2008 54