India is the sweetest country in the world. A nice statement any time. Reading this, one might feel happy about its literal meaning or one might be reading it with a raised eyebrow. To add to the above quote is this one - India is expected to stay the sweetest country in 2020.
In the year 2000, when statistics about the number of people affected with Diabetes Mellitus in the world was taken, it was a staggering revelation that India was at the top of that chart with a dreadful figure of 31.7 million affected people, followed by China at 20.8 and the US at 17.7. In the year 2030, it is projected that India will have an appalling 79.4 million people affected by Diabetes with China at 42.2 and the US at 30.3 million. Those are some figures that make us skip a heartbeat for a second!
Here's more. One person in the world is dying of Diabetes every 10 seconds. There are two new diabetic cases in the world being identified every 10 seconds. And what's worse is these statistics tell us that by the year 2025, there will be as many as 70 million new diabetic cases in the world.
One might think for a moment, what is an Engineer like me trying to convey by giving statistics of a health problem. Shouldn't this be done by a Doctor rather than an Engineer? Hmmm... May be, may be not. Here's why.
India is expected to become a World Economic Super Power by 2020. Steps are also being taken to preserve Wildlife and Nature for a better future. But have we ever considered giving a thought about the health of the people of future India? Isn't it imperative that tomorrow's bright days are enjoyed by healthy Indians? In this regard, looking at the statistics projected, here is my simple VISION for FUTURE INDIA - A HEALTHY INDIA!!
Modernizing India was excellent but it came with its fair share of problems. Modernized Indians started to speak about stress (a word 'unknown' to people when I was in primary) in turn bringing into picture many diseases that were unheard of. However, with all the state-of-the-art equipment in place due to modernization, the longevity of people improved resulting in the average life-span of man increasing from 60 to 80 years in just two decades. Now, is it a boon to live longer or is it a bane that a person acquires an awful disease at a young age and it becomes a virtual partner for him for the rest of his life?
Hence, it is high time that a word is spread among all Indians educating them about Diabetes and measures to prevent it. It is sad to note that people in the IT sector are nearly the highest to be affected by this disease. NOW is just the right time to start controlling Diabetes by learning more about it and taking necessary action.
For this vision to materialize, every Indian has to follow 4 simple steps. They are:
- Decrease the consumption of Sugar. Sugar is also known as 'White Poison'. The main cause of Diabetes is excessive sugar in the body.
- Practice YOGA. It has been proved that Yogasanas are the only form of physical exercise in the world that stimulate the inner organs of the human body. Organs like Kidneys and Pancreas are exercised through Yoga which increases the secretion of Insulin thereby decreasing the risk of Diabetes considerably.
- Practice PRANAYAMA. Pranayama is 'controlled breathing'. The slower a person breathes, the healthier he will be. It helps in calming down the mind resulting in a less-stressed lifestyle.
- Physical Exercise. Taking a walk to the grocery store instead of taking the bike helps a lot. Personally, I feel that pets are the best stress-busters around.
So, my friends, WE as citizens of this great nation should take up the responsibility of building a better tomorrow. By creating awareness about deadly Diabetes in every individual, we can rest assured that we are heading towards a better and a healthier future India. On this special day, the 64th celebration of Independent India, I urge all of my fellow Indians to pledge in working towards this humongous task of ensuring that we have a wealthy India with healthy people for our progeny. After all, the greatest wealth for any country is the good health of its people.
We must always remember - It is better to PREVENT and PREPARE than to REPENT and REPAIR!
Happy Independence Day! :)
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