WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:03.640
<v Speaker 1>Most people, if you ask them to confirm, would agree

2
00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.679
<v Speaker 1>that health is in fact one of the most important

3
00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:10.359
<v Speaker 1>things in their lives, perhaps the most important. And by

4
00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:12.919
<v Speaker 1>now many of you would already know that maintaining a

5
00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:17.160
<v Speaker 1>good lifestyle, eating well and exercising regularly is crucial for

6
00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:20.519
<v Speaker 1>being healthy. In fact, preventing yourself from getting health problems,

7
00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:24.440
<v Speaker 1>doctors say, is much better than trying to treat them.

8
00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:28.879
<v Speaker 2>Definitely, prevention is always better than cures, So that has

9
00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:31.359
<v Speaker 2>been the suggestion by doctors. And of course all these

10
00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:35.359
<v Speaker 2>lifestyle changes that we do talk about is towards preventing

11
00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:36.520
<v Speaker 2>any serious ailment.

12
00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:41.799
<v Speaker 1>That's the Indian expresses Anonadat, who covers health for the paper,

13
00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:45.320
<v Speaker 1>and she tells us that besides our lifestyle, another key

14
00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:49.280
<v Speaker 1>aspect of what they call preventative health is regularly going

15
00:00:49.399 --> 00:00:52.560
<v Speaker 1>to the doctor, which for a lot of people can

16
00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:54.479
<v Speaker 1>be a fairly anxious experience.

17
00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:58.799
<v Speaker 2>Yes, a lot of people might hesitate to go to

18
00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:01.399
<v Speaker 2>a doctor. In fact, most people tend to go to

19
00:01:01.399 --> 00:01:04.799
<v Speaker 2>a doctor only when they have some health problem or

20
00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:10.040
<v Speaker 2>something that's bothering them, So routinely going for a health checkup.

21
00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:12.159
<v Speaker 3>Is not something that a lot of people do.

22
00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:16.680
<v Speaker 2>However, what doctors tell me is that there is an

23
00:01:16.680 --> 00:01:20.719
<v Speaker 2>increasing trend, especially after the pandemic, people have become more

24
00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.560
<v Speaker 2>serious about remaining healthy rather than you know, going to

25
00:01:24.599 --> 00:01:27.799
<v Speaker 2>the doctor when they have any ailment or any problem.

26
00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:30.840
<v Speaker 2>So more and more people are getting preventative health checkups

27
00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:35.079
<v Speaker 2>and going to doctors for a visit without any condition.

28
00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.280
<v Speaker 1>And an apart from the fact that you can probably

29
00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:41.159
<v Speaker 1>catch something in time, one would imagine that it probably

30
00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:43.040
<v Speaker 1>also saves a lot of money, right.

31
00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:45.760
<v Speaker 2>It does, yes, So I will take the example of

32
00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:49.640
<v Speaker 2>say cancer you detected early, treatment would be much easier.

33
00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:54.480
<v Speaker 2>You wouldn't need you know, second line therapies and difficult surgeries,

34
00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:57.280
<v Speaker 2>so the cost of treatment goes down. I took cancer

35
00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:00.319
<v Speaker 2>because that's like quite an extreme example, but that's true

36
00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:04.640
<v Speaker 2>of most conditions. Even for say diabetes, you would require

37
00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:08.039
<v Speaker 2>lower doors of medicines. You can start your lifestyle intervention

38
00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:10.879
<v Speaker 2>quick enough, and in fact, in some people who are

39
00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:13.560
<v Speaker 2>early on or people who are pre diabetic, it can

40
00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:18.599
<v Speaker 2>actually reverse. So detecting early of course makes you healthy, yes,

41
00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:22.000
<v Speaker 2>but also brings down your cost of treatment and cost

42
00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:25.080
<v Speaker 2>of disease that you would experience through the life.

43
00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:28.520
<v Speaker 1>So listeners, in this episode, we are taking a break

44
00:02:28.520 --> 00:02:31.759
<v Speaker 1>from our usual programming to bring you a complete guide

45
00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.520
<v Speaker 1>on what to keep in mind when going for a

46
00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:42.680
<v Speaker 1>health checkup based on your age, sex and lifestyle. Hi,

47
00:02:43.159 --> 00:02:46.159
<v Speaker 1>I'm Chushang Bargin and you're listening to three Things the

48
00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:53.479
<v Speaker 1>Indian Express News show, so Anona. When we talk about

49
00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:57.319
<v Speaker 1>regular health checkups, at what age do doctors recommend you

50
00:02:57.400 --> 00:02:58.520
<v Speaker 1>start doing them?

51
00:02:58.919 --> 00:03:02.479
<v Speaker 2>So typically doctors would say that at around the age

52
00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:06.400
<v Speaker 2>of thirty years you start getting certain screening done. But

53
00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.879
<v Speaker 2>more and more over the last decade or so, doctors

54
00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:13.240
<v Speaker 2>are now noticing a lot of heart attacks and stuff.

55
00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:14.280
<v Speaker 3>And young men.

56
00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:17.800
<v Speaker 2>So even at the age of about twenty five or so,

57
00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:21.159
<v Speaker 2>people are experiencing heart attacks, which means they also are

58
00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:24.960
<v Speaker 2>likely to have other conditions that lead to heart attacks,

59
00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:29.680
<v Speaker 2>like hypertension or diabetes. All these diseases are happening at

60
00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:33.280
<v Speaker 2>a younger age now, which is why doctors suggests, at

61
00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:37.120
<v Speaker 2>least for men, that you start getting screened at about

62
00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:39.319
<v Speaker 2>twenty five, you start doing it.

63
00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:41.599
<v Speaker 3>Women can relate a little bit.

64
00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:44.199
<v Speaker 2>More, but at around the age of thirty, I think

65
00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:47.680
<v Speaker 2>people should start getting their regular health checkups done.

66
00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:49.840
<v Speaker 1>And should people have a goal in mind, You know,

67
00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:52.479
<v Speaker 1>while getting a health checkup. Is there an end goal

68
00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:53.319
<v Speaker 1>so to say?

69
00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:56.360
<v Speaker 3>So, there is no end goal per se.

70
00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:59.400
<v Speaker 2>It doesn't have to be that we have to have

71
00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:01.520
<v Speaker 2>a certain number on a test.

72
00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:02.800
<v Speaker 3>That is not the goal.

73
00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:05.800
<v Speaker 2>The goal is that you keep a record of how

74
00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:09.120
<v Speaker 2>your health has been for years together, so in case

75
00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:12.719
<v Speaker 2>when you have a condition, your doctor knows exactly what

76
00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.400
<v Speaker 2>has been going on in your body. And also it's

77
00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:18.319
<v Speaker 2>a way to sort of keep yourself in check. You

78
00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:21.279
<v Speaker 2>would know that, okay, my sugar is going up, so

79
00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:24.839
<v Speaker 2>then you would take steps accordingly and you would intervene early.

80
00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:28.839
<v Speaker 2>So it's also like keeping in mind what is going on.

81
00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:31.639
<v Speaker 2>But no, there shouldn't be an end goal that, okay,

82
00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:33.360
<v Speaker 2>all my numbers have to be perfect.

83
00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:34.759
<v Speaker 3>This is not a report.

84
00:04:34.439 --> 00:04:38.160
<v Speaker 1>Card, okay. So if you're a man, you started twenty five.

85
00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:41.079
<v Speaker 1>If you're a woman, you started thirty. So what should

86
00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:43.720
<v Speaker 1>a typical health check up for these ages look like?

87
00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:48.079
<v Speaker 2>So there are three key tests that you have to get.

88
00:04:48.279 --> 00:04:52.160
<v Speaker 2>One is of course checking your blood pressure. The second

89
00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:54.759
<v Speaker 2>is checking your blood glucose levels, and you can do

90
00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:57.600
<v Speaker 2>an HbA one C to see how they have been

91
00:04:57.639 --> 00:05:00.920
<v Speaker 2>over say a three month period. Then the other thing

92
00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:04.279
<v Speaker 2>is checking your cholesterol levels. So these three because these

93
00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:07.480
<v Speaker 2>are risk factors for several other diseases. It can lead

94
00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.439
<v Speaker 2>to a heart attack, it can lead to long term

95
00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:12.800
<v Speaker 2>chronic heart diseases, it can lead to a stroke. So

96
00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:15.680
<v Speaker 2>it's risk factor for a host of diseases. So these

97
00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:19.240
<v Speaker 2>three are the key tests that you should get and

98
00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:22.480
<v Speaker 2>that would keep you informed about how your whole system

99
00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:23.000
<v Speaker 2>is doing.

100
00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:25.720
<v Speaker 1>Also, when we talk about these three tests, what kind

101
00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.839
<v Speaker 1>of importance do they have in the Indian context?

102
00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:33.040
<v Speaker 2>These tests are extremely important, especially in India, Like I mentioned,

103
00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:37.720
<v Speaker 2>we get heart attacks and hypertension as well. We get

104
00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:41.480
<v Speaker 2>it a decade younger than our Western counterparts. So you know,

105
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:45.120
<v Speaker 2>we would see people very young at you know, twenty

106
00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.000
<v Speaker 2>five getting heart attacks. And if you get a heart

107
00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:49.160
<v Speaker 2>attack at twenty five, you are much more likely to

108
00:05:49.240 --> 00:05:51.800
<v Speaker 2>die than if you get a heart attack at say fifty,

109
00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:54.240
<v Speaker 2>And there are signs behind it. That's because by fifty

110
00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:57.319
<v Speaker 2>you develop these you know, different blood vessels in your

111
00:05:57.360 --> 00:05:59.759
<v Speaker 2>heart that could carry the blood even if there is

112
00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.160
<v Speaker 2>a lockage in one particular vessel.

113
00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:05.439
<v Speaker 1>And this is something that seems so counterintuitive because you know,

114
00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:07.839
<v Speaker 1>one would imagine that if you're older, you're more at

115
00:06:07.959 --> 00:06:10.480
<v Speaker 1>risk and if you're young, you know you should be

116
00:06:10.519 --> 00:06:11.240
<v Speaker 1>able to take it.

117
00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:15.240
<v Speaker 2>Yes, and which is why we need to say that

118
00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:17.720
<v Speaker 2>you know, it is essential that you get your checkups

119
00:06:17.720 --> 00:06:19.759
<v Speaker 2>done even when you're young, because if you get a

120
00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:21.560
<v Speaker 2>heart attack at a young age, you're much more likely

121
00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:24.399
<v Speaker 2>to die. So it is counter intuitive, but at a

122
00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.720
<v Speaker 2>older age you do have these other blood vessels that

123
00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:30.959
<v Speaker 2>can save your heart muscles even if one of them

124
00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:31.959
<v Speaker 2>gets blocked.

125
00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:33.480
<v Speaker 3>Which you do not have as a younger person.

126
00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:36.920
<v Speaker 2>So you know, if one vessel gets blocked, it's blocked

127
00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:39.279
<v Speaker 2>and your heart muscle dies, so you're much more likely

128
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:40.839
<v Speaker 2>to die in such a heart attack.

129
00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:43.879
<v Speaker 1>Okay, so we've got a blood glucose levels, we've got

130
00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:48.000
<v Speaker 1>a blood pressure, we've got a cholesterol What other things

131
00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:49.240
<v Speaker 1>should one be looking at?

132
00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:50.600
<v Speaker 3>Other than that?

133
00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:55.120
<v Speaker 2>The doctors recommend that you could get all your the

134
00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:57.480
<v Speaker 2>basic blood tests, which if you go to any of

135
00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.879
<v Speaker 2>the you know, testing centers or hospital, they have a

136
00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:04.079
<v Speaker 2>list of tests that you can get in a single.

137
00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:07.600
<v Speaker 1>That draw and is that CBC. Basically CBC.

138
00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:11.199
<v Speaker 2>You can also do like KFT LFT to know how

139
00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:15.120
<v Speaker 2>your liver is functioning. So all of these tests are

140
00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:18.079
<v Speaker 2>not as necessary as I mentioned the three key tests,

141
00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:21.000
<v Speaker 2>but these are something that you can do to again

142
00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.199
<v Speaker 2>keep a track of how your organ systems are behaving

143
00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:27.000
<v Speaker 2>and in case you have a problem later on, then

144
00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:28.480
<v Speaker 2>these can be referred to.

145
00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:31.600
<v Speaker 1>And we shouldn't stereotype young people, but a lot of

146
00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:34.560
<v Speaker 1>young people do develop certain bad habits. I mean there

147
00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:37.800
<v Speaker 1>is eating poorly, but also smoking and drinking can start

148
00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:40.519
<v Speaker 1>at an early age. Is there any particular thing that

149
00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:43.720
<v Speaker 1>especially those who smoke and drink should keep in mind

150
00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:45.439
<v Speaker 1>while getting these tests?

151
00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.879
<v Speaker 2>So the left, for example, would tell you how your

152
00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:51.800
<v Speaker 2>liver is doing based on how much you are drinking.

153
00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.920
<v Speaker 2>And one of the again big problems that we're seeing

154
00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:58.879
<v Speaker 2>in India, again a decade earlier than the Western counterparts,

155
00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:03.319
<v Speaker 2>is the non alcohol fatty liver disease, which is essentially

156
00:08:03.680 --> 00:08:06.519
<v Speaker 2>you getting fat around your liver, but that's not happening

157
00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:09.079
<v Speaker 2>because of your drinking habit. And then there is of

158
00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:12.079
<v Speaker 2>course alcoholic fatty liver disease, where you get the fat

159
00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:15.639
<v Speaker 2>because of drinking. Now people might think, okay, it's just fat,

160
00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:19.160
<v Speaker 2>why is it important. It's because that fat actually leads

161
00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:22.160
<v Speaker 2>to a lot of inflammation in the liver and so

162
00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:25.839
<v Speaker 2>it becomes carred and once it's carred, it doesn't do

163
00:08:25.959 --> 00:08:29.120
<v Speaker 2>its function properly, which means you start losing bits of

164
00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:33.159
<v Speaker 2>your liver and you would end up in a bad

165
00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:38.120
<v Speaker 2>state and could even require a transplant. And also if

166
00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:41.120
<v Speaker 2>your liver gets injured, you're much more likely to get

167
00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:42.159
<v Speaker 2>than liver cancer.

168
00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:45.799
<v Speaker 1>And right now we're basically talking about both men and women.

169
00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:48.919
<v Speaker 1>But are there any specific things that young women should

170
00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.840
<v Speaker 1>include as part of their health cut.

171
00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:52.039
<v Speaker 3>Cups, definitely.

172
00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:55.200
<v Speaker 2>So now, of course there's a lot of talk about

173
00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:59.399
<v Speaker 2>HPV vaccination, but when I was growing up, it wasn't

174
00:08:59.399 --> 00:08:59.879
<v Speaker 2>as common.

175
00:08:59.879 --> 00:09:02.759
<v Speaker 3>I do not have a SVV vaccination done.

176
00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:06.519
<v Speaker 2>So for women who haven't been vaccinated, it is very

177
00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:10.320
<v Speaker 2>important that they get pap smear tests done. This will

178
00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:14.000
<v Speaker 2>detect any pre cancerous lesions that they might have and

179
00:09:14.360 --> 00:09:18.039
<v Speaker 2>it has been shown to reduce the mortality due to

180
00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:22.000
<v Speaker 2>cervical cancer. And cervical cancer is very common, so it's

181
00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:24.879
<v Speaker 2>the second most common cancer among women in India.

182
00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:28.159
<v Speaker 1>And again something related to young people, you know, those

183
00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:30.960
<v Speaker 1>who are sexually active, especially those who might have had

184
00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:33.279
<v Speaker 1>multiple partners, anything they should look.

185
00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:37.879
<v Speaker 2>Out for, I mean, getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases

186
00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:42.759
<v Speaker 2>is very important and of course being safe while doing

187
00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:46.120
<v Speaker 2>any activity, so they have to take protective measures other

188
00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:48.399
<v Speaker 2>than that. Of course, there's a panel that you would

189
00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:52.240
<v Speaker 2>get at any of the testing centers. They would offer

190
00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:55.440
<v Speaker 2>an STD panel. That's good enough if you get it done,

191
00:09:55.559 --> 00:09:58.360
<v Speaker 2>I mean, depending on how sexually active you are. But

192
00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:01.759
<v Speaker 2>I guess once a year should be good for that too.

193
00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:04.200
<v Speaker 1>And what about the other checkups we are talking about.

194
00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:06.799
<v Speaker 1>Are we basically looking at getting them done annually?

195
00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:12.600
<v Speaker 2>Yes, So people have different recommendations for different conditions. So

196
00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:15.039
<v Speaker 2>let's start again with cancer. If you have a family

197
00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:18.559
<v Speaker 2>history of different cancers, then you would require more frequent

198
00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:24.440
<v Speaker 2>checkups than somebody who doesn't. So say, if you get mammography.

199
00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:28.519
<v Speaker 2>Mammography is usually recommended at the age of forty to

200
00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:31.759
<v Speaker 2>about sixty nine, you would do an annual checkup if

201
00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:35.240
<v Speaker 2>you are at risk of getting breast cancer.

202
00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:37.120
<v Speaker 3>But if you don't have family.

203
00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:39.000
<v Speaker 2>History, et cetera, so you can do that at about

204
00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:42.759
<v Speaker 2>say two years or five years gap you can do that.

205
00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:46.799
<v Speaker 2>So then there's cervical cancer. So for cervical cancer pap

206
00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:51.679
<v Speaker 2>smear tests that is recommended, say about once in three years,

207
00:10:51.720 --> 00:10:54.440
<v Speaker 2>and that again you have to keep doing till about

208
00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:57.320
<v Speaker 2>the age of fifty or sixty years, which is when

209
00:10:57.399 --> 00:11:00.399
<v Speaker 2>you have the highest risk of getting cervical cancer, and

210
00:11:00.519 --> 00:11:02.559
<v Speaker 2>the rest of the tests. Of course, that would be

211
00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:03.879
<v Speaker 2>good if you do it annually.

212
00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:06.519
<v Speaker 1>Okay, So right now we are talking about people between

213
00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:09.840
<v Speaker 1>the ages of twenty five and thirty thirty five maybe,

214
00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:12.559
<v Speaker 1>But when do things change? What is the next age

215
00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:15.639
<v Speaker 1>group we should be looking at? When other tests are

216
00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:16.399
<v Speaker 1>also required?

217
00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:20.360
<v Speaker 2>So, like I mentioned three key tests, as soon as

218
00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:22.960
<v Speaker 2>you're like, say twenty five to thirty year old, forty

219
00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:26.919
<v Speaker 2>five is when you would start being more serious about it.

220
00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:30.840
<v Speaker 2>You would start getting the other tests a little bit,

221
00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:32.960
<v Speaker 2>you have to add on those tests if you haven't

222
00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:35.639
<v Speaker 2>been doing it. And then at about that age you

223
00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:38.720
<v Speaker 2>would also start looking for say prostate cancer in men.

224
00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:41.559
<v Speaker 2>Fifty is usually when you would say fifty plus you

225
00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:43.480
<v Speaker 2>would do prostate cancer tests.

226
00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:45.720
<v Speaker 1>And this age group forty to fifty, I suppose that's

227
00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:49.720
<v Speaker 1>when you're also at the highest risk for kidney diseases, diabetes,

228
00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:50.600
<v Speaker 1>heart diseases.

229
00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.360
<v Speaker 2>So this is the age where you would see these

230
00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:57.200
<v Speaker 2>diseases the most, but you know, the damage happens much earlier.

231
00:11:57.320 --> 00:11:58.919
<v Speaker 2>It is when it you know, this is the age

232
00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:02.039
<v Speaker 2>when it manifests, so if you have kept a tab

233
00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:05.360
<v Speaker 2>of your health, you would already know how you are doing,

234
00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:09.919
<v Speaker 2>so it won't necessarily drastically change during this age group.

235
00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:13.080
<v Speaker 2>But yes, we do see a lot of heart attacks, stroke,

236
00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:17.200
<v Speaker 2>a lot of cancers as well happening in this age group.

237
00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:20.559
<v Speaker 1>And what about after fifty when we're talking about say

238
00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:22.919
<v Speaker 1>fifty to sixty five for example.

239
00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:25.679
<v Speaker 2>So like I mentioned, for men, you have to do

240
00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:29.879
<v Speaker 2>prostate cancer screening. For women you have to start doing

241
00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:34.360
<v Speaker 2>heart checkups because once they hit their menopause, their risk

242
00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:38.440
<v Speaker 2>of heart attacks is similar to men because estrogen plays

243
00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:43.039
<v Speaker 2>a protective role, and untill they're menstruating, there's a little

244
00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.840
<v Speaker 2>bit more protection that they have than men. They can

245
00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:47.799
<v Speaker 2>still have heart attacks. It's not that they can't have

246
00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:50.759
<v Speaker 2>a heart attack. At thirty, it's much less likely than

247
00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:54.440
<v Speaker 2>a man. But once they hit menopause, that's when their

248
00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:58.240
<v Speaker 2>protective effect of the hormones go away, so you are

249
00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:01.559
<v Speaker 2>as likely to get heart attack. So that is something

250
00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.879
<v Speaker 2>that women have to keep in mind.

251
00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.919
<v Speaker 1>And the screening for breast cancer continue at this age.

252
00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.679
<v Speaker 2>So for breast cancer you would screen it till about

253
00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:14.919
<v Speaker 2>sixty nine years of age. Mammography works better when your

254
00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:18.639
<v Speaker 2>breast issues become loose, so you would do it at

255
00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:20.960
<v Speaker 2>about I mean, of course you should start doing it

256
00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:24.120
<v Speaker 2>at forty, especially if you are a high risk patient,

257
00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:27.080
<v Speaker 2>but in this age group you would get better results,

258
00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:30.360
<v Speaker 2>and you have to again for I think doctors recommend

259
00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:32.279
<v Speaker 2>that you do it once in five years if you're

260
00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:35.360
<v Speaker 2>not at high risk, and it should continue in this

261
00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:38.759
<v Speaker 2>age group as well. Another very important test that you

262
00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:41.919
<v Speaker 2>have to look at during this age group is your

263
00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:46.480
<v Speaker 2>bone density test, because a lot of people start suffering

264
00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.519
<v Speaker 2>from osteoporosis, which is thinning of your bone and which

265
00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:52.559
<v Speaker 2>makes you prone to breakages. So if you fall, you

266
00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:54.480
<v Speaker 2>can snap your bones pretty easily.

267
00:13:54.840 --> 00:13:57.720
<v Speaker 1>And one thing is that initially it starts out pretty painless, right,

268
00:13:57.799 --> 00:14:00.039
<v Speaker 1>so it's tough to even detect.

269
00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:02.919
<v Speaker 2>Yes it is, I mean, you wouldn't realize that you

270
00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:05.120
<v Speaker 2>have a problem till a lot of your bone has

271
00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:08.279
<v Speaker 2>already been damaged. And once the bonus damaged, it's not

272
00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:12.320
<v Speaker 2>growing back. So if you have osteoarthritis, you might need

273
00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:16.000
<v Speaker 2>like knee implants and stuff later on in life. And

274
00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:19.720
<v Speaker 2>of course you can't completely prevent that, but you can

275
00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:24.039
<v Speaker 2>take steps to reduce bone density loss and that is

276
00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:28.440
<v Speaker 2>something that the tests can preempt during this age group.

277
00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:31.840
<v Speaker 1>And now let's talk about senior citizens, those above the

278
00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:34.360
<v Speaker 1>age of sixty five. What are the things that they

279
00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:36.799
<v Speaker 1>should keep in mind because this is the age group

280
00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:39.759
<v Speaker 1>you know that is vulnerable to a lot of different diseases.

281
00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:43.000
<v Speaker 2>Yes, so in the elderly, of course, you'll have the

282
00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:46.080
<v Speaker 2>risk of all the diseases that we talked about so far.

283
00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:47.960
<v Speaker 3>You would have heart attack strokes.

284
00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:51.679
<v Speaker 2>In fact, chronic heart conditions would increase by this age.

285
00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:54.879
<v Speaker 2>You would have osteoarthritis that you have to deal with.

286
00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:57.320
<v Speaker 2>This is also an age group where you would start

287
00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:01.960
<v Speaker 2>seeing a lot of dementia, Alzheimer's. These Again, it's not

288
00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:04.440
<v Speaker 2>a very definitive test, right Like, it has to be

289
00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:08.000
<v Speaker 2>detected by family members who recognize that you know, there's

290
00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:10.399
<v Speaker 2>a problem in your cognition, and then they take you

291
00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:13.080
<v Speaker 2>to the doctor. So this is something that you know,

292
00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:16.679
<v Speaker 2>geriatric clinics should screen for. And that's why it is

293
00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:20.080
<v Speaker 2>important that you're in touch with your doctor through this

294
00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:24.360
<v Speaker 2>age group. So you get screened for any cognitive impairment

295
00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:27.440
<v Speaker 2>that you have. Again, you get screened for all the

296
00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:32.279
<v Speaker 2>bone related issues because the risk of faults go up

297
00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:33.080
<v Speaker 2>a lot.

298
00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:33.840
<v Speaker 3>In the elderly.

299
00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:37.519
<v Speaker 2>You are faced with muscle loss, so you're losing strength

300
00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:40.440
<v Speaker 2>which will keep you stable, so you're much more likely

301
00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:43.440
<v Speaker 2>to fall and also break your bones when you fall.

302
00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.000
<v Speaker 3>So there's a lot of hip fractures that you see.

303
00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:49.200
<v Speaker 2>And you know, the surprising thing is if you have

304
00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:53.600
<v Speaker 2>a hip fracture, your risk of mortality goes up, surprisingly.

305
00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:55.200
<v Speaker 1>Right, because a lot of people after they get a

306
00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:57.240
<v Speaker 1>hip fracture, they get bed ridden.

307
00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:00.440
<v Speaker 2>Yes, so they would remain in bed and then of

308
00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:03.399
<v Speaker 2>course that would lead to a lot of conditions. And

309
00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:08.159
<v Speaker 2>with elderly people, the problem is they have several conditions together,

310
00:16:08.440 --> 00:16:11.360
<v Speaker 2>so managing it becomes difficult. You have to create a

311
00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:15.000
<v Speaker 2>perfect balance of the medicines, of the kind of lifestyle

312
00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:17.559
<v Speaker 2>that they're following, the kind of food that they are having,

313
00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:19.519
<v Speaker 2>and anything changes.

314
00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:20.600
<v Speaker 3>And it all goes for a toss.

315
00:16:20.919 --> 00:16:25.480
<v Speaker 2>So it's very essential that the elderly actually go to

316
00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:30.879
<v Speaker 2>geriatric clinics and you know, keep screening things, keep check

317
00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.240
<v Speaker 2>on whether all their conditions are managed, whether you know

318
00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:38.039
<v Speaker 2>the blood glucose levels are in control, whether you know

319
00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:41.679
<v Speaker 2>cholesterol levels are in control, because it's very easy for

320
00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:44.000
<v Speaker 2>everything to go wrong, right and.

321
00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:45.879
<v Speaker 1>This is also the age when your vision and you're

322
00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:50.320
<v Speaker 1>hearing deteriorates, and so a lot of geriatric clinics they

323
00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:51.279
<v Speaker 1>also take care of that.

324
00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:54.240
<v Speaker 3>Yes, so geriatric clinics.

325
00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:57.519
<v Speaker 2>I will talk about one specifically at the All India

326
00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:00.879
<v Speaker 2>Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi. They have center for

327
00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:05.079
<v Speaker 2>Geriatric Care and they do a bunch of tests as

328
00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:09.160
<v Speaker 2>soon as anybody comes to them, which would include, you know,

329
00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:12.400
<v Speaker 2>looking at whether people are able to balance themselves and

330
00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:14.960
<v Speaker 2>if they have, say balance issues, that could be loss

331
00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:17.119
<v Speaker 2>of muscles. It could be because of your vision, it

332
00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:20.759
<v Speaker 2>could be because of your hearing, because hearing also is your.

333
00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:23.480
<v Speaker 3>You know, how you walk out, you balance yourself.

334
00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:26.880
<v Speaker 2>So all of that is screened for as soon as

335
00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:28.079
<v Speaker 2>you go into the clinic.

336
00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:30.440
<v Speaker 1>And the other thing to keep in mind about this

337
00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:33.799
<v Speaker 1>age group are the vaccinations that they can benefit from,

338
00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:36.720
<v Speaker 1>like the flu shot and the shingles vaccine that you

339
00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:37.640
<v Speaker 1>recently wrote about.

340
00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.359
<v Speaker 3>Actually so again in the elderly. Two things.

341
00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:44.160
<v Speaker 2>One is they are at a higher risk of getting

342
00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:47.519
<v Speaker 2>the infection and getting a very severe disease when they

343
00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:50.839
<v Speaker 2>get an infection. Two, they are already suffering from, like

344
00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:54.559
<v Speaker 2>I mentioned, a lot of comorbidities so again, as we

345
00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:57.839
<v Speaker 2>saw with COVID, if you have these comorbidities, you're much

346
00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:00.839
<v Speaker 2>more likely to die of an infection. So there is

347
00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:04.079
<v Speaker 2>a lot of infections that we see in the elderly

348
00:18:04.200 --> 00:18:07.359
<v Speaker 2>and infections that kill them as well. For example, let's

349
00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:11.079
<v Speaker 2>take a very simple infection like urinary tract infection. It's

350
00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:14.279
<v Speaker 2>a big problem in the elderly. You know, once they

351
00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:17.400
<v Speaker 2>get it, it's extremely difficult to treat and in fact,

352
00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:20.680
<v Speaker 2>people have to get hospitalized to take care of it.

353
00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:23.480
<v Speaker 3>So infections are a big challenge.

354
00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:26.519
<v Speaker 1>But uts, for example, are very common in younger women

355
00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:29.359
<v Speaker 1>as well. But why is it harder to treat them

356
00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.480
<v Speaker 1>in the elderly.

357
00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:35.119
<v Speaker 2>The antibiotics just don't seem to work as well, and

358
00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:39.400
<v Speaker 2>you know, especially if you are in a hospital, then

359
00:18:39.640 --> 00:18:43.079
<v Speaker 2>again you have the risk of getting other infections while there,

360
00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:46.160
<v Speaker 2>so it just becomes very difficult to treat. And the

361
00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:48.960
<v Speaker 2>immune system is not the same as it was when

362
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:52.240
<v Speaker 2>you're thirty. So all of these things come together to

363
00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.119
<v Speaker 2>make it very difficult to treat infections in the elderly,

364
00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:58.440
<v Speaker 2>and that's why it's better to prevent the infection, and

365
00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:02.359
<v Speaker 2>there are several vaccines that are recommended for elderly. One

366
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:04.559
<v Speaker 2>is of course the flu shot which comes every year,

367
00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:09.119
<v Speaker 2>and that reduces the risk of the seasonal influenza.

368
00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:10.759
<v Speaker 1>And the risk of hospitalization as well.

369
00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:13.839
<v Speaker 2>Yes, so this is not about preventing of course, it

370
00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:17.200
<v Speaker 2>is about preventing the infection, but it's mainly about stopping

371
00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:21.440
<v Speaker 2>them from getting a severe disease, getting hospitalized and dying

372
00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:26.480
<v Speaker 2>off the condition. So you get influenza vaccine. There's also

373
00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:29.599
<v Speaker 2>neumococcal vaccine that can be given to prevent.

374
00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:31.039
<v Speaker 3>Pneumonia in the elderly.

375
00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:34.920
<v Speaker 2>Then there is this shingles vaccine which has I mean

376
00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:38.160
<v Speaker 2>it has existed before, but recently there was a new

377
00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:41.160
<v Speaker 2>vaccine that has entered the market, so now there is

378
00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.079
<v Speaker 2>more evidence to show that apart from shingles, which is

379
00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:49.000
<v Speaker 2>a recurrence of the infection that causes chicken pox, so

380
00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:53.039
<v Speaker 2>the second time around, it's a painful rash over one.

381
00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:56.200
<v Speaker 3>Side of your body. Of course, this vaccine prevents.

382
00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:58.720
<v Speaker 2>That, but also there's now some evidence to show that

383
00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:03.079
<v Speaker 2>it reduces the risk of dementia. It protects the heart

384
00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:06.279
<v Speaker 2>somewhat about so there was a study from South Korea

385
00:20:06.359 --> 00:20:09.359
<v Speaker 2>recently which showed that it protects the heart for up

386
00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:14.160
<v Speaker 2>to eight years after vaccination. So because you're already suffering

387
00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:17.240
<v Speaker 2>from a lot of conditions, these vaccines also help in

388
00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:21.079
<v Speaker 2>preventing the infection and keeping you healthy from these other

389
00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:22.000
<v Speaker 2>conditions as well.

390
00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:25.000
<v Speaker 1>And we were talking about vision in relation to the elderly,

391
00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:27.519
<v Speaker 1>but how often should younger people go to an eye doctor?

392
00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:31.000
<v Speaker 2>So that would depend on how good your eye is,

393
00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:34.200
<v Speaker 2>do you have power, do you have certain conditions, because

394
00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:37.200
<v Speaker 2>some people would have I mean, dry eye is something

395
00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:40.839
<v Speaker 2>that's become very common now because of the use of

396
00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:43.640
<v Speaker 2>computers and screens.

397
00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:46.160
<v Speaker 3>Essentially, then once you get.

398
00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:50.640
<v Speaker 2>Slightly older, you would also have conditions like glaucoma and

399
00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:54.680
<v Speaker 2>cataract that would happen. So again these are conditions which

400
00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:57.279
<v Speaker 2>you have to keep an eye on. So it suggested

401
00:20:57.319 --> 00:21:01.680
<v Speaker 2>about once in two years you should definitely go to

402
00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:03.599
<v Speaker 2>an eye doctor to get it checked.

403
00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:06.000
<v Speaker 1>And the other thing we haven't talked about is our

404
00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:09.440
<v Speaker 1>oral health. Now, there is this old adage that you know,

405
00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:13.400
<v Speaker 1>you should visit the dentist every six months, and recently

406
00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:16.720
<v Speaker 1>that has been questioned. So how often should one go

407
00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:17.440
<v Speaker 1>to the dentist.

408
00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:20.720
<v Speaker 2>Again, that would depend on the condition of your teeth

409
00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:24.799
<v Speaker 2>and whether you have certain problems that you're already suffering from.

410
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:27.559
<v Speaker 2>If you have problems, you would have to go more

411
00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:31.720
<v Speaker 2>frequently to ensure that there is no deterioration in your condition.

412
00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:35.559
<v Speaker 2>But in general, for a healthy individual, you can go

413
00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:38.400
<v Speaker 2>like once a year or once in two years, and

414
00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:39.559
<v Speaker 2>that should be fine.

415
00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:42.000
<v Speaker 1>And we are talking about all these health checkups and

416
00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:45.960
<v Speaker 1>now a lot of places end up recommending these whole

417
00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:50.960
<v Speaker 1>body CT scans and MRIs for screening cancer. Should one

418
00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:51.759
<v Speaker 1>get those done?

419
00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.480
<v Speaker 3>No, not at all.

420
00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:56.759
<v Speaker 2>These are highly specialized tests and you should do it

421
00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:59.799
<v Speaker 2>only when your doctor recommends it, and the doctor would

422
00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:01.880
<v Speaker 2>wreck commend if they are suspecting something.

423
00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:04.400
<v Speaker 3>Blindly doing a test does not.

424
00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:08.599
<v Speaker 2>Help because it's likely to throw up stuff which may

425
00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:11.960
<v Speaker 2>not be important at all, which may not be affecting

426
00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:14.160
<v Speaker 2>you at all, but now you know that there is something,

427
00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:17.359
<v Speaker 2>and you'd be worried about it for no reason. In fact,

428
00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:20.799
<v Speaker 2>there has been an ongoing discussion about, you know, whether

429
00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:24.319
<v Speaker 2>or not to remove certain tumors or cancers which have

430
00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:28.200
<v Speaker 2>been spotted on a pet city. Now the problem is

431
00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.680
<v Speaker 2>that cancer might not I mean, I don't want to

432
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:32.839
<v Speaker 2>say cancer because people get scared whenever.

433
00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:33.599
<v Speaker 3>We say cancer.

434
00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:38.359
<v Speaker 2>But some tumors are actually not growing and it would

435
00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:42.079
<v Speaker 2>take years for it to grow and cause you any problem,

436
00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.920
<v Speaker 2>and you might just be healthy and you might not

437
00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:48.799
<v Speaker 2>need any kind of intervention for those tumors. But now

438
00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:52.160
<v Speaker 2>that you've seen it, you can't do anything about it.

439
00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:55.319
<v Speaker 2>So that's a challenge. So going in blindly does not help.

440
00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:58.079
<v Speaker 2>It should be recommended by your doctor. Again, depending on

441
00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:01.799
<v Speaker 2>the kind of symptoms you're experiencing and whether that whatever

442
00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:05.279
<v Speaker 2>is there in your body is actually causing you any trouble.

443
00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:08.200
<v Speaker 3>That's when you get those specialized tests.

444
00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:10.640
<v Speaker 1>But you know, what's the harm if someone does want

445
00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:13.079
<v Speaker 1>to get that tumor removed, even if it's not growing,

446
00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:15.480
<v Speaker 1>they might not want that thing inside.

447
00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:19.039
<v Speaker 2>Them because any kind of surgery that you do, you're undergoing,

448
00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:23.160
<v Speaker 2>you're under anesthesia, you would have a cut, you would

449
00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:26.079
<v Speaker 2>have to suture that. So that's a trauma for the body.

450
00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:28.680
<v Speaker 2>And why do it when you don't need it and

451
00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:31.240
<v Speaker 2>it comes with a lot of risks. No surgery is

452
00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:34.200
<v Speaker 2>without its risks, So you know, you can be that

453
00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:37.799
<v Speaker 2>one in like a million complication and that can happen,

454
00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:41.000
<v Speaker 2>So why do it unless it's absolutely necessary?

455
00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:43.759
<v Speaker 1>And and a lot of people get these home tests

456
00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:46.559
<v Speaker 1>done right, especially when it comes to blood work. Now

457
00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:49.279
<v Speaker 1>you can receive the reports and usually they provide a

458
00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:52.680
<v Speaker 1>healthy range. Right now, Obviously, if something is off, you

459
00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:56.519
<v Speaker 1>would go to the doctor. But what if everything is right,

460
00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:58.279
<v Speaker 1>should you still go to the doctor.

461
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.160
<v Speaker 3>Yes, you should definitely go to a doctor.

462
00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:05.519
<v Speaker 2>So when I say that you should have preventative health screening,

463
00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:09.680
<v Speaker 2>I mean it's tests plus going to a doctor who

464
00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:12.039
<v Speaker 2>would actually look at those tests, who would look at

465
00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:15.079
<v Speaker 2>how you're living your life, what all is going on

466
00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:19.079
<v Speaker 2>in your life, and make a diagnosis based on that. Yes,

467
00:24:19.160 --> 00:24:22.400
<v Speaker 2>you can check your numbers against the parameters given, but

468
00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:26.720
<v Speaker 2>they might see something that you cannot, because you know,

469
00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.680
<v Speaker 2>years of training, they've seen so many cases. So here

470
00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:34.519
<v Speaker 2>I would cite an example of this. One doctor told

471
00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:38.759
<v Speaker 2>me about a case where a man in his say forties.

472
00:24:39.200 --> 00:24:43.119
<v Speaker 2>The only problem in his test parameters was a slightly

473
00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:46.319
<v Speaker 2>lower hemoglobin count, and it wasn't too low. It was

474
00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:50.319
<v Speaker 2>like nine or ten, which is within the normal range.

475
00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:54.559
<v Speaker 2>But usually men do not have a very low hemoglobin count.

476
00:24:54.759 --> 00:24:59.319
<v Speaker 2>And combined with weight loss and other lifestyle changes that

477
00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:02.240
<v Speaker 2>he'd seen in that patient, he just asked that patient

478
00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:05.200
<v Speaker 2>to get a colonoscopy and turned out he didn't have

479
00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:07.279
<v Speaker 2>colon cancer, so.

480
00:25:07.880 --> 00:25:10.640
<v Speaker 3>You will miss that. That's why there's an expert there.

481
00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:12.720
<v Speaker 1>And you know, a couple of tests that we didn't

482
00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:15.559
<v Speaker 1>talk about. One is your serum calcium and victimin D test,

483
00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:21.039
<v Speaker 1>iron test, and your thyroid profile. How important are these ones?

484
00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:23.359
<v Speaker 2>So these are some things that you would see in

485
00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:27.000
<v Speaker 2>the normal blood panel that you get done. Thyroid test

486
00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:29.440
<v Speaker 2>is important again because we have a lot of people

487
00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:33.000
<v Speaker 2>who live with hypothyroidism and that's a problem.

488
00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:34.839
<v Speaker 3>You would need medication for that.

489
00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:38.680
<v Speaker 2>But usually in that case, you start feeling certain, you know,

490
00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:41.279
<v Speaker 2>like you will feel lethargic, you'll start putting on weight,

491
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:45.759
<v Speaker 2>so you do have a trigger to you know, get tested.

492
00:25:46.119 --> 00:25:49.519
<v Speaker 2>Then we talk about serum calcium. That's again something that

493
00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:52.119
<v Speaker 2>has to do with your bone health. It would tell

494
00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:55.519
<v Speaker 2>you how you're doing there. But one test that you

495
00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:58.039
<v Speaker 2>raise which is very important is the vitamin D levels,

496
00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:01.079
<v Speaker 2>which is low for I think everybody who gets the

497
00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:04.279
<v Speaker 2>test done, I mean everybody gets a result of flow

498
00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:07.279
<v Speaker 2>vitamin and you would be recommended vita mean you get

499
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:10.000
<v Speaker 2>those shots or you even get tablets, et cetera.

500
00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:13.079
<v Speaker 3>But there is an ongoing.

501
00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:16.720
<v Speaker 2>You know, debate in there because some people say that

502
00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:20.440
<v Speaker 2>these levels were decided based on a not very good

503
00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:23.839
<v Speaker 2>data at that point, and B also most of it

504
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:27.759
<v Speaker 2>was based on you know, Western populations, not Indian population.

505
00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:31.359
<v Speaker 2>We do not know what a good vitamin D level

506
00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:34.960
<v Speaker 2>is for Indian population. So there are doctors who would

507
00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:38.640
<v Speaker 2>say that there is an impact on say your blood

508
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:42.240
<v Speaker 2>glucose levels, there's an impact on your bone health. You know,

509
00:26:42.359 --> 00:26:46.240
<v Speaker 2>vitamin D does a lot of these processes in the body,

510
00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:50.039
<v Speaker 2>but there is no consensus on how much is the

511
00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:53.559
<v Speaker 2>good amount that you need to keep you know, these

512
00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:54.920
<v Speaker 2>other conditions at bay.

513
00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:57.680
<v Speaker 3>So there's that ongoing debate about it.

514
00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:00.119
<v Speaker 2>But for now, if it's not harming, I would say

515
00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:02.519
<v Speaker 2>it's okay, you can take the vitamin D supplements.

516
00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:04.799
<v Speaker 1>And no, no, no. We've been talking about the benefits of

517
00:27:04.839 --> 00:27:07.680
<v Speaker 1>getting a health checkup done, but what are its limitations?

518
00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:09.799
<v Speaker 1>What are the things that a health checkup can't do

519
00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:10.160
<v Speaker 1>for you?

520
00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:13.200
<v Speaker 2>So one of the big questions is that, okay, now

521
00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:16.440
<v Speaker 2>you know the numbers, then what and then what is

522
00:27:17.079 --> 00:27:20.200
<v Speaker 2>the same In any case, you have to manage your

523
00:27:20.200 --> 00:27:24.359
<v Speaker 2>life cell that's the recommendation after most of these numbers.

524
00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:26.880
<v Speaker 2>So your cholesterol level is high, you have to exercise,

525
00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:30.480
<v Speaker 2>you have to eat right your BP is high, same,

526
00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:33.720
<v Speaker 2>you have to reduce your salt intake perhaps if your

527
00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:36.559
<v Speaker 2>sugar is high. Yes, you have to avoid you know,

528
00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:41.079
<v Speaker 2>the sweet foods, certain other fruits, et cetera. And exercise

529
00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:44.559
<v Speaker 2>and you know, make these lifestyle changes. So yes, most

530
00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:48.079
<v Speaker 2>of the time the intervention remains the same, but it

531
00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:51.160
<v Speaker 2>is just a way to keep a check on what

532
00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:53.720
<v Speaker 2>is going on in your body, which is why you

533
00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:55.920
<v Speaker 2>do these preventive checkups. And of course you know, to

534
00:27:55.960 --> 00:28:00.079
<v Speaker 2>pick up certain things that might be going wrong. But well,

535
00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:02.720
<v Speaker 2>in most cases it's all right, and that's the limitation.

536
00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:05.480
<v Speaker 2>People do not want to get tested because yes, everything

537
00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:09.160
<v Speaker 2>is fine, but it's a record of your health and

538
00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:12.160
<v Speaker 2>it is important to keep checking it for that once

539
00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:13.680
<v Speaker 2>that it would not be normal.

540
00:28:16.359 --> 00:28:18.759
<v Speaker 1>You were listening to Three Things by the Indian Express.

541
00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:21.880
<v Speaker 1>Today's show was written and produced by me Shashang Bargov

542
00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:24.759
<v Speaker 1>and was edited and mixed by Srieshbawar. If you like

543
00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:26.920
<v Speaker 1>the show, then do subscribe to us wherever you get

544
00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:29.400
<v Speaker 1>your podcasts. You can also recommend the show to someone

545
00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:31.440
<v Speaker 1>you think we'll like it, share it with a friend

546
00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:33.839
<v Speaker 1>or someone in your family. It's the best way for

547
00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:36.160
<v Speaker 1>people to get to know about us, You can tweet

548
00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:39.599
<v Speaker 1>us at Express Podcasts and write to us at Podcasts

549
00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:43.480
<v Speaker 1>at Indian express dot com