Category: Health

An Indian-American Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Yale who graduated from University of Kerala, Yale University Rajesh Tampi, has been named Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Akron, Ohio.

Tampi will also serve as Section Head of Geriatric Psychiatry for the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Cleveland Clinic. His research interests focus on the management of psychiatric disorders in late life, neurodegenerative disorders, ethical and legal issues in geriatric psychiatry, and integrated geriatric psychiatry care.

Tampi, who completed his Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship at Yale School of Medicine, has received three Outstanding Teaching Attending Awards and the Chairman’s Award for outstanding teaching, research, and clinical work from the Yale Department of Psychiatry, the press release said. After graduating from the University of Kerala, Tampi trained in psychiatry at the University of Leeds, England, and at the University of Vermont in the U.S.

Tampi is also a Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where he received “Teacher of the Year” awards in the Department of Psychiatry in 2015, 2016, and 2018.

He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and President of the International Medical Graduates Caucus at the APA. He is President-elect of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

The Indian-origin professor has published more than 100 times on various topics in psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry, and is editor of six on psychiatry. He also serves on the editorial board of five international journals in psychiatry and as a peer reviewer for 34 journals, the Yale press release said.

A new study concludes there’s no amount of alcohol consumption that’s safe for overall health — a finding that’s likely to surprise moderate drinkers, and that has left some experts unconvinced.

For years, public health officials have said that, while no one should pick up drinking in search of better health, moderate drinking (defined as up to a drink per day for women and up to two per day for men) probably won’t hurt anyone who already imbibes, and may even confer some benefits. This standard is written into the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is supported by organizations including the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.

But the new paper, published Thursday in The Lancet, calls that long-held conclusion into question.

“The evidence is adding up that no amount of drinking is safe,” says study co-author Emmanuela Gakidou, a professor of global health and health metrics sciences at the University of Washington. “I don’t think we’re going out on a limb to say anything that the data do not support.”

The new research was based on a review of nearly 700 existing studies on global drinking prevalence and nearly 600 studies on alcohol and health, and found that alcohol was the seventh leading risk factor for premature death in 2016, contributing to 2.8 million deaths worldwide. That number is equivalent to 2.2% of all female deaths and 6.8% of all male deaths that year, according to the study.

The health risks likely only increase the more you drink, the study found. Compared to non-drinkers, people who had one alcoholic beverage per day had a 0.5% higher risk of developing one of 23 alcohol-related health problems, including cancer, road injuries and tuberculosis, in a given year, the study says. At that level, the absolute increase is small, equaling only four additional deaths per 100,000 people per year, according to the study. But those who had two drinks per day had a risk 7% higher than non-drinkers. At five drinks per day, the risk was 37% higher, the study says.

Gakidou’s paper did show some modest cardiovascular benefits associated with moderate drinking, particularly among women, but she says that effect is overshadowed by the numerous ways alcohol can threaten health. When you consider risks like breast cancer and road traffic injuries, she says, “the protective effect goes away, even at low doses.”

Other experts have recently come to similar conclusions. In May, for example, the World Cancer Research Fund released a report saying that, at least in terms of cancer prevention, “it’s best not to drink alcohol.” The U.K. government made a similar recommendation in 2016.

Meanwhile, some studies have questioned the long-standing idea that moderate drinking is good for heart health. That’s in part because some older studies didn’t account for the fact that many people who don’t drink abstain either because they had addiction issues in the past, or have other health problems that force them to stay away from alcohol. Including these individuals in the general non-drinking population may have skewed research results to make teetotalers as a whole group look unhealthier than they actually are, some studies have suggested.

Walter Willett, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, questions the conclusion that the cons of drinking always outweigh the pros. While there’s “no question” that heavy drinking is harmful, he says that plenty of data supports links between moderate drinking and lower total mortality and a decreased risk of heart disease — which, he says, are far more relevant concerns for most Americans than something like tuberculosis, which the Lancet paper identifies as a leading alcohol-related disease worldwide. Tuberculosis is very rare in the U.S.

“Our decisions about drinking in the United States shouldn’t be influenced by what alcohol does to tuberculosis,” Willett says. “When you throw together everything in one big pot and draw conclusions for the whole world, it’s just misleading.”

Willett does acknowledge that even moderate drinking comes with tradeoffs. A drink a day may decrease a woman’s risk of heart disease but increase her risk of breast cancer. For a young, healthy woman who is unlikely to die of heart disease, those risks might outweigh the benefits. But that’s a decision that woman would have to make with her doctor, Willett says — and it’s unlikely the entire population would or should come to the same conclusion.

“I think they went too far in this paper,” Willett says. “There are risks and benefits, and I think it’s important to have the best information about all of those and come to some personal decisions, and engage one’s health care provider in that process as well.”

Gakidou, on the other hand, says her paper’s recommendation is valid precisely because individual health decisions are so variable.

“We don’t have the information for specific individuals…we’re making overall recommendations at the population level,” she says. “If you’re running a health system in a country, it’s better overall for the population of your country to not drink at all than to drink a little bit.”

Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, agrees with that assessment. It’s clear, he says, that drinking comes with health risks, and far less clear that it comes with any benefits. So while some moderate drinkers might never experience health problems from drinking, “if you look at all the risks and all the benefits of alcohol, it’s probably net harmful, on average, for the whole population,” he says.

While that conclusion may seem stark to people who have come to feel virtuous about their nightly glass of wine, Mozaffarian says it’s actually not so different from current medical advice.

“I think this is actually consistent with every organization’s recommendation that, overall, no one should start drinking to prevent heart disease or diabetes,” Mozaffarian says. “No organization has ever recommended to drink alcohol. The recommendation has been that if you drink — and that’s the key caveat — don’t drink more than moderately.”

XinQi Dong, director of Rutgers University’s Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and the lead researcher of the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE), published 20 articles based primarily on his teams’ examination of the health and wellbeing of Chinese older adults globally. For the study, researchers interviewed more than 3,000 Chinese Americans between 60 and 105 over a two-year period to explore their psychological wellbeing, involvement in their community and neighborhood, quality of life, and acculturation and use of traditional Chinese medicine.

“Aging Asian-Americans are underrepresented in the discussion of health disparity issues in the United States,” said Dong, who guest-edited the special issue focusing on Asian-American health. “This journal compilation is the first substantive step in trying to understand the health of this population.”

The research challenges the pervasive “model minority myth” — the belief that U.S. Asian populations have fared better than other ethnic groups in socioeconomic status, social relationships and health. The Chinese-Americans in the studies reflect the overall Asian-American population, which face a high prevalence of psychological distress and disorders, dementia and cancer, especially in advanced age. “These conditions usually go untreated for multiple reasons, such as a desire to ‘save face’ and a lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate treatment and prevention methods,” Dong said.

The articles address a gap in understanding health equity issues in the Asian community — in the United States and globally — and offers insight on how health care professionals and policymakers can provide support through understanding cultural values, such as filial piety, collectivism, individualism and sense of harmony in families.

Six of the papers examine the risk factors and impact of psychological distress among global Chinese populations. The researchers found that while depression and loneliness may negatively impact cognitive function, those effects may be buffered by individual, social and family resources. “We found the more older adults talked about their concerns, the lower the likelihood they experienced depressive symptoms,” Dong said. “Individuals who were frequently demanded upon or criticized were more likely to experience depressive symptoms.”

The studies show that a well-connected community, active social life and high acculturation are essential to improving older Chinese adults’ health and lowering depression. Actively social individuals were found to participate more in preventative health screenings for diseases like cancer, while negative neighborhood conditions, such as crime or decrepit buildings, was shown to potentially increase the risk of self-neglect. “We also found that immigrants who had been in the United States longer were at higher risk of tooth symptoms, which shows that more studies are needed to better understand the relationship between acculturation and oral health in Chinese-American populations,” Dong said.

Individuals who were employed and those who lived in rural areas reported a higher quality of life than those who did not work or lived in urban settings. The studies revealed that a higher perceived gap in acculturation between grandparents and grandchildren negatively impacted their relationships, which in turn could undermine the health and wellbeing of the older generation. “This tells us that acculturation should be looked at on a family level as well as an individual level,” Dong said.

Family relationships and cultural backgrounds also factor in to end-of-life care, a complex concept in the Asian-American community, Dong said. “Our research indicates that a comprehensive end-of-life care plan should include cultural considerations and traditional family values in addition to physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs,” he noted.

The studies revealed that traditional Chinese medicine is still widely used among Chinese older adults in the United States in conjunction with non-western and western forms of health care, especially with respect to preventive care.

“Health is multifaceted,” Dong said. “These studies reinforce the idea that we cannot just look at the individual, but must take into account the person’s social, community, national and cultural contexts. More systematic and integrated approaches are needed to generate and translate knowledge in Asian populations in order to move the needle on health equity in our increasing diverse populations.”

Indian Americans and other South Asian Americans are more likely to die of heart attacks and strokes, according to a new statement from the American Heart Association released May 24, and published in its journal Circulation.

“Statistics about heart disease and stroke risk among Asians can be deceiving when all people of Asian ethnicity are combined into one group. Overall, Asians are at a lower risk for heart disease and stroke compared to people of European ancestry,” said Annabelle S. Volgman, M.D., chair of the statement’s writing group and professor of medicine at Rush Medical College and medical director of the Rush Heart Center for Women in Chicago, Illinois.

“But when you look at South Asians – both immigrants and people of South Asian ancestry born in the United States – their risk for heart disease and stroke is higher than people from East Asia and people of European ancestry,” said Volgman. More than 3.4 million people who identify themselves as South Asians live in the United States, and about 80 percent come from India.

The American Heart Association provided an overview of the behaviors that influence the risk factors for heart disease and stroke among South Asian Americans, based on a review of existing scientific research.

South Asian Americans have a greater risk of having severe atherosclerosis – the narrowing of the arteries that underlies most heart disease and strokes; they are more likely to have multiple segments of their arteries narrowed by atherosclerosis; and have higher levels of artery clogging LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, which predispose the arteries to develop fatty deposits in artery walls that cause them to narrow.

Indian Americans over age 60 have a higher level of calcium deposits, a marker for atherosclerosis. They are more likely to have diabetes, which is believed to accelerate atherosclerosis; and also likely to develop diabetes at a younger age.

Volgman notes that diet is a key factor: many South Asian Americans, even if they are vegetarians, eat a lot of saturated fats from tropical oils – such as palm and coconut oil – and refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white bread and highly processed foods.

Reintroducing whole grains into the diet, as well as replacing ghee with olive or corn oil, can improve diet quality, noted the American Heart Association.

South Asian Americans also engage in less physical activity than other minority group members, according to the statement: a recent study found that only 49 percent of South Asian Americans believed that exercise was important in preventing heart disease.

“As healthcare providers, we need to do a better job of helping our South Asian patients understand the importance of exercise, because many don’t realize how important it is to their health,” said Volgman.

Community programs that encourage South Asians to exercise and reduce stress through yoga and Bollywood dancing or other culturally specific physical activities are likely to be more successful than other forms of physical activity, noted the authors.

Co-authors of the study are: Latha S. Palaniappan, M.D., (vice-chair); Neelum T. Aggarwal, M.D.; Milan Gupta, M.D.; Abha Khandelwal, M.D.; Aruna V. Krishnan, Ph.D.; Judith H. Lichtman, Ph.D.; Laxmi S. Mehta, M.D.; Hena N. Patel, M.D.; Kevin S. Shah, M.D.; Svati H. Shah, M.D.; and Karol E. Watson, M.D., Ph.D.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the MMR has declined by 77 per cent from 556 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 130 per 100,000 live births in 2016.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center say South Asians have a habit of making less nutritious dietary choices leading to the rise of Type 2 diabetes in the U.S. The likelihood of Type 2 diabetes occurring in South Asians is four times greater than in other Americans, according to a study by the researchers.

Scientist also said that these results could be applicable to South Asians living in other countries such as the UK, Europe and Singapore. “Our findings may be less applicable to South Asians living in their native countries because of the effect of acculturation on dietary intake in South Asian migrants in the U.S. and because of the economic disparity and its effect on food choices between the two populations,” said Dr. Meena Shah, an assistant professor of internal medicine and the lead author of the study.

An earlier research done in Eurpe in 2012 had similar findings. That study had shown that approximately half of all South Asian, Black African and African Caribbean people in the UK will develop Type 2 diabetes by the age of 80, compared to only one in five people of European descent.

The findings, published in the journalDiabetes Careare the first to reveal the full extent of ethnic differences in the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The study was by the Southall and Brent Revisited (SABRE) study, a large-scale population-based investigation which has followed 4,200 middle-aged Londoners of European, South Asian and African Caribbean descent for over 20 years.

The US study in 2018 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that out of the 4 million South Asians, 8.1 percent of men and 6.8 percent of women are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at an earlier age when they have a lower body mass index.

“This is the first study that thoroughly compared both the macronutrient and micronutrient intakes in South Asians with and without Type 2 diabetes using an objective measure – a three-day dietary assessment method that included images of all foods consumed,” said Dr. Abhimanyu Garg, a professor of internal medicine and senior author of the study in diabetes research and clinical practice. The University of Texas Southwestern Center for Human Nutrition team studied 77 South Asian-Americans, 44 with diabetes and 33 without.

According to a university press release, the study found that those with Type 2 diabetes consumed less of the following beneficial nutrients: dietary fiber, linoleic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and ß-carotene.

“These results clearly indicate that diabetic South Asians may need to improve their dietary habits to achieve nutrient intakes recommended by the Institute of Medicine. We recommend that South Asians with Type 2 diabetes include in their diets more yellow and orange fruit and vegetables, dark green leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, fatty fish, and low-fat milk and dairy products. These recommendations may also be helpful to improve their blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels,” Garg added.

This new study was built on the earlier work in diabetes that Garg started when he joined the University of Texas Southwestern in 1985 and the findings back then concluded that monounsaturated fats and dietary fiber are beneficial for controlling high blood glucose and cholesterol levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Along with Garg’s research, the study was partially supported by the Gupta Agarwal Charitable Foundation, the Jiv Daya Foundation and Southwestern Medical Foundation, according to a university press release.

Among the many challenges India faces, the most under noticed is the mental health crisis. In his recent address at the  22nd convocation of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS)  the President Ram Nath Kovind cautioned  that India is facing a possible ‘mental health epidemic’. “The number of affected in India is larger than the entire population of Japan. We need to address this gap and ensure that by 2022 at least those who are suffering from severe mental disorders have been diagnosed and have access to treatment facilities. Let us take it up as a national mission,” he said.

The importance of emotional and mental health in the overall wellbeing of an individual and its impact on national economy and growth is now being increasingly acknowledged. At present, the mentally ill account for nearly 6.5 percent of the country’s population and it is estimated that by 2020 this number will increase to a staggering 20 percent.

Further, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that nearly 56 million Indians, that is 4.5% of India’s population, suffer from depression. Another thirty-eight million Indians, or 3% of India’s population, suffer from anxiety disorders including panic attacks, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Depression is the single largest contributor to   disability.

The pathetic state of mental health care in the country and the apathy of government is a cause for great concern. The plausible reason is the sheer scale of the problem .Hence nobody wants to discuss about the elephant in the room. But the nation cannot afford to ignore the stark realities .There are only about 43 mental hospitals in the country  and most  of them are in disarray  .they lack essential infrastructure and treatment facilities and have a sickening ambience. Visiting private clinics and sustaining the treatment — usually a long drawn out affair — is an expensive proposition for most families.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare report, India faces a treatment gap of 50-70 percent for mental healthcare. The government data highlights the dismal number of mental healthcare professionals in India — 3,800 psychiatrists, and 898 clinical psychologists. A large number of them are in urban areas .The WHO reports that there are only three psychiatrists per million people in India, while in other Commonwealth countries, the ratio is 5.6 psychiatrists for the same. By this estimate, India is short of 66,200 psychiatrists.  Mental health accounts for 0.16 percent of the total Union Health Budget, which is less than that of Bangladesh, which spends 0.44 percent. The developed nations’ expenditure amounts to an average of 4 percent.  ..  India must find better ways to parlay its impressive economic growth into faster progress in this critical area .it has till now looked at it only with a distant lens.

The National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 conducted by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) estimates that 13.7 percent of the Indian population above the age of 18 suffers from mental morbidity, requiring active intervention. It also suggests that one in every 20 Indians suffers from depression and nearly 1 percent of Indians suffer from high suicidal risks. A survey by conducted by  All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in collaboration with WHO  across 11 centres in the country, involving3,000 people from each city found that 95 percent of those with mental-health problems  remain deprived of treatment due to stigma, shame  and being shunned from  societies. Three age groups are particularly vulnerable to depression – pregnant or post-partum women youth, and the elderly.

The economic consequences of poor mental health are quite significant. The cognitive symptoms of depression like a difficulties in concentrating, making decisions and remembering cause significant impairment in work function and productivity A World Economic Forum/Harvard School of Public Health study estimated that the cumulative global impact of mental disorders in terms of lost economic output will amount to $16.3 trillion between 2011 and 2030. In India, mental illness is estimated to cost $1.03 trillion (22% of economic output) between 2012-2030.

The fact is that poor mental health is just as bad as or maybe even worse than any kind of physical injury. Left untreated it can lead to debili­tating, life-altering conditions.   Medical science has progressed enough to be able to cure, or at least control, nearly all of   the mental-health problems with a combination of drugs, therapy and community support. Individuals can lead fulfilling and productive lives including going to school, raising a family and pursuing a career.

Although mental illness is experienced by a significant proportion of the population, it is still seen as a taboo. Depression is so deeply stigmatized that people adopt enforced silence and social isolation.  In villages there   dreadful cases of patients being locked up in homes during the day, being tied to trees or even being flogs to exorcise evil spirits. In some cultures family honour is so paramount that the notion of seeking psychiatric help more regularly is uncomfortable and an anathema. We should recognize mental-health problems like we would asthma or diabetes or any other health condition.

Several times mental-health problems are looked down upon or trivialized. These barriers deprive people of their dignity. We need to shift the paradigm of how we view and address mental illness at a systemic level. Tragically support networks for the mentally ill are woefully inadequate. There is need of an ambience of empathy , awareness and acceptance of these people so that  prejudices dissipate and patients are able to overcome stigma and shame .

We must push the conversation about mental illness forward whether it be in the classrooms or workplaces or with our families, neighbours and friends. These issues are real and lethal, and the first means of prevention is acknowledging their existence. People are quite scary about talking of mental illness but it doesn’t need to be like that .to get real relief they  have to come out  of the shadows, patients should be coaxed  and counseled   to open   up    feelings about their pain. This has a powerful cathartic effect.

There have been some encouraging innovations in India led by voluntary organizations that are both impactful and replicable .Dr Vikram Patel, who is a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and co-founder of Goa-based mental health research nonprofit Sangath   has been in the forefront of community mental health programmes in Central India.

It deploys health workers, some with no background in mental health. These workers are trained to raise mental health awareness and provide “psychological first-aid”. Since they are drawn from the same community, they are able to empathies with the patients .The next consists of mental health professionals. The programme uses Primary Health Centres for screening   people with mental illnesses.

According to Patel, mental health support workers can be trained at a modest cost. Given the limited availability of mental-health professionals, such first-aid approaches can be suitably and successfully adapted to community needs with limited resources. The senior therapists  can be given basic training in general medicine, psychology, psychiatry ,psychopharmacology, social work and patient management

Community mental health services a can offer a mix of clinical, psychological and social services to people with severe, moderate and mild mental illnesses. These can be provided by teams including mental health professionals, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists, and peer workers. Counseling can make a profound difference and build resilience to cope with despair. Providing psychoeducation to patients’ families can also help. Unfortunately, in recent decades academic psychologists have largely forsaken psychoanalysis and made themselves over as biologists.

We can turn the tide in the struggle of these people through the simple power of compassion. With this contribution, we can become a powerful force for lifting the dark shadows.

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Moin Qazi, PhD Economics, PhD English, is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment and author of the bestselling book, Village Diary of a Heretic Banker. He has worked in the development finance sector for almost four decades in India and can be reached at moinqazi123@gmail.com.

Santhigram Kerala Ayurvedic Co., USA, a leading provider of holistic treatments based on authentic Kerala specific Ayurveda and Panchakarma Therapies in the United States, celebrated its 10th anniversary in a grand function on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Edison Hotel Banquet and Conference Center, Edison, New Jersey.

In an unprecedented and awe inspiring event in the illustrious and distinguished history of Santhigram USA, more than 500 esteemed guests from various walks of life including clients, stakeholders, friends and well-wishers from diverse locations in US including renowned guests encompassing Elected Officials, Media, Community Associations, Chambers of Commerce, business and other prominent forums graced the occasion.

Among the most notable distinguished guests were New Jersey Senator Vin Gopal, Commissioner of New Jersey State Mr. Upendra Chivukula, Mr. Peter Jacob, Contestant for US Congress from New Jersey, Padma Shri H.R. Shah, Chairman of TV Asia, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media, Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad and Dr. Binod Sinha, prominent physicians and owners of Edison Hotel, Ms. Melinna Giannini, Health Insurance Consulting Specialist and President of ABC Medical Coding Solutions, Swami Siddhananda, Acharya of Chinmaya Mission and Deepak Parashar, the Bollywood cine actor.

In the welcome address, Dr. Gopinathan Nair and Dr. Ambika Nair, the founders of Santhigram USA unveiled before the distinguished guests the saga of Santhigram USA operations during its decade long journey in US. Mr. Nair said, “We humbly acknowledge the multitude of hurdles and challenges we faced, because there was absolutely no precedence in running an Ayurveda wellness business in the US. Coming to US with a dozen Ayurveda specialists in November 2007 exclusively with a mission of spreading Ayurveda wellness was a great challenge in itself.” He further said. “We are pleased to say with great pride that we have moved forward, overcoming obstacles and managed to spread our wings to as many as five states, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin.” “This would not have been possible without the support of our dedicated team and the clients who had absolute faith in the effectiveness of the unique system of Kerala-specific Ayurveda treatments,” he said. “It is gratifying to see that hundreds of patients have taken advantage of our side-effect-free holistic solution to take care of their health issues, but many are still not able to avail our services due to insurance regulations.” “Things are changing, and we are helping our clients to get the coverage needed,” he added.

New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal presented to Dr. Gopinathan Nair, a joint resolution of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly honoring Santhigram. It noted that the company has established a model to emulate and set a standard of excellence which others might strive. ‘The Santhigram Kerala Ayurvedic Company has grown from its humble beginnings to its present vital and dynamic state due to the capable and effective guidance of President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Gopinathan Nair and Vice President and Chief Consultant Dr. Ambika Nair, as well as the steadfast commitment of its tireless staff. It is altogether proper and fitting for this Legislature to pause in its deliberations to recognize the Santhigram Kerala Ayurvedic Company, and to praise it as an essential and superb holistic health organization…,’ the proclamation said.

Noted guests joined the lamp lighting ceremony including New Jersey Utility Commissioner Upendra Chivukula, Congressional candidate Peter Jacob, Padma Shri H.R. Shah, chairman of TV Asia, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media, Rajeev Bhambri, COO of India Abroad, Prof. Indrajit Saluja, editor of India Panorama, Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad and Dr. Binod Sinha, prominent physicians and owners of E Hotel, Melinna Giannini, health insurance consulting specialist and president of ABC Medical Coding Solutions, Deepak Parashar, Bollywood actor and Swami Siddhananda, Acharya of Chinmaya Mission.

Dr. Gopinathan Nair and Dr. Ambika Nair honored several people, who helped them in the early days including Attorney Anand Ahuja, Vinay Mahajan, Late Ashok Diwakar, Alex Koshy Vilanilam, Aniyan George, Late Dr. Shakir Mukhi, CPA PK Ramnachandran, Attorney Ram Cheerath, Gulshan Chhabra, Dr. Sudhansu Prasad, Sheela Sreekumar, Dr. Prem Kumar, Attorney Thomas Vinu Allen and Commissioner Upendra Chukula.

Three people working with Santhigram for the last ten years-Reeja Beegum, Sheena Mohan and Jooly Joy-were honored at the event. Employees who completed more than five years, Nishad Balan, Meenu K Mani and Pradeep Pillai too were honored with excellence awards. Melinna Giannini, Senior Consultant who have done yeomen service by contributing dedicated and stellar services towards marching Santhigram USA to greater heights and glory was also honored during the function.

A souvenir with several articles on Ayurveda and greetings from various dignitaries from India and US was released at the event. Dr. Nair presented the details of the new projects. The Ayurveda training school has the approval of New Jersey State. The said School is aimed to train and equip interested persons in Ayurveda modalities so that they can be employed during Santhigram’s impending expansion plans to meet the shortage of critical specialist workforce in US.

The second project was introducing authentic Ayurveda products under the label of Santhigram Herbals. It includes classical Ayurveda products and beauty products from tooth powder to hair pack and shampoo.

The third project, Santhigram Foundation, a non-profit charity wing of Santhigram was also launched in order to support Patients Lacking Money to Pay for Ayurveda Treatments, Seniors Needing Options to Opioids & Barbiturates, Patients Suffering from Mental Stress, Patients Suffering from Chronic Diseases, People incapacitated due to sports injuries and War Veterans suffering from PTSD, etc.

The glittering event highlighted the growing influence of Ayurveda in the US as well as the remarkable journey of Santhigram. The event began with a presentation by Dr.Drakshayani BAMS, MD(Ay) on Ayurvedic diet and nutrition. When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use, when diet is right, medicine is of no use, she quoted the old saying. Ayurveda is based on the belief that nothing is right for everyone and everything is right for someone, she noted. “With a proper diet and lifestyle, Ayurveda’s goal is to help each person to reach their maximum potential physically, emotionally and spiritually,” she concluded.

The presentation given by Dr. Anurag Nair, a physician of modern medicine and one of the vice presidents of Santhigram noted the renaissance of Ayurveda. He pointed out that till early 20th century all medical systems were respected equally. But the new inventions changed the western medicine and its effectiveness.

An entertaining musical concert with live orchestra was presented by world renowned singer Anitha Krishna and troupe which was highly applauded and gained encomiums from the audience. A vote of thanks was given by Mr. Binu Nair, Vice President of Santhigram and he expressed gratitude to all the guests who graced the occasion and also thanked all the media persons who came in horde to cover the event. Mr. Binu also expressed his thanks and appreciation for all those who persevered relentlessly towards making the event a grand success and specially thanked Tanvi Prenita Chandra, President of Renascent Media for incorporating new style of creative marketing and Kulraaj Anand of 8K Radio. He also expressed appreciation for MCs Sanjiv Pandya of TV Asia and Aanchal Pahwa (Mrs. Bharat USA 2017) who anchored the program splendidly to the satisfaction of all and presented a memorable and one of a kind evening for the gathering

Dr. Vasundhara Kalasapudi’s aging facility, India Home, a non-profit serving the elderly Indian American population in New York has been named as one of Next Avenue’s Influencers In Aging for 2017.

Kalasapudi trained as a physician at first and became an expert on geriatric psychiatry, which allowed her to diagnose her own father with dementia in 2003, something she thought she would never do.

She then travelled to India several times to take care of her father and in the process became very much aware of the lack of culturally appropriate services and care facilities for the elderly in the Indian American community.

Kalasapudi founded India Home, a revolutionary nonprofit that serves the elderly Indian American community in New York City, providing hundreds with food, health care and social support which can be found in strong Indian values.

“I would advocate bettering integrating social and medical services for older adults. Senior centers are integral institutions to help Americans age in place and prevent or delay many health issues, but medical professionals are unaware of such social services,” Kalasapudi said about the one thing she would do to change aging in America.

“More than 100 million Americans are over age 50 now, and as life expectancy increases, it is imperative that policies, housing, science, technology and culture all evolve to better serve our population. These honorees on our list of Influencers in Aging are on the leading edge of this revolution,” said Next Avenue Editorial & Content Director Shayla Stern.

Next Avenue is public media’s first and only digital publication dedicated to covering issues for people 50 and older and this is the third annual list of the top 50 Influencers in Aging, which includes advocates, researchers, thought leaders, innovators, writers and experts at the forefront of changing how we age and think about aging.

Nearly 50 per cent of women in India live with an abnormal cholesterol level, an alarming indicator of the risk of their being prone to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), a survey has showed.
The survey by diagnostic chain SRL Diagnostics revealed that 48 per cent women in the age group of 46-60 years had the highest level of abnormality in the lipid profile tests — the number one cause of death globally and in India.

A lipid profile test measures the amount of cholesterol present in lipid carrier proteins like low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and fats (triglyceride) present in the blood and determines the risk of CVD.

Further, women living in North India (33.11 per cent) and East India (35.67 per cent) had higher abnormal levels of triglycerides while low HDL and high total cholesterol levels were more commonly seen in women living in South India (34.15 per cent) and West India (31.90 per cent).

“In India, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. It’s an alarming situation as heart attacks appear differently in women than men and it is more fatal in the post-menopausal women than it is in men,” said Avinash Phadke, President Technology and Mentor (Clinical Pathology) from SRL Diagnostics, in a statement, on Thursday.

High saturated fat, sugar and salt intake, very low consumption of vegetables and whole grains leading to obesity, coupled with sedentary lifestyles, rising stress levels and smoking are the major contributory factors for deterioration of heart health in women in India, the survey revealed. The analysis is based on more than 3.3 million lipid profile tests performed at SRL Labs across India during 2014-2016.

Thousands from New York and around the nation came to participate and learn at the Vegetarian Vision during its first International Health and Wellness Exposition on September 9-10 at Penn Pavilion in New York City.  Renowned speakers included dozens of internationally recognized physicians, scientists, authors, and wellness experts, who spoke about the many health and environment benefits of a plant based/vegetarian diet.  Exhibitors and booth demonstrators filled a 40,000 square foot arena at Penn Pavilion’s expo hall, entertaining guests with live food demonstrations, on site yoga exercises, holistic therapies and new age massage techniques, and the very latest in health and wellness products.

Vegetarian Vision founder H.K. Shah, and his wife Malti Shah, expressed their joy at a ribbon cutting ceremony, which marked the inception of the event and the organization’s 25th jubilee anniversary.  President Chandra Mehta led with the lamp lighting ceremony, alongside Bollywood star Mahima Chaudhry.  Attendees included  Dr. Sudhir Parikh, H.R. Shah, meditation guru Patri Ji,  Air India’s Vandana Sharma, David Green, president of Vegan Association, Andrew Zwicker, New Jersey assemblyman, Mr. K. K. Mehta, convention chair, Nitin Vyas convention coordinator, and Flora Parekh, vice president.

Gary Null, host of award winning radio shows, and author of numerous NY Times best sellers, delivered a keynote lecture on reversing heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and mental decline through vegetarianism and veganism.  Harvard trained cardiologist, Dr. Robert Ostfeld spoke further on the many benefits of plant based diet.

Bollywood star Mahima Chaudhry was chair and judge of the Mr. and Miss Vegetarian Beauty Pageant.  The pageant was followed by a special gala event, hosted with honorable Congressman Tom Suozzi and Vegetarian Vision founder H.K. Shah.  The keynote speech was made by Chandra Mehta. The Expo’s grand finale had  a live fashion show, organized by Suhag Mehta, president of Shreenath Enterprise Inc, and MC’d by Flora Parekh.

The exposition was a first for the Vegetarian Vision organization, bringing plant based lifestyle and wellness, to a global stage.  Null, host of award winning radio shows, and author of numerous NY Times best sellers, delivered a keynote lecture on reversing heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and mental decline through vegetarian and veganism.

Harvard trained cardiologist, Dr. Robert Ostfeld spoke further on the many benefits of plant based diet Dr. Brian Clement of Hippocrates Health Institute lectured on advanced healthcare, preventing and reversing disease, premature again, and renewing happiness.  Dr. Joel Fuhrman, New York Times bestselling author of Eat to Live, The End of Diabetes and The End of Heart Disease, further demonstrated the healthiest ways to eat, and scientific principles of superior nutrition. Mark Becker, yoga specialist, who opened the first Non-Hindu yoga center in NYC, Serenity, over 40 years ago, focused on “ahimsa,” nonviolence, as a spiritual cornerstone of vegetarianism.

Pavilion hosts, booth exhibitors, and other speakers displayed unique healing techniques through crystal bowl sounds, infrared light saunas, hydrogen water, and ayurvedic remedies.   Famous vegan chefs, including, Mark Reinfeld, lit up the Expo with live cooking demonstrations featuring their celebrated recipes.  The food hall also showcased a variety of oriental teas, live juice and smoothie samples, and vegan meals by Chickpea.

Vegetarian Vision’s International Health and Wellness Exposition proved to be a success of mega proportion.  Attended by thousands, and hosted by a star-studded list of pioneers and wellness experts, the Expo made for a special, and memorable experience.

A group of specially abled (physically disabled) , blind performers and/or  performers with other physical disabilities entertained the audience at the Gala in an effort to support and promote their exceptional talent. “Our immediate vision to support these specially abled at Gala as well as our ongoing efforts to promote our mission and vision through various programs, will be efficiently possible through your generous donation,” the organizers said.

 “Your generous support and motivation, to help accomplish our goals and grow further will come a long way. Any and every $ is important but we have outlined some nominal numbers in an effort to support our Gala. We aim at helping some after school activities for special children as well as provision some academic scholarships to the deserved,” they added.

The UN Postal Administration (UNPA) is issuing a set of stamps showing 10 yoga asanas (poses) to commemorate the International Day of Yoga on June 21 in New York. The 10 stamps of $1.15 denomination each depict a different yoga pose next to a large ‘Om’ in Devanagri script.

The stamps are on a single sheet with a picture of the UN Secretariat building that has International Day of Yoga projected on it. In 2016, the UNPA issued a stamp in honour of M.S. Subbalakshmi, the classical Carnatic music singer, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her 1966 concert at the UN.

The UN stamps can be used for posting letters and packages internationally from UN facilities in New York, Geneva and Vienna. However, the yoga stamps would be issued only in the US dollar denomination in New York.

“Releasing soon. @unstamps Special Event sheet to commemorate International Day of Yoga,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin tweeted.

The UN postal agency, UN Postal Administration (UNPA) will issue the new special event sheet to commemorate Yoga Day that has been marked annually since 2015. The special sheet consists of stamps with images of the sacred Indian sound “Om” and various yogic asanas.

The first International Yoga Day was commemorated at the UN in 2015 with aplomb, with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj leading the celebrations along with then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

In December 2014, the UN General Assembly had adopted a resolution with a record number of 177 co-sponsoring member states to commemorate the International Day of Yoga every year on June 21.

United Nations stamps are issued simultaneously at UN offices in New York, Geneva and Vienna. Each issue carries a related design theme, with different denominations for each office. Usually six new commemorative issues are released each year and remain on sale for 12 months only. UN stamps have illustrated the aims and achievements of the United Nations and its family of organisations, the UNPA website said. The United Nations will issue special stamps commemorating the International Yoga Day on June 21 this year.

Anya LeFrancis, an Indian American fourth grade girl from Chester, New Jersey is battling leukemia and looking for a bone marrow donor with similar ancestry: South Asian and European. The little girl’s parents are in search for a donor and asking anyone, regardless of race, to register through DKMS, a bone marrow donation registry. The transplant must take place by May 2017 to save her life.

Out of 25 million registered donors, the bone marrow transplant team at Hackensack University Medical Center did not find one full match, according to an email by her father Robert LeFrancis. Anya’s unique heritage makes it even more difficult to find a perfect match from the donor registries – Anya is part Caucasian/European and part Indian. Only 3 percent of registered donors are of mixed race, and of that 3 percent, finding her mix of heritage in a donor is very challenging, the email said.

“It is unknown at this time if there will be a match at the registry, but we are trying to get as many people to sign up as possible using the link posted on her page,” said Anya’s mother Pratibha LeFrancis, the Patch reported.

The fourth grader is battling leukemia, and doctors believe her best chance at recovery is a bone marrow transplant. She was first diagnosed in kindergarten and went into remission in third grade. During this school year, Anya began complaining of pain again, and on Jan. 11, doctors diagnosed her with relapsed leukemia.

Indian American couple, Kavita and Lalit Bahl had donated two generous gifts totaling $13.75 million, according to the university news release. And now, the Stony Brook University Cancer Center unveiled a transformative cancer research center, a state-of-the-art facility, named the Kavita and Lalit Bahl Center for Metabolomics and Imaging, last month at the Stony Brook University Hospital.

The new facility will enable experts to probe the metabolic dynamics of tumors and pioneer new approaches in cancer research, detection, treatment and prevention, the university said in a statement. Lalit Bahl is an employee of East Setauket, N.Y.-based Renaissance Technologies.

“Through continual research and discovery, Stony Brook is on the leading edge of discovering the next generation in cancer care,” said university president Dr. Samuel L. Stanley Jr. in a statement. “One of our most ambitious goals is to make significant breakthroughs in cancer research.”

Added Dr. Yusuf A. Hannun, director of the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, “Today is a momentous occasion for the Cancer Center.” Hannun, in expressing his gratitude to the Bahls, said the center is ideal “because it capitalizes on Stony Brook University’s strengths in three major areas: research, treatment and imaging.”

Lalit Bahl explained his family’s personal motivation for propelling cancer research forward in the unveiling, according to the report. “Cancer has claimed a very large number of people in my family,” he said. “It is really what drives us to get us involved in the center. In our lifetime, we have seen a lot of progress in cancer treatment but there is a still long way to go toward the final goal that nobody should die from cancer. It is really toward this goal that we hope and also expect this center to provide new discoveries and new treatments that will get us closer and closer to where we want to be.”

Hannun and Dr. Lina M. Obeid, dean for research at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine, will serve as co-directors of the Bahl Center. “Drs. Hannun and Obeid have a very long record of research in cancer, and we are thrilled to be able to support their work at Stony Brook,” said Kavita Bahl. “Our hope is that metabolomics and imaging research will result in significant progress toward finding new treatments.”

Current Stony Brook University School of Medicine laboratories and other university scientific laboratories will conduct research for the center. Permanent physical space for the center and its laboratories will be located in the Medical and Research Translation building upon opening of the MART in 2018.

Additional initiatives supported by the Bahls’ gift include an Innovation Award for pilot projects that study the role of nutrition in preventing and treating disease, and an Experimental Therapeutics Program that will focus on ways to accelerate the trajectory of research from the bench to the bedside.