With the New Year, people have new hopes for a bright and healthy future. DR SHUCHIN BAJAJ lists health trends that will rule 2021
2020 was quite a turbulent year for all of us as it threw us to many unprecedented challenges, which we were not ready to accept. But, no doubt the year had been quite a life-changer in both big and small ways.
With the news of new strain of mutated coronavirus, it shows that the challenging times are not yet done. We still have to learn many new things and adapt with it. However, all these challenges have made us realise that nothing is more important than one’s health. We have been pushed to make a healthier society, by having an access to whole, fresh and nutritious food.
Here are some of the emerging health and wellness trends that the year gone by has paved the way for:
Mental health is priority
No one knows how long the uncertainty is going to last, and that has had significant impacts on the mental health of all of us. The fact that many people across the globe have succumbed to the disease has only increased their worries. According to a survey by the WHO, the coronavirus pandemic disrupted critical mental health services in 93 per cent of the countries worldwide. Isolation, the loss of loved ones, economic uncertainty and fear of the disease have caused an alarming spike in cases of stress and anxiety. As such, the Union government spends less than 0.05 percent of the total health budget on mental health. With just one mental health professional per 13000 people, most mental health specialists shoulder an unreasonably excess case load without recourse to any form of institutional support. The situation has only gotten worse due to the pandemic. We need to increase investment in mental health programs and destigmatise the conversation surrounding it in both professional and personal spaces
Child care is way forward
During the unprecedented health crisis of coronavirus pandemic, sources of safety, comfort, social interaction and mental stimulation found in the familiar routine of millions of kids by the school have been abruptly taken away. This has put the pressure on parents to juggle multiple roles of friends, siblings, teachers besides donning their role as father and mother. This has also put an end to the competitive parenting. Now, the parenting has become more sensitive, patient and adaptable. Parents have been getting enough time to bond with their kids. They have also understood the need of staying physically active for them as well as for their kids. More outdoor yoga and playdates at the park are the ways for parents-kids bonding.
Boost immunity boosters
As the coronavirus pandemic is still in our environment, people would like to have those food-items which would strengthen their immunity to fight with any infection. Consuming Vitamin C rich foods like lemon, orange, gooseberry, guava and pineapple will be always on priority. Besides, zinc rich foods like cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, legumes, lentils, chickpeas and beans that help the immune system function optimally will also be the need. People are replacing regular tea with ginger tea, tulsi tea or green tea. For a simple detox drink, grind up onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, black pepper, lemon juice and jaggery, with a little honey for sweetness. Honey also has antioxidant and antibacterial properties that improve digestion and boost immunity.
Telemedicine will rule
Though it has not been a new concept, it has been in maximum use this year. While this approach has the potential to be a game-changer, especially in a country like India with uneven health infrastructure, a low doctor patient ratio, and a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, scaling up the implementation will require closely-coordinated action between tech firms, governments, and healthcare providers to ensure that we overcome the existing barriers. Even our Government recognised the role telemedicine is playing to alleviate the burden of our fragile healthcare systems, and issued a gazette notification that lay down the practice guidelines detailing the standards, norms and procedures that doctors have to follow while practicing telemedicine through nay mode of digital communication.
The writer is Internal Medicine, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, New Delhi