Medicosnext
Words By Ravi Pradhan
Over the past 30 years, a clear trend can be seen not just in the West, but in the urban centers around the globe including South Asia. The indisputable reality is that chronic diseases (as per WHO, non- communicable disease, NCD) are now killing more people than infectious diseases. NCD include cardiovascular diseases (heart ailments, Blood Pressure, etc.), Type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunctions, diseases of the liver & kidney, mental health problems (depression, BPD, suicide), Alzheimer’s/dementia, digestive system disorders (Irritable Bowel Syndrome, colitis, acidity/gastritis, etc. ) and all types of cancers.
These chronic diseases are increasing – despite the growth of the modern medical system of hospitals, doctors, pharmaceutical drugs, diagnostic systems, equipment, technology and budgets – whether in the West or Asia.
Why is this trend increasing? What are we missing? What innovative solutions are essential – beyond just new drugs and technology?
Multiple causes/factors of NCD
What is often missing is the long history of lifestyle factors in chronic diseases. They are not the
results of any virus or bacteria, or single infection or any one Single factor. Whether it is cardio-
Vascular diseases, Type 2 Diabetes, liver failure, digestive system problems, or Alzheimer’s disease, there are many factors & causes that happen over many years before the disease itself is seen.
Medical scientists point to several interconnected factors that lead to chronic diseases – issues of diet/nutrition/food; exercises for heart, vascular system; mental emotional stress, smoking, and alcohol overuse. But unfortunately, we don’t rely on any system to diagnose the possible effects of these “lifestyle” factors. Nor is “lifestyle” habits part of any medical course in Nepal, nor in most Western colleges.
Like it or not, the medical/pharma system is still captured by an outdated but profitable belief that
fragments/separates, the body-mind-emotion( 400 year old Cartesian duality).
It is now time for the medical system of Nepal/India to incorporate a new paradigm of health that
integrates the Western/allopathic model with the integrative non-pharma evidence-based approach of diet, exercise, sleep, stress regulation, emotional skills, and such. Our societies have a rich history of these non-pharma approaches.
References:
https://www.drweil.com/videos-features/videos/the-advantages-of-integrative-medicine/
(pioneer who established first Integrative Clinic in hospital of Univ of Arizona,USA)
Why we get sick – Dr. Benjamin Bikman (research scientist, USA)
Outlive, the art & science of longevity – Dr. Peter Attia & Bill Giford
https://lifestylemedicine.org/ USA
https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/medicine_greenville/medical_education/lifestyle_medicine/index.php (univ of Southern Carolina, USA)
https://www.jcu.edu.au/courses/master-of-lifestyle-medicine (Australia)