For a healthier lifestyle
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: November 14 2011 -

After the industrial revolution, the world has seen rapid progress in terms of science and technology.

Our lives, in many senses have become much easier; all sorts of luxuries are at our command.

Where once we used to walk or use animal pulled transport system or later mechanical means like the cycle etc, we now have motor cycles, cars, trains, airplanes, making it much easier, faster to reach from one place to the other. For entertainment, we have the radio, television, and the cinemas.

Communicating across the globe is now possible within seconds with the invention of the internet. Water comes in taps, one need not trudge to the village well or pond to fetch water, no more going into the forest to collect firewood, a turn of the gas knob is all the labour required to light the kitchen fire.

Then there is the fridge which can store food - both cooked and uncooked for days together without getting spoiled, the washing machine to help one wash cloths spending the least amount of energy and in a jiffy. Food comes prepared, packed and canned; no danger of starving for want of time to prepare a meal.

For those looking for information, no more going to the nearest library and consulting piles of books, you get it all with the click of a mouse with the advent of the internet, etc.

But the advances in science and technology which has given us so much comfort and luxuries have also brought with it numerous problems which have a direct effect to our physical and mental well being.

The pollution in the air we breathe and the water we drink; the congestion and the din in the cities; the dirt and the effluents; the fertilizers and preservatives we ingest along with our food.

The pressures of work and career; the odd working hours we keep; the sedentary lifestyle we lead has taken a heavy toll on the health of a large section of the global population.

Even though medical science has made tremendous progress, has conquered many diseases which were once considered incurable, the diseases have also kept pace with these advances.

Among these diseases are, what is referred to as, are lifestyle diseases which is primarily the result of the kind of life we lead, the kind food we eat, the lack of physical movement and labour, the odd hours we keep etc.

The most common among them are said to be the heart disease, cancer, asthma, diabetes, Alzheimer etc.

What is alarming is the rate at which these lifestyle diseases are spreading across the globe at quite a significant rate.

Cancer as per leading experts is among the ten leading causes of death in India and that there are over seven lakh new cases of cancer every year while 3 lakh people die due to cancer each year.

Diabetes is another lifestyle disease which is affecting more and more people in the country as also in the state.

In India it is reported that about 51 million people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus as on 2010 is estimated to increase to 87 million people by 2030, a 58% increase. This is indeed a very worrying piece of news.

In such a scenario, it is important that awareness about these lifestyle related diseases is created using every available means of communication. People should be made to realize the harmful effect of an unhealthy lifestyle, unhealthy diet.

They should be persuaded to lead a more physically active life.

Of course, healthy lifestyle would require lot many things, it would mean reducing pollution, using less fertilizers and preservatives, remaining physically active etc.

The government and private employers, for instance, can provide enough time and space for physical recreation to their employers etc.

For, even though the primary responsibility of leading a healthy lifestyle lies with the individuals, the government, institutions, and society at large should also provide the environment for just that.