12 ways to use 1 minute to make yourself happy, healthy and productive. [Infographic]

 

“Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can’t buy more hours. Scientists can’t invent new minutes. And you can’t save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.” Denis Waitley

Time is precious to everyone. If you waste time, it will be gone forever.

You may be a doctor, scientist, writer, student or teacher, we have one thing in common – only 24 hours in a day.

To effectively manage time one should have self control and lead a disciplined life.

Time can be our biggest asset if we can smartly manage every minute.

Each minute has 60 precious seconds use them carefully.

Do you know how to use only 60 seconds to make yourself happy, healthy, relaxed and more productive?  Enjoy this Infographic:

Clipart images: http://www.clipartlord.com/

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“Lost – yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever. “
Horace Mann

 

12 health lessons I learned from Dancing in Tagore’s Chandalika

 

Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf. Rabindranath Tagore

When something wonderful happens we use phrases like “I feel like dancing” , “I could jump with joy”, and when we are angry we say “I’m hopping mad”. Do you know why we use these phrases of movement? We are responding to an instinct that is more ancient than speech or music. It is called “Dancing.”

Dancing is the oldest of the arts. Early man danced to describe what he was doing. This was even before he added simple music or songs to accompany the movements.

The urge to dance, or to express ourselves by the movement of our bodies, is so basic that it must have existed in men, even in the ancestors of men for thousands of years.

Dancing makes patterns in space and to have any real meaning requires a sense of rhythm. The body movement perform to some sort of regular beat or pulse. Rhythm is one of the most important features of dancing.

As a little child I took few simple dance lessons in the dancing school of  renowned Amala Shankar.  Later I learned to dance in my school Loreto House, where I studied for 12 years.  Our dance teacher was famous dancer and choreographer Shanti Bose. 

Along with other children I participated in the Bengali “Rabindra Nritya Natya” (Dance Drama) Chandalika.  At an early age I realized that dancing was not just a matter of dance steps. Certain signs have been carefully worked out and instinctive actions play an important role.
Signs have always been used by people to communicate with each other. Example: A nod of the head means the same thing in most parts of the world. Rhythmic movement of fingers and hand gestures are used to express various emotions.

Why should children learn to dance at a young age?  As a doctor now I know the reasons.

1) Dancing is an excellent form of physical exercise.

2) It is an artistic expression through the use of the body. Dancing helps in creative and artistic development of a child.

3) Dancing enhances physical function, mental health, and well-being of a toddler.

4) Dancing improves muscular endurance and strength of the legs.

5) The body becomes more flexible. There is strengthening of lower legs which improves balance and agility. Dancing increases aerobic power and makes one more energetic.

6) It psychologically prepares  a child for more serious activities as it improves brain function. Learning complicated dance steps improves memory.

7) It has a positive effect on cardiovascular system and  improves heart’s ability to pump blood to the lungs.      

8) Dancing helps to keep the joints flexible, the muscles around the joints strong. There is greater strength of hip joint.

9) It strengthens the spinal column and the supporting muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

10) A child grows up to have a graceful bearing and gait.

11) Body of a dancer is trim and fit, with greater than average range of motion.

12) Dancing  instantly elevates mood, boosts happiness,  increases confidence and self-esteem and reduces stress.

As a world traveler I have seen some exceptionally beautiful dance forms like Ballet, Waltz, Tango, Belly Dancing and various types of folk dancing.

I was not born to be a dancer but I have great respect for all professional dancers. They belong to a fascinating world and will remain eternally young and healthy.

Are you super busy? Being busy is a contagious disease. Cure yourself now.

 

“ I have often said that the sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room” Blaise Pascal

Did you say you are super busy? I’m sure you are busy. Congrats! You are so important. I am sure your little kids are also very busy. They are following the instructions of a harsh taskmaster to be high achievers and future leaders. Your grandparents are also very busy and active. They are all effectively networking and interacting on social media. Oh they are all so influential !!  Did you say you don’t have a social media account?  Then you are “nobody”.

The world of the doctors is a busy one. It is possible you may not have efficient junior doctors, helpful colleagues and all the resources to help you at work. Large section of doctors are working in remote district hospitals and small towns in various parts of the world. They are managing to take care of the patients with limited resources and are part of a happy and satisfied community.

Yes, I have also worked in District Hospital under high pressure and  it has prepared me for various difficult situations in my own country.

No matter where you work, how much time and effort you put into your daily activities, you will experience stress numerous times.

You may work for many hours and still you can never get everything done on time.

The people who complain less are those who are experienced and know how to maintain a work life balance.

If you can maintain a routine and organize your workload, you will find ample time to enjoy life and finish your urgent work everyday without screaming “I’m crazy busy”.

As a trainee pathologist I was told that those who complain of being too busy, are usually inefficient and don’t know how to prioritize their work. Busyness does not prove that you are important or a productive person. It means you are inexperienced and unable to handle your work. This applies in case of every profession.

If you want to be productive, don’t feel guilty to sit idle. Learn to be lazy. You will be happy, active and an asset to your own country.

Be more present with your family. Enjoy festivals and weekends, without getting distracted.

Find time to play with your kids , laugh and crack silly jokes.

Be a blogger for fun and entertainment without bragging about your expert skills and knowledge. Write enjoyable posts which everyone can understand.

Learn to be modest. There is always someone smarter, more knowledgeable and charismatic than you. Being envious of others is a waste of time and energy.

Social media is a place to interact with like-minded friends and curate interesting educational contents. It is a global platform for  everyone. Follow and interact with those you feel will provide useful contents. You are your best brand advocate. If your reputation depends on the number of  social media followers, likes and retweets, you have a serious personality disorder.

Please don’t continuously spam your friends with your own blog posts. I find it annoying and I think your close friends feel the same way.

Respect is earned not taken. Read and promote books of senior experts in your field, specially those you know and respect.

You will make everyone uncomfortable if you start talking about race, religion, politics, poverty, war and inequality.

Don’t spread false gossips as you may run into some unexpected problem.

Build meaningful positive, long lasting relationships, which is just not based on give and take.

Crazy busy people suffer from depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and cardiac disease, indigestion, obesity and exhaustion.

You don’t have to attend every conference, and meeting. Take a vacation with your family and cherish those special moments.

If you are rushing from one activity to another, you may earn money and fame, but you will not have the time or energy to enjoy a “good life”.

Don’t sit behind a microscope all day reporting trays of  slides. See the urgents first and take your time to study other cases slowly. Appoint someone to report routine cases.

Stay calm. Even if you are an efficient pathologist there can be unexpected situations like mix-up of biopsy specimens , rude clinician repeatedly troubling you for a preliminary report. You should be able to handle these unpleasant situations smartly.

Don’t check your cell phone in the middle of clinical work.

Spend sometime in the nature, everyday. It can be your own little garden.

Don’t take your loved ones for granted. Be ready to be treated the way you treat others.

Next time you call yourself super busy, may be you should change your way of working and do something that will keep you less busy and more HAPPY.

Life is too short to be “crazy busy”. Don’t let your life pass you by.

Try to maintain a healthy relationship not only with others but also with yourself.

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Dangers of Trick-or-Treating and Three Bizarre, Scary Diseases

Halloween is an ancient celtic tradition celebrated on 31st October. It is fun time for children and is very popular in many parts of the world.

Dangers of trick-or-treating come in many forms.

• Halloween diarrhea’ caused by artificial sweetener sorbitol in the candy.
• Doctors and parents should take special precautions in cases of children suffering from juvenile diabetes.
• Excessive intake of candy without proper oral care may cause tooth decay or dental caries.
• 
• Consumption of processed products with excess amounts of salt, sugar and fat can cause obesity and food allergies.
• There can be an outbreak of serious foodborne infectious disease.
• Cases of deliberate tampering, poisoning and insertion of foreign material in the candy have been reported. Example: A case of perforated appendicitis due to intake of pin.
• There are many cases of  burns and house fires during Halloween celebrations. It seems that pumpkins have a round base and some containing many candles can easily overturn causing fires and burns.
• 
• Studies suggest the number of childhood pedestrian deaths increased fourfold among children on Halloween evenings when compared with all other evenings.
• Face paint may contain toxic levels of lead.
• A study on behaviour of children showed that when children were told to take only one candy, anonymous kids took more candies compared to those children whose name and address were known to the giver. Self-awareness and transgression in children: two field studies.
• 

Following safety tips have been suggested : 

The hazards of Halloween. 

“Pedestrian safety
• Parents should establish a route for children in a known neighbourhood.
• Children should use flashlights, stay on the sidewalk, stop at intersections and cross intersections in a group.
• Motorists should drive slowly and look carefully for children on medians and in alleyways and driveways.
• Children should consider wearing makeup instead of masks, or wear masks that do not obscure sight or hearing.
General safety planning
• Parents should establish a curfew for older adolescents.
• Children should travel in small groups, be accompanied by an adult, visit only well-lit houses and remain on porches rather than entering houses.
• Children should know their phone numbers, carry coins for emergency telephone calls and have their names and addresses attached to their costumes.
• Rigid or sharp costume knives or swords should not be used.
• All treats should be brought home so that parents can inspect them.
• Adults should prepare for trick-or-treaters by clearing porches, lawns and sidewalks and placing jack-o‚-lanterns away from doorways and landings. “

Reference:

• The dark side to Halloween: marketing unhealthy products to our children?
• Trick or treat? Enjoying halloween when you have diabetes.
• Trick, treat, or toy: children are just as likely to choose toys as candy on halloween.
• The hazards of Halloween. 
• Routine screening of Halloween candy: helpful or hazardous?
• ‘Halloween diarrhea’. An unexpected trick of sorbitol-containing candy.
• Should we X-ray Halloween candy? Revisited.
• Halloween appendicitis: pin perforation of the appendix.
• X-raying Halloween candy: a public service?
• Should we X-ray Halloween candy?
• Childhood pedestrian deaths during Halloween – United States 1975-1996. MMWR 1997;46:987-90.

Three Bizarre, Scary Diseases: 

1. Alien Hand Syndrome: 

2.  Waterhouse–Friderichsen syndrome

 

3. Hypertrichosis ( “Werewolf Syndrome” )

 Image Courtesy: pixabay.com

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Ghosts from the past – Autopsy Case for Pathologists – Cartoon

Beware Pathologists ! When ghosts and witches question you on the cause of  their death you should be ready to answer all their questions. (Halloween Special)

Clinicopathological correlation based on pathological finding:

Post mortem examination revealed the progression of complications from acute pancreatitis leading to multiorgan failure.

The fatty changes of the liver suggest that there was predisposing alcoholic liver disease.

       

Previous history of alcoholic pancreatitis and the long standing fibrosis seen around the ampulla of Vater supported this.

This perhaps meant there was an increased risk of pancreatitis from the likely swelling and edema following Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

The pancreas was completely necrosed and the lipases released from the destroyed acini lead to the extensive fat necrosis in the abdomen.

The organs confirmed that infection must have occurred from any one of the invasive procedures or surgery.

Spleen had a classic septic appearance.

There was evidence that disseminated intravascular coagulation may have resulted with the appearance of red spots in the renal cortex and myocardium.

      

The features in the kidneys were consistent with the anuric, acute renal failure.

The lungs were seriously congested and airways contained large amount of blood (haemoptysis) necessitating the tracheostomy seen.

The final stage was most likely that a combination of the hypotension and ischaemia from his triple coronary artery atheroma (caused by the above events) lead to a subendocardial infarction.

Histopathology Images of Myocardial Infarction

Cause of Death:

1a.  Subendocardial Infarction

1b.  Hypotension

1c.  Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

1d.  Staphylococcal Infection

1e.  Acute Pancreatitis

1f.  Alcohol Liver Disease

 

” This pathologist has answered all my questions. If you are a pathologist please join social media immediately, we may need you for consultation. – Witch “

Ask the right question , to the right person, at the right time and Pathology Case of the Day

My mother’s 4th death anniversary is approaching. She passed away during the festive season. Festivals have never been same since she left us. She was not only bubbly and gorgeous, she always asked the right question at the right time. She extracted the crucial answers  from me, without trying very hard. She always emphasized asking the right question is a powerful skill.

Recently, a very dear friend confided that she was having serious problem with a colleague. Tension at work place is not uncommon but it should not be destructive.  I started asking few simple questions.

• How long is the conflict going on?
• What is the root cause of the problem? Is it possible not to take things personally or be judgemental?
• When was the last time you communicated with this person?
• Did you clarify your views politely or were you rude and arrogant?
• How did this person react to what you tried to explain?
• Do you really know the person as well as you think?
• Is there something left unsaid?
• Is there something about you that is causing misunderstanding ?
• Is the quality of your work getting affected by the behaviour of your colleague?
• Are you under stress and taken leave from work due to tension?
• Does the idea of meeting the person everyday at work makes you happy or uncomfortable?
• Do others in the department have any problem with your colleague or are you the only target?
• Were you good friends at one point and now drifted apart ?
• How was your past experience with this person before conflict started ? Has it gradually changed over the years due to specific reason?
• Is your colleague popular in the workplace ?
• What kind of friends are close to this person?
• Do you find the person narcissistic or charismatic?
• Do you get negative or positive vibes from the person?
• Do you think the person is capable of handling multiple, major crisis?
• Does this person have a good sense of humour?
• Has this person shown positive traits like leadership qualities and creativity ?
• Do you know anything about this person’s hobby? Hobbies say a lot about human character.
• Does this person enjoy travelling and to associate with people  from different  race, community, culture and country.
• Have you noticed whether this person uses more positive or negative words during conversation ? Negative words are hate, liar, jealous, failure, toxic, troll, ugly, cripple, retard. Positive words are charming, successful, brilliant, awesome, gorgeous, dynamic, joy, laughter, fun, beautiful.
•  Does the person like to gossip and talk too much?
•  Is this person always cynical and makes sarcastic remarks about those who do not agree with him/her.
•  Is the person money minded and can go to any extent to reach the goal.
• There is a difference between constructive and destructive criticism. What kind of a critic is this person ?
• Are you afraid of this person? Fear is a very powerful emotion. Sometimes fear is triggered by something that is startling or unexpected. Have you spoken about the problem to a third person who is a mutual friend.
• Do you realize it is alright to be vulnerable and imperfect ?   “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring”. Marilyn Monroe.
  

Finally, I told my friend to write down the answers in a personal note book and think about them.  Never blame, express anger or verbally attack the person. Long term conflict cannot be resolved easily.

If you feel things are getting out of control, speak to your senior and try to get a transfer to another branch of the office. Life is too short to tolerate abusive, intolerant, draining relationships.

Interesting case for the pathologists. A gift for reading my post.

Pathology Case of the Day:

Lesion of the External Auditory Meatus of the Ear.

    

 

 

Diagnosis

 Image Courtesy: pixabay.com