Health Wealth

In conversation with Dr Tanuj Dada, Head of Glaucoma Services at RP Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences and Professor of Ophthalmology at AIIMS New Delhi

Can someone who has ever had vision problems develop glaucoma? Does a glaucoma diagnosis mean a sure-shot path to eventual blindness? And are carrots all we need to have great vision?

In this episode, Dr Dada guides us through the preventive measures, causes, symptoms and treatment for glaucoma. He breaks down vast amounts of misinformation about this eye condition and shares stories on the incredible progress being made for glaucoma treatment in India. This is a crucial episode for anyone wishing to invest in the wellbeing of their vision and eyes.

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Produced by Prateek Lidhoo

Sound mix by Rohan Bharti

In conversation with Dr Samir Dalwai, specialist in Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics 

How do you comfort your child when they are bullied for having special needs? Is it possible to enjoy family events and outings with a child who cannot communicate? And in following western therapeutic practices for neurodiverse children, are we truly preparing them for life in an Indian society?

In this episode, Dr Dalwai explains his approach towards child development and psychology. Having counselled thousands of neurodiverse children and their parents, he finds that in his experience it is not simply teaching a child to repeat words or actions that works but an overall tailoring of their environment and their response to it. Depressed, frustrated, angry caregivers, for starters, cannot provide the space needed for a neurodiverse child to grow and develop. Providing support for caregivers is a crucial, and oft ignored, part of therapy.

Tune in to hear all about the emotional, financial and social challenges of caring for a neurodiverse child!

Produced by Prateek Lidhoo

Sound mix by Rohan Bharti

In conversation with Dr N K Ganguly, Former Director General, ICMR

Can a worm live inside of you undetected for decades? And what sort of disease only turns up at positive when the blood is collected in the dead of the night? Elephantiasis, or lymphatic filariasis, is a diseased caused by a parasitic worm. The worm spreads through mosquito bites and upon reaching an adult stage blocks vital lymph nodes in the human body leading to the swelling up on limbs, disfigurement and immense pain.

In this episode, we talk about diseases which are hardly ever talked about. Commonly known as Neglected Tropical Diseases, they receive far less attention than other diseases even though the disease itself might be as life-compromising as any other. Dr Ganguly shares his decades of experiences on this topic, preventive measures that are still lagging and how a single mosquito bite can change a person’s life forever.

Tune in to hear from one of the most seasoned doctors in this country and learn why we need to be aware of even the not-so-popular-diseases.

Produced by Prateek Lidhoo

Sound mix Suraj Singh

In conversation with Dr Praveen Gupta, chief of neurology, Fortis Hospitals

Can a surgery not have any risks at all? Is khichdi the only diet option after a surgery? And how do you expect me to be happy during isolated bed rest?

Post-surgical care advice is plastered all over the internet with every page offering a new dimension to your recovery. In this episode, we debunk myths and do away with the ‘five or ten tips’ listicles, to give you a comprehensive (and doable) guide for post-surgical care. Having been a neurologist for over two decades, Dr Gupta has set up two neurology departments in two different hospitals and started the first stroke centre in Gurgaon. In this episode, he shares his lived wisdom and personal experiences in and outside the operating theatre.

Tune in for a post-surgical care regime  straight from the doctor’s mouth!

Produced by Prateek Lidhoo

Sound mix by Rohan Bharti

In conversation with Vishal Lathwal, CEO of Apollo Homecare.

Is recovering at home in your own bed more effective than the sterile, monitored environment of a hospital ward? Can a homecare nurse become family? And how do you stop anxious relatives from providing well-meaning (just not medically accurate) advice?

In this episode, we learn all about the perks and risks of turning private homes into a medical recovery zone. From heartwarming stories of homecare gone right to the health conditions where homecare is the most effective—Latwal brings his decades of experience in the profession to this discussion.

Tune in to find out why a hospital would invest in homecare, the joys of recovering in your comfort zone and why get-well-soon roses do not belong in an ICU!

Produced by Garvit Srivastava

Sound mix by Rohan Bharti

In conversation with Dr MR Rajagopal, founder-chairman emeritus of Pallium India

What would you desire if all you had left were only years of lying in bed on pain medication? Can physical pain become endlessly constant? And if you are unable to live at all, should you have the choice to not live?

In this episode, we uncover the truth about palliative or end-of-life care in India through the experiences of someone commonly referred to as the ‘father of palliative care’.  His decades-long journey in supporting those with life-limiting diseases sheds perspective and rationale as to why a national legislative framework is desperately needed for a more humane approach to healthcare. While the recent guidelines for ‘death with dignity’ in the state of Karnataka is a positive step forward, Dr Rajagopal explains how much more is needed to provide dignified death.

Tune in to find out how a doctor can juggle objectivity and empathy, the truth about morphine usage and how you can walk with the weary without becoming weary yourself !

Produced by Garvit Srivastava

Sound mix by Rohan Bharti

In conversation with Dr Manjari Tripathi, Professor and Head of Department of Neurology & Incharge Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, AIIMS Delhi

What would you think of a person who suddenly begins to tremble uncontrollably? Would you be friends with someone who can hear Jewish pop in their head when you come to know that they aren’t possessed, but simply a person with epilepsy? And what does it take for a doctor to find the empathy, patience and courage to stand up against decades of pseudo-scientific treatments for this disease?

In this episode, we converse with Dr Tripathi on her decades of experience treating epilepsy. She provides the factual truth about what happens in the brain to cause a person to lose control of their behaviour. We also discover important facts about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and what we as bystanders or caregiver should do during someone’s epileptic seizure.

Tune in to hear an intensely moving and informative discussion on the naughty neurons that cause epilepsy, social myths about a disease as old as humanity itself and how much effort a hospital team puts in to treat drug-resistant epilepsy!

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Produced by Garvit Srivastava

Sound mix by Suraj Singh

In conversation with Aaria Varma, a person with ADHD and founder of mental health platform Zen Z

Is difficulty in starting a new task a sign of laziness or a symptom of something else? What happens when the world is convinced that you are inattentive, but there are days when you have trouble controlling your excitement? And at what point does behaviour go from entitled and spoilt, to something that is being dictated by a cognitive disorder?

In this episode, discover the lived reality of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through the words of 15-year-old Aaria Varma. A person with ADHD, Varma shares her personal experiences with diagnosis, counselling, schooling, friends and her relationship with her own self. The support and understanding needed to overcome the challenges of ADHD begins with awareness of how the disorder really plays out in day-to-day life.

Tune in to hear and be inspired by her story!

Produced by Garvit Srivastava

Sound mix by Suraj Singh

In conversation with food blogger and author Kalyan Karmakar

Sugar and saturated fats might be bad for your health, but how do you avoid them? Can you actually satiate your cravings for mithai, chaat, chips and all the other deep fried wonders of the world with just one bite? And should we be blaming food porn for that late night binge attack?

In this episode, we discuss the knowledge and discipline required to eat a healthy overall diet through the experiences of someone whose very profession requires him to eat. Having been a food blogger for over two decades, Karmakar shares insights not only for how to balance out over-eating but also on making healthier choices for your own kitchen. Tune in!

Produced by Garvit Srivastava

Sound mix by Rohan

In conversation with Aalap Deboor, Mumbai-based producer and former cigarette user.

You have to be living under an impenetrable rock to not be aware of the dangers of tobacco-use. There are approximately 600 ingredients in a modern-day cigarettes. When burned, they create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer. Some of the lesser known chemicals emitted include—arsenic (also found in rat poison), butane (also present in lighter fluid), tar (also used for paving roads), naphthalene and formaheldyde (also used to preserve dead bodies in mortuaries). Yet, despite knowing the risks and toxicity of tobacco-use, why do people still use it? And more importantly, why do they fail to quit it?

In this episode, we are joined by Aalap Deboor who opens up about his journey towards going tobacco-free after over a decade of use. He reveals the truth about the lifestyle and emotional dependency on a cigarette and why relapsing is so common amongst smokers. It is, after all, not all that difficult to find an argument to return to a substance your brain has fallen deeply in love with.

This conversation is a guide to anyone wishing to improve their health and break-free from tobacco-addiction. It is also an important starting point to counter the social, cultural and commercial norms which convince thousands of young teens in the country to pick up a cigarette every year (despite the black lungs on the packet).

Produced by Garvit Srivastava

Sound mix by Nitin Rawat