Tag: health

Celebrating Wiggle Your Toes Day – 6 August

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Ask anyone to name the five toes, and the answer is almost always silence beyond ‘big toe’. In fact, do our poor toes have names at all?

That’s sad because our toes work remarkably hard. They balance us, propel us forward, absorb the shock of every step, help us run, jump, climb, dance, and even tell our brains where our body is in space. Yet, apart from the “big toe” and the “little toe,” the other three don’t even get names in everyday conversation.

Do Toes Actually Have Names?

Not officially. Anatomists prefer numbers rather than names. Beginning from the inside of the foot:

  • Hallux – the big toe
  • Second digit
  • Third digit
  • Fourth digit
  • Fifth digit – the little toe

The word ‘hallux’ comes from Latin and is the proper anatomical name used by doctors, physiotherapists and podiatrists. Likewise, the little toe may simply be called the fifth digit or digitus minimus pedis in formal anatomy.

But outside medicine, people have invented all sorts of imaginative alternatives.

The big toe has been called Hallux, Great toe, Master toe or Captain.

The second toe is sometimes known as Pointer toe, Index toe or Long toe

The middle toe has earned names like Middle toe or Centre toe

The fourth toe occasionally becomes Ring toe or Companion toe

The little toe enjoys the richest collection of nicknames Pinky toe, Baby or Little Toe.

None of these is official. They’re simply examples of how language invents personality where anatomy prefers numbers.

But someone has given toes Latin names too! While these sound official, they are not! John Phillips of Yale University School of Medicine felt strongly about the toes not getting their due. In his letter “Higgledy, Piggledy” published on February 14, 1991, in The New England Journal of Medicine, he proposed whimsical Latin-style phrases for the toes, based on familiar children’s poem ‘This Little Pig..’. His names went like this:

“This little piggy went to market” → First toe: Porcellus fori (“Piglet of the marketplace”)

 “This little piggy stayed home” → Second toe: Porcellus domi (“Piglet of the home”)

 “This little piggy had roast beef” → Third toe: Porcellus carnivorus (“Meat-eating piglet”)

 “This little piggy had none” → Fourth toe: Porcellus non voratus (“Piglet having not eaten”)

“This little piggy cried ‘Wee! Wee! Wee!’ all the way home” → Little toe: Porcellus plorans domum (“Piglet crying homeward”)

The Hardworking Toes

Whether or not toes have names, they are critical to us. They are far more sophisticated than they appear. Together with the 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments in each foot, they form a highly responsive system that constantly adjusts your posture and movement. Tiny sensory receptors in the skin, muscles and joints of the toes send continuous information to the brain about pressure, balance and the position of the body—a sense known as proprioception. This feedback enables you to stand upright without consciously thinking about it, maintain balance on uneven surfaces, and make rapid adjustments while walking, running or climbing.

The hallux (big toe) is especially important, bearing much of the body’s weight during the final “push-off” phase of each step and contributing significantly to walking efficiency. Research has shown that weakening or immobilising the toes can reduce balance, alter gait and even increase the risk of falls, particularly in older adults. In short, every step you take is the result of an intricate partnership between your toes, feet, nerves, muscles and brain. The other four toes act like a team. Together they maintain balance, spread body weight, adapt to uneven group, improve grip while walking barefoot, and help us change direction quickly.

So Give Your Toes Some Love

In America, they celebtrate ‘National Wiggle Your Toes Day’, every year on 6 August. Surley this is a custom that should be adopted across the world. A perfect day to pay a little attention to these unsung heroes.

It’s a reminder that these ten small digits quietly support us every single day. A barefoot walk on grass, a gentle foot massage, comfortable footwear, trimmed nails, or simply taking a moment to stretch your feet can make a surprising difference.

After all, life is a little more interesting when even your smallest toe has a story.

–Meena

National Insurance Awareness Day: Protecting What Matters Before It Is Too Late

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Every year, National Insurance Awareness Day, observed on 28 June, reminds us of a simple but often overlooked truth: life is unpredictable. While we cannot foresee accidents, illnesses, natural disasters or financial setbacks, we can prepare for them. Insurance is one of the most effective ways to do exactly that.

Ironically, insurance is often appreciated only after a crisis strikes. A medical emergency, a road accident, a house damaged by floods, or the sudden loss of a family’s breadwinner can instantly transform insurance from an overlooked expense into a financial lifeline. National Insurance Awareness Day encourages us to make that preparation before adversity strikes rather than after it is too late.

Why National Insurance Awareness Day?

Unlike many officially designated observances, National Insurance Awareness Day appears to have originated as an industry-led initiative to encourage people to review their insurance needs and better understand the role insurance plays in financial security. Over time, it has gained wider recognition as an occasion to promote financial literacy, preparedness and responsible planning.

The day is particularly relevant today because the risks confronting individuals and businesses have become more complex. Healthcare costs continue to rise sharply. Climate change has increased the frequency of floods, cyclones, heatwaves and other extreme weather events. Cybercrime threatens businesses and individuals alike, while economic uncertainties can disrupt livelihoods with little warning. Insurance cannot prevent these events, but it can prevent them from becoming long-term financial catastrophes.

At its heart, insurance is about sharing risk. Millions of policyholders contribute relatively small premiums into a common pool, enabling those who suffer losses to receive financial support. This principle has made insurance one of the cornerstones of modern economies, helping families recover from setbacks, businesses resume operations after disasters, and communities rebuild after crises.

The State of Insurance in India

India’s insurance sector has expanded dramatically over the past two decades. Today, the country has 74 insurers operating across life, general, health and reinsurance businesses. Together, they offer protection against a wide range of risks, including life, health, motor, property, travel, crop, marine and cyber risks.

Yet, despite this growth, India remains significantly underinsured.

According to the latest data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), insurance penetration—measured as insurance premiums as a percentage of GDP—is about 3.7%, almost half the global average of roughly 7%. This suggests that millions of Indians either have no insurance at all or lack adequate coverage.

Health insurance presents a similar challenge. While government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, employer-provided insurance and private policies have expanded coverage, only about 40–45% of Indians have some form of health insurance. Consequently, out-of-pocket medical expenditure remains among the highest in the world, often forcing families to dip into savings, borrow money or even sell assets to meet healthcare expenses.

Recognising this protection gap, IRDAI has articulated a vision of “Insurance for All by 2047.” Achieving this goal will require not only greater availability of insurance products but also improved financial literacy, stronger consumer confidence and wider public awareness of the role insurance plays in protecting financial well-being.

More Than Just a Financial Product

Many people still view insurance as something they purchase only because it is compulsory. Motor insurance is mandated by law. Health insurance may come through an employer. Home insurance is often bundled with a housing loan.

But insurance is far more than a legal requirement or a financial product. It is a vital component of sound financial planning.

Savings help meet planned expenses and short-term emergencies. Investments help create wealth over the long term. Insurance serves a different purpose—it protects against low-probability but high-impact events that can wipe out years of accumulated savings in a matter of days.

The COVID-19 pandemic offered a powerful reminder of this reality. Families with adequate health and life insurance were generally better equipped to cope with hospitalisation costs, income loss and financial uncertainty than those relying solely on savings. Insurance cannot eliminate hardship, but it can prevent adversity from turning into financial ruin.

A Good Time to Review Your Cover

National Insurance Awareness Day is not simply about buying another insurance policy. It is an opportunity to review whether existing protection is still adequate.

It is important to understand that as life changes, so do insurance needs. Equally important is understanding what a policy covers—and what it excludes. Reading policy documents, updating nominees and checking whether the sum insured remains adequate can save considerable stress later.

A few simple questions are worth asking:

  • Is my health insurance sufficient given rising medical costs?
  • Does my life insurance adequately protect my family’s future?
  • Are my home and valuable assets insured?
  • Have I updated my nominees?
  • Do I fully understand my policy’s terms, exclusions and claim process?

Investing in Peace of Mind

Insurance ultimately provides something that is difficult to quantify—peace of mind. It allows individuals, families and businesses to pursue opportunities with greater confidence, knowing they have a financial safety net should the unexpected occur.

On this National Insurance Awareness Day, perhaps the wisest investment is not simply buying another insurance policy, but understanding the protection we already have, identifying the gaps that remain, and taking timely steps to safeguard what matters most.

–Meena

True Grit

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Winter is the season of Doctor’s conferences in my city, when super specialists of many branches of medicine meet to discuss professional research and new developments. Among these are many women who are working shoulder-to-shoulder with their male counterparts. It is difficult to imagine that just over 150 years ago, a woman doctor was unheard and undreamt of. This reminder was strongly communicated in a recent performance that traced the life of India’s first female doctor–Anandibai Joshi.

Anandibai Joshi is known to be the first woman of Indian origin to graduate with a degree in medicine in the US.  Her story of grit and determination is an inspiration, and a trailblazer.

Born in 1865 as Yamuna, the third unwanted daughter, she was married off at the age of nine to a widower postal clerk 20 years her senior. Her husband Gopalrao took charge of her life by first changing her name to Anandi; but also encouraged her to study, which was unusual for that time. Anandi was a bright and curious girl-child, balancing between her innocence, her thirst for learning and her expected chores and role as ‘wife’. She became a mother at the age of 14, but lost her 10-day old child due to lack of medical care and facilities. Traumatised by this event, she began to dream the undreamable– to become a doctor so that she can help other women like herself. In a time when a girl going to school was spat at, and looked upon with intense disapproval, Anandi was supported to some extent by her husband.

Even more unusual is the story of how she reached America. A letter written by Gopalrao to an American missionary asking if Anandi could study medicine in America, was published in some American magazines, where a woman called Theodicia Carpenter read it and wrote to the young girl with an offer of a home and support if she were to go to New York. Against opposition from all quarters in India, Anandi embarked upon this journey into the unknown, reaching New York after an arduous two-month ship voyage. Once she reached, with support from her mentor Theodicia, Anandi Gopal Joshi applied to the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania and was granted admission at the age of 19. Medical school and life in an alien land was extremely difficult; but Anandi met the challenges head on—the extreme cold weather (she changed her attire from the traditional nine-yard sari to the six-yard one), the food (at one point she became so nutritionally deficient she had to start eating eggs), very poor health, loneliness, hostile classmates and neighbours, and nasty letters from her suspicious husband. Anandi persevered towards her goal and got through medical school, graduating in 1886. She returned to India the same year and was appointed as the physician-in-charge at the Albert Edward Hospital in the then princely state of Kohlapur (in present day Maharashtra).

Tragically, before she could finally make her childhood dream come true, by practising as a doctor, Dr Anandi Joshi died of TB in 1887, just over a month before her 22nd birthday. As per her wish, her ashes were sent to Theodicia Carpenter, who placed them in her family cemetery in Poughkeepsie, New York.

The true-grit story of Yamuna/Anandi was brought to life in a solo performance by Manasi Prabhakar Joshi. Titled Dr Anandibai this powerfully transposed the story of the path breaker in the context of the challenges that women face even today—reminding us that while on the one hand much has changed, on the other, much remains the same. Anandibai’s story continues to remain an inspiration and a beacon.

–Mamata

 

 

A Seven Point Something Guide to Coping with the Big C

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My friend Anita, who told her story in BRAVELY BATTLING THE BIG C had many people reach out to her after they read the blog, to tell her how much it had helped them. Hence she decided to share a few things which might help them further. Here goes…

–Meena

1.Do not panic. Take action as swiftly as possible. Time is of the essence. Once you have got the diagnosis, there is no time to be wasted. It is a disease which anyway presents itself very slowly and sometimes not very typically. That is why many a times, it is not diagnosed until last.  So don’t waste even a moment once you know.

2.Choose your oncologist with care. This is extremely important as you are going to stay with this doctor for a very long time, at least 4-5 months for sure! So it becomes imperative that you have a good rapport with your him/her. Believe me, that’s half the battle won ! Once you have taken the decision, have firm faith in your doctors.

3.Solicit help of your near and dear ones. It is hard to accept the situation any which way. But to face it alone without the support of your loved ones makes it that much harder. You need a lot of emotional strength during this period and there is nothing like having your dear ones encouraging you, looking after you, supporting you.

4.Take care of your nutrition and exercise. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation..all of this take a heavy toll on our body. The only way to throw out the toxins is to have good nutrition. Healthy fresh food during the entire period of treatment is an absolute must. This helps guard against secondary infections which can delay the treatment. So it is important to take good care of food. No eating out during this time should be the mantra. And of course, exercise is a must. I know the energy levels are depleted beyond imagination but half an hour of brisk walking is essential…if only to remind ourselves that we can walk! The hormonal treatment adds quickly to body weight. And don’t forget the chemo dose you get is directly related to your body weight. So why not reduce some weight and save money too, besides feeling fitter!

5.Cry buckets behind closed doors but put up a brave front when you face people. Crying is inevitable when you have such a big disease to tackle. The chemotherapy and its side effects only make it worse. You tend to become emotionally unstable and cry for no apparent reason all the time. It’s okay, cry it out. But wipe your tears when you are with people. For you get courage when you show courage..you don’t know how strong you are till being strong is the only option.

6.A s in pregnancy, with cancer too there are many old wives tales .People will tell you it’s your karma and blah blah. Or of some miracle cure. Do not listen to other people’s stories. You need only positive inputs and positive attitude. Surround yourself with people who can make you laugh and make the situation lighter. Concerted efforts of scientists are focused on understanding the disease and cure, and it is unlikely that some diet or herb or cure is likely to be the answer ! Listen only to your Doctors.

7. Have faith in yourself and modern medicine to combat the disease. Your happiness and wellness depend only on you. If you bravely, resolutely fight it out ,the disease will soon be on its way out! Just treat this as another challenge in your life which has to be dealt with and vanquished, and so it will be!!!

 

MKG–LLB MD(Hon)

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“His vocation to be a medical healer was deeper than his vocation to practice law.  He practiced law for about 20 years and then quit forever (though vigorously engaged in politics); his medical healing of sick individuals continued throughout the rest of his life.”

A recent lecture by Dr Mark Lindley at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad explored Gandhi’s persona as a healer, and health advisor as well as practitioner. Lindley himself wears many hats! An internationally renowned musicologist, as well as an ecological economist, he is also a Gandhi scholar with particular interest in Gandhi’s views on health.

While I was aware of Gandhi’s strong and passionate views on health, diet and lifestyle, a lot of which can be found in his seminal work Key to Health, Lindley’s talk revealed several new aspects of Gandhi which I felt would be interesting to share.

We all know that Mohandas Gandhi went to England in 1888 when he was 18 years old to study law, under advice from family elders. What is perhaps not as well known is that Gandhi’s own desire was to study medicine there. At that point however, apparently the popular perception that becoming a barrister would be an ‘economically’ more practical choice prevailed.

The idea resurfaced around 1908 after he had already been practising law in South Africa. Gandhi may have felt that he could serve people better by practicing medicine than by practicing law. This time, it was the fact that studying medicine would involve vivisection that led him to reject the idea. During his visit to London in 1909, he wrote to a friend that a certain doctor there “…tells me that in the course of his studies he must have killed about fifty frogs. An examination in physiology without this, he tells me, is not possible. If this is so, I have absolutely no desire to go in for medical studies. I would neither kill a frog, nor use one for dissecting if it has been specially killed [by someone else] for the purpose of dissection.”

Interestingly Gandhi’s writings soon after that visit reflect a radical change of view. In Hind Swaraj which he wrote on board the ship while returning from England in 1909, Gandhi vociferously avers “I was at one time a great lover of medical profession. It was my intention to become a doctor for the sake of my country. I no longer hold that opinion.”

“It is worth considering why we take up the profession of medicine. It is certainly not taken up for the purpose of serving humanity. We become doctors so that we may obtain honours and riches. I have endeavoured to show that there is no real service of humanity in the profession, and that it is injurious to mankind. Doctors make a show of their knowledge, and charge exorbitant fees. …The populace, in its credulity and in the hope of ridding itself of some disease, allows itself to be cheated.”

Reading these lines, 109 years later, I was struck by how much this sounds like some of the concerns about the medical profession today!

As the famous French epigram goes “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”, in other words “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”

–Mamata