Doctors Can Be Doubters - Washington Post

Published: June 10, 2008

My patient is an elderly man with end-stage congestive heart failure, kidney failure and now an infected dialysis line, and he is unlikely to live more than six months. The Bible lies on his bedside table next to his hospital breakfast tray and the morning newspaper. I wonder if I should pray with him. Read More

Heavy drinkers, smokers face Alzheimer’s risk - Times of India

Published: May 11, 2008

Occasionally forgetting where you left your car or scooter keys or being unable to recall the name of a distant acquaintance are normal memory lapses. However, frequent spells of forgetting names and places or repeating stories, phrases and questions in the same conversation along with confusion and irritability could be early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.Read More 

Musical way to recover from illness - Times of India

Published: April 30, 2008

Does music affect living beings? And more relevant to doctors and patients, does music help recover from an illness? A series of experiments on animals has shown that a stimulating and an enriching environment can significantly enhance recovery from a stroke. However, until now little data were available on humans. Read More

A Doctor's Viewpoint Changes When the Patient Is His Father - Washington Post

Published: April 15, 2008

Each morning as I head for my morning rounds, I routinely hurry through the hallway alongside the cardiac catheterization lab not noticing what goes on inside. But, this morning it was different. On the table, under the x-ray beams, with a catheter tunneled into the arteries of his heart was my father. Read More

Food colour making children hyper - Times of India

Published: April 06, 2008

Nearly every kid's food is “decorated” or “tainted” with artificial food color and additives. While they make food look pretty, there may be a downside. Can our children's daily consumption of juices, candy, and soft drinks with these additives be fuelling disruptive behaviour, restlessness and lack of concentration? Read More

Five easy steps to living long and well - Times of India

Published: March 16, 2008

Reaching the age of 90 and being in good health may be easier than we think, according to a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It’s well known that our genetic makeup influences our life span, but until now it was unclear what modifiable behavioural factors such as diet and exercise could increase our longevity. Read More

Honestly, I Could Not Help Him - Washington Post

Patient's Routine Visit Becomes An Ethical Challenge for a Doctor
Published: March 04, 2008

My patient had come for a routine doctor visit. He was a well-built, soft-spoken middle-aged man who was always polite, respectful and adhered meticulously to his HIV medication. He complained only if he was in a great deal of pain or discomfort.

As usual, I asked him about his family: three adopted children. Over the years that I had known him, the children had grown to adults and had left home. One had secured a job, the second was in college, and the third had just joined the Marines. We talked about his work; he sorted packages at a warehouse. We chatted about the weather and then turned to his health.

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