Tag: Dr. K. K. Aggarwal

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Children root for staying at home, following precautions, and respecting corona-warriors in a grand finale to the 27th Perfect Health Mela 2020

Nov 10, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #27th Perfect Health Mela 2020, #Children, #Digital Perfect Health Mela, #Dr. K. K. Aggarwal

The last few days leading up to the final day of the 27th Perfect Health Mela 2020, Heart Care Foundation of India’s (HCFI) annual flagship event which was held digitally this year saw some interesting and fun-filled sessions for kids. The young minds used their creativity to raise awareness about the need to follow social distancing protocols and showing gratitude to our healthcare workers who have tirelessly fought the battle against COVID-19

Students from around 60+ schools participated in the Harmony and Ecofest Inter-School Competitions presenting some scintillating performances in the fields of singing, dancing and acting. The Heritage School Classical Dance Competitions saw over 10 institutes putting their best foot forward. There was also a debate held on whether children under 12 years of age should be made to wear masks or not and re-opening schools. It was observed that children are relatively safer from the effects of the pandemic.

An open-air poster making competition was also organized by HCFI at the Asiad Herbal and Rose Garden. Children participated in this fun-filled competition that focused on the topics “Stay at home” and “Respect Corona warriors.” The artworks were judged by Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal, President, HCFI and the winners were awarded cash prizes. Everyone present followed precautions, wore face masks, and maintained social distance thus embracing the New Normal.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, President HCFI and CMAAO, Dr K K Aggarwal, said, “It is very heartening to see the sheer number of people who have come forward and supported the first-ever Digital Perfect Health Mela. We have reached millions of people this year from all across the nation. It is encouraging to see the amount of knowledge and motivation the young ones have in particular and how they have taken it upon themselves to educate their families and others around Coronavirus and its prevention. This year, the Perfect Health Mela has not only been educative and entertaining but also a window to what lies ahead in terms of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. I thank everyone for their support.”

Other events over the last few days and the finale included discussions on air pollution and COVID-19, vermicomposting, fun with math, among others. The Health Darbar with Dr KK Aggarwal and COVID-19 OPD would continue to be a regular feature even after the Perfect Health Mela.

Started in 1993, the Perfect Health Mela caters to people from all age groups and all walks of life. It showcases activities across categories such as health education seminars, check-ups, entertainment programmes, lifestyle exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and competitions. Over a few hundred organizations attend the event each year including state and central government entities, PSUs, and

leading corporates. This one-of-its-kind event is supported this year by patrons like LIC, and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. It was held between 1st – 8th November 2020 from 8am-8pm at www.perfecthealthmela.com.

Health

Celebrating festivals during COVID-19: an insightful session with Dr K K Aggarwal on the 3rd day of 27th Perfect Health Mela

Nov 4, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #COVID-19, #Dr. K. K. Aggarwal, #festivals, #Perfect Health Mela

The third day of the 27th Perfect Health Mela 2020 was an eye-opener on celebrating festivals during the current pandemic. An insightful Q and A session with Padma Shri Dr K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and CMAAO was the highlight of the day. Apart from explaining how to celebrate this year in the new normal, it also focused on dispelling myths and answering pertinent questions around things.

HCFI’s Perfect Health Mela is a flagship health education and awareness event held annually and this year, it began on 1st November 2020 to go on till 8th November 2020. The event is digital this year in view of the pandemic but with more engaging and informative content. The theme this year is Safeguarding from COVID-19.

Speaking at the event, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr K K Aggarwal, said, “Diwali is a festival of cleanliness and it is important that we take this aspect very seriously this year. It is a good time to discard what is not needed in the house and avoid the spread of any kind of infection or disease. Celebrations with family are fine this year but if you decide to involve people from outside, make sure that you follow the safety protocols well. While it is better to avoid crowding, in cases where you need to call people over, remember the two keywords: wear a mask and maintain a distance.”

The third day of the Mela also saw several other interesting sessions. Some of these focused on managing garbage with vermicomposting, low-cost teaching aids, hydroponics, etc. There was a very engaging discussion between acclaimed actor Ashish Vidyarthi. The day also saw various competitions for school and college children such as mono act, qawwali, solo dance, etc.

Started in 1993, the Perfect Health Mela caters to people from all age groups and all walks of life. It showcases activities across categories such as health education seminars, check-ups, entertainment programmes, lifestyle exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and competitions. Over 200 organizations attend the event each year including state and central government entities, PSUs, and leading corporates. This one-of-its-kind event is supported this year by patrons like LIC, and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, Drug controller Delhi and jan Aushadhi Dept.

Some key takeaways from the session on celebrating festivals are as follows.

• About 15 minutes of cumulative meetings can spread infections. Maintain physical distance and wear a mask at all times. Winters freeze the lipid layer of viruses. If they get into the nose, they can get stuck there and give infection.

• Those who wish to apply mehndi can be innovative this year and only do so on the feet. In case you are getting married and also want to apply on your hands, make sure you keep them on both sides. There should a distance of at least 3 feet between the applier’s mouth and the client’s to avoid face to face transmission.
• For Diwali pooja, it is good to place the Diyas outside the house to reduce the rate of transmission. Do not send mithai and chocolate. Send educational links or a packet of masks since most of those available in the market are not the right ones.
• Avoid crackers completely. They can lead to the pollution which can further increase CRP. In case the person gets COVID-19, the severity will increase because of pollution.
• Do not consume alcohol since it can increase the chances of fatty liver. About 18 ml of whiskey is harmless but anything over and above can be detrimental.
• Open-air parties are better. To prevent any kind of infection, cross ventilation is very essential which cannot happen in a room with just one window or none at all.

Health

Don’t Ignore Symptoms like Chest Pain, Exhaustion even if there is no Fever: Experts at ASSOCHAM’s ‘Illness to Wellness’ Series

Sep 5, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #chestpain, #Dr. Ashok Seth, #Dr. K. K. Aggarwal, #Dr. Mohsin Wali, #Dr. Rajesh Kesari, #Dr. Wali, #exhaution, #Mr. Anil Rajput, #The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India

New Delhi, 05 September 2020: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), one of the apex trade associations of India concluded the fifth edition of the ‘Illness to Wellness’ series themed ‘Heart Wellness During COVID-19’. The event saw an illustrious panel of cardiologists from across the country hold active dialogues on the best preventive measures to be taken for heart patients during COVID-19. The discussion saw the panellists put forth a plethora of measures like increasing safety precautions, eating right, exercising regularly and knowing when to reach out to doctors as symptoms develop for citizens to take up during the pandemic.

Supported by the hygiene brand SAVLON, the programme which promotes healthy living with focus on wellness and preventive health through healthy habits, diet, exercise, and holistic health saw the speakers discuss at great length why patients should not be scared to reach out to doctors or hospitals in fear of contraction, rather they should be on the lookout for symptoms other than fever to be for early detection of COVID-19.

Putting forth this suggestion, (Padma Shri) Dr. Mohsin Wali, Cardiologist and Former Physician to The President of India, said, “The most harmful feature of this virus is that it is uncertain. The virus either increases the heartbeat or decreases it, even if there is no fever. Patients need to be aware of their normal heart rate and any changes to it, they should inform their doctor. The first symptom of this disease is no symptom. In some people I noticed they would get tired easily. At such a stage if we are alert then we can be prepared for further possible damages. In working young people, we sometimes notice changes in their chest, even if they received a COVID negative report the previous day. It is important that patients reach out to doctors immediately for any symptoms. It is not necessary that you develop symptoms like fever, cough or severe pneumonia and then call for help. These might be there, but when you start to feel slowness, exhaustion or reduced oxygen level then you should reach out to a doctor.”

Dr. Wali also stressed on the importance of reaching out for mental health support and the increased need for psychological counselling now and in future as he expects a surge in its demand owning to the distress caused by COVID-19. He further stressed on the importance of keeping lungs active and increasing their capacities by undertaking activities like blowing conch shells, balloons and whistles.

Highlighting the multiple ways in which the heart gets affected by COVID-19, (Padma Bhushan) Dr. Ashok Seth, Chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute and Chairman, Cardiology Council, Fortis Group of Hospitals, said, “There are multiple ways in which this virus attacks the heart. Clinical effecting of the heart can happen directly even in people with mild symptoms. The virus tends to form clots in the body. It is one of the ways in which the virus attacks the body. It also forms inflammations which can lead to heart attacks. Formation of clots in young people in the lungs can lead to severe breathlessness, low blood pressure and low oxygenations. The clotting tendency can even lead to stroke in young people. These are direct effects of the cardiovascular system. Inflammation can also affect the heart muscles leading to reduced pumping efficiency of the heart. The virus can also cause heart rate disturbances. There are multiple ways the heart gets affected by the virus. The more serious the patient gets, the more the heart gets affected.”

He further added that after a patient recovers from COVID-19 and gets discharged from hospital, they might suffer from After COVID Syndrome that will see the majority of them suffer from symptoms like breathlessness, tiredness, exhaustion, joint pains, coughs or inefficiency in performing daily activities for weeks or months. For complete recovery, they might need the support of cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, respiratory physicians, pulmonologists, physiotherapists and psychologist to be restored to life completely.

He also emphasized that precaution on part of citizens needs to be heightened if not increased further despite the economy opening as India is currently on the upward slope of its COVID track and its peak is yet to be reached.

Laying out the best diet to incorporate in meals during COVID-19 for healthy living, (Padma Shri) Dr. K. K. Aggarwal, Cardiologist, Physician and Former President of the Indian Medical Association, said, “Balanced food should involve all seven colours and six tastes of food in moderation and variety along with a non-inflammatory diet. The food we have during fasting season is non-inflammatory and inflammatory ingredients are like sugar, rice, refined flour or oil. Anything refined is inflammatory and should be avoided. Take up a non-inflammatory diet and add all supplements that are lost by the virus.” He further added that for individuals who are prone to inflammations, COVID-19 if contracted, can be harmful as the virus has a tendency to accelerate inflammations in the body leading to increased health complications.

Supporting the discussion, Mr. Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM CSR Council, said, “The Illness to Wellness series has been sharing expert opinions on how to take care of your mental and physical health during the pandemic. The Coronavirus has set forth a wide range of damages and challenges for the world that doctors and researches are still struggling to get a grasp on. Therefore, the old and golden adage of prevention is better than cure is something we should all follow. As iterated by the veteran doctors today, masks need to be strictly worn in public spaces with adequate distancing measures to keep ourselves safe. We hope that the expert measures shared by the eminent panellists enlightened the attendees and the insightful information shared equipped them to fight the virus proactively.”

Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Founder and Director, Total Care Control, acted as the moderator of the event and raised pertinent questions before the panellists to guide the discussion into a strong knowledge-sharing webinar. His smart manoeuvring of the discussions helped reap health foresight from the veteran cardiologists. Dr. Kesari summed up the discussion at the end by focusing on the importance of masks in our precautionary measures for both heart patients and healthy citizens.