‘I wish better health for our youth’

In these hard times when the entire world is afflicted with Covid, it would be very useful for us to focus on another topic, maybe the well-being of the youth of today who are the future of our country and will shape its fortunes for decades to come.

Lifestyle issues have become the bane of our society and as a senior doctor I have a few suggestions for the overall growth as well as health of our younger generation. The pandemic has certainly made matters worse as we are not focusing enough on our diet and exercise routine, and this will certainly worsen the already emerging epidemic of obesity and diabetes in the youngsters.

Dopamine addiction
Not everyone may be familiar with the term dopamine addiction. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter chemical also known as the “pleasure chemical” released by specific areas of the brain. Many things that give us pleasure like sweets, chocolates, sex, social-media indulgence, alcohol, drugs, watching TV, phone and the iPad release dopamine. While dopamine is important for us to get motivated, there is a real risk of addiction too and hence, we need to watch out and make sure we draw the line between motivation and addiction.

Drug menace
Another important menace of today that needs to be addressed is the drug menace, which is destroying the very social fabric of society. We should go all out to rid the society of drugs, not just by punishment, but by creating awareness, counselling and taking rehabilitation measures. It’s time for us to relook at the overall wellbeing of the younger generation for a better and stronger future and these measures will go a long way in achieving this.

Tips for healthy living
A simple suggestion I have for our youngsters to remain healthy is to pay attention to the following Ss in your life:

1. Sugar and calories in the form of carbohydrates are the bane of our society and the root cause of many illnesses like diabetes and obesity. Honestly, sugar is the new tobacco of today.

2. Smoking and tobacco in any form is poison and should be avoided at all costs.

3. Salt intake in excess of the normal can lead to hypertension and other related diseases.

4. Sedentary lifestyle is very necessary to avoid. Please do not be a couch potato. Move around, exercise and be active.

5. Sleep: a good night’s regular sleep is very important for a healthy life. Cultivating regular sleep habits or sleep hygiene is very important for a healthy life.

6. Stress, especially distress, is bad for one’s health, so please take help from friends, teachers, parents and other advisors if you get into a stressful state that you cannot handle.

7. Sadness or depression and mental-health issues are frequently unrecognised and untreated. They are things we have to have to be very aware of and need to resolve before they become a serious problem. Please seek help if you are undergoing any mentalhealth issue, and do not let the fear of stigma come in the way of seeking help.

8. Spirits or alcohol is certainly a no-no for the youngsters because of the potential toxic effects and risk of addiction. 
9. Sex education: This is a very important tool in one’s curriculum, and should be emphasised both in schools and colleges for the right kind of overall physical and sexualhealth development in all individuals.

10. Social skills and interactions are another important facet in our overall development, which unfortunately has been seriously affected by excessive use of social media, phones, computers, video games etc.

Dr Sudarshan Ballal (Chairman, Manipal Hospitals)