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Finally, we did it. Yes, Team Goqii Alpha completed 100KM in 28 hrs

kamal-start

We were attempting something unimaginable for the first time in our lives –a 100 km trail walk….

When I had decided to take part in the Oxfam Trail walker, I was aware that this is not going to be easy. But, when we were starting our trail walk, there was no doubt in our mind about the completion of 100KM. We were targeting the time of 30 Hrs but, as it turned out that due to some technical mismatch we could not start at scheduled 6.00 AM (and we were tensed/nervous/helpless). We could start our walk only at 6.24.42 AM (to be precise). By this time most of the teams had taken off and would have covered 1.5 to 2 KM ….but we were not perturbed and continued our journey.

kamal-on the trail

By the end of checkpoint 2 (23 KM), our bodies had started giving early warning of stress and blisters and we were also lacking in pace. 55 teams had already left when we checked in at Checkpoint 2. We used the excellent services of physiotherapist there and continued at a faster pace in scorching heat but the walk only got eased due to the amazing picturesque landscape. The view of the Mulshi lake was therapeutic.

When we reached CP 4 we had completed (43.8 KM) and when we decided to leave from here we found that 45 teams were already ahead of us. The walk from CP 4 was pleasant as the scorching sun had hit the sack and near full moon was in sight. Cool winds blew across our ears and with a slight nip in the air, our pace automatically increased. It was almost meditative to do the brisk walk in dark. We were walking fast but, silently.

We walked through the night as was decided earlier. When we left CP7 (75 KM) at around 4.20 AM our entire body was under tremendous pain and exhaustion largely due to lack of sleep. We were awake for more than 24 hrs by now ….but, we felt high and our determination to finish fast only grew stronger. By this time 22 Teams were ahead of us.

CP7 to CP8 was the best walk as we sang all along the trail, cracked jokes, pulled each other’s leg and passed 3-4 teams ahead of us. We reached CP8 (86.6 KM) by dawn.

We were in a very bad shape. My left knee was in tremendous pain but mind was determined to do better. We took the physio service, Umesh my teammate popped a combiflam (pain killer) and we left. By now we realized there were only 12 teams ahead of us. This fact got us charged up and we now wanted to be among the top 10 teams.

The idea of being in top 10 crossed our minds but we were still 7 KMs away when we reached CP9 (93.7km) only 11 teams were ahead of us. The gap had considerably reduced and we are now more determined to finish within the top 10 teams. Hence we skipped taking a break at CP 9 and just continue faster. At 96 KM, my teammate Naresh and me were limping but Balwant and Umesh -With renewed energy of combiflam were stronger. The gap between us was increasing.

I thought with this limping I will not be able to cover the gap so I started jogging and passed Balwant and Umesh. The idea was to move ahead and create a long gap and then rest for a while. Suddenly, I saw another team ahead. We as a team got together and decided that let’s attempt to cross them by running and try to be in top 10.

I could not believe myself and my eyes that we had actually started running. Naresh began with his limping but soon picked up pace. So last 4 Km were fun, we not only crossed the team ahead but, also got the 9th place overall with a timing of 28hrs:11Min:9 sec. We danced to the tune of the Bhangra music playing at the finish line and danced our way to the podium to collect our medals and certificates.

This journey could not have been complete without the support of many people. First and Foremost…the biggest support is our family. No words of thanks can do a justice to this.

We were also lucky to get two amazing guys, marathon runners and experienced Oxfam trail walkers Vishal Mahajan and Suresh Sharma as our support crew. Their smile/high fives/motivating words at every intersection and checkpoint kept us going. Their knowledge of the trail helped us a lot. How much ever we say thanks to them it is still not enough words of thanks are enough for them.

Also to be able to do this we had practiced for close to over 2 months. Since we are runners we used to do 7 to 8 km run daily and 12 to 18 km run on weekends. We did 2 practice walks one of 40 km one of 29 km by walking over 10-20 km and more every week.

Thanks to GOQii for support and motivating us and arranging many small, small things… Special thanks to Krishna Kumar and Vishal Gondal and above all thanks to all our donors who contributed towards the cause that we were walking for and without the donors this walk could not have been possible. Last but not the least a big thank you to my GOQii coach Kruti for supporting me with all the right advice for me to be able to complete this 100 km trailwalk.

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Do You Really need an Antibiotic??

Pills

It’s December and with the slight nip in the air or with temperatures dropping come to all common illnesses like fever, cold, cough, sore throat, body ache etc. It’s a very common sight to find most people self-medicating with antibiotics. Every second person knows about it from the previous prescription or just by walking into the chemist’s store voicing their symptoms and getting their strip of antibiotics, like Azithromycin, Erythromycin, Amoxicillin, Cefuroxime, Cefixime etc. But, I really doubt if these people even know what antibiotics are and what they are used for!

Most of the people have this notion that it is a magic pill for common ailments like cold, cough, fever.  Also, most are of the belief that with one or two doses of these tabs, they will be immediately cured of their ailment.

Well yes, I would say it is a magic pill but only for BACTERIAL INFECTIONS! Not all cold , cough, fever are due to bacterial infections, many a times its of viral infections which are self-limiting and needs to be controlled with paracetamol, taking rest and antibiotics have no role in treating viral infections.

So what are Antibiotics?
Antibiotics are powerful medicines that fight bacterial infections. When used properly, antibiotics save lives. They either kill bacteria or keep them from reproducing. Your body’s natural defenses can usually take it from there.
Common viral infections that do not benefit from antibiotic treatment include:

  • Cold
  • Flu (influenza)
  • Most coughs
  • Most sore throats
  • Some ear infections
  • Some sinus infections
  • Stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis)

Frequent and irrational use of antibiotics can cause Antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance occurs when an antibiotic has lost its ability to effectively control or kill bacterial growth; in other words, the bacteria are “resistant” and continue to multiply in the presence of therapeutic levels of an antibiotic leading to treatment complications and increased healthcare costs.

In spite of growing awareness of antibiotic resistance in recent years, overuse still occurs for a number of reasons:

  • Doctors may prescribe antibiotics before receiving test results that identify the actual cause of infection.
  • People who want quick relief from symptoms, regardless of the cause of illness, may pressure doctors for antibiotic prescriptions.
  • People may take antibiotics over the counter or via the Internet for self-diagnosed illnesses.
  • People may take antibiotics that are leftover from a previous prescription.

Consequences of Antibiotic resistance

  • More-serious illness or disability
  • More deaths from previously treatable illnesses
  • Prolonged recovery
  • More-frequent or longer hospitalization
  • More doctor visits
  • More-expensive treatments

“Then what do we do to get better”, patients ask??

Antibiotic Stewardship is the answer for this problem which is basically the appropriate use of antibiotics.

Many hospitals and medical associations have implemented new diagnostic and treatment guidelines to ensure effective treatments for bacterial infections and reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics.

The public also plays a role in antibiotic stewardship. You can help reduce the development of antibiotic resistance by taking the following steps:

  • Use antibiotics only as prescribed by your doctor.
  • Take the correct daily dosage and complete the entire course of treatment.
  • If for some reason you have leftover antibiotics, kindly consult your Doctor before self-popping as they might not be the correct antibiotic.
  • Never take antibiotics prescribed for another person.
  • Don’t pressure your doctor to give you an antibiotic prescription. Ask your doctor for advice on how to treat symptoms and look into Lifestyle options for better prevention.
  • Practice good hygiene.

As for viral infections like common flu, we can fight it by building our immunity by modifying our lifestyle for the better. Eat right, exercise often, de-stress and make sure you sleep well to give your body the much needed rest.

So let’s bid adieu to 2016 on a healthy note and a pledge to Stop Antibiotic Resistance!

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‘She has a dream’- Helping a girl child achieve her dreams

Umeed1000k

 

Umeed 1000K : Ride for a Cause

How often do we spend time doing something for others selflessly…..

A wide range of research has linked different forms of generosity to better health, even among the sick and elderly. Giving to others gives an inner happiness to one while also improving health. That is precisely how Jasmeet Singh Gandhi, a cycling enthusiast and a core team member heading sales and enterprise solutions at GOQii has combined his love for adventure with that of doing good in the society and in the process keeps himself healthy.

Passionate about supporting social causes especially in the areas of education and healthcare, Jasmeet started UMEED1000k, a Cyclothon concept to combine his passion for cycling and social cause. Jasmeet explains, “Umeeed means hope and Umeed 1000k is an annual cycling event where a team rides 1000kms to raise awareness and funds for a chosen cause”

The designer, initiator, and custodian of Umeed 1000K has in the last two years raised over Rs 2 crore to support the various cause by organizing and participating in various social events.

In his third year of Umeed1000k, he is going to ride along with three other riders from Mumbai to Hyderabad in a span of 9 days and aims to collect funds to support Udbhav School, in Hyderabad, with 630+ students till class X. The school provides holistic education to underprivileged children coming from urban slums, with a focus on girl children. The school is managed by the IIM-A Alumni Association. The association intends to set up 7 such across the country.

These children come from families whose average income is Rs 6000 per month and their school feels are Rs 100 to Rs 150 per month. Kids from this school are achievers and have been performing very well in sports. For instance Bhargavi, a student won third prize in All India National Junior Athletics (Running) Competition at Delhi. She has been selected for Asian Games and will be representing India in the year 2018. Similarly, Durga Prasad and Gautham secured 11thand 18th rank in India International Regatta out of total 104 participated from different countries –Dubai, Singapore, UAE, Turkraine, England, Ireland, and Thailand along with few other Indians in this competition.

So far Jasmeet has been able to raise close to Rs 2 lakh for helping a girl child achieve her dreams but he has a long way to go yet. For every donation you make RBL Bank will match that donation for this cause. Here is the donation link: https://www.ketto.org/fundraiser/umeed?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=fbpageshare&utm_campaign=umeed

Prior to raising funds for Udbhav School, Jasmeet did his first ride as part of Umeed1000k in November 2014 from Mumbai to Bengaluru in support of Iksha Foundation, Bangalore to provide for free surgeries to kids affected by eye cancer.(Retinoblastoma) and raised 2.5 million INR.

In December 2015 he cycled from Mumbai to Delhi in support of IIMPACT to provide free primary education to girl children in remote villages. He raised 13.7 million INR for this cause.

It’s not just about doing philanthropy but, much more than that. Giving to others has been shown to increase health benefits in people with chronic illness, including cancer and multiple sclerosis. The one reason giving may improve physical health and longevity is that it helps decrease stress, which is associated with a variety of health problems. Giving to others gives an inner happiness to one.

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DECODING DIABETES

Diabetes-Day

Last month, I had 2 patients on the same day diagnosed with Diabetes- one an overweight 34 year old IT professional and the other a 6-year-old girl. The reason, why this incident comes to my mind today is because they were both diabetics but, had different diabetes and even their course of treatments was different.

But, the first question I was asked in both the cases was whether they will need to be put on insulin injections immediately. Well, this is a common question asked by patients. To understand this condition better, let me try and explain a bit about the different types of diabetes on the basis of which the required treatment is normally recommended.

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin or both. Common symptoms of either diabetes are unexplained weight loss, excess hunger, and excess thirst and delayed wound healing.

Today, I would like to take you through specifically 3 major types of diabetes namely, Type 1, Type 2 and gestational Diabetes.

Let’s talk about

Type 1 Diabetes: is caused by a loss or malfunction of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. Damage to beta cells results in absence or insufficient production of insulin. Most cases of Type 1 Diabetes have an autoimmune basis in which immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own beta cells. These cases are detected either in childhood or teenage years. There are many theories about what causes type 1 diabetes like autoimmune disease, viral infection, genetic predisposition and environmental factors may also play a role.

Whatever be the cause, this missing insulin has to be replaced as insulin is necessary to sustain life. It is responsible for entry of glucose into the body cells from where the glucose is further utilized for energy and other activities. This glucose which is not entering the cells is circulating in the blood which gets detected as high blood sugar. The replacement insulin is administered by injection using a syringe or an insulin pump. Thanks to the invention of Insulin clubbed with a healthy lifestyle, a Type 1 diabetic is able to lead a happy good quality life.

Coming to Type 2 diabetes most often than not your tissues will be resistant to insulin, so the insulin is being produced but unfortunately not being utilized properly. It is the most common form of diabetes worldwide and accounts for 90-95% of the cases.

Insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes means the signal insulin gives to a cell is weakened. This results in less glucose uptake by muscle and fat cells and a reduction in insulin mediated activities inside cells.

Risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes include an Unhealthy Lifestyle (being physically inactive or less active, erratic food and sleep habits, stress), being overweight or obese and importantly family history of diabetes in close relatives.

Diabetes-Risk

We have ample medicine combinations for type 2 diabetes like tablets which keep the blood sugar under control. But if sufficient sugar control is not achieved in spite of oral medications and a healthy lifestyle, then insulin might be required for further management.

Another type of Diabetes I would like to talk about is Gestational diabetes which basically refers to diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy.

Pregnancy hormones can interfere with the way insulin works in the mother’s body which can lead to elevated blood glucose levels during pregnancy. Women are typically screened for gestational diabetes at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, however, women who have risk factors may be screened earlier.

Risk factors for developing gestational diabetes include having a family history of diabetes, being overweight, or over 28 years old. Blood glucose control during pregnancy is critical as elevated maternal glucose levels can lead to pregnancy complications and pose risks to the health of the baby. Gestational diabetes is likely to recur during subsequent pregnancies.

Gestational diabetes requires specialized treatment for the rest of the pregnancy. After the pregnancy is over, most women will have normal blood sugars again; however, up to 20-50 % can develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. Regular screening is recommended.

A study conducted on people at risk of type 2 diabetes, it was seen that those who lost just 7% of their weight and exercised about 30 minutes a day cut their risk of diabetes by nearly 60%. In a nutshell, irrespective of the type of diabetes the best prevention or diabetes management strategy is to eat healthy, stay active and keep a check on your weight.

Reference: University of California, San Francisco – Diabetes online Education website.

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]