A two-day stress and detox leadership meet of the State and Local Branch Presidents and Secretaries of the Indian Medical Association and stakeholders of Heart Care Foundation of India is ongoing at the Om Shanti Retreat Centre, Pataudi Road, Near Manesar, Gurgaon, Delhi-NCR. The aim of the workshop is to address the increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases amongst doctors and the public due to high levels of stress. Key matters concerning the medical profession at large including the increasing violence against doctors, the need to reform the PCPNDT Act were also discussed.
During his address to the attendees, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal – Honorary Secretary General & President Elect IMA and President Heart Care Foundation of India said, “Stress is the reaction of the body or the mind to the interpretation of a known situation. Stress management, therefore, involves either changing the situation, changing the interpretation or taming the body in such a way that stress does not affect the body. Every situation has two sides. Change of interpretation is looking at the other side of the situation. It is something like considering half a glass of water, which can be interpreted as half empty or half full.”
Research indicates that anger, hostility and aggression are the new risk factors for heart disease. It has been shown that even recall of anger can precipitate a heart attack.
Adding to this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr A Marthanda Pillai, Past President IMA said, “Positive discussion in a healthcare system can result in better outcome. With the stresses that come with being effective medical practitioners, it is essential that each and every doctor takes out time for himself, and takes care of his/her overall health and well-being as well. It is also their duty to raise mass level awareness about the incidence of lifestyle diseases due to everyday stresses.”
The best way to practice spiritual medicine is to experience silence in one’s thoughts, speech and actions. Simply walking amidst nature with silence in the mind and experiencing the sounds of nature can be as effective as 20 minutes of meditation. 20 minutes of meditation provides the same physiological parameters as that of seven hours of deep sleep.
Management of stress, therefore, involves either removing the known situation or changing one’s interpretation or preparing the body in such a way that the stress does not affect the mind and the body. But, removing the known situation may not be possible all the time. For example, if you are stressful in a job, resigning may not be feasible.
The modality, therefore, is to change your interpretation towards the stressful situation for which one should start thinking positively and different and choose the resultant options within, which do not hurt the heart.
Speaking on the occasion, BK Brij Mohan, Principle Secretary Brahma Kumaris, BK Asha, Director OM Shanti Retreat Centre, BK Sapna, Centre in charge Lajpat Nagar in a joint statement said, “Apart from counselling, one can also prepare the body in such a way that stress does not bother them. This can be done by learning the art of parasympathetic breathing, relaxation, meditation and regular exercise.”
Changing of the interpretation is what in allopathic terms is described as cognitive behaviour therapy, the origin of which comes from Bhagavad Gita where Lord Krishna counsels Arjuna following the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.