The Importance Of Positive Attitude

Last week when 43-year-old T Bhattacharjee left his south Mumbai office late evening, little did he know that the next 72 hours he would be in an intensive care unit at a cardiac centre in the western suburbs.

Initially, he was feeling uneasy but as the time passed he felt increasingly breathless. He directed his driver to head straight towards the cardiac centre where his family doctor is based.

Fortunately, tests revealed that the symptoms were not related to the heart but was owing to increasing work pressure and lack of rest.

What can a middle-level coporate executive such as Bhattacharjee do to keep doctors at bay? No, the answer is not just an apple a day!

Most doctors identify lifestyle-related problems and personality characteristics as the fundamental causes of stress.

Constant work pressures and long hours lead to bad eating habits. These are compounded by frustrated ambitions and a feeling of left behind in the rat race. The cure lies in really doing the simple things well.

Families can be a great source of support and talking and interacting with them is a great stress buster.

Doctors also opine that it is important to find a hobby and focus on interest other than work. Short vacations are also recommended.

Finally, it is important to keep the green-eyed monster at bay. "Don't always look at people who are always better off than you are. For instance, you may be frustrated at about not being able to afford a vacation in Switzerland. Remember, there are thousands of people who cannot go Mahabaleshwar," says Nilesh Shah, chairman, NM Excellence.

Kyunki Musibhat Bolke Nahin Athi. This is not the name of the latest offering from the Balalji Telefilms stable but the guiding principle behind N M Excellence, a preventive health care centre at Bandra the distinctly upmarket Mumbai suburb.

Another leading player in the healthcare segment, Wockhardt Hospitals has a tied up with over 100 corporates for conducting a comprehensive health check-up. These tests range between a simple health check-up plan at Rs 1,300 per head to Rs 6,500.

As companies try to cut costs and personnel to remain competitive, one of the biggest victims of stress is the corporate executive.

"Stress is the biggest cause of disease today. It can cause diabetes and hypertension which in turn can lead to heart disease. Stress can even cause cancer," says Shah.

What do individuals, especially the hard-pressed corporate executive need to do ward off disease? What are the tests that need to be done?

While the finer details vary, most healthcare centres follow a two-pronged approach. A battery of tests for men below and above 35.

Similarly, another battery of tests for women below and above 35. Tests for men below 35 come at a cost of about Rs 5,000 at NM.

Blood, liver, renal, cholesterol, urine, heart, stool and CBS are the recommended tests, a complete physical examination, ECG, dental and sonography.

However, the 2-D Echo and cancer tests are given the go-by. For women below 35, uterine and ovary tests and a gynaecological examination are the norm. After 35, they undergo mammary examination in addition.

"Our health check-up plan is customised. For instance the requirement of IT professionals is entirely different from people who work on the shop floor. Fuel to noise pollution, people on the shop floor are subjected to audiometric tests. On the other hand, since IT professionals put in long hour before the computer screen, the emphasis is on ophthalmologic tests," says Vishal Bali, vice-president, Wockhardt Hospitals.

Further at Wockhardt, you can get specific tests done for the heart and kidney. Also as a part of the corporate programme, executives talk to a clinical psychologist and this helps in letting off steam. Finally, a positive attitude can go a long way in ensuring that nothing shows up on the tests.