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Denis Giles

13 December 2015

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By Almas Shamim

What if you were told your best friend was HIV positive?

What if you were told YOU were HIV positive?

Would your reactions and emotions to the above two questions be the same? Would you feel equally confused and shocked at the two disclosures? Would you judge your friend and yourself using the same measures?

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These and many more questions become very relevant when we talk about the discrimination that HIV positive people across the world face. The stigma associated with being HIV+ keeps many ‘positive people’ from disclosing their status to even their friends and family members. Disclosure can bring major changes in the way people treat you. There have been instances where ‘positive’ school kids have been expelled from school, ‘positive’ employees have been suspended from jobs and ‘positive’ daughters-in-law have been thrown out from their husbands’ homes.

The recent statement by Charlie Sheen, the actor from the American television series “Two and a Half Men”, famous for his sexist remarks on women, on his HIV positive status, drew mixed comments from viewers. While some came out in support of the actor’s brave move of opening up to the audiences about his status, some others criticized him for being so late in doing so, yet others simply hating on the fact that he is HIV positive. It is this ‘hatred’ for HIV positive people which is worrisome.

The fear that we may be discriminated against forces many to never even consider getting tested. Some of us would rather get a disease and die than find out if we have an infection and try to curb it. Some others amongst us would make the effort to get tested but if found positive, would not even care to inform it to their sexual partners. Some others, who may get tested and inform their families about their status, still face discrimination on a daily basis by people who refuse to sit beside them, work with them or even talk to them. Such behavior has a huge impact on the mental well being of the patient and may even adversely affect the positive person’s will power to continue on HIV treatment: All this only due to the fear of being discriminated against.

We, as responsible citizens, should remember that the mark of a truly developed society is not just in making a treatment available to the patients, but in ensuring that these patients are accepted as whole beings and treated with the same dignity and respect that every other individual expects. We must make ourselves aware of the transmission pattern of these highly stigmatized diseases and take preventive measures against them but we must ensure that by adopting these preventive means, we aren’t in any way encroaching upon the rights of another person and not discriminating against the people who have already acquired these infections/ diseases. This will not only help in building  cohesive and caring society, but also, ensure that HIV infected people adhere to their treatment and be active members in preventing the transmission of the infection.

Leaving you with two interesting videos on HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40_gVVw2pKw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTcsZl7u4DY

Almas Shamim is a public health specialist with a great interest in sexual and reproductive health and rights, and feminism among Muslim women. She currently works for an international humanitarian aid organization in New Delhi

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Denis Giles

02 December 2015

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By Dr. Puneet Arora

Are you or your kid is showing these symptoms:

• Difficulty in breathing?

• Cough of long duration?

• Breathlessness on any physical exertion (Climbing stairs, physical playing, loud laughing or talking, forceful urination or passing stool, etc.)?

• Heaviness/weight sensation on chest?

• Whistling/Wheezing on expiration?

• Stress on throat, chest, or abdominal muscles during respiration?

If any of these symptoms are present, there is possibility that you or your kid is suffering from Asthma.

Reasons of Asthma:

• Mental cause: There is a strong tendency seen in people showing strong emotions like:

 Anger.

 Excitement.

 Emotional instability.

 Sudden fright. Fearful kids. For e.g. sound of crackers, sudden loud noise or scolding by parents.

• Physical cause:

   Weather change.

 Pollution. It comprises vehicle generated gases, smoking etc.

 Pollens.

 Use of Perfumes/Scents/Deodorants.

• Low Immunity: Above-mentioned causes are not solely responsible for aggravating or causing asthmatic attacks. People with low immunity or low health restoration power if affected by above-mentioned reasons may suffer from asthma. Low immunity has a strong reason of being present. That can vary from strong medication or over-use of antibiotics in childhood to wrong medication or suppressed skin eruptions.

Seashore Asthma:

This is a particular condition seen in people residing near sea. These people show marked reaction to humid and cold air coming from sea. Homoeopathy has very effective results in this condition.

Homoeopathic Approach:

As termed in my last article, “Homoeopathy treats the man in disease, not disease in man”. Here we have to treat the person suffering as a whole and up to the exact cause i.e. mainly the ‘low immunity’ with right homoeopathic medicine.

As soon as immunity of the patient rises against the odds, patient starts showing improvement in every aspect.

It’s being seen clinically that patients under intense medications like nebulization or anti-allergics or anti-biotics for Asthma have shown remarkable correction in health after homoeopathic medicines as they have gained immunity against the causative factors with complete stopping of nebulization.

Medicines like Arsenic, Bromium, Medorrhinum, Natrium muriaticum, Sambucus, Spongia etc shows remarkable results in asthma and associated complaints. But it is always advisable that homoeopathic medicine should be taken under proper consultation of homoeopathic physician, where the whole totality should be considered before prescription.

Patients should avoid taking homoeopathic patents, mixtures, combinations available in medical stores, as they do not reach up to the deep level of cause and shows superficial results with long time after-effects like weak eyes, graying of hair, abdominal cramps, and weakness of memory with increase in weight especially in children.

Dr. Puneet Arora and Dr. Kritika Arora are Classical Homoeopaths practicing in Delhi especially for special children suffering from Autism, Cerebral palsy, mental retardation etc with emphasis on other illnesses too under roof of Urjaa Homoeo Clinic

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Denis Giles

09 December 2015

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Are you depressed?

By Dr. Puneet Arora

If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms—especially the first two—and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from depression.

• You feel hopeless and helpless?

• You’ve lost interest in friends, activities, and things you used to enjoy?

• You feel tired all the time?

• Your sleep and appetite has changed?

• You can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult?

• You can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try?

• You are much more irritable, short-tempered, or aggressive than usual?

• You’re consuming more alcohol than normal or engaging in other reckless behaviour?

Causes and risk factors for depression:

• Loneliness.

• Lack of social support.

• Recent stressful life experiences.

• Family history of depression.

• Marital or relationship problems.

• Financial strain.

• Early childhood trauma or abuse.

• Alcohol or drug abuse.

• Unemployment or underemployment.

• Prolonged and mal-treated health problems.

Road to recovery:

• ‘TALK’- This is the first and primary step on the road to recovery. Talk your heart out to the people you trust, like or love but face to face, not on phone or messages.

• Put on some music and dance around. It will help in releasing negative energy and make you relax.

• Keep a pet. It will make you feel emotionally more relaxed and stable.

• Pair up with an exercise partner.

• Involve yourself in small household works to divert your attention from the problem area.

• THROW AWAY your gadgets as soon as possible. In this modern world of technology, gadgets like smart phones, laptops, tablets and PSPs are the biggest threat to emotions, creativity and warm relations.

Homoeopathic approach:

It’s all in the cause which makes a true homoeopath prescribe for depression. Homoeopathy has shown wonderful, curative action in cases suffering from depression.

Since my previous articles, I m emphasizing that “Homoeopathy treats the man in disease not disease in man”, which is the base of homoeopathy and it implies here also. Here, when a homoeopath prescribes, after taking the whole life situation of the patient in scenario, cure is surely hoped for.

Homoeopathy helps in correction of psych of the person.

Medicines like Ignatia, Natrium mur, Arsenic alb, Aurum Met, Sepia are the commonest remedies in homoeopathy for depression but all the prescriptions in right homoeopathy are based on true picture of disease as well as the patient so before prescription, case taking is required for eliciting the root cause of disease and how the person reacted to the situation.

Dr. Puneet Arora and Dr. Kritika Arora are practicing in Delhi at Urjaa Homoeo Clinic and can be contacted over Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Twitter handle: @DrPuneetArora1 and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/urjaahom/ 

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Denis Giles

25 November 2015

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By Dr. Puneet Arora

• Myth: Homoeopathy acts slowly.

Fact: Action of homoeopathic medicine is dependent on immune reaction of the patient as well as nature of disease. Healing restoration power of patient plays vital role in healing.

For e.g. complaints like diabetes, hypertension, chronic skin complaints like eczema or psoriasis may take longer time to get corrected where as complaints like Jaundice, typhoid, tonsillitis, hepatitis, Acute renal failure etc shows results as soon as possible after correct homoeopathic medication.

• Myth: Homoeopathic medicines contain steroids.

Fact: There is no relation between homoeopathic medicines and steroids. Homoeopathic medicines are prepared from plants, animal secretions, minerals, metals and solar, lunar as well as magnetic radiations.

Preparation of Homoeopathic medicines follows proper rules and regulations of Indian government and homoeopathic pharmacopeia maintained by regularized body like CCH.

•Myth: There is no side effect of homoeopathic medication.

Fact: There are side effects of homoeopathic medicines, we should say prognostic symptoms, which depend on nature of disease, and the medicine administered.

•Myth: There are many dietary restrictions along with homoeopathic medicines.

Fact: There are no such long lists of dietary restrictions during course of treatment. Only those certain things are restricted which have direct or indirect effect on disease condition or/and functionality of medicine administered.  For e.g. as people say that onion and garlic should be avoided during treatment, there is no such scientific finding to support this as seen clinically.

•Myth: Homoeopathy has very limited scope in terms of diseases.

Fact: Homoeopathy is the most complete, scientific and latest medical science based on nature’s principles with results shown by IIT scientists. Homoeopathy treats ‘the man in disease not disease in man’. It’s clinically seen that homoeopathy gives good results in all kind of illnesses; may it be auto-immune disorders or neurological disorders or any other form of disease.

•Myth: Homoeopathic medicines can only be given to certain age group patients.

Fact: Homoeopathic medicines can be given to every age group. It can be administered to infants, pregnant women, or old patients.

•Myth: Anyone can practice homoeopathy.

Fact: Homoeopathy can be practiced only by registered degree containing doctor. Degree can be BHMS/DHMS/GHMS minimum with post-graduation also. Bad effects or side effects are seen more in cases handled by people practicing it without proper knowledge.

“Homoeopathy is a complete science based on deep philosophy and scientific knowledge and research.”

(Dr. Puneet Arora can be contacted over Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Twitter Handle: @DrPuneetArora1 and Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/urjaahom/)