A webinar titled “Healthy Family Happy Family” was hosted jointly by Kauvery Hospital and The Hinduas part of the latter’s Wellness serieson Wednesday.
Organised on the eve of World Health Day, the webinar gave a bird’s eye view of family medicine, pediatric and geriatric care.
The panelists advised theaudience on how they can make it as far as possible — pain-free, stress-free and disease-free.
Kavitha Sundaravadanam, Senior Family Physician, Kauvery Hospital, Chennai, saidthat family medicine should give comprehensive and continuing healthcare, cater to all age groups and genders and should integrate biological, clinical and behavioural sciences. “Unless everybody is happy and healthy in a family, it is not a complete home,” she said.
A family physician was a doctor who is specially trained in primary care with in-depth practice in adult and pediatric care, preventive health and OB care. Dr. Kavitha spoke about a set of hacks that adults, senior citizens and children can follow to stay healthy and happy.
P. Meganathan, Consultant Pediatrician, Kauvery Hospital, Tiruchi, spoke about how breastfeeding was good not just for the baby but also for the mother. He said it reduced the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, reduced stress, depression and type 2 diabetes. “Breastfeeding is the first gift that you can give your baby. It is the first vaccine. It is vital for the physical and mental well-being of the child,” he said.
He advised parents to give ‘colourful’ foods instead of ‘coloured’ foods, strictly say ‘no’ to screens especially if the kids are below two years as it may hamper their brain development.
S. Manicka Saravanan, MD, Geriatric Medicine (AIIMS Delhi), Consultant Geriatrician, Kauvery Hospital, explained the common health problems the geriatric population faced. He urged elderly people to follow the “Ikigai way of life” to find one’s purpose in life and pursue it. “Eat well, move well, think well and connect well. Find your purpose and it will eventually lead to happiness,” he said.
The panelists later answered various health-related questions from the audience.
