Rotten minds sell rotten meat

WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Just like this problem is not just rotten meat , chicken, the problem is of ethics , morality , honesty in our society and rewards or punishment you get from all including society for being honest and dedicated in our work. By now we all have read about the dangers of eating rotten meat , chicken or adulterated milk which is taken  by pregnant ,lactating women or children and in our daily tea.

Rotten minds can not only sell rotten meat, chicken, fish but also give preference to meritocracy, relationships in giving jobs be it government sector or developmental sector.

While we cannot condone the hazardous practices of SOME in preparing food items, we must also wonder why there was an exponential increase in the number of food outlets in Kashmir after 2000 and decrease in the number of libraries ,playing grounds and parks. People in Kashmir remained in stress from 1990 onwards and there is definitely a role of binge and stress eating. According to research published by Harvard Medical school “ During Stress, the hormones are secreted in high levels, and the effects of high-fat, sugary “comfort foods” push people toward overeating. Researchers have linked weight gain to stress, and according to an American Psychological Association survey, about one-fourth of Americans rate their stress level as 8 or more on a 10-point scale.

In the short term, stress can shut down appetite.Do we think it will be less in any state ? The adrenal glands release a hormone called cortisol, and cortisol increases appetite and may also ramp up motivation in general, including the motivation to eat. Once a stressful episode is over, cortisol levels should fall, but if the stress doesn’t go away — or if a person’s stress response gets

stuck in the “on” position — cortisol may stay elevated”  People having constant stress in life be it of job, domestic violence, marriage tend to comfort themselves by eating junk food or like in Kashmir Wazwan at roadside food outlets.

As a society we should be asking how many new play grounds have been inaugurated in comparison to junk food outlets? How many gyms in Kashmir have required registration?

Rot in our cannot be confined to just rotten meat and adulterated milk.

Skills which made Kashmir’s self-reliant like making Shawls, Pashmina, Sozni work, NAQASHI, KHATITI, Copper work , Carpets, Paper Mache , growing Saffron, preparing Wazwan, and Tourism as industry RENDERED USELESS BY MAKING COUNTERFEIT OF ALL THESE. So why are we SURPRISED at rotten meat, chicken, fish?

Remedy- is long and holistic, it starts with having spaces in our areas for play grounds, social support groups, and meditation. In JK mosques, temples, gurudwaras  should be used as places where youngsters not just pray but can play a game of badminton and talk with elders of the locality.

Author is a freelance medical doctor spreading awareness on mental heath and non-communicable diseases