Lifestyle And Gastritis Disorder

Pushpa Priya 

At present, gastritis is not only observed in youths and older people but also in children. Genetic history and environment are also the causes behind gastritis. Similarly, in the name of fashion and class status, many youths indulge in intoxicated things like: Smoking and in taking wine. The peer group pressure, stressful life, expectations from oneself and parents, pressurized academics and rigorous professional world are also some of the major factors behind causing intense gastritis that may further take form of cancer if not treated on time. 

According to Dr. Bidhan Poudel, Executive Director of Civil Services Hospital and expert on Gastritis, the main causing factor for gastritis is Helicobacter Pylori and food habits. He felt there is an urgency to generate awareness among parents in taking care of their children through proper care and healthy diet. 

He suggested for prioritising health as primary entity and stated that this kind of awareness could reduce gastritis problem and save life of victims and the ones who are in the process of getting victimised. 

According to Dr. Bidhan, expert on gastritis, some of the common symptoms of gastritis are: upset stomach, indigestion, loss of appetite, heartburn; etc. For prevention, he suggests stress free life, regular exercise, avoiding spicy and fried food, avoiding carbonated beverages, avoiding smoking since they are responsible for the increment of production of stomach acid.

Unless they are aware and motivated, positive changes in children is rather impossible. Many insights from the health experts about how to help children grow physically, emotionally and mentally healthy may help parents too for their personal development. 

Most importantly, he suggests parental initiation in preventing their children for any serious problem caused by gastritis. Nowadays, Parents for their own comforts feed their children with junk foods or fast food that directly or indirectly pushing them with chronic diseases. In fact, parents should work hard to imbibe healthy food habits in their children, and also need to take care of proper hygiene of their children that may help them with developing clean and healthy habits ensuring healthy and happy life. 

When any of the problems exists, there is a need to identify its root cause. In today’s context, many children are unknowingly becoming victims of gastritis. 

And this is really a threatening situation since child of today cannot be turned into  a father of tomorrow .When our children are victimized with diseases since a young age, it may lead several negative consequences not only on their personal level but also to family, community and nation as a whole. 

There may not be guarantee of making a prosperous nation as there won’t be existence of healthy mind in a healthy body. Parents play a vital role in shaping the future of the children; and in the very process parents must provide everything for the children that may ensure their physical and psychological well-being in an efficient manner.  

Teaching curriculum most prioritize health education in a practical-oriented manner. Although we find health education in school curriculum but that only acts as a puppet since many teachers teach only theoretical aspects of them ignoring the real practice.

 Evaluation of the students’ abilities and grading system should not only be limited to the theoretical knowledge of the students but also on how they implement their theoretical knowledge into practice in an efficient manner.  For instance, teachers should encourage students in regular physical exercise, drinking water, having healthy foods. 

And there should be grading based on these healthy practices. Children cannot turn out to be a healthy citizen in the days to come unless there is provision for practical-oriented education. In addition to this, there should also be a compulsory   parental educational program to generate awareness among parents on how to ensure happy and healthy life of their children. 

Unless they are aware and motivated, positive changes in children is rather impossible. Many insights from the health experts about how to help children grow physically, emotionally and mentally healthy may help parents too for their personal development. 

Different NGOs, INGOs working on health issues should organize health awareness program at different places focusing mainly school; and should not only educate students but also parents. Government should also take a great initiative on how to build healthy nation through grooming children, youths and elder people of nation. For this, they should first spread awareness in remote rural areas and gradually come to city area. Health is first priority of nation as well and therefore there is an urgency to address this problem with possible solutions.  

Governments should feel responsible to train many health professionals in an effective way so that they may act as a catalyst to foster healthy citizens. The development of the nation depends on healthy citizen and therefore this kind of initiation should be kept under serious consideration. Similarly, health education teachers should also be well guided and trained by the government so that meaningful delivery on health education may really help the students grow happy, healthy and prosperous.

(The writer teaches English at Kathmandu Colleges)