Move Together to End Parkinson’s Disease
Happy World Brain Day!
Well, if you are here and can read our greetings, feel and resonate, consider yourself lucky, there are millions across the world who cannot.
In 2014, the Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee of World Federation of Neurology proposed 22 July (the foundation day of the federation) to be celebrated as “World Brain Day”. The main objective behind the celebration of this day is to increase public awareness and promote advocacy related to brain health. “Move Together to End Parkinson’s Disease,” is the theme for the year and World Brain Day 2020 is a collaboration between the World Federation of Neurology and the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (IPMDS). Year long events would be held to bring awareness.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain disease effecting the whole-body and of all ages. Additional resources are needed to find out the reasons of onset, its progress and ultimately find treatment. Till such time access to quality neurological care is to be made available and affordable. Parkinson disease lead to motor dysfunction and can significantly limit the patient’s ability to lead normal life. It is estimated that there are more than 7 million people effected Parkinson’s disease worldwide and likely to reach 12 million by 2050. The disease identified way back in 1817 by British physician, James Parkinson, and named after him.
The Brain is the most amazing and complex organ in the human body. Human Brain is the largest brain organ of all living organisms in terms of relative to body mass/size. The human brain has approximately 86 billion neurons which are probably connected by something like 850,000 km of axons and dendrites. The connections between these neurons help us to read, write, watch, learn, plan, think, feel, move and solve problems on a daily basis. Arteficial neural networks being used by computer science researcehrs trying to mimic the brain.
Our brain is divided into two lobes, right and left. The left is primarily responsible for analytical thinking and the right for creative thinking and eureka/euphoric moments. Most important is to have a balance between the both, which makes brain perform at its optimal capacity.
What you have to do to nurture your brain, feed it well, not only with good thoughts and nurturing by learning. Like any other organ, the brain too needs nutrients. Essential nutrients for healthy functioning of the brain includes – long-chain omega fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, fibre and vitamins such as – B1, B9, D & E. Healthy eating, avoidance of tobacco, drugs and alcohol, and excercising brain by reading and problem solving promotes strength of the Brain.
The difference between brain and mind has been a subject of debate since ancient times.
It is said that “Brain” is considered a physical manifestation of the “Mind”.
The Mind referred to as Chitta, Manas and Vijnana, is not so easy to control.
Sage Patanjali suggests:
योगेन चित्तस्य पदेन वाचां ।
Yogena Cittasya Padena Vaacaam |
I bow down with folded hands purifying the impurities of the Mind
(by removing the Chitta Vrittis) by Yoga
World has seen the living of great minds, who worked for the well being of the humanity. With increase in the number of nuclear families, younger generation finding greener pastures in far off destinations and life expectancy increasing, there is a need to establish mechanisms for elderly care. More so if they are challenged by diseases like Parkinson.
The human brain is so fascinating and is so closely linked to the health of the whole human being that we should promote healthy brains. During this pandemic situation when everyone is living under lockdown, people should share their experiences of what it is like to live with a neurological condition during COVID-19.
Need to take care of both your body and mind (or should it be Brain)!
Toons: Reema Jaiswal
Logs: Reema Jaiswal and Sai Baba
