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Most of us are familiar with the deep, golden-orange spice, turmeric, used for adding color, flavor, and nutrition to foods. The use of turmeric (Curcuma longa) can be traced back thousands of years and is still a key ingredient in foods particularly Indian and other Asian cuisines. Ayurveda has attributed numerous therapeutic applications to turmeric for treating a wide variety of diseases such as those of the skin, pulmonary system, gastrointestinal system, depression, hepatic disorders, aches, pains, wounds, and sprains which modern science is rediscovering.

Arjun (name changed on request), a 45-year old businessman who has been living in the Bay area for the past 20 years has been struggling with the problem of excessive anger in his life. He gets into uncontrolled rage and is unable to snap out of it. Arjun has been married for the past 15 years, and his spouse, Neerja, is an accountant.

In 1988, a classic double-blind randomized controlled study of aspirin and carotene was conducted among 22,000 American male physicians of the ages 40-84 years. The study provided evidence for a 44% drop in heart attacks for participants who took aspirin. As a result, aspirin was taken by many people over the age of 40 years around the world for primary prevention of heart attacks, many of whom were not even prescribed this drug by their healthcare providers. However, 20 years later, in 2018, many studies reversed this recommendation and only advocated it for secondary prevention or for those who have had a heart attack or stroke.  This message needs to be conveyed to people who have not had a heart attack or stroke and still think that daily intake of aspirin is beneficial.

Dr. Manoj Sharma, a Professor of Social and Behavioral Health answers queries on sleeplessness, its possible reasons and the ways to combat it.

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun thus casting a shadow. A complete solar eclipse will be occurring on April 8, 2024, that will be visible in North America. This will turn the day into darkness because the Moon’s angular diameter will be larger to prevent sunlight from reaching the Earth. The eclipse will start to appear in Mexico, moving through Texas and then the Midwest and sliding onto Canada. Several people want to watch the solar eclipse, but some precautions need to be kept in mind.

Last year a study done by a major insurance company in India, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, reported that 77% of Indians are experiencing at least one symptom of stress regularly. World Health Organization defines stress as, “a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation.” In simpler terms, stress is how our body, mind, and behaviors respond to outside events by interpreting them, and making judgments about controlling or influencing them.

Aahana (name changed on request), 16 years old, is a high-school student in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-Wisconsin) who came to the United States as a child. She has an older sibling who has been a straight A student and is now in medical school. However, Aahana has always struggled with her performance in school. She has been shamed by her family and Indian-origin peers who have excelled in school. Her poor performance was always attributed to her laziness and a lack of applying herself.

We may never be able to “get over” the loss of a loved one but can learn to live again by keeping positive memories while forgetting the negative ones.