5 Habits that Actually Changed My Life - Dr. B. M. Hegde

The transcript focuses on health and wellness, emphasizing that health is not merely the absence of disease but a holistic balance of body and mind. The speaker critiques the medical industry's reliance on flawed studies and the commercialization of health, advocating for a more natural approach to well-being. Key points include the importance of lifestyle choices such as moderation in diet, the benefits of walking over jogging, and the detrimental effects of hatred on health. The discussion also critiques the pharmaceutical industry's influence on science, advocating for self-awareness and natural remedies as effective health strategies.

• Criticism is valuable when it aims to improve an organization or situation.
• Constructive criticism is linked to a desire to help and improve, rather than just criticize for the sake of it.

"He has a right to criticize who has a heart to help."

• Criticism should be aimed at helping and improving the situation or organization.

• Health is not simply the absence of disease; it is possible to be healthy even with a disease.
• Health should be viewed positively, not as a mere absence of illness.
• Diseases are inevitable, but worrying about them can invite more health issues.

"Health is not absence of disease. That's a negative connotation given to it by the WHO because they want to make industry out of it."

• Health is often misunderstood as merely the absence of disease, which is a misconception perpetuated by organizations for profit motives.

• Lifestyle choices, such as moderation in diet and exercise, play a crucial role in maintaining health.
• A balanced lifestyle includes moderation in food, exercise, and maintaining a compassionate mindset.
• One's own body can indicate health status without the need for constant medical checkups.

"If you have all your and your other things balanced and if you keep everything in moderation food walking exercise everything in moderation and if you do not hate nobody and if you keep your mind free and filled with compassion, you are very healthy."

• A holistic approach to lifestyle, including moderation and mental well-being, contributes significantly to health.

• The mind is not located in the brain; it is a part of consciousness and is present in every cell of the body.
• Hatred and negative emotions can lead to health issues, including autoimmune diseases.

"Mind is your consciousness. Your whole consciousness and mind is a canvas on your thoughts are projected and every cell in your body has a mind."

• The mind extends beyond the brain, influencing health and well-being through every cell in the body.

• Many medical practices and beliefs are based on myths or flawed studies, such as the benefits of running marathons or specific dietary rules.
• The scientific community is often influenced by financial incentives, leading to biased research outcomes.

"Running a marathon is a bad exercise. It's bad for health and it's one of the disease producers."

• Common health practices, like marathon running, may not be beneficial and are often promoted due to misinformation.

• Scientific research is heavily influenced by funding, which can compromise the integrity of scientific findings.
• Researchers may alter data to secure future funding, leading to widespread misinformation in the medical field.

"Science is a prisoner of money because money grant comes and one who gets more grant is a bigger scientist."

• Financial incentives can distort scientific research, leading to questionable conclusions and practices.

• Eating in moderation and listening to one's body cues are more important than strict dietary rules.
• Fat is not inherently bad for health, contrary to popular belief, and should be consumed in moderation.
• The notion that fat causes heart disease is based on flawed studies.

"Fat is very good for health. Fat is good for the heart. And fat must be eaten but in moderation."

• Fat has been wrongly demonized due to flawed research, but it is essential for health when consumed properly.

• Excessive exercise, such as jogging or running marathons, can be harmful rather than beneficial.
• Physical activity should be tailored to individual needs and not based on generalized advice.

"Jogging is very very bad for health."

• Not all forms of exercise are beneficial, and some, like jogging, may be detrimental to health.

• Jogging is detrimental to the ankle and knee joints and is not beneficial for the heart.
• Walking is recommended as a suitable exercise for humans, as it aligns with our physiology.
• Cycling and swimming are also beneficial exercises, but caution is advised when learning swimming at an older age.

"Jogging will destroy your ankle joint. Jogging will destroy your knee joint and jogging is not good for the heart also. But walking is good. Man is meant to walk."

• Jogging can lead to joint damage, while walking is a more natural and less harmful exercise for humans.

• Exercise is best done on an empty stomach to avoid overloading the heart.
• Exercising after a full meal can strain the heart due to increased blood supply needed for digestion.

"Exercise, what time of the day? Preferably on an empty stomach when you don't have too much of food. But do not exercise on a full stomach at all because it loads the heart very heavily."

• Exercising on an empty stomach is recommended to prevent additional strain on the heart.

• Relaxation activities vary based on individual preferences and can include listening to music, playing cards, or socializing.
• The effectiveness of relaxation is subjective and depends on personal enjoyment.

"If you love music, go ahead. Music will give you relaxation. If you love playing cards, go ahead. It'll give you relaxation."

• Personal enjoyment is key to effective relaxation, and activities should be chosen based on what individuals find relaxing.

• The study identified three critical health factors: avoiding alcohol, avoiding tobacco, and maintaining social relationships.
• Alcohol consumption has no health benefits and can cause severe health issues.
• Having a strong social network contributes to longer, healthier, and happier lives.

"Three things came out. A drinking alcohol is very bad for health. B don't smoke. Three have a lot of friends. Talk to them daily. Make them happy."

• Avoiding alcohol and tobacco and fostering social connections are essential for a healthy life.

• Observational research involves long-term studies of groups, unlike cross-sectional research, which can lead to conflicting conclusions.
• The Harvard Alumni Study is an example of observational research that provides insights over decades.

"They did a study like the study in Ayurveda for what's called observational research. Thousands of years, you observe a group of people unlike what we do in medicine called cross-sectional research."

• Observational research provides more reliable long-term insights compared to cross-sectional studies.

• Many medical practices, such as routine tests and unnecessary procedures, are questioned for their efficacy and necessity.
• Clinical medicine, involving thorough patient examination, is emphasized over reliance on tests.

"Clinical medicine has died. You go to the doctor nobody examines you. They just write tests, a battery of tests and then write about 100 medicines."

• The importance of clinical examination and skepticism towards over-reliance on tests and procedures is highlighted.

• The mind plays a crucial role in overall health and well-being.
• Mental stability and a peaceful mind can prevent heart attacks, even with blocked arteries.

"A block in the coronary artery does not give you a heart attack. Heart attack comes when the mind is unstable."

• Mental health is directly linked to physical health, particularly in preventing heart-related issues.

• Procedures like angiograms and stenting are often overused and may not be necessary.
• Alternative approaches, such as lifestyle changes and mental well-being, are recommended for heart health.

"Angog is not a diagnostic test of anything because even schoolgoing children if you do an angog they will have blocks."

• The necessity and effectiveness of coronary procedures are questioned, advocating for less invasive approaches.

• The speaker discusses a 97-year-old man who finds happiness and purpose by directing traffic, emphasizing the role of happiness in longevity.
• The body's natural repair system, or immune system, is crucial for healing and maintaining health.
• The mind plays a significant role in healing; believing in one's health can lead to actual health improvements.

"Happiness keeps you alive."

• Happiness contributes significantly to longevity and overall well-being.

"Your own body is built to last... the immune system is ingrained in the body so that whatever happens, the immune system will heal."

• The body's natural repair mechanisms, particularly the immune system, are fundamental to maintaining health.

"If you believe you are fine, you're fine, and your body heals so beautifully."

• The power of belief and a positive mindset can significantly influence physical health and healing.

• The immune system is the body's repair mechanism, healing injuries and maintaining health.
• Ayurveda focuses on keeping the immune system intact, with practices like panchakarma to boost immunity.
• Recent scientific discoveries about the immune system led to a Nobel Prize, highlighting its importance.

"Ayurveda is all about keeping the immune system intact."

• Ayurveda emphasizes maintaining a strong immune system as key to health.

"When the immune system is fine, you are fine."

• A well-functioning immune system is essential for overall health and well-being.

• Western medicine often focuses on creating molecules and drugs, sometimes influenced by pharmaceutical companies.
• There is skepticism about the necessity of certain medical treatments, such as bypass surgeries.
• The speaker highlights the importance of natural healing and questions the motives behind some medical practices.

"Western medicine doesn't believe in that because they want to have a molecule."

• Western medicine tends to focus on drug development rather than holistic health approaches.

"None of them needed bypass surgery."

• The necessity of some medical procedures, like bypass surgeries, is questioned.

• The speaker mentions a book by Peter Duesberg and Kary Mullis, questioning the link between HIV and AIDS.
• The cause of AIDS is debated, with some suggesting immune deficiency from various causes, not just HIV.

"Peter and I know one thing for certain, and that is HIV virus does not cause AIDS."

• There is controversy and debate about the true cause of AIDS, with some experts questioning the established link to HIV.

• Over-reliance on medication for minor ailments is criticized.
• The speaker advocates for reducing unnecessary medication use to avoid adverse effects.

"There is no pill for every ill, but there is an ill following every pill."

• Overmedication can lead to additional health problems, and caution is advised in using medication.

• The concept of "health expectancy" is introduced, focusing on living without reliance on medication.
• India is highlighted as having a high health expectancy compared to the United States.

"Health expectancy... the number of years a newborn child can expect to live without tablets and doctors."

• Health expectancy emphasizes living a healthy life without dependence on medication.

• Routine health checkups when healthy are questioned.
• The speaker argues that true health cannot be obtained through medical checkups.

"When you're healthy, why checkup?"

• The necessity and effectiveness of preventive health checkups are questioned.

• Happiness and positive mental health are crucial for a strong immune system.
• Giving and helping others can lead to personal happiness and improved health.

"Happiness is the key to a healthy immune system."

• Maintaining happiness and mental well-being is essential for physical health.

"The art of giving... your health will improve."

• Acts of giving and helping others can enhance personal happiness and health.

• Controlling the mind involves forgiveness and letting go of negative emotions.
• Forgiveness is seen as a powerful tool for maintaining a healthy heart and mind.

"Forgiveness is the best medicine for a heart."

• Forgiveness can lead to emotional healing and improved heart health.

• The competitive culture in education and society is criticized for leading to negative behaviors like corruption.
• Emphasis is placed on self-improvement rather than competing with others.

"Competing with others is mediocrity, but competing with oneself is excellence."

• Self-improvement is encouraged over competing with others, promoting personal excellence.

• The speaker invites questions, acknowledging the uniqueness of individual concerns.
• Emphasis is placed on the importance of personal understanding and questioning established norms.

"I can't be answering everybody because when a lecture it's like a camp approach."

• Individual questions and concerns are recognized as important for personal understanding.

• The discussion begins with the relationship between food habits and human nature, particularly focusing on vegetarianism.
• There is a mention of the three kinds of food as per the Gita: Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic.
• The debate about whether vegetarianism inherently makes a person good is addressed.

"I never said vegetarian diet will make you a good human being. I never said that."

• Clarifies that vegetarianism does not necessarily equate to moral goodness.

"Vegetarianism doesn't make you a good man, but it makes you a you know a tranquil man."

• Suggests that while vegetarianism may promote tranquility, it doesn't guarantee goodness.

• The cultural perspective on fish as a vegetarian option, especially in certain regions like Bengal, is discussed.
• The speaker shares a personal anecdote about being offered fish as prasad in a temple, highlighting cultural differences.

"For Bengalis, it is. We offer fish as a prasad in the temple."

• Illustrates how cultural practices influence perceptions of vegetarianism.

• The importance of exercise and its relation to long-term health is questioned.
• The speaker acknowledges that some people remain healthy without exercising, attributing it to individual constitution.

"Some people don't exercise at all. I have seen people who don't exercise at all but they also remain healthy."

• Recognizes the variability in health outcomes related to exercise.

• Discusses the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the risks of excessive supplementation.
• Emphasizes natural sunlight exposure as a source of vitamin D.

"The best vitamin D for Indians is to sit in the sun for 1 hour. You get first-class D3 natural D3."

• Advocates for natural methods of obtaining vitamin D over supplements.

• Explores the connection between emotional states and cancer, particularly focusing on hatred.
• Discusses the potential for hatred to be inherent in human nature.

"Hatred comes in your nature itself."

• Suggests that negative emotions may have deeper roots in human behavior.

• Examines the impact of lifestyle choices such as smoking and drinking on happiness and health.
• Shares a story of a patient who resumed harmful habits despite health advice.

"I am happy as I am."

• Highlights the subjective nature of happiness and the difficulty in changing habits.

• Addresses concerns about metals in Ayurvedic medicines and their potential health risks.
• Argues that properly prepared Ayurvedic medicines convert metals into non-harmful forms.

"If the Ayurvedic medicine is prepared scientifically, these metals get converted into nanoparticles and picoparticles."

• Emphasizes the importance of proper preparation in reducing health risks.

• Discusses the nutritional benefits of seeds and nuts, which contain essential minerals.
• Asserts their overall health benefits despite containing some metals.

"All seeds and nuts are good because they contain zinc and cadmium and things like that."

• Affirms the positive health contributions of seeds and nuts.

• Critiques the business interests that perpetuate cancer-causing substances in everyday products.
• Highlights the lack of government intervention in banning harmful substances like tobacco.

"The biggest cause of cancer is tobacco."

• Calls attention to the need for stronger regulatory actions against known carcinogens.

• Discusses the limitations of health checkups and the potential for false positives.
• Questions the definition of "normal" in medical assessments.

"Health checkup is a myth because we don't have a definition of normal."

• Critiques the reliance on average metrics in determining health statuses.

• Warns about the health risks associated with prolonged mobile phone usage due to radiation.
• Notes an increase in brain tumors linked to mobile phone radiation.

"Mobile phones emit quite a lot of radiation, and there's an epidemic of acoustic neuroma."

• Raises awareness about the potential dangers of mobile phone radiation.

• Discusses varying water intake needs and the general recommendation based on body weight.
• Emphasizes the importance of water for bodily functions.

"On an average, it is estimated that about 30 ml of water per kilogram body weight is ideal."

• Provides a guideline for adequate water consumption based on individual body weight.

• Evaluates different types of cooking oils and their health benefits.
• Recommends coconut oil for its immune system benefits.

"The best oil probably for cooking is coconut oil."

• Suggests coconut oil as a beneficial option due to its unique properties.

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the key ideas and discussions presented in the transcript, organized into distinct themes for clarity and ease of study.