HEALTH

Programme on diabetes management
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 18
The Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine, Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), organised a CME on diabetes management. Diabetes is a silent killer and the fourth leading cause of death in the world.

Dr Bharti Uppal, Head, Department of Biochemistry, stated, “When a patient visits a doctor with the symptoms of diabetes, routine diagnostic investigations are carried out to confirm the diabetic status of the patient. Generally, Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, Fasting Plasma Glucose Test, Post Prandial Sugar Test are carried out to determine the blood sugar level. Once a person is diagnosed as diabetic with the above routine investigation, the doctor starts the treatment with medicine, diet control and exercise. Though reliable, these investigations only confirm the blood sugar level on the day of testing and not otherwise, hence a patient has to undergo repeated testing to monitor the blood sugar level”.

According to clinical study trials, the best way to avoid diabetic complication is to maintain tight blood sugar control. Since the day-to-day fluctuation could not be confirmed through routine investigations, it becomes very difficult for the treating doctor to provide with effective diabetic management.

Dr Bharti Uppal further added, “When you have uncontrolled diabetes, you have too much sugar entering your blood stream. This extra glucose enters your red blood and links up with molecule of haemoglobin. This process is called glycation or glycosylation. The HbA1c test gives you a picture of your average blood sugar control for the past three months”.

Dr Mary John, Professor, General Medicine, gave information on the clinical importance of HbA1c testing in management of diabetes. By measuring the percentage of HbA1c, the doctors can predict the exact status of glucose control and advice for changes in diet and therapy.

SPORTS

Give powerlifting its due, says Mandeep
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, September 18
“I knew that I had to do well at international level and my heart swelled with pride when the Indian Tricolour went up when I received a silver medal at the 21st World Junior Powerlifting Championship at Kosican, Poland, early this month” said Mandeep Kaur at a press meet here today in the Khalsa College for Women. Mandeep is a BA part I student of the college.

Mandeep Kaur is the only Indian girl to have won a medal in powerlifting and hence done her city proud. But sadly enough neither the local administration nor any sports body has appreciated her efforts. Mandeep said, “I went to the Deputy Commissioner and showed him my medal. The DC congratulated me but said that there was no money to honour her.”

Actually powerlifting has not been included in National Games and has not received much recognition. Although it is very popular in Andhra Pradesh and Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu wanted it to be included in the 32nd National Games held in Hyderabad last year, somehow the discipline could not be included in the last edition. “I have not been offered any job on the basis of my performance at the international level tournaments, though there are many powerlifters employed by the state police or the Railways.”

When asked why she had taken to powerlifting, she replied candidly, “I liked it. I began with weightlifting but later shifted to powerlifting.” Her coach, Mr Gurinder Singh, said,” Powerlifting is a comparatively new discipline and came into existence just two decades ago. This year, the gradation of powerlifting has started and all those who have reached international level are given grade A. Powerlifting includes lifting the weight in a squat position to check the power of lower limbs. The benchpress reflects the power of upper body and the deadlift of lower body. The total of these three lifts make powerlifting.

Mandeep moved to Ludhiana from Bathinda in 1996 as she felt that Ludhiana would offer her better coaching facilities, and the city did not disappoint her.

Her father, Mr Mohinder Singh, who was also present at the meeting, said that he his daughter to win medals at international level. Mandeep said that she was happy that she had realised her father’s dreams. Now, only she and her coach hoped that powerlifting would get its due in the next edition of the National Games.