short takes
Net worth of good health
by Randeep Wadehra

Women's Health on the Internet
Pages: 153. Rs. 140. & Men's Health on the Internet. Pages: 117. Rs. 110. Both edited by Sandra Wood & Janet Coggan, & published by Unistar, Chandigarh.

Today, not only are we becoming more health-conscious but also have come to realise the value of healthcare; we want to know our rights as consumers of medical services too. Thanks to information technology, some of the most esoteric subjects have been demystified. In the case of medicare, one can have information on almost any topic under the sun just by a mouse-click. If you're worried about the authenticity of the downloaded data you can always crosscheck with other official websites of medical institutions around the globe that'd readily validate a given piece of information. This development's of vital importance to women in India, who've to often rely on outdated 'ancient wisdom' handed down by wizened dayees. For far too long has the health of Indian women been neglected. Only recently is it being realized how essential it's for women to be healthy, as not only are they a vital human resource by themselves but also the nurturers of coming generations. Only a healthy mother can beget a healthy baby - the future of any society.

Man's health is of equal importance. Economic, social and related activities can be performed with efficiency by a person with a healthy mind and body. The authors argue that men are less likely than women to seek healthcare; they say that women visit the doctor 150% as often as men do. Well, this may be true of the western society, but at least in India women get fewer opportunities to visit the doctor than men; often they go to the doctor when it's too late. However, let's concede the authors' contention that men prefer to delay going for a medical check-up to the maximum possible extent, thus making early diagnosis almost impossible. They're supposedly more secretive about their illnesses.

These twin volumes provide essential information on reliable sources and websites dealing with all aspects of women's healthcare, and male-specific ailments including impotency and infertility.

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