INL March 1 2019 Digital Edition

MARCH 1 , 2019
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There is no bone of contention about the silent disease
Supplied Content
Osteoporosis (or fragile
bones) usually has no
signs or symptoms until
a fracture occurs; this
is why it is often called a ‘silent
disease.’
Many people are surprised
when diagnosed with this condition,
and in fact may not know
they have it until they break or
crack a bone from a seemingly
insignificant fall or bump.
People are often even more
surprised to learn that it is not
only older women who are
affected. While one in every
two women will experience a
fracture after the age of 50 due
to osteoporosis, so will one in
every five men.
Both older men and women
are susceptible to the devastation
of a hip fracture.
Reasons for occurrence
Osteoporosis occurs when
bone structures deteriorate
from middle age onwards. Bone
mass decreases more quickly
than the body can replace it,
leading to a net loss of bone
strength. As a result, the skeleton
becomes fragile, so that even a
slight bump or fall can lead to
a broken bone, (referred to as a
fragility fracture).
Bone fractures (breaks and/or
cracks) impose great suffering
on affected individuals and their
families, as well as substantial
costs to society.
Approximately 50% of people
with one osteoporotic fracture
will have another, with 80% of
re-fractures occurring within the
year after initial fracture.
Growing problem
Osteoporosis is a growing
public health problem.
The risk of sustaining a fracture
increases exponentially with age
due not only to the decrease in
bone mineral density, but also
due to the increased rate of falls
among the elderly, who represent
the fastest growing segment of the
population.
Thus, as life expectancy
increases for most of the world’s
population, the financial and
human costs associated with osteoporotic
fractures will increase
dramatically unless preventive
action is taken.
Ethnic groups at risk
The three ethnic groups that
are most at risk of developing Osteoporosis
are those of European,
Asian and Indian decent.
A recent study called,
‘Prevalence of Osteoporosis
in Apparently Healthy Adults
above 40 Years of Age in Pune
City, India’ was published in the
Indian Journal of Endocrinology
and Metabolism. It said that in
Indian men a low T-score compared
to women indicates higher
susceptibility to osteoporosis and
in women, menopause causes
a rapid decline in bone mineral
density.
Therefore, both Indian men
and postmenopausal women
require adequate measures to
prevent osteoporosis during later
years in life.
Need to lift awareness
Currently public awareness of
osteoporosis is very limited.
Most people never think about
their bones, they have never seen
them so just take it for granted.
Not many realise that the average
human skeleton is replaced every
eight to ten years, no matter if
they are 12 or 92 years old. Nor
that childhood and adolescence
are the critical periods in
Vedic Scholar to present discourses on Epics, Verses
Venkat Raman
The meaning and purpose
of popular Sanskrit
Mantras and prayers and
episodes from the Indian
Epic Ramayana will be among the
subjects of a series of discourses
by a visiting Vedic Scholar and
Mystic.
Dr Samavedam Shanmukha
Sharma will have a hectic schedule
of meetings and discourses
in Auckland, Wellington and
Hamilton, evincing the interest
of Telugu-speaking people. The
sheer power of the Mantras are
likely to attract even those who do
not speak the language but share
the spiritual experience of the
51-year-old man of lore.
Sangeetha Bharathi Charitable
Trust is organising his visit to New
Zealand.
Managing Trustee Govardhan
Mallela said that his Trust is proud
of the support by Sri Balaji Temple
( Hamilton), Sree Venkateswara
Swamy Temple (Wellington), New
Zealand Telugu Association, Telangana
Association of New Zealand
and Telangana Jagruthi New
Zealand, all based in Auckland.
The Programme
Following is the Programme:
Auckland: Fickling Convention
Centre, 546 Mt Albert Road,
Three Kings, at 6 pm on March
3, March 9, March 22, March 23
and March 24, 2019
Hamilton: Sri Balaji Temple, 2
Kent Street at 2 pm on March 10,
2019
Wellington: Randwick School, 59
Randwick Road, Moera, Lower
Hutt at 6 pm on March 16 and
March 17, 2019.
About Dr S S Sharma
A prominent Scholar in Hindu
literature, Master of the Puranas,
Ithihasa (Religious History or
Epic) and Vedas, and a profound
speaker, Dr Sharma was born
Asika (known as the ‘Sugar City)
Rushipeetham or ‘Bharatha Bhumi’ aims to
enhance human values
in the State of Odisha. Although a
graduate with an Honours Degree
in Economics, his proclivities
towards religion and spirituality
encouraged him to establish
‘Bharatiya Manasa Patrika,’ a
devotional magazine in Telugu.
His penchant to spread the
values of Hinduism with all its
manifestations of scriptures and
other treasures, led him to establish
‘Rushipeetham’ to propagate
and enhance culture, religious,
spiritual and human values and
reinforce the spirit of ‘Indianness.
Dr Sharma is a prominent
speaker on Hindu Dharma in
many Telugu TV Channels for
the past 15 years. His discourses
are on specialised topics such
as ‘Sivanandalahari,’ ‘Sree Mata
Vaibhavam,’ ‘Bhagavatam,’ ‘Sundara
Kandam,’ ‘Lalitha Sahasranamam,’
‘Vishnu Sahasranamam,’
‘Aditya Hridayam,’ ‘Bhagavad
Geetha’ and ‘Rudra Namaka
Chamakam.’
About Rushipeetham
‘Rushipeetham’ means ‘Bharatha
Bhumi,’ the land of seers and
sages.
Several centuries ago, seers of
yore perceived that knowledge
cannot be grasped by senses
through their power of penance.
They brought forth secular and
spiritual knowledge, wishing
the universal well-being and
happiness.
Dr Sharma said that the hidden
eternal values, latent knowledge,
unknown pearls of wisdom must
be searched, channelised and
manifested by assimilating
India’s greatness.
“Rushipeetham Charitable
Trust came into being, shouldering
this Herculean task,
accepting it as a humble duty
and responsibility towards that
cultural renaissance. The strong
feelings of Godly devotion and
patriotism in him found expression
as Rushipeetham, the voice
that echoes the eternal values of
Indianness,” Dr Sharma said.
“Almighty God is our Eternal
Pontiff. Human personalities can
never head this perpetual legacy
and remain as its humble, duty
bound servants,” he added.
Aims and Objectives
The Trust has been established
to perform selfless service.
It aims to explore, experiment
and express through service,
research and publications and
enlighten the people. It will honour
scholars of various Indian
studies and promote research in
various fields of Indian science.
For more information, please
contact Govardhan Mallela
on 021-1455708, Ravi on 021-
1762432 or Srikanth Vanka on
021-1762432.
skeletal development which will
determine the size and strength
of an individual’s skeleton (peak
bone mass).
This is usually achieved between
20 and 25 years. For every 10%
of peak bone mass not achieved,
osteoporosis will occur up to 13
years earlier.
ONZ Objectives
Osteoporosis New Zealand
(ONZ) is keen to change this by
developing evidence-based, easily
understood information on Bone
health.
Through education and empowerment,
people can become
proactive in the management
of their own bone health by
understanding how to delay the
condition, the impact nutrition
and exercise can play, that fractures
are important, identification
and treatment of osteoporosis are
available, and that healthy living
can help improve bones.
We are excited to be embarking
on this work but to do so we need
your help.
ONZ is a not-for-profit,
charitable trust. We do not receive
17
government funding so rely on the
generosity of New Zealanders to
support our work.
A donation to Osteoporosis New
Zealand can help us to continue
the important work we do to
increase awareness and prevent
the pain and suffering caused by
osteoporosis.
Please help us by donating at
www.osteoporosis.org.nz
If you are a corporate that
would like to partner with us,
we would love to hear from you.
Please email info@osteoporosis.
org.nz
Legal Disclaimer: The above
article, supplied by Osteoporosis
New Zealand, should not be taken
as professional medical advice. If
you have questions or concerns,
please speak with your GP about
an Osteoporosis assessment. A
simple test now could prevent
future pain and suffering. If you
are above 50 of age, and have
broken a bone as a result of a
minor fall or bump, talk to your
doctor or healthcare provider
about osteoporosis and a bone
health assessment.
Telanganites celebrate birthday of KC Rao
Vijay Kosna
Editor’s Standfirst: On Sunday,
February 17, 2019, millions of
Telanganites celebrated the
65th Birthday of their Leader
and Telangana Chief Minister,
Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao
better known and abbreviated
as KCR, all over the world.
Landslide Victory
The TRS led by Chief Minister K
Chandrashekhar Rao steamrolled
the opposition to capture the Telangana
State Legislative Assembly
for a second consecutive term (on
December 13, 2018), with close to
three-fourth majority.
Proving all exit polls wrong,
barring the India Today Survey,
Chandrashekar Rao led the Ruling
Party’s demolition squad single-handedly,
winning 88 out of the
119 seats contested, to decimate
the Congress-led four-Party Prajakutami
(People’s Alliance) winning
just 21 seats. The Telugu Desam
Party won only one seat.
TRS New Zealand Branch President
Vijayabhaskar Reddy Kosna
and their team campaigned over
Telephone and Social Media.
Focus on Agriculture
KCR’s focus on agriculture,
rolling out the ‘Rythu Bandhu
Investment Support Scheme’ for
farmers that gave tillers Rs 8000
per annum per acre and a Rs
500,000 insurance cover for farmers,
consolidated his support-base
all over the State, especially in
rural areas.
Ensuring 24-hour power supply
for farmers and construction of
double bedroom houses for the
poor was also popular.
“This was expected because the
people have accepted the (welfare)
schemes (initiated by the government)...the
infrastructure that has
been built....24-hour power supply
and timely pensions...,” Mr Kosna
said.
KC Rao with Vijayabhaskar Reddy Kosna (left) and
Kalyan Rao Kasuganti (right) in Hyderabad in 2018
New Zealanders in Campaign
TRS New Zealand Honorary
Chairperson Kalyan Rao Kasuganti,
Arun Prakash Reddy and
Sushanthi Angampally were in
Telangana during November and
December 2018 to participate in
the election campaign.
They toured many constituencies
along with TRS MLA candidates.
Mr Kasuganti described the
‘direct campaign’ as a ‘great
experience.’
“The unprecedented mandate
is a reflection of the people’s
overwhelming support for development
and welfare-oriented
government as opposed to the
destructive politics of the opposition,”
he said.
Victory Celebrations in Auckland
Mr Kosna and his team
celebrated the victory of TRS and
its Leader KCR and thanked the
people of Telangana for entrusting
him with the State for further
progress and development.
He said that the Branch
welcomed the appointment of
Kalvakuntla Taraka Ramarao (Son
of KCR) as the Working President
of TRS.
As a part of the 65th Birthday
celebrations of KCR, the New
Zealand Branch of TRS conducted
a Blood Donation Camp on February
14, 2019 at the Epsom Blood
Donation Centre and the Manukau
Blood Center.
-From a Report by Vijayabhaskar
Reddy Kosna