THE FACT FINDING MISSION [A MISSION POSSIBLE]

THE FACT FINDING MISSION
[A MISSION POSSIBLE] 

Mumbai Mirror have started this 'fact finding' initiative under the caption 'FACTS ARE IMPORTANT- BEWARE UNIVERSITY OF WHATSAPP.'


On this very subject, I had written two articles-

I] GETTING EASILY SWAYED AND CARRIED AWAY

An extract :

I am an avid reader of Dr Altaf Patel’s columns. His writings are quite interesting. The other day he wrote, and under the heading ‘Lies suited up as research’ he writes, and I quote:

Influential lobbies paying scientists to tweak results of studies for profit are leading us all to devastation. Strange is the power of the printed word. People tend to take it as gospel truth without cerebrating at all. I, for one, find that much of printed material guides many to make choices exactly as the author suggests. This is particularly the case ……Similar could be the case with articles in medical journals: it is said many are driven by pharmaceutical firms. Though this statement may only be partially correct, it is up to the doctor who reads the research articles to use his own knowledge and experience in understanding the truth of the matter and act accordingly….

Why not only by the printed word but also by other media, people in general and Indians in particular, get easily swayed by the printed or the spoken word and take what is written or spoken as gospel truth, without verifying the facts. This reminds me about a post shared by nephew, Sanjiv. It was about a certain doctor’s claim that vaccines are dangerous and may not work. He stated that pharmaceutical industry was cheating you by enforcing vaccinations on us and they were not necessary. Please ask that doctor how he would had eradicated small pox? And what about penicilin vaccine? Would you trust a doctor who has his own scientific theories? He has several books to his credits on various subjects- recipes, diet, super - foods, longevity,life styles,nature, Japanese cube test, personality development and so many other topics. He has made several videos as well, and quite interesting at that. Even some medical practioners are his followers. Since it presented in print or by visuals, it is considered by many as the truth - gospel truth! He can reverse calcification, successfully rejuvenate and what not. 'दुनिया जुकती जुकाने वाला चाहिए।' So he takes every body for a ride. Out of curiosity you buy his book or purchase his video on the given subject and he makes money.

He is some doctor, some Dr.Tiger, Dr.Lion or Dr.Wolf. Many of you may not know anything about him in the first place, never mind. I did some digging to learn more about this doctor.  The information one gets about him is curiously ambiguous. He is a self-described ‘health, eco- nutrition, and natural beauty expert - the rock star and Indiana Jones of the super-foods and longevity universe and he has circumnavigated the Earth for decades seeking out the world’s purest foods and waters’. He has considered cocoa to be one of several super- foods and he is also the guy who believes that chocolate is an octave of male sun energy, and this masculine octave of chocolate energy will come down from the sun and penetrate your heart. He promotes a diet based on raw plants. He has stated that this also has a detoxification effect. He advocates that people with cancer take dietary supplements instead of getting medical attention. He believes that ‘chemtrail’ exist and are harmful to people and animals and that deer antler spray is ‘levitational’ and an ‘androgenic force’ and sells deer antler spray products. He claims that mushrooms have an ‘advanced intelligence and consciousness’. He has stated that mushroom spores can ‘levitate off the planet’ and believes they are trying to ‘get to the centre of the sun. He has stated that mushroom spores originally came from ‘distant planets’ and were ‘carried by cosmic winds or meteors into the Earth's atmosphere’, stating ‘the preliminary work develops as the mushroom mycelium sets itself up to network and nourish multi-celled carbohydrate-forming organisms’ He has also stated that the mushrooms that grow in trees are ‘medicinal mushrooms’. He believes vaccines are dangerous and may not work. He believes that the Earth is flat and that gravity is a hoax. vaccines are dangerous and may not work. He believes that the Earth is flat and that gravity is a hoax.
[ For more read the blog itself :htpp//vinaytrilokekar.blogspot.in]

 &

II] उचलली बोटें अन् केले फॉरवर्डस आणि पोस्टस!

त्यातील काही उतारा :
आज  आपण  व्हॉट्सअॅप, फेसबुक किंवा ट्वीटर वरील पोस्ट वाचलेत तर आपल्याला लक्षात येईल की आपण भारतीय जगातील सर्वात विनोदी आहोत. ह्यात तिळमात्र अतिशयोक्ती नाही. 

अगदी काल परवाची गोष्ट आहे. मला असा फॉरवर्ड आला :

Coming February cannot come in your life time again, because it will have 4 Sundays,4 Mondays, 4 Tuesdays, 4 Wednesdays, 4 Thursdays, 4 Fridays and 4 Saturdays. This happens once every 823 years. This phenomenon is referred as 'Money Bag' in Feng Shui. So send this message to 4 people or 4 groups and money will arrive at your doorstep within 4 days. 

 लेको, ह्या गोष्टीचा खरेपणा पडताळून तरी पहा.  २०१६ साल लिपियार (Leap Year), फेब्रुवारी महिन्यात २९ दिवस आणि सोमवार असतील ५. प्रत्येकी ४ दिवस आठवड्यातील ७ दिवसांचे धरले तर होतात २८च दिवस. आणि हा योग म्हणजे २८ दिवसांचा फेब्रुवारी लिपियर खेरीज नियमित येत असतो. मग हे ८२३ वर्षाचे कोडे काय आहे? असा पोस्ट बद्धल प्रत्येकाची प्रतिक्रिया वेगळी झाली असेल. काहींनी ही एक थाप मानून , 'hocus - pocus', 'crap' किंवा 'humbug' बाब मानून ह्या पोस्ट कडे दुर्लक्ष केलेही असेल. पण काहींनी धन लाभाच्या भाबड्या आशेने ४ जणांना हा संदेश, शहानिशा न करताच,व्हॉट्सअॅप केला असेल. 

फॉरवर्डवरून मला लहानपणातील एका गोष्टीची आठवण झाली. मी एस.एस.सी.ला किंवा कोलेजात असेन. त्यावेळी कॉम्पुटर नव्हते, ईमेल वा व्हॉटअॅप संदेश पाठवण्याची प्रथा सुरु झाली नव्हती. पात्रांची देवाण घेवाण मात्र होत असे - अगदी १५ पैसे असलेले साधें पोस्ट कार्ड असो किंवा १ रुपयाचे देशी लखोटा वा त्याहून महागडे आंतरदेशीय पाकीट असो! आईला आले होते एक निनावी पोस्ट कार्डरुपी एक पत्र. कार्ड हळद - कुंकू अगदी माखलेले होते. पत्रातील मजकूर असा काहीसा होता: 

……. देवी प्रसन्न //
 आपल्या कुलदेवतेची पूज्या करून ह्या पत्राच्या २५ प्रती काढून २५ व्यक्तींना पाठवाव्यात. तसे आपण केल्यास आपली भरभराट होईल, आपल्याला धन प्राप्ती होईल, आपल्या मुलांना दीर्घ आयुष लाभेल आणि त्यांची उत्तम प्रगती होइल. 
आणि असे २५ दिवसांच्या आंत न केल्यास तुम्हाला उतरती कळा लगेल. ……. आपला मुलगाही हे जग सोडून जाईल. 
आपला हितचिंतक 

पत्र वाच्यावर आई पार घाबरून गेली. काय करावे ते तिला सुचत नव्हते. " विनय, मला २५ पोस्ट 

कार्ड आणून दे",असे म्हणत तिने मला पत्र दाखविले. मी ते पत्रच फाडून टाकले -- म्हणतात न!   'न रहेगा बाँस न बजेगी बांसुरी ' आणि २५ व्यक्तींना असल्या विकृत  भय-मनः स्थिती पासून वाचविले असेन (saved them from this fear- psychosis). आईने पत्र न पाठविल्यामुळे आमचे वाईट असे काही झाले नाही आणि आईच्या पश्चात मी अजून जिवंत आहे.पत्रातील मजकूर कदाचित ह्याहून जास्ती असावा. २५ कार्डे लिहून काढणे किती मेहनतीचे मोठ्या कष्टाचे झाले अस्ते. पण हा झाला एक भाग. आणि भीती सत्राची  होणारी साखळी मुळे (chain reaction ) सुरु होणारे दुष्टचक्र (vicious circle ) हा झाला दुसरा भाग..... For more read the blog itself.

It seems my articles simply failed to have any effect on my friends for they continue to copy - paste / forward posts both on Facebook and WhatsApp, without verifying its authenticity or finding the facts. May be now that Mumbai Mirror has started this fact finding mission things will change for better. Or will it? In today's issue of Mirror (4th May,2017) we have this :

 In fact, an acquaintance of mine posted the following urgent message yesterday (ie 3rd May, 2017)  on our WhatsApp group:

    💀 URGENT: Urgent Please reach to catch them quickly if you have people on your door and they say they are from the Facalty of Medicine so that we measure your sugars for free. as soon as you see lady or man please immidiately inform the police because these are the people from ISIS (إيزيس ) who go to the houses and r spreading AIDS virus by injections which look like insulin.please catch such people as soon as they reach you inform and share this message with all your loved one (forwarded as received) 
[ And I've reproduced the message in verbatim, retaining all the grammatical excellence and  spelling wonders of that acquaintance of mine, exclusively for the reader's enjoyment. The way he has spelt some words and the way he has taken care of punctuations, simply great! Don't you think he deserves an award for his excellence? And the award be given to him immediately. Sarcasm is intentional, please note.]   

Going Bananas! Yeah, (oops... yes) that's exactly what happened to me. This same guy had sent me this warning on WhatsApp: महत्वाची सूचना.... अंड खाल्यानंतर लगेचच केळ खाणाऱ्या व्यक्तीचा मृत्यू झाला. मृत व्यक्तिचं पोस्टमार्टम केल्यानंतर कळालं की त्या व्यक्तीने अंड खाल्यानंतर केळ खाल्लं होतं आणि त्यामुळे त्याच्या पोटात अंड आणि केळ्याच्या मिश्रणाचं विष तयार झालं. ज्यामुळे त्याचा मर्यत्यू झाला. म्हणून अंड खाल्यानंतर तात्काळ केळ खाऊ नका कारण यामुळे मृत्यू होण्याची शक्यता आहे. हा मेसेज केवळ आपल्यापर्यंतच मर्यादित ठेऊ नका तर तुमच्या इतर सहकारी, मित्र, परिवारातील सदस्यांपर्यंत पोहोचवा जेणेकरून त्यांनाही याबाबत माहिती मिळेल. That's what I call 'going bananas'!
 I've been eating a banana after every meal which had egg or two many a times and that too since my childhood and I still do. I showed this message to Tirupati, our domestic help and he burst our laughing, " साहेब, मेरा अजय (his son) हररोज अंडा खता है और इसके बाद केला खाता है - सुबह और रात!" 
Tirupati, despite being academically unqualified, yet understands that there is no truth in this 'warning'.   

 I remember what Dr. Altaf Patel once wrote in his column and I quote:
There's a line between medical cures and magic remedies - and it's finer than you had imagined.


Everyone knows someone who claims he has either heard of or experienced a magical remedy. In the situation of a condition that is particularly difficult to treat, relatives, friends or neighbours always have well meaning advice to offer -- much of it based on stories or experiences related by others. Strangely, none of these people tend to be a doctor, and doctors who hear such stories find it interesting, if not amusing. 


He further wrote:

What stood out amongst all the magical remedy anecdotes was the tale of a self proclaimed scientist who sold a liquid medicine -- Rs. 16,000 for a 100 ml bottle that was advertised as a cure for everything from diabetes to cancer. Several thousand people took this medication and many I know swore that they experienced much relief. I even had a request from a patient to inject the liquid into his veins. I, on my part, cautioned him that such foolishness could even kill him.  

 Such is the foolishness of people!


Now we have this guy who has solution for your kidney problem and he has sent this WhatsApp message:


 if anyone has kidney stone problem , please contact Shri XXXXX @XXXXXX  He distributes free ayurvedic medicine which is in the form of a powder & it's very effective.
Please Contact :  Atul ######,  @@@@@@ V.PYYY oad ,^^^^^^ ^^ t   ९८१XXXXXX , 7 VVVVV Plz forward this message. It might help someone!

Atul saheb, are you a qualified doctor (even Ayurveda one)
Beware, so says my a doctor friend of mine, the so called ayurvedic medicines sometimes are either steriods or salts of heavy metals. In fact, a close relative of mine was prescribed 'ayurvedic' powder for some aliment. He was well built man and suddenly he started losing weight. He had to be hospitalised. His lever and pancreas were damaged. The powder he was consuming was nothing but a mixture of heavy metal salts and steroids. (We had got the same analysed.) He died after some months. We did not know who had given him the said powder. So beware of such quacks.Mr. Atul will you take up the responsibility in case someone dies on consuming the powder you dispense? Once my eldest sister had upset stomach and  she took some some powder from an old who resided in her building. I had warned her against it. She had no relief from it. Loose motions simply wouldn't stop. I was working in pharmaceutical companies for many years. I gave her metronidazole  tablets and called my doctor cousin. He asked me what medicine I had given her. He told me that in case there was no change in her condition we would have to hospitalize her. Luckily, there was need for that. After the complete course of the medicines she was up and running. 
 That lady would provide 'powders' for jaundice, diarrhoea and many other ailments. Many from the neighbourhood would go to her.  I never did. 

Some years back I was diagnosed with internal Haemorrhoids with congested mucosa (Piles, in short) by Dr. Chetan Bhat, my doctor. Remedial suggestions started pouring in each day with all those ‘dos and don’t s’ but I stuck to my doctor’s prescriptions and I am completely cured. I fully trust my doctor and for that matter I have all the faith in all my doctors and the Medical Profession, just the way my mother did.

Dr. Ernest Borges, considered my mom as his sister and hence declined to operate on her then and asked his student, Dr.P.B.Desai to perform the surgery instead. All went well for my mother. She was indebted to both of them and of course to the Almighty. She would quite often express these feelings of her having full faith in both of them and she was so very grateful to them for enabling her to lead and live normal life. Incidentally, prior to my mother’s death, Tata Memorial Hospital records showed my mother as ‘the longest surviving cancer patient’ with her photograph below it and which would often be circulated among the resident cancer patients as a morale booster. In fact, Dr. Borges would tell me, “This lady deserves A Nobel, if there was one for fighting so bravely against such a dreadful disease. I admire her will power and desire to live.” Incidentally, Dr. Borges passed away much before my mother did.

As I wrote earlier how I fully trust the medical profession and qualified medical professionals  and I will advise you to go to orthopaedic surgeon when you need one. If you are diabetic go to a diabetologist. 
Don't rely on any one of the following posts:

1] अतिशय महत्वाचे

शुगरच्या कसल्याहि जखमा, झोपुन झालेल्या जखमा तसेच इतर कसल्याहि जखमाखात्रीने भरून काढण्याचे काम गेली 16 वर्षे यशस्वीपणे करत असलेले, हजारो लोकांना जगण्याची नविन उमेद देणारे
मुरगूडचे डॉ.दत्ता कदमयांचे आयुर्वेदिक कदम उपचार केंद्र. मूरगुड ता.कागल जि.कोल्हापूर
जर शुगरमुळे कोणताही अवयव कापावा लागत असेल तर थोडं थांबा कृपया असॆ आपले अवयव कापू नका आपले शरीर अनमोल आहे.फक्त *एकवेळ कदम उपचार केंद्रास भेट दया.आपले आयुष्य नक्कीच बदलेल.तिथे आलेले पेशंटच तुम्हाला सांगतिल कि तुम्ही योग्य ठिकाणी आलाय. डॉ.कदम यांच्यामुळे माझ्या आजोबांना गुडघ्याच्या खालीपासून पाय काढावा लागणार होता तो न काढता उपचारांनंतर पूर्णपणे बरा झाला.
माझ्यासारख्या अनेक लोकांना हि माहिती नाही, त्यामुळे त्यांना आपले अवयव गमवावे लागू नयेत म्हणून हा msg.शक्य तेवढ्या लोकांपर्यंत पोहचवा.आपल्या एका share मुळे एखादा अपंग होण्यापासुन वाचू शकतो.
सचिन माने.

पत्ता

2] ब्‍लड शुगर कंट्रोल करें
एक्यूप्रेशर से शुगर स्तर को कम किया जा सकता है। एक्यूप्रेशर से शुगर को नियंत्रण में रखने के बिंदु पैर के निचले हिस्से के अंदरूनी भाग में होता है। यह प्वाइंट पिंडली की हडि्यों और टखने की हडि्यों के उपर की चार अंगुलियों के पीछे की तरफ भी होता है। इस निश्चित स्थान पर हल्के से दबाव बनाते हुए घेरा बनाकर क्लॉकवाइज हर रोज 3 मिनट तक दोनों पैरों में घुमाइए। इससे शुगर का स्‍तर कम हो जाता है।  (The person who posted this / those who forwarded are not medically qualified and I doubt they know anything about acupressure)                     

3] गुडघे बदलणार्‍यांसाठी एक सुखद बातमी.....
  ही पोस्ट नाॅयडा येथील एका डाॅक्टरने टाकली आहे त्याचे मराठीकरण करून पाठवित आहे.... 🙏🏼
गुडघे कधीही बदलू नका. प्राकृतिक चिकीत्सा केंद्र..

साधारणतः वयाची ५० शी ओलांडली की काहिंना हळूहळू गुडघेदुखीचा त्रास सुरू होतो, त्याचे कारण शरीरातील सांध्यांमध्ये लुब्रिकंट, कॅलशियम तयार होण्याची क्रिया मंदावणे.
त्यावर हुकमी उपाय म्हणून गुडघे बदलणे (कृत्रिम गुडघे) असे डाॅक्टरांकडून सुचविले जाते.
जे लोक श्रीमंत आहेत त्यांना हा इलाज परवडतो, त्याची कारणे फक्त श्रीमंती असेही नाही, कित्येक वेळा हा खर्च विमा कंपनीकडून वसुलतात. पण सामान्यांचे, मध्यमवर्गीयांचे काय?
अनेक वेळा कुणीतरी सांगितले म्हणून हे लोक अशा महागड्या उपचारासाठी कर्ज काढून तयार होतात.
परीणाम.... अपयश!
निसर्गाची किमया अशी की त्याने प्रत्येकाला दोन गुडघे दिले ते त्याच्या आयुष्यभर पुरावे म्हणून; पण आपणच त्याची आयुष्यभर काळजी न घेतल्यामुळे ही परिस्थिती ओढवते.
बरं हे कृत्रिम गुडघे बसविल्यामुळे २-३ वर्षे बरे वाटते आणि पुन्हा हरीदासाची कथा मूळ पदावर.
यावर एक भारतीय निसर्ग उपचार पद्धती आहे. जिचा लाभ लाखो गुडघादुखीने त्रस्त व जे भलीमोठ्ठी रक्कम खरंच करू शकत नाहीत त्यांच्यासाठी.....

 शहरात नाही पण खेडोपाडी न लावता कोणत्याही प्रकारचा लागवड खर्च न करता सहजपणे उगवणारी व आपणा सर्वांना परिचित असलेली बाभूळ या दुखण्यावरचा सोपा उपाय आहे. 
अमेरिकेत हे झाड नाही. नाहीतर आतापर्यंत त्यांनी हर्बल नावाखाली हे औषध आपल्याला देऊन करोडो रूपयांचा चुना लावला असता. असो, या बाभळीच्या शेंगा वाळवून त्याचे चूर्ण तयार करून रोज सकाळी एक चमचा थोड्या कोमट पाण्याबरोबर घ्या. २-३ महिन्यात गुडघेदुखी गायब. औषध जवळपास फुकट आणि लाखो रूपयांची बचत. आहे की नाही गंमत....
आपणास पोस्ट आवडल्यास पुढे पाठवा, खरे पुण्य पदरी पाडून घ्या !!! 🙏🏼

डाॅ.पवन कुमार(नॅचरोपॅथी) ग्रेटर नाॅयडा हे मूळ लेखक  📞07MMMMMMM 30 💐⁠⁠⁠⁠


I end this article with a hope that Mumbai Mirror's 'fact finding' initiative under the caption 'FACTS ARE IMPORTANT- BEWARE UNIVERSITY OF WHATSAPP' will be effective!

                                                                                                              Vinay Trilokekar