Category: Uncategorized

Index Home Our behaviour is shaped by our thoughts and actions. Each of us has a different behaviour, even when external situations are similar. Psychology is the science that analyses our behaviour, thoughts, and consequent actions. Like medicine, psychology is also an imperfect science. Explanations about our behaviour, thoughts and feelings is often based on certain… Continue reading Why we think & do, what we think & do ?

Index Home To the world of postage stamps, sixties was a time of global omnibuses. First such occasion was the year 1960 itself, when many countries of the world issued postage stamps on refugees(previous blog). In 1962 we created a malaria omnibus (previous malaria blog). Both these initiatives raised awareness as well as funds for their… Continue reading Our transition from food & hunger to health & nutrition

Index Home Today the word “allergy” is in common usage. This word was born quite recently in the year 1906. Clemens von Pirquet (1874–1929) was a paediatrician in Vienna. He and his peers were witness to new diseases that did not have much of an explanation. Some would develop transient itchy red patches on the skin… Continue reading Allergies: A case of Itchy hives, sneezes and wheezes

Index Home One postage stamp in my collection has intrigued me for long. This is a fairly recent 2007 postage stamp issued by Latvia. This sepia coloured stamp pictures a thoughtful skeleton, an open book, and some ancient mortars and pestles. I have not been able to pair it with any other postage stamp . So,… Continue reading One stamp story: Is history of medicine in need of a museum ?

Index Home Our tryst with health-care, and use of plants as healers is long. While more well developed health systems used these in their formulary, remote and untouched communities also had their unique herbal remedies. In this blog we explore the less known plants, as well as nations that showcase these in their postage stamps. Pacific… Continue reading My postage stamp garden of unusual herbs & plants

Index Home List of medicinal plants is long. This list gives space to both rare as well as common. Some of these plants, have beautiful and colourful flowers. Others have pungent leaves, or tasty berries. While some of them found their way into modern medicine, others are more popular as ornamental. We devote this blog to… Continue reading Fifteen famous herbs and their use for health

Index Home Man has known malaria for centuries. It is a fever, that comes with shaking chills, a lot of pain, and turns white of the eyes yellow. Sometimes this fever also affects the brain, intestines, and kidneys. While, its cause was known only in 1880s, ancient physicians knew this fever well. It would strike, go-away… Continue reading Cinchona comes to rescue the world

Index Home We all may look at tall and mighty in awe, but we love the grounded. This surely is true for the most popular health plant in the current times. If google-search hits are a reliable metric, this award goes to Aloe vera. In the post-covid world, Aloe vera has become a real money-spinner. Pundits… Continue reading Award for the most popular health plant goes to…

Index Home For Indians, lands beyond the Himalayas were always an enigma. Till the beginning of 20th century, parts of Tibet were still unexplored. While, a couple of Chinese pilgrims did travel through India between 4th and 7th centuries, there is no such Indian account of Chinese society. Further, almost all foreign invasions into India were… Continue reading Ingredients in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Index Home I grew up in the Himalayas, highest hills in the world. Like all children, we would walk down to the school or run up and down the hills to play. A striking find across the hills are a plethora of plants all around us. We enjoyed not only the tall pines and deodars, but… Continue reading Eleven Herbs from High hills in postage stamps