Reader's MAY-JUNE 2020 The Best Defence Against the Coronavirus ByYUVAL NOAH HARARI BONUSREAD My Family’s Secret Past Health woe Heroes Who a Risked heir Lives ASpecial | ae ting in Love, WELLNESS SECTION By the BookTO FEEL STRONG INSIDE & BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE. LUP IO LIFE\) CORCAL | Bone&Beauty E} rorcareteauys 12867400 | E-mal: drm hpi. com Weboto! wi corea nA quay rocia Wom Lon SUE ES RE REL ETEILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN REA d Ww Features Ss 08 COVER STORY OLD-TIME DOCTOR REMEDIES THAT WORK Effective home remedies science is finally recognizing. BY JEN MCCAFFERY AND TINA. DONVITO WITH ISHANI NANDI 70 INSPIRATION Heroes in White Coats A tribute to health workers fighting back the COVID pandemic. BY TEAM RD 78 RELATIONSHIPS Falling in Love, By the Book ‘Two kindred souls find solace in books ... and something else. BY KARLA MARIE-ROSE DERUS 86 MY STORY When COVID-19 Caught Up With Me The terrifying ordeal of a coronavirus infection. BY HRISHI GIRIDHAR 90 CLASSIC DRAMA IN REAL LIFE Seconds to Save Emily A miraculous rescue. BY COLLIN PERRY 98 TRIBUTE Life-Lessons From A Fictional Teacher A film leaves a lasting influence on a family. BY THE FAMILY GHOSH 104 FASCINATING FACTS The Secret Lives of Letters Amazing facts behind the letters of the English alphabet. BY BROOKE NELSON CONTENTS 110 MEMORY ROOM A Pilgrimage in Memoriam Two sisters journey to connect with their late mother’s soul. BY ANNA M. M. VETTICAD 114 TECHNOLOGY Say Hello to Your New Carer ... The robots are coming— to look after us. BY SUSANNAH HICKLING 122 PHOTO FEATURE Tight Spaces Sometimes there are simply too many of us. BY CORNELIA KUMFERT 128 BONUS READ My Family's Secret Past A woman uncovers her grandparents’ shocking history. BY JULIE LINDAHL READERSDIGEST.IN 3READER’S DIGEST 9 Dear Reader 10 Over to You EVERYDAY HEROES 12 From Darkness to Light BY FEHMIDA ZAKEER 109 World Wide Weird BY ROSIE LONG DECTER Conversations 18 The Best Defence Against the Coronavirus BY YUVAL NOAH HARARI DEPARTMENT OF WIT 22 How to Survive Mind- Numbing Clichés BY INDU BALACHANDRAN WORDS OF LASTING INTEREST 24 Life's Little Spills BY JENNY ALLEN TALKING TO AN EXPERT 28 What Can | Really Do About the Climate Crisis? BY COURTNEY SHEA GOOD NEWs 32 Nature's Bounty, a Saviour Postman and IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA 34 Biting a Viper and the World's Tallest Statue on Sale BY ISHANI NANDI, NAOREM ANUJA AND V. KUMARA SWAMY 4 may «JUNE 2020 POINTS TO PONDER 36 Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Warren and Naseeruddin Shah FINISH THIS SENTENCE 38 The first thing I learnt in isolation was ... Better Living HEALTH 40 Stay Safe with These Healthy Habits BY ISHANI NANDI NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE 42 An Antibody Test Kit for COVID-19, and Warding Off Anxiety FOOD 44 The 3 Ps of Eating Right BY ISHI KHOSLA, 52 FOOD 47 Easy, Delicious Nutrition Boosters BY NEELANJANA SINGH FITNESS 50 Get Fit With This At-Home Routine BY NISHA VARMA FITNESS 52 Quick Yoga Moves to Keep You Healthy BY ABHISHEK SHARMA BEAUTY 55 Keep Your Skin Sun-Safe BY NAOREM ANUJA HOME 56 A Germ-Free Home For Good Health BY MOHINI MEHROTRA ‘OP: SHUTTERSTOCK, LEFT: COURTESY: ABHISHEK SHARMAREADER’S DIGEST ME AND MY SHELF Culturescape | 159 Annie Zakdrs INTERVIEW WITH Most-Loved Books ACTOR-WRITER MADHUR JAFFREY . 144 ‘Serving Food The Genius is Intimate Section and Sensual’ BY SANGHAMITRA 154 Piece Of Mind CHAKRABORTY BY CAITLIN AGNEW RD RECOMMENDS 158 Brainteasers 160 Sudoku 146 Films, Streaming, ks, Th 161 Word Power aaiFuA Pesple 163 Quiz aM: 164 Quotable Quotes REVIEW 150 The American Dream Made Manifest BY SHOUGAT DASGUPTA sTuDIO 151 Stories from my Grandmother by Subrat Kumar Behera BY SAPTAK CHOUDHURY On the Cover COVER PHOTOGRAPH by Yasu + Junko STYLIST: SUSAN OTTAVIANG FOR HALLEY RESOURCES. 40 Old-Time Doctor Remedies That Really Work .. The Best Defence Against the Coronavirus. My Family’s Secret Past.. Health Heroes Who Risked Their Lives. Falling in Love, By the Book. +A Special Wellness Section. siaias 6 Maye jJUNE 2020 Humour 16 Allina Day’s Work 31 Humourin Uniform 82 Laughter, The Best Medicine 97 Laugh Lines 102 Life’s Like That 157 As Kids See It Reader's WK ts awd pocTonr. mu as oe RIGHT: ALAMY, TOP RIGHT: LIFE ON WHITE/GETTY IMAGESe000 + \0® BE IRREPLACEABLE GALGOTIAS UNIVERSITY (Under the Uter Pradesh Private Universes Act No. 12 of 2019) AMONG INDIA’S FIRST FEW UNIVERSITIES TO DEVELOP WORLD CLASS E-LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE is proud to receive NBA Accreditation ‘The Highest Benchmark of ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, PLACEMENTS & RESEARCH for its following programmes ‘Computer Science Engineering » Mechanical Engineering Electronics & Communication Engineering Admissions open RANKED AMONGST TOP 200 UNIVERSITIES IN INDIA IN 2020 1 for 2020-21 CALL 0120-4370000, +91 9582847072, 9810162221 SCAM wen % N/Gelgotiesuniverstty © /Gelgoties_University [3 /GaigotiesUni fm [email protected] | TO APPLY For the complete list of programmes offered & to apply online: www.gaigotiasuniversity.edu.in o}Reader's g Digest VOL. 61 NO.5&6 MAY/JUNE 2020 Eprror-In-Chiler AroonPurie Group Evrroriat Director Raj Chengappa EDITOR Sanghamitra Chakraborty IMPACT (ADVERTISING) GROUP CREATIVE Nilanjan Das PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Manoj Sharma GROUP PHOTO EDITOR Bandeep Singh ‘ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Anil Fernandes SENIOR ASSISTANT EDITOR IshaniNandi mromne: emacs cm Cee enee ASSISTANT EDITORS. 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Etor:Sanghamiva Cnakrabory(eapoitetor stein ew). 8 may ojuNE 2020READER’S DIGEST PHOTOGRAPH BY ANAND GOGOI, HAIR & MAKE-UP BY ROLIKA PRAKASH; SHUTTERSTOCK coy The Hungry Tide fhe image of an infant, tugging at Ts shroud of his dead mother laid out on a railway platform, hoping she will respond, is the most searing reminder of the massive humanitarian crisis we are faced with, in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown. The 35-year-old woman was returning home from Gujarat to Bihar on a Shramik special train, but died upon reaching Muzaffarpur. The family says it’s hunger and dehydration; the police call it illness. Whatever the cause, clearly the four-day journey under unimaginably harsh conditions, precipitated it. And she is just one of more than 100 people who have died trying to return home, after the lockdown cut off their means of livelihood and food. The lockdown has, no doubt, protected us—most of us, who had a decent home to remain safe within. However, it’s been catas- trophic for the swell of people working in the unorganized sector (over 80 per cent of India’s workforce). For millions of Indians, the greatest fear is not the disease, but hunger. Amidst this tinderbox of pain, rage and fear, there are heroes who have risen from among us. ‘Heroes in White Coats’ (p 70) is a tribute to four (among the millions of) extraordinary health workers who have put their lives on the line to keep us safe. We regret that we could not get our May issue to you—but you have been in our thoughts, and this double, wellness-special issue has a solid plan to keep you and your family healthy and protected (p 40, p 44, p 50, p 56). Do not miss the column by Yuval Noah Harari (p 18), the brilliant historian, who suggests that cooperation, not hatred or barriers, can help us tide over this pandemic. Stay well. Stay safe. ) ‘ ang haw h ay Sanghamitra Chakraborty EDITOR Send anemai [email protected] READERSDIGEST.IN 9OVER TO YOU NOTES ON THE March & April tssues _ ran with an ungainly one-sided lope, but he ran with joy” to meet Gandhi’s Independence Day Miracle Tim at the bus stop, I felt a lump in my throat. Gandhi, the architect of India’s freedom movement, | 4. ravEENDRANATH, did not take part in the festivities on the night of Aranmula, Kerala 14 August 1947. Instead, he was fasting, praying and spinning his wheel to ward off a possible Happily Ever nightmare in the heart of Kolkata. His presence After With the that night and the following morning prevented Brothers Grimm a possible civil war. This story is most relevant Iwas absolutely thrilled in today’s prevailing scenario and a hot reminder toread this story as that the loss of unity and religious tolerance will Thad recently taught result in the loss of our humanity and cultural a sotyieg! a poem heritage. Our language, culture, traditions and omy asics customs all bear the stamp of mutual respect, a secondary-school togetherness, understanding and love, and stands English teacher). Taking as the pillar of our nationality and strength. this a step ahead, I have —SREEMA KASI, Bengaluru been gifting a copy of Sreema Kasi gets this months Write & Wi’ prize of €1,000.-EDs Reader's Digest to each ofmy learners for a few months, to encourage Where Therels Love | know how much we the younger generation If had to single out love something until to read your fine content one gem among RD’s we are faced with its that can act as a won- ‘best of the best’ in loss?”—and Mr Jolliff’s— | derful springboard to the March 2020 issue, “Life's pretty precious— enriched vocabulary I would choose this especially where there’s and language. article. The profound love”—still reverberate —ABHINANDAN words of Tim’s mother— | in my heart. When I BHATTACHARYA, “Why do we seldom read “He [Inky the dog] Mumbai 10 mays june 2020The Unforgettable Albert Einstein Kudos to Banesh Hoff- mann for this tribute to the genius, Albert Einstein. The vivid memories and detailed encounters with this great man, his curious mind and his ceaseless search for simplicity, as well as the author's beautiful language— “his genius burst into fabulous flower’ “when battling a recalcitrant problem, he worried it as an animal worries its prey”—is such a treat. —M. V. APPARAO, Hyderabad Uncommon Man This article on the great R. K. Laxman shows how simple and straightforward the creator of the Common Man was. It also illus- trates how a deft and skilled interviewer can, through insightful questions, bring out aspects of a story, which the subject himself may not be aware of. Hats off to the interviewer duo. —SUSHIL KUMAR, Noida With Kindness As His Mantra ‘This was such an inspi- ring interview with Irfan Khan, whose sudden demise has left fansin grief. His mostadmirable achievement is thathe successfully broke the age-old idea that Bolly- wood heroes only come with six-pack abs and glossy skin. Khan fought abrave battle against can- cer but fate can be cruel sometimes. The world of cinema has lost a versatile genius. May his soul rest in peace. —GANESH PUTHUR, Kottayam, Kerala Corona Takes The Crown This piece broke down and explained in detail everything youneed to know about the corona- virus and howto prevent infections. Masks and protective kits are vital for fighting COVID-19, buta nutritious diet or supplements that boost immunity also goesa long way in preventing this affliction. —PRAFULL CHANDRA sockey, Jharkhand READER’S DIGEST RD Recommends RD’s recommendations for films, web-seriesand books have made the lockdown much more bearable. As a professor and bibliophile, I want to add a few books from pandemicliteratureto this list. They show that pandemics come and go but humanity is here to stay: The Plague by Albert Camus, about a cholera epidemic, and how quarantine leads to mental trauma and illness; The Stand by Stephen King, set ina or evil, a choice that de- cides their destiny; Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcfa Marquez inwhich the protagonist discovers that lovesick- ness is as fatal as cholera. —HETAL DOSHI, Gandhinagar Write in at editor.india@ rd.com. The best letters discuss RD articles, offer criticism, share ideas. Do include your phone number and postal address. READERSDIGEST.IN 11EVERYDAY HEROES i From Darkness to Light After a lifetime of battling discrimination and a terrifying diagnosis, Noori Saleem now offers sanctuary to others like her — By Fehmida Zakeer SHELF COVERS almost three-fourths of a wall in Noori Saleem’s two- roomed office. It’s filled from top to bottom with awards and framed certificates. A closer look reveals that many of the awards carry her name—felicita- tions conferred to her on World AIDS Day, International Women’s Day and Transgender Day of Visibility. Noori’s commanding voice resonates in the air, as she talks to her office staff. Graceful in a bright orange saree, her presence fills the small room, as she discusses the work plan for the day. With the staff set in motion, she settles into her 12 mays june 2020 chair, earrings dangling, forehead marked with a red bindi and dives into our interview. “LT was born Noor Mohammed, a middle child with an elder brother and a younger sister, in Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu. By the time I was four years old, I lost my siblings and mother to disease in quick succession,” she says, her eyes far away. Even as a child, Noori displayed what are considered distinctly ‘feminine’ traits. “I talked like a girl and liked to walk with a swing in my hips. At school, boys made fun of my ways, but I did not get angry. It made me happy that they noticed my girlish mannerisms.” But, friends and family started whispering about her. PHOTO: JAISON NG./INDIA TODAY“Provisions should be made for the education and employment of people in the transgender CUA uur from sex work,” says Noori Saleem, founder of Prete itaREADER’S DIGEST Some said they would rather kill a child than allow such behaviour in their families. Noori’s father took to violence in an effort to ‘fix’ his son. By age 13, the abuse became too much to bear and she ran away to Madras (now Chennai). Five years later, Noori returned home when her father passed away. A month later, more bad news was to follow. “My stepmother told me to go to the tailor and get my measurements taken for a coat and suit. When I asked why, she said I was to be married.” A day later, she left the house for good, and moved to Bombay, where she found refuge with a transgender community. “At this point, I was forced to take up sex work to earn money,” Noori says candidly. of light appeared in her life—she et and fell in love with a man in the army. Undergoing a sex- change operation in the traditional way—without anaesthesia or pain- killers—she celebrated her gender transformation with her community. Later, they got married. Her long- awaited happiness, however, was short-lived. Her husband was trans- ferred to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and she decided to stay back in the city. Soon she ran out of money, and was forced to return to sex work. During a pharmacy visit, she learnt about a new infection called AIDS and decided to find out more. “I went to Dr Suniti Solomon, who asked me to give a blood sample and return in [ex darkness of those days, a ray 14 mayo june 2020 15 days.” 22 July 1987: The date is etched in Noori’s mind. It was the day she found out she was HIV positive—the second person to be officially declared so in India. This grim diagnosis shocked her, as did the prognosis—she could die in two years’ time. Depressed and resigned, Noori was revived by a Dr Usha Raghavan, who gave her hope. “She asked me why I confined myself to darkness and insisted I should come into the light and live my life fully. She convinced me I had along life ahead of me and offered me a job” Encouraged by the doctor, she started working for her for 750 per month. Noori also supplemented her income by stitching blouses for women. er experiences with the doctor made her realize the impor- tance of spreading information about safe sex practices and HIV. She continued to raise awareness, working for various NGOs, and when she quit a subsequent job as a nursing assistant at a hospital, a doctor, who worked there, suggested she start her own initiative. “I was incredulous at the suggestion. I had studied only up to the third stan- dard; how could I do it?” But the doctor insisted that Noori was smart and capable. Emboldened by his confi- dence, Noori got to work and registered the South India Positive (SIP) Network as an NGO in 2001, an organization that did outreach work among those who were HIV-positive, and offered healthPHOTO COURTESY: MILAAP The South India Positive Network, founded by Noori, is responsible for Peetu a le beeen counselling, skill development as well as income-generation support to prevent them from resorting to sex work for a living. She also set up the SIP Memorial Trust, in honour of her closest friends, Selvi, Indira and Palani, who died of AIDS. After a few years of these efforts, a chance encounter gave Noori a new route to direct her vision. 1.2005, someone alerted her about a baby lying in a garbage dump. When she reached the site, she found a letter near the baby that mentioned that the mother of the baby was HIV- positive. Noori took the baby home without hesitation. Facing rejection and discrimination due to her gender since childhood and her own HIV status, Noori felt compelled to offer the baby, and other children who were victims of neglect, the love and care of a true family. Next, she started a home for kids, particularly those who were HIV- positive or had parents with the illness. The children are registered with the Child Welfare Committee of the Tamil Nadu government and the foundation takes over the responsibility of their upbringing, education and welfare. Noori also put measures in place to ensure that the board members of her organization would be people living with HIV, to ensure greater sensitivity to their needs. Today, Noori has close to 200 children in her care, ranging from toddlers to college-goers. Noori and the children occupy a house on rent but her face lights up as she explains that they are in the process of building a house on the outskirts of the city. “With the help of donations and crowdfunding, we have completed about 85 per cent of the construction. My wish is to have the President or the Vice President inaugurate our home,’ she says, excitement washing over her face. Asked about her future plans, she says her next step will be to place a second line of leadership to take over after her. “After that, I can retire in peace,” she says, with a smile. READERSDIGEST.IN 15THE INTERVIEW CONSISTS OF THREE QUESTIONS... ALL ina Day’s Ataloss for words? So were these employees: +I forgot the word ‘articulate’ in an interview and instead said, “I’m good at saying things.” —¥@KATHY_HIRST +I couldn't remember the term ‘lab coat’ so had to go with ‘science blazer. —@RUSTMONSTER +1am a librarian, and I forgot the word ‘book’ So I told anew patron, “We have a diverse @ Ls TV DARA replied, “I was out +Feeling stressed out? selection of thingies.” of clean clothes Make a nice cup of hot tea —w@punsiiprartan | and didn’tfeel like and then spill itin the lap doing laundry.’ of whoever's bugging you. co-worker once —LAUREN EMILY +The only thing worse showed up to the office | on Facebook, via than seeing something in a white wedding BUZZFEED.COM done wrong is seeing it dress with a crinoline, done slowly. beading—the works. Office Motto Makeovers =| —HUMORTHATWORKS.COM When our manager +Nothing ruinsa asked why she'd worn. Friday more than the After pulling three her wedding dress to understanding that double shifts in a row, the office, my co-worker |_ today is Tuesday. my brother Billy, a 16 may ¢juNE 2020 MARK PARISI/OFFTHEMARK.COMTANYA CONSTANTINE/GETTY IMAGES Spotted on a business marquee in Tacoma, Washington: MY BOSS TOLD ME TO CHANGE THE SIGN, SO I DID. —K.H. hotel clerk, was worn. out. On one of his few breaks, he went to the hotel restaurant to grab a bite. When his food came, Billy, his mind in a fog, bowed his head for the blessing and whispered these words to God: “Good evening, Holiday Inn, how can I help you?” —BOB COOK Feeling ill, my super- visor went to a nearby doctor, who ordered an ECG. Upon reading the results, the doctor declared that my boss was suffering a cardiac arrest and called an ambulance to whisk him off to the hospital. There, doctors per- formed their own tests. But those came back negative. After some quick sleuthing, the problem was solved: The first doctor had read the ECG upside down. —SUZANNE CLARKE Our booking office had three phones. One day during lunch, I was responsible for answering all of them. It was a constant repeat of “May Thelp you?” or “Will you hold?” I guess I got confused because I surprised one man on the other end of the line when I answered his call with, “May I hold you?” —VERA GRANGER Reader's Digest will pay for your funny anecdote or photo in any of our humour sections. Post it to the editorial address, or email: [email protected] READER’S DIGEST THE CUSTOMER IS (NOT) ALWAYS RIGHT — +The Outside-the-Box Thinker award goes tothe customer who calleda travel agency asking about. legal requirements while travelling inEurope. “if lregistermy carin Franceand then takeit to England, dol have tochange the steering wheel to the other side ofthe car?” —CUSTOMERTHINK.COM +The Gutsiest Customer ofthe Year awardgoestoa woman in Texas who pulled acake offa Walmart shelf and devoured much ofit while shopping. Whenshe reached thecheckout counter, she demanded thatshe begivenasteep discount forthe cake since halfofit was missing. Walmart hada better idea—they banned her from their stores. THE WEEK READERSDIGEST.IN 17CONVERSATIONS The Best Defence Against the Coronavirus If we are to defeat this epidemic, we need more, not less, trust and cooperation By Yuval Noah Harari ADAPTED FROM TIME ANY PEOPLE BLAME the coronavirus epidemic on globalization, and say that the only way to pre- vent more such outbreaks is to de-globalize the world. Build walls, restrict travel, reduce trade. How- ever, while short-term quarantine is essential to stop epidemics, long-term 18 may «JUNE 2020 isolationism will lead to economic collapse without offering any real pro- tection against infectious diseases. Just the opposite. The real antidote to epidemics is cooperation. Epidemics killed millions of people long before the current age of globa- lization. In the 14" century there were no airplanes and cruise ships, and yetALL IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK the Black Death spread from East Asia to Western Europe in little more than a decade, killing at least a quarter of the popula- tion, In 1520, Mexico had no trains or even donkeys, yet it took a mere year for a smallpox epidemic to decimate up to a third ofits inhabitants. In 1918, a particularly virulent strain of flu managed to spread within a few months to the remotest corners of the world, It infected more than a quar- ter of the human species, and killed tens of millions. In the century that passed since 1918, humankind became ever more vulnerable to epidemics, due to a com- bination of growing populations and better transport. Today, a virus can travel business class across the world READER’S DIGEST in 24 hours, and infect megacities of millions. We should, therefore, have expected to live in an infectious hell, with one deadly plague after another. However, both the incidence and impact of epidemics have actu- ally gone down dramatically. De- spite horrendous outbreaks such as AIDS and Ebola, in the 21* century epidemics kill a far smaller propor- tion of humans than in any previous time since the Stone Age. This is be- cause the best defence humans have against pathogens is not isolation—it is information. Humanity has been winning the war against epidemics be- cause in the arms race between patho- gens and doctors, pathogens rely on blind mutations, while doctors rely on the scientific analysis of information. uring the last century, scientists, doctors and nurses throughout the world pooled information and together managed to understand both the mechanism behind epide- mics and the means of counte- ring them. The theory of evolution explained why and how new diseases erupt and old diseases become more virulent. Genetics enabled scientists to spy on the pathogens’ own instruction manual. Once scientists understood what causes epidemics, it became much easier to fight them. Vaccina- tions, antibiotics, improved hygiene and a much better medical infrastruc- ture have allowed humanity to gain the upper hand over its invisible predators. READERSDIGEST.IN 19READER'S DIGEST What does this history teach us for the current coronavirus epidemic? First, it implies that you cannot protect yourself by permanently closing your borders. Remember that epidemics spread rapidly even in the Middle Ages, long before the age of globalization. So even if you reduce your global connections to the level of a medieval kingdom, that still would not be enough. To really protect yourself through isolation, you would have to go back to the Stone Age. Can you do that? Secondly, history indicates that real protection comes from the sharing of reliable scientific information and from global solidarity. When one country is 4 - j WITHOUT TRUST AND SOLIDARITY WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THIS EPIDEMIC. struck by an epidemic, it should be willing to share information about the outbreak honestly without fear of an economic catastrophe—while other countries should be able to trust that information, and should be willing to extend a helping hand rather than ostracize the victim. International cooperation is needed also for effective quarantine measures. 20° may ¢june 2020 Quarantine and lockdown are essen- tial for stopping the spread of epide- mics. But when countries distrust one another and each country feels that it is on its own, governments hesitate to take such drastic measures. If you discover 100 coronavirus cases in your country, would you immediately lock down entire cities and regions? To a large extent, that depends on what you expect from other countries. Locking down your own cities could lead to economic collapse. If you think that other countries will then come to your help, you will be more likely to adopt this drastic measure sooner. erhaps the most important Piss people should realize about such epidemics is that the spread of the epidemic in any one country endangers the entire human species. In the 1970s, humanity managed to completely eradicate the smallpox virus because all people in all countries were vaccinated against smallpox. If even one country failed to vaccinate its population, it could have endangered the whole of humankind, because as long as the smallpox virus existed and evolved somewhere, it could always spread again everywhere. In the fight against viruses, humanity needs to closely guard borders. But not the borders between countries. Rather, it needs to guard the border between the human world and the virus-sphere. Planet earth is teeming with countlessviruses, and new ones are constantly evolving due to genetic mutations. The borderline separating this virus-sphere from the human world passes inside the body of each and every human being. If a dangerous virus manages to penetrate this border anywhere on earth, it puts the whole human spe- cies in danger. Over the last century, humanity has fortified this border like never before. Modern health-care systems have been built to serve as a wall on that border, and nurses, doc- tors and scientists are the guards who patrol it and repel intruders. However, long sections of this border have been left woefully exposed. There are hun- dreds of millions of people around the world who lack even basic health- care services. This endangers all of us. We are used to thinking about health in national terms, but providing bet- ter health care for Iranians and the Chinese also helps protect Israelis and ‘Americans from epidemics. This simple truth should be obvious to everyone. joday, humanity faces an acute crisis not only due to the coro- navirus, but also due to the lack of trust between humans. To defeat an epidemic, people need to trust scien- tific experts, citizens need to trust public authorities and countries need to trust each other. Over the last few years, irresponsible politicians have de- liberately undermined trust iin science, in public authorities and in interna- tional cooperation. As a result, we are Conversations facing this crisis bereft of global leaders who can inspire, organize and finance a coordinated global response. uring the 2014 Ebola epidemic, the United States served as that kind of leader. It fulfilled a similar role during the 2008 financial crisis, when it rallied behind enough countries to prevent a global economic meltdown. But, in recent years it has resigned its role as global leader. The current US administration has cut support for international organizations, and has made it very clear to the world that the United States no longer has any teal friends, only interests. The void left by the United States has not been filled by anyone else. Xenophobia, isolationism and distrust now characterize most of the international system. Without trust and global solidarity we will not be able to stop the coronavirus epidemic. If this epidemic results in greater disunity and mistrust among humans, it will be the virus’s greatest victory. When humans squabble—viruses double. In contrast, if the epidemic Tesults in closer global cooperation, it will be a victory not only against the coronavirus, but against all future pathogens. IN Yuval Noah Harari is a history lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and author of the books Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 Lessons for the 2!st Century. FROM TIME (15 MARCH 2020), COPYRIGHT © 2020 BY ‘YUVAL NOAH HARARI, TIME.COM READERSDIGEST.IN 21_ DEPARTMENT OF WIT How to Survive Mind-Numbing Clichés The next time someone throws benumbing banality at you, use this advice BY Indu Balachandran WAS AT A PARTY, listening to someone Thad just met. Being well-brought-up, and polite, I said, “Don't take this the ‘wrong way, but you are the most obnoxious, self-centred, predictable, repetitive, cliché-spouting bore I have ever met in all my life.” ‘Well, I only said that in my head. I still had my party face on, vapid smile fixed, as I listened to the guy go on and on, in aseries of mind-numbing clichés. You hear them everywhere. Paralyzing monologues, punctuated with a roll of lazy, ready-made phrases. You may have met this incredible stranger only minutes ago—but you have already forged such a strong emotion with him, you are able to complete his sentences. “., but basically, at the end of the day,” the bore was droning, “I realized there are plenty of fish in the sea, sol took the 22 may JUNE 2020 tiger by its tail, and showed him the door. Let bygones be bygones; I’m not crying over spilt milk, but my company needs a mover and shaker who...” Wait, let me guess! Even my oxygen- deprived brain was able to complete that brilliant observation. “.. who thinks outside the box??” I said with a fine imitation of the rolling-eyes emoji. “You hit the nail on the head!” he exclaimed. The thing about Benumbing Bores is, they don’t know a concept called sarcasm, “Great! Make hay while the sun shines!” I said and escaped as he paused for a refill—seizing an opportunity, much like the hideous phrase above. It was in the early '90s, while working in an ad agency, I observed the phrase “the elephant in the room’ being released into the world. How everybody loved it! SHUTTERSTOCKHowever, if you were growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, you will recall that the elephant in the room was a popular gift item, found in every middle-class home in India—a wooden elephant pulling a log—a favourite present at weddings, when you didn’t feel like giving the couple a mini Taj Mahal. But to keep hearing this extinct-as-a-mammoth expression in Annual Office Review Meets nowislike dropping an elephant- sized poo on the conference table—it has begun to stink so much. And when the same brain-dead lot decides to meet up for the annual party, an office memo is bound to tell everyone to come dressed to kill (should one buy and wear latex gloves for the deed?) and to let your hair down (great advice when. it was first coined for an 18-century Victorian mademoiselle, hair pinned up in askull-crushing bouffant) but to hear the event’s MC now mouth them, can make one tear out one’s hair in fistfuls. ‘And I would like to fatally hang from the nearest ceiling fan the next pontificating boss that utters “it’s low- hanging fruit” Besides getting rotten with overuse, the phrase also sounds weirdly vulgar to me. Can’t puta finger on why, though. And then, there’s the IT-nerd’s big contribution to Webster’s modern idioms: “What's your bandwidth today?” “T'll ping you when free!” is usually the robotic response to this idiotic question. I would also like to set fire to the Motivational Moron who wants to put fire in our bellies at HR events, urging us READER’S DIGEST to ‘give it our 110 per cent Seriously? I so hope this phrase isn’t uttered at workplaces that require mathematical precision—like a heart surgeons’ conference or pilots’ training workshop—there’d be a lot of death to account for if they didn’t stop at 100. “THERE ARE PLENTY OF FISH IN THE SEA, SO | TOOK THE TIGER BY ITS TAIL, AND SHOWED HIM THE DOOR. MY COMPANY NEEDS A MOVER AND SHAKER!” Often these badshahs of banality issue short, unnecessary warnings: “With all due respect...” is a sign that we can steel ourselves for a dose of utter disrespect and suicide-inducing insults. “Please take this with a pinch of salt ...” is a splendid disclaimer to whisper a rumour ending in gory character assassination. But the one who, uhm, ... takes the cake in this category of truth- sayers is “To be honest with you ...” It confirms that this creature otherwise only speaks lies. So, to cut a long story short, the writing’s on the wall, even though I've only scratched the surface, but I’ve decided to call a spade a spade, as fortune favours the brave, and actions speak louder than words... I’m going to tell the next cliché-spouter I meet at a party, with all due respect, to kindly and immediately, as quick as lightning, to please just (four asterisks)-off. IN READERSDIGEST.IN 23WORDS OF Lasting Interest Life’s Little Spills Nothing in life is permanent, except maybe that ink stain from an exploding pen — By Jenny Allen FROM THE BOOK WOULD EVERYBODY PLEASE STOP? JAS FLYING ON AN AIRPLANE the other day when my new pen splattered black ink all over the front of my new dress. The pen was my favourite kind of pen—or was, until then—a Bic Z4 Roller. The real ink was what had made me love 24 Rollers. It is thinner than the ink that comes out of a regular Bic pen, which means you barely have to touch the paper to get the pen to move across it. Z4s are like fountain pens, only without the messy qualities of a fountain pen. I loved them deeply. 24 may ¢JUNE 2020 I loved my new dress even more, though. | had paid full price for it, which I never do. But the dress was worth it. It was casual and a little dressy at the same time: sleeveless, with a scoop neckline, a tailored waist, and a slightly puffy skirt. It had flattering, thin, vertical blue and white stripes and the fabric was a blend of cotton and some- thing human-made that nevertheless felt soft and not fake and yet required no maintenance—no dry cleaning, no ironing. The dress practically sprang PHOTO By The Voorheesitself out of the dryer and stood up on its own, wrinkle-free and ready to go. Also, it had my favourite feature in a dress, which is side pockets. They were hidden pockets, sewn into the seam, which I like even more. After the explosion on the plane, | attacked the big wet splotches of ink with water and a napkin; if anything, this seemed to set the stains. As soon as we landed, | ran to an airport store and bought one of those little travel packets of disposable cloths soaked in READER’S DIGEST stain remover and tried scrubbing the splotches again. I knew this would be futile—and it was. I went to my hotel, changed my clothes and put the ruined dress into my suitcase. I couldn’t bear to throw it away; maybe someone would invent a magical ink-stain remover in the next week and I'd have thrown out the dress for nothing. Sometimes, when something bad happens to me, I play a little game. The object is to ask yourself whether the THERE’S SOME GOOD THING, EVEN IF IT’S TINY, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO STRAIN FOR IT, INALMOST EVERY MISFORTUNE. bad thing that just happened has any silver lining whatsoever. It’s corny but comforting; if you try it, you'll be sur- prised. There's some good thing, even ifit’s tiny, even if you have to strain for it, in almost every misfortune. I never thought Id say it, but I can even see the upside of my having had cancer. It took me a long time to feel that way, and I won't get into it here, but if you don’t die—a big caveat, | know—there is one, I swear. But I have thought and thought about my ruined dress and READERSDIGEST.IN 25READER'S DIGEST what the upside could be, and I just can’t think of one. I put this question to a friend, and she said that the ruined dress was one of those lessons about the imperma- nence of things, about non-attachment. About how everything changes and how life is about letting go. HERE’S WHAT I’M ATTACHED TO. POSSIBILITY. PLEASURE. THEY’RE LESS LOFTY THAN HOPE, BUT THEY’RE ALSO MORE ACCESSIBLE. I considered this. And then I thought, T already know that. Doesn’t everyone over, say, 40, know it? Haven't we all lost a lot of things? In fact, not to sound too dreary, but doesn’t it sometimes seem as if life is just one big leave- taking after another—from your children, from weather that makes sense, from people we love who move far away or die too young? So much loss! A new dress isn’t a show of attachment to material objects (OK, maybe alittle). I knew the dress would start looking shabby one day. But buying a new dress is an act of hope, a show of spirit in the face of an unreliable universe. At least that’s what my new dress was. It had been a trying year. And now my emblem of hope had these big black splotches all over it. But you know what? Here’s what I'm attached to. Possibility. Pleasure. They're less lofty than hope, less credu- lous, less faith-based, but they're also more accessible. I went to the flea market yester- day, and I found a pretty little platter. It's practically ordering me to roast a chicken, invite a couple of people over, and serve the chicken on it. I think I'll make peach cobbler for dessert. Some- one, probably me, could drop and break the platter during the evening— it’s unlikely but possible, like the ink exploding from my pen—but was that a reason not to buy it? My dress and I—we were great while we lasted. Never mind. That's the way some love affairs go. 0 EXCERPTED FROM WOULD EVERYBODY PLEASE STOP? REFLECTIONS ON LIFE AND OTHER BAD IDEAS 6Y JENNY ALLEN. PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES BY ‘STRAUS AND GIROUX. COPYRIGHT © 2017 BY JENNY ALLEN, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. VOY Life in Academia Ifyou can’t say anything nice, say itas a question. WQSHITACADEMICSSAY 26 may + JUNE 2020ADVERTORIAL When almost all hospitals, big and small, had stopped their services, it was Rana Hospital: its doctors, nursing and support staff who gave their selfiess best by continuing services curing the recent nationwide lockdown due to the C Civil Surgeon Fatehgarh Sahib Dr. N.K.Aggarwal honoured Rana Hospital, Punjab recently under Ayushman Bharat Sarbat ‘Sehat Bima Yojana. While issuing the appreciation letter to Dr Hitender Suri, Director of Rana Hospital (Sirhind, Punjab), Dr Aggarwal said that the hospital deserves to be acknowledged for giving the best and uninterrupted services without taking a single day off during the lockdown amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dr. Hitender Suri said that the honour conferred by Dr Aggarwal and recognition by the district administration will further motivate Rana Hospital to continue its work with full dedication in future. He said that the hospital is giving its best services under the Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana and assured that it will continue to serve the downtrodden section of society without any discrimination with missionary zeal. D-19 pandemic. DrHitender - Suri holds a Guinness Book of World Record for signing maximum number of pledges and is in the Limca Book of Records for maximum surgeries (391 surgeries in 8 hours 45 minutes in 2013). He has been bestowed with the top medical honour — Dhanwantri Award - in the field of Ayurveda by Govt of Punjab. Dr Hitender Suri also holds the honour of treating the largest fistula (26 cm) in the world in 2018. Rana Hospital has also received an appreciation letter for providing excellent services to patients empaneled under the Bhagat Puran Singh scheme. Even health minister Surjeet Jyani had Issued an appreciation letter to Rana Hospital for its exemplary services. HOSPITAL Come with PILES! Go with SMILES! ae LBO,286 Sirhind Mandi Punjab Reece eleCRISIS? We ask Jessie Ma, energy-efficiency and storage researcher ILLUSTRATION BY+In the spring, Canadian federal go- vernment released Canada’s Chang- ing Climate Report, a pretty depress- ing analysis of what's in store for us. Is doomsday as close as it sounds? Not necessarily. In that report, scien- tists predict what will happen to our climate at different levels of carbon emissions. In the high-use scenarios, it’s definitely concerning: temperature increases of six degrees by the end of the century, precipitation up by almost 25 per cent, more extreme weather events, like floods, fires, droughts and heatwaves. + Okay, you’re scaring me. What about the scenarios with lower emissions? In that case, it’s a lot more optimistic. People tend to think of the climate cri- sis as a problem we have to pay for and fix, but it’s also an opportunity—a chance to bring people together to par- ticipate and share in the economic growth that a cleaner and greener economy would provide. Sounds like we're at the beginning of a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ novel. Exactly. We're at the point where the facts are clear, Ninety-seven per cent of climate scientists agree that human activity—again, particularly in the form of carbon emissions—is causing our climate to change. And we know we have a finite amount of time to make adjustments. So now the question is: What are we going to do? READER’S DIGEST A FUTURE WITH LOWER EMISSIONS MIGHT INVOLVE LESS AIR TRAVEL. +How much of our carbon footprint can we cut by turning off lights more and giving up disposable coffee cups? Thave a lot of respect for people trying to minimize their carbon footprint—by insulating their homes or minimizing waste. These actions have a measu- rable impact—switching from a car to public transit for one year, for example, [though this changes somewhat in the current scenario] can reduce emissions substantially. Leading by example is important for our communities and future generations. Still, the reality is that individual action alone is not going to get us where we need to be. What about something more dras- tic? Say, if every individual in the world were to go vegan, give up air travel and plant trees? Hypothetically, a coordinated global effort would have significant conse- quences. The world’s food system is responsible for about one-quarter of the greenhouse-gas emissions, and a lot of that is based on eating meat. A low-emission society of the future might involve a more plant-focused diet and less air travel. But talking about individual consumption also takes the focus away from a far bigger READERSDIGEST.IN 29READER’S DIGEST problem, which is that a very small number of oil and gas companies are responsible for a huge amount of global emissions—about 71 per cent. ‘These need to be addressed through policy and regulation, so if our govern- ments don’t act, measures taken by individuals are a bit like pointing a gar- den hose at a forest fire. What kinds of actions would you like to see our governments take? ‘The most efficient strategy is to put a price on the behaviours you want to discourage. Companies emitting over a certain level can be taxed, and that money can be used to fund adaptation and mitigation strategies. Also, from the private sector, we need new technologies that cost less and perform better so that all individuals have a green option they will choose, whether or not they are motivated to fight climate change. One of my current projects at the Centre for Urban Energy at Ryerson University is to work with industry partners to develop new economic models for energy storage—so that we are able to access renewable sources, like wind and solar, even when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. +Coming back to the power of individuals, how can we push our governments to act? We can become more politically engaged, whether that's writing to your representative, taking part in a protest or boycott action or contributing to an environmental non-profit or charity. Collective action is powerful, so joining forces with others is probably the best path. Jessie Ma is an engineer and has a master’s degree in public administra- tion. She's currently a research fellow at Ryerson University. 18 Se Movie Magic Just got back from Fight Club. It was really fun! Got there late, so | missed the rules being read out, but I’m sure it was nothing important. Varnicissonor Imagine having chills and then imagine those very chills multiplying. That’s what life is like for John Travolta. We@rvora_Fiora The 10th Fast and Furious movie should be called Fast 10: Your Seatbelts. Wosorniexcen 30 may + june 2020Soon after arriving at basic training, we were marched to the base barbershop, where we were told we'd find a clipboard with our names on it. “Next to your name,” the sergeant said, “initial it.” Everyone seemed OK with this order ex- cept for one confused READER’S DIGEST Shanahan “Highlightthe battleship-grey.” recruit. “Sergeant,” he said, “what if we don’t have any initials?” —MATTHEW NAZARIAN While serving as chief medical officer at Fort Ritchie in Maryland, [attended a nearby wedding. Since it was a formal affair at a country club, I went in my officer’s dress blue uniform, Once at the club, I drove up to the entrance, where the doorman promptly came to the passenger CARTOON BY Danny Shanahan door and assisted my wife out of the car. He then made his way to my side. But before I could get out, he pointed to the other end of the building and said, “The band entrance is that way.” —GORDON VANOTTEREN Reader's Digest will pay ‘for your funny anecdote or photo in any of our hu- our sections. Post it to the editorial address, or email us at [email protected] READERSDIGEST.IN 31Nature’s Bounty ENVIRONMENT With much of the world having been under lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, nature has regained much of its lost glory. Flora and fauna are flourishing, and, with limited human activity, birds and ani- mals are venturing out without fear. A large flock of flamingos, esti- mated at tens of thousands, put on a spectacular show at a creek in Navi Mumbai. Birdwatchers say that the pink birds migrate to several creeks around Mumbai every year, but this year they have shown up in bigger numbers than ever before. 32 may june 2020 GOOD NEWS FORA Better Planet More than a thousand kilometres away, from the Sunderbans reserve forest of West Bengal comes the news that there has been an increase, not only in the population of the tigers, but also their sightings. The number of Royal Bengal tigers has climbed to 96 from 88 last year, according to a recent census. This was noticed just before the lockdown, however. We hope that their population will spike further during the next census. The Postman Saves a Life Service It was a cry of desperation. A young cancer patient's family in ABOVE: SHUTTERSTOCK RIGHT: TWITTER‘Sources: Environment: The indian Empress, 1.04.20; indiatoday.in, 07.05.20. Service: Outlook india, 06.05 20. Tribute: New indian Exoress, 7.05.20; Heroes: Matrubhumicam, 30.04.20. Una, Himachal Pradesh, as well as friends in Delhi, sought the help of the Union Ministry of communica- tions, as the young girl was running out of crucial medicines and it was impossible to get hold of the life- saving drugs due to the lockdown. However, once the ministry di- rected India Post to ensure that the medicines are delivered, the Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh circles of India Post coor- dinated amongst themselves and ensured that the medicines were indeed handed to the family in time. Mango Salute to Corona Warriors ‘TRIBUTE They call Haji Kaleem Ullah Khan, from Uttar Pradesh, the ‘Mango Man’ of India for his prodigious talent to come up with new varieties of mangoes. Khan has now decided to name new varieties of mangoes ‘doctor aam’ and ‘police aam’ as a mark of res- pect to these front-line workers who have been proactive in the fight against the coronavirus. “I wanted to show gratitude to them in my own way,” Khan was quoted as saying. Khan holds the record for developing more than 300 varieties of mangoes from one tree, We hope that doctor aam and police aam will be widely known for their taste and flavour. — COMPILED BY V. KUMARA SWAMY READER’S DIGEST HEROES The Benevolent Tea-Seller Moved by the plight of people affected by the lockdown and by news reports stating that even children were contributing their pigay-bank money to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, Subaida, a tea-seller in Kerala's Kollam, sold two goats that she had saved fora rainy day. From the 712,000 she got forthe two goats, she donated %5,510to the relieffund and with the rest of themoney, she paid herrentand electricity bills. Subaidawas hailed asa hero by the state’s chief minis- ter, Pinarayi Vijayan, as soon as helearnt about the 60-year-old’s extraordinary kindness. Afterthe media approached her for her story and she hit the headlines, Anees Adam, a restaurateur, bought five goats for Subaida and handed them toher to show his appreciation. Nothing better than one good deed begetting another. IN READERSDIGEST.IN 33It Happens ONLY IN INDIA Kumar, a 38-year-old so infuriated the bottle- | Whodoesn’tlove a construction worker bhakt that he yelled shindig on their from Kolar, Karnataka, “How dare you cross birthday? BJP MLA was ecstatic. After my path!” ran overthe | M. Jayaram, from weeks under lockdown, | serpent, picked it up, Turuvekere, Karnataka, he could get hold of wrapped it around sure does. Amidst the some booze. After a his neck and, quite nationwide lockdown, joyous reunion, a now unnecessarily, bit this lawmaker unabash- drunk Kumar gathered | and chewed the reptile. | edly threw a 100-guest up his precious stash Well, at least the people | party at the Idagaru and mounted his mo- of Kolar now knowex- | Government School. torcycle to race home. | actly where not to be He is seen, in white But, ina dramatic turn | seen during happy latex gloves and a white of events, a viper slith- hour. Someone should mask, handing out slices ered across his bike’s tell the wildlife too! of cake in video clips. path. The interruption | Source: The Times of india The birthday boy even 34 may +jUNE 2020 ILLUSTRATION BY Raju EpuriTWITTER @PINAKICHOWDHUIO delivered a speech on how to battle COVID-19—by social distancing! The celebra- tions drew flak from the opposition and an FIR was filed, But, oddly, the MLA hasn’t been charged—the report states that he wasn’t in the village while the celebrations were on. Looks like the party, along with chocolate cake and biryani, also had disappearing acts for entertainment! ‘Source: The Times of india These are stressful times, but for Subrata Pati, from West Bengal’s Ahonda village, it was on another level. A his- tory teacher at a Kolkata coaching institute, Pati was in a fix when his employer wanted him to start online classes du- ring the lockdown. With no means of travel and terrible mobile network in his village, Pati was in a bind. But, the friendly village advisor offered a solution: The network on the higher branches of a particular neem tree was excellent. Pati READER’S DIGEST ‘Subrata Pati, chabissory teacher wie oiuitine neers trees offer shad internet speeds too! took the chance and found it to be true. So, he set up a temporary platform on the tree and started to teach. Who knows, when the history of the coronavi- tus is written one day, Pati's ingenuity may find a mention in the footnotes? ‘Source: The Telearaph The world’s tallest statue—the Statue of Unity, commemorat- ing ‘Iron man’ Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel—was suddenly found listed for sale on the online mar- ketplace olx.com, for a whopping %30,000 crore. An unidentified seller from Gujarat placed the botanical benefits and excellent ad, explaining that the sale proceeds would be used to help the govern- ment meet the expendi- ture for managing the pandemic. The memo- Tial’s authorities were not amused, and an FIR was filed against the anonymous seller. There are still some things money can’t buy, even if the price does seem about right. Source: businesstodoy.in —COMPILED BY ISHAN! ANDI, NAOREM ANUJA AND V. KUMARA SWAMY — Reader's Digest will pay for contributions to this column. Post your sugges- tions with the source to the editorial address, or email: [email protected] READERSDIGEST.IN 35[POWs To PONDER Iknow you are lonely and homesick as you are ... away from home. The only way to stay in touch with your family is to either wait in very long queues at the STD booth or write letters and wait even longer for a reply. Mohammad Kaif, cricketer, in a letter to his 12-year-old self If your baby is going to die and it doesn’t have to, it shouldn’t matter how much money you make. I think that’s something that ... we all agree on that, right? Jimmy Kimmel, talk-show host You built a factory and it turned into something terrific or a great idea—God bless, keep a big hunk of it. But ... the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along. Elizabeth Warren, politician FROM LEFT: ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK (2) eno Gero ECM eter) - ryREADER’S DIGEST ... all states, democratic or authoritarian, will likely become surveillance states. The pandemic will give states even more reason to render their citizens’ actions, movements, histories, economic activities, transparent to them. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, academic .. something in his quiet assurance as he rose to at all ingratiating, with a handshake that had a gentle firmness, all stemming from an unshakeable confidence in himself and a deep interest in others, the quality that was to define him for me always. Naseeruddin Shah, actor, on the lateIrrfan Khan Ihave social disease. I have to go out every night. If I stay home one night I start spreading rumours to my dogs. Andy Warhol, artist LEFT: ROHIT CHAWLA, ALAMY (2) a A XZ Deena) prem inees ee DCA meeREADER’S DIGEST The first thing I wat ri in isolation was... ... that the word ‘freedom’ i 1 was, is and always will be my favourite. a ee — 2 dan ‘SUI SADANANDAN-MIDHUN, via Facebook ... that I’ve got my own back. KAVITA RAO (@FREELANCERBYSPIRIT), ” that life goes on even via Instagram without eating out. ARUNA PARANDHAMA (@ARUNAPARANDHAMA), via Instagram .» that people can survive without g* _... how to enjoy your the help of own company. domestic workers. (CATE TAYLOR (@CATE_TAYLORS3), NILAM SUDHIR SHAH, via Instagram via Facebook — ... that you \ BB don’t need ee agym .. that ing a jomemal isa to build a toned very difficult and body—household i idi & ee bevestinry highly underpaid job. APOORVASINGHAL, UTKARSH SHUKLA, Ahmedabad aanbal 38 may «june 2020 SHUTTERSTOCKREADER’S DIGEST SHUTTERSTOCK BETTER LIVING Discover invaluable tips, advice and recipes from top health, nutrition and fitness experts in this special wellness section READERSDIGEST.IN 39READER’S DIGEST /weaLrn” Stay Safe with These “Healthy Habits Simple, everyday practices that can keep you protected from a host of illnesses Or argued about taking a bath? Well, it’s time for some humble pie because, as it turns out, the frequent hand-washers and daily floor scrub- bers had it right all along. Keeping your body clean and your surroundings free of pathogens—bacteria and viruses— are the best and simplest ways to pre- vent a host of illnesses, including viral infections. Here are the habits you should start at once, and others you should stop, in order to protect you and your family’s health. Personal hygiene According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fre- quent handwashing with soap and run- ning water, or a disinfectant containing at least 60 per cent alcohol, is the most Fre: SCOFFED AT a germophobe? 40° may #jUNE 2020 — By Ishani Nandi important habit to develop. Comple- ment this with another crucial one— avoid touching your face, especially the eyes, nose and mouth, to ensure that any microbes on your hands do not get transferred into the body. Fingernails can also pick up and collect dead skin cells, dirt and ill- ness-causing organisms that do not wash away during handwashing. The CDC recommends that you keep your nails short and trimmed, scrub the 2D - iALL IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK undersides of your nails while wash- ing your hands (a nail brush could be handy), avoid biting or chewing your nails and avoid cutting cuticles, as they act as barriers that prevent infection. Food and cooking The World Health Organization iden- tifies at least 200 illnesses, from diar- thoea to cancer, that come from unsafe food practices, particularly at home. To prevent these, try the following: +Keep hands, kitchen and cooking surfaces as well as utensils and equip- ment clean. +Ensure cooked or processed foods are kept separate from raw foods, particu- larly uncooked meat or seafood. Never reuse a utensil that contained raw meat without washing it first. + Maintain foods at correct tem- peratures—cook at up to 70°C, refrigerate cooked and perishable food at 5°C or lower and do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours. Other advice includes avoid tasting food to check if it has gone bad, never thaw food at room temperature or on the counter (instead defrost it in the Ss fridge, microwave or in cold water) and launder or replace dish rags, sponges and surface wipes regularly. When out and about Maintaining hygiene is tricky when you're outdoors, but make an effort to follow a few simple rules. Commonly used surfaces, such as chair seats, tabletops, bar counters, door handles, elevator buttons and stair rails are potential hotbeds of germs transferred from other people, but there's often no option but to touch them. Never leave the house without hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes so you can keep your hands clean on the go. Sanitize after touching any part of your body or clothes that comes in close contact with publicly used surfaces, such as seats of a public transport vehicle, elbow rests or the street. Maintain physical distance from other people as much as possible in queues, escalators and stores, and avoid mass-transit vehicles or eleva- tors if they are too crowded. Once you are back home, avoid wearing outdoor clothes and shoes indoors, especially on the bed or other private spaces where transmission is likely. i READERSDIGEST.IN 4].‘News FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE CHOLESTEROL AND ALZHEIMER'S In a study of more than 2,000 people, researchers found that those with high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels were more likely than those with lower levels to have early- onset Alzheimer’s. Past research has shown a similar link between high LDL cholesterol and late-onset Alzheimer’s, possibly because the APOE E4 gene (the largest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s) raises cholesterol levels. More research is needed to determine whether high levels of LDL cholesterol actu- ally cause Alzheimer’s and whether reducing cholesterol levels can help prevent it. 42 may» june 2020 Inhalers May Not Help Mild Asthma According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the low-dose steroid inhalers recommended to patients with mild asthma don’t prevent attacks. The drugs do reduce type 2 inflammation, which was believed to be prevalent among asthma patients. However, of the nearly 300 people in the study, only 27 per cent had type 2 inflam- mation. And 66 per cent of the remaining patients had the same number of urgent care visits and episodes of breathing trouble when they took a placebo as when they used the steroid inhaler. While the inhalers are generally safe, they can increase the risk for bone loss, cataracts and glaucoma. Ifyou have been using steroid inhalers, talk to your doctor before stopping. SHUTTERSTOCK‘SHUTTERSTOCK (2), NECHAEV-KON/GETTY IMAGES. Take a Deep Breath in the Waiting Room It’s not unusual to feel uneasy about a medi- cal appointment, but that anxiety can have a potentially dangerous side effect. A negative mood tends to make you pay less attention, especially to unplea- sant topics. For a recent study, nearly 1,450 sub- jects learnt about the flu, cancer, HIV, herpes and gonorrhea. Those who did a relaxation exercise beforehand absorbed more of their doctor’s information. Some easy remedies for nerves: Take deep breaths or listen to calming music in the waiting room. You can also bringa friend or family member to take notes for you. Ole Antibody Test Kit for COVID-19 Manufacturer Zydus Cadila has received a go-ahead from the Na- tional Institute of Viro- logy (NIV), Pune, for an indigenously produced COVID-19 test kit for antibody detection of the virus. The Indian Council for Medical Research said in a state- ment that the first batch of these ELISA kits pro- duced by the company had found a similar sensitivity of 98.7 per cent and specificity of 100 per cent. Since most of the diagnostic material for COVID-19 is imported by India, the ELISA-kit break- through is seen as a significant one that will not only help in reduc- ing costs but also in the rapid production of the kits for local use. READER’S DIGEST Risks of Using Bug Spray Ina study of more than 2,100 men and women, those with higher levels of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid in their urine were 50 per cent more likely to die from heart di- sease than those with lower levels. Their risk of dying from cancer and other causes also increased. This chemi- cal is associated with exposure to pyrethroids, found in many insect repellents, pet sprays and anti-lice shampoos, as well as pesticides. While the study doesn’t prove causation, you may want to avoid pyre- throid-based products, if possible. Look out for allethrin, resmethrin, permethrin and other common names of pyrethroids in the ingredients list. [0 WITH INPUTS FROM \V.KUMARA SWAMY READERSDIGEST.IN 43pe The 3 Ps of Eating Right A top nutritionist breaks down the fundamentals of lifelong healthy eating — By Ishi Khosla THE 1ST P: Planning Plan Your Day Engage and get involved in planning and making food decisions, You cannot be passive. It is as important as your business and professional plans. Just the way you plan your day’s meetings, your clothes—plan your food. For example, ifyouaregoingtobeon + the move or if you have a working lunch or social obligation, plan — 7 44 MAY +JUNE 2020 accordingly. This will prevent surprises and situations like ‘Oh I didn’t have a choice’ It will also prevent unwanted gaps, undesirable food intake and binge eating. If you are inclined towards cooking, innovate and explore new ways with new recipes and cuisines. Plan ingredients in advance, as well as exercise and supplements. Plan Your Grain Time Grains or cereals include rice, roti orbread. Cereals should not be confused with breakfast cereals. Every cuisine is represented by its staple grains—South Indian cuisine by rice, idli, dosa, and North Indian meals by chapattis or parathas. Grains or cereals should be eaten ideally before 7 p.m. and when you are hungriest. These can be paired with vegetables and proteins. They can be included once, twice or thrice a day or avoided altogether, depending on individual requirements. Plan Your Exercise Eating before exercise is counterproductive, espe- cially if you are trying to lose weight. A high-carbohydrate snack like a fruit, lemon water with salt or coconut water are ideal. Post-exercise, proteins combined with carbohydrates are best. A glass of vegetable juice is great. Ideally, a gap of at least two hours between your meal and exercise is advisable. For high-intensity exercise, these guidelines need to be modified. Plan When To Take Supplements Taking superfoods and supplements in the morning ensures better regularity. Keep your post-dinner supplements on your bedside table. For travel or at work, keep them in your bag or desk. Special pill boxes work well. THE 2ND P: Protein Aim to include two protein-rich meals in a day. These could be in the form of pulses, nuts, dairy, eggs, lean meat, chicken or fish. Lentil pancakes (chillas) should also be counted as pro- teins. Eating a couple of servings of dals a <) READER’S DIGEST and pulses a day is adequate as excess amounts could lead to gastric distress and bloating. There is a tendency to- wards eating too much protein among the youth. Also, protein supplements have become the norm for those going to gyms. This is not warranted unless you are engaged in high levels of spor- ting activity. If you engage in inten- sive physical exercise like endurance workouts or heavyweight training, pro- tein intake would need to increase. In most individuals doing moderate exer- cises, dietary protein should be enough to meet requirements. Excess animal protein should also be avoided. Pair Proteins With Vegetables Pro- teins are acidic in nature and are best taken with alkaline foods like vegetables or fruits. Ensuring that you combine protein with salads, vege- table juices, cooked vegetables or fruits makes them easier to digest and also provides more fibre to aid digestion. Plant proteins: Lentil pancakes (chilla), mung idli, mung dal, laddu, sprouts, chana chaat, matra, chana tikki, dhokla, khandvi, falafel, sun- dal, vegetable pakora, vada, dal dosa, sautéed peas and mushrooms. Animal proteins: Eggs, chicken kebabs, grilled or stir-fried chicken, fish (fried, steamed or grilled), fish cutlets, lamb kebabs, lamb stew. THE 3RD P: Protective Foods Vegetables And Fruits Not only do vegetables and fruits fortify our health, they also lay the foundation of good READERSDIGEST.IN 45ia: DIGEST = 46 eating. Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre, this low-calorie, high-nutrient group is one of the most valuable elements in our current lifestyles. This group has been called protective foods simply because they have phytonutrients (plant nutrients), which help fight diseases. Those that have exceptionally high levels of phytonutrients are also popularly called superfoods. Vegetables and fruits are central to good health. Make sure you include fruits and a good mix of both raw and cooked vegetables to make the most of their benefits. However, while fruits are loaded with antioxidants and mi- cronutrients, they are also a source of sugar (fructose), so a modest intake of fruit (one to three servings) is adequate. Avoid fruit juices as they are concen- trated sources of sugar and spike our blood sugar, leading to imbalance of MAY ¢ JUNE 2020 insulin levels and resulting in sugar cravings, low blood-sugar, belly fat, fatty liver and high uric acid levels. Superfoods Food has been recognized as a medicine for thousands of years. Good food is medicine and can help delay, prevent and, at times, treat diseases. Wrong food can make us sick. Several dietary constituents and nutrients are comprehensively documented with their protective roles in health and diseases. The kitchen is indeed the best pharmacy. One needs to be knowledgeable about these foods and their benefits. Include aloe vera, amla, turmeric, ginger, basil, spirulina, curry leaves, moringa, seaweeds, berries, spice waters, dry fruits, nuts and seeds in your diet. [1 Ishi Khosla is a nutritionist and founder of The Weight Monitor and Whole Foods India ALLIMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCKREADER’S DIGEST Easy, Delicious Immunity Boosters A top nutritionist shares her choice of recipes you can make at home by Neelanjana Singh corona world is to pick your foods wisely and ensure they help you boost your immunity and stay disease-free. Here are some foods that deliver vitamins C, A and zinc—all you need to do is get the ingredients and try out these recipes in your kitchen. Easy to make, tasty to eat, they will make you and your family stronger and healthier! Te BEST WAY to survive in a post- Cottage Cheese and Sprouted Fenugreek Salad For this, you can sprout the fenugreek (methi) seeds by soaking them over- night, draining the water and tying the seeds in a muslin cloth. Else, you could leave the damp seeds in a covered vessel that allows for air circulation. The fenugreek sprouts should be ready in two to three days in warm weather. Sprouted fenugreek seeds make for an excellent snack and can be added to salads and stir-fried veggies. To preserve the vitamin C content of the seeds, make sure you consume them raw or cooked very lightly. High temperatures and long cooking periods will destroy the vitamin C in the seeds. This recipe is wholesome, tasty and de- livers ample vitamin C (in the sprouted fenugreek seeds and mint leaves). Serves two to three people Ingredients 1 cup cottage cheese, cubed 1 tbsp yogurt (thick) 3 tbsp mint leaves, chopped 3 tbsp fenugreek seeds, sprouted \% tsp black pepper ¥% tsp cumin powder ¥% tsp chaat masala Salt to taste READERSDIGEST.IN 47READER'S DIGEST 48 Method +Take the yogurt in a pan and add the spices, mint leaves and salt to make a | smooth paste. + Add the cottage cheese cubes and the fenugreek sprouts to it and stir lightly to coat evenly with the yogurt paste. Take care not to break the cottage cheese cubes. +Serve chilled. For some variation in taste, you could pan-fry the cottage cheese instead of using it raw. Any seasonal fruit that is available can be added to the salad for more diverse flavours and nutrients. MAY ¢ JUNE 2020 Spicy Tomato Rice Ingredients 1 cup cooked rice 1% tsp cooking oil (soy/sesame/ tice bran) For the paste 1 cup chopped tomatoes 5 cloves of garlic For the topping ¥%* cup of crumbled cottage cheese/ tofu/cheese Spices & herbs ¥% tsp black pepper ¥% tsp tulsi or basil leaves Salt to taste Method + Grind the tomato and garlic to a smooth paste in a mixer. + Heat the oil in a pan and cook the prepared paste over a medium flame for a couple of minutes. + Add the cooked rice and gently toss so that the rice grains are covered by the paste evenly. +Add the salt, black pepper powder and the chopped basil or tulsi leaves and stir itin. + Once the rice is prepared, sprinkle the crumbled cottage cheese/tofu/ cheese as a topping to the meal. LEFT: NEELANJANA SINGH, TOP: SHUTTERSTOCKIn this recipe, you could also sub- stitute the tomato for any other green leafy vegetable such as spinach, also an excellent source of vitamin A. Black pepper, tulsi and garlic are used in this recipe not simply as taste enhancers, but because of their special properties that boost the immune system. Sweet and Nutty Bites This packs in a fair quota of zinc and also works as an excellent mood elevator. The seeds and nuts used in this recipe are valuable sources not just of zinc, but also of omega-3 fats, proteins, selenium and magnesium. The vitamin B, in these nuts and seeds plays the role of a mood-lifter. Adding a small portion of sweet or dessert to the menu can also help up- lift a low mood. Of course, make sure to keep a tab on your daily intake of added/processed sugar (it should be no more than five per cent of the to- tal daily calories consumed). Try this recipe, which is a perfect fit for enhan- cing immunity and your mood. Makes 10-12 small balls Ingredients % cup roasted peanut, ground % cup seed mixture (sesame seeds— black or white) % cup nuts (walnut/almond/cashew) ¥% cup fruit (sun melon/papaya/apple, mashed to a smooth paste) 2 tbsp honey or jaggery powder \% tsp cinnamon powder Method + Grind the nuts and seeds to a fine consistency. +Add the peanut powder, cinnamon powder and the mashed fruit paste. Mix well. + Roll the mixture to form small round dumplings. + Instead of the fresh fruit, you could also use dried fruits such as dates, figs or raisins. You could chop these finely, or place them in the blender for a smooth consistency. I suggest you choose from a wide range of seeds for this recipe. The seeds of watermelon, pumpkin, chia, garden cress (halim) and poppy are some good options. [4FITNESS Get Fit With This At-Home Routine Skip the outdoors and work out while doing these everyday household chores — BY Nisha Varma Dancing to music videos canbean De |ARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISES are a great way to improve the overall efficiency of your cir- culatory and respiratory systems. To achieve this, choose an activity such as walking, cycling, swimming, running or equipment-based exercises. They increase your heart rate and force your lungs to take in more oxygen. However, sometimes outdoor activities are not an option, as we have learnt during the recent lockdown. Even otherwise, bad weather, spikes in air pollution levels or overcrowded parks can dampen your out-of-home workouts. However, you can manage great cardio regimens at home too by simply weaving in the right exercises into your daily activities and chores. Always remember that every indi- vidual has a different endurance limit. Follow your body’s response and stop if the activity gets too stressful, you get disoriented, dizzy or feel faint. Sweat It Out With Housework Sweeping and mopping the floor is a good way to start your cardio routine. Bending, straightening up and squat- ting are all good ways to push up your heart rate. They also stretch the pelvic floor and strengthen the muscles of the lower body. However, anyone with a back or a knee problem should only opt for a standing position. Make sure you are safe as you do this. Never bend forwards with your knees locked. Keep the knee and ankle aligned as you squat. Lift a bucket of SHUTTERSTOCKwater with your back aligned and avoid pitching your neck forwards in any position or during an activity. Stretch the lower back after sweeping and swabbing. Place both hands on a table and lean forwards. tairway T If you must step out, try taking the stairs for a healthier option. Now that protecting yourself from infections is paramount, it’s actually safer as well, as you avoid contact with a surface (think lift buttons, or sharing the lift with other people). Avoid holding on to the railings as you manoeuvre the steps. Make stair-climbing an inte- resting activity and add variety to your movements. For example, walk up a flight of stairs, run up the next, climb READER’S DIGEST backwardsin the next segment, run down again and finish it with knee-ups. Repeat for 20 minutes. You can make it a part of your routine, but be careful while practising it. Stretch post your workout. Sit, let your heels hang off the step and feel the stretch in your calves. If you live alone, dancing to music videos is an enjoyable option to stay fit. If reading is your passion, then find a way to stand while you read. You can even walk around your house while listening to audio books. IY Nisha Varma is an American College of Sports Medicine-certified exercise physiologist based in Pune, READERSDIGEST.IN SIFITES Quick Yoga Moves to Keep You Healthy Do complex yoga postures put you off? This easy regimen can yield remarkable benefits By Abhishek Sharma 52 MAY + JUNE 2020 HERE'S LITTLE DOWNSIDE to yoga—this age-old fitness practice calms your nervous system and improves breathing, muscle elasticity, neuromuscular coordination and overall flexibility. Yoga is best practised in the moming but, evening is fine too. This easy-for-all regimen is good for any time but ideally after a walk and never after a heavy meal. floor with your spine straight. Feel your stomach and chest rise and fall with each breath. Then take four deep breaths, and squeeze your stomach in- wards to exhale completely. iE Sit cross-legged on the Marjariasana: Assume the star- ting pose for a cat stretch. Push your spine up, like a bow, and tuck your neckin, with each exhalation. While breathing in, push the stomach down and the neck up. Do this four times. Hold each pose for 10 seconds and breathe evenly while you do so. °PHOTO COURTESY: ANHISHEK SHARMA a the baby pose by lowering yourself on your folded feet. With your hips pushed back, and with your head down, stretch your hands forwards. Hold for five breaths. ‘Qiretaty sey First assume stomach, palms facing down on either side of the chest. While breathing in, raise your upper body without straightening your elbows or letting your body rise above the level of the navel, Repeat four times. Asem an Lie on your Tadasana: Stand straight with your legs one-foot apart, hands by your side, palms facing in- wards. As you inhale, rise on your toes and raise your hands above your head. As you exhale, bring your hands and feet back to the start- ing position. Breathe in and then out for 10 seconds each. Repeat four times. READER’S DIGEST Trikonasana: Keeping your feet more than shoulder-width apart, raise your right hand up and bend to the left, while sliding your left hand down. Hold for five seconds. You should feel the stretch on the right side of your body. Repeat on the other side. ttanasana: With your feet close together, slowly raise your hands and arch back as you breathe in. As you breathe out slowly, bend forwards and try to reach for the toes. Repeat this four times. Beginners can keep their knees bent until the muscles become flexible enough to al- low this move with their knees straight. Uttanpadasana: Lie on your As you inhale, raise your right leg at a 90-degree angle to the rest of your body. Slowly bring it down as you exhale, Repeat three times with each leg. You could also try raising both legs together, but stop if it strains your back. ® READERSDIGEST.IN 53READER’S DIGEST Setubandha Asana: Lie with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Reach with palms down and touch your heels. As you breathe in, raise your stomach and shift your weight to the shoulders, creating an arch. Slowly lower your body while exhaling. Repeat four times. ] pine, bend both knees, press them against your stomach with fingers interlocked around your knees. Hold this position for 20 seconds. side, palms facing upwards. ] Loosen your muscles, close your eyes and focus on the rise and fall of your stomach for three breaths. Then take three deeper breaths and let your stomach rise higher than usual. Pavanamuktasana: Lie su- Shavasana: Lie, hands by the 2 54 may JUNE 2020 gers locked, raise your hands above your head, palms facing upwards. Hold for five seconds, then bring them down. Sit straight, push back your l shoulders and neck, and feel the gentle stretch on both. Hold for five seconds. Sit with your back straight and rub your palms together for 10 seconds. When they feel warm, place them over your eyes and- face. Repeat once to finish the session. 0 ] Sit cross-legged and with fin- Abhishek Sharma is a Mumbai-based holistic fitness trainer, yoga teacher and author of Fitness On The Go: The Anytime Anywhere Holistic Workout for Busy People.‘SHUTTERSTOCK BEAUTY Keep Your SKIN Sun-Safe It’s never too late to start wearing SPF — By Naorem Anuja sunscreen—the building block of any skincare regimen. According to Mumbai-based dermatologist Dr Aparna Santhanam, “Sun exposure causes Indian skin to develop uneven pigmentation. It can also lead to ageing of the skin, heatstroke, sunburn, worsening of existing problems and even certain kinds of skin cancer. The best preventive measure to take against all of these is sunscreen.” [« official: You should never skip WHAT TO BUY Sun protection has come a long way, with several products and varying formulations flooding the market. A few thumb rules can help you identify the best formula for your skin type. “Check labels for an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 20, and words like ‘broad spectrum’ or ‘dual spectrum; indicating UVA coverage. Look for ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are physical blockers and indicate broad protection,” advises Santhanam. HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? Says Santhanam, “For your face, apply at least 15 to 20 ml of sunscreen.” Apply it at least 30 minutes before exposure to the sun, and reapply every three to four hours. If you are swimming or out on the beach, reapply every hour or so, Other measures you can take for maximum protection against the sun’s harmful rays are: + Avoid sunlight from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. + Use scarves, hats and umbrellas to shield yourself. + Include bright red- and orange- coloured fruits and vegetables, which are high on beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene that help fight sun damage. 0 READERSDIGEST.IN 55Home A Germ-Free Home For Good Health The coronavirus pandemic has made us aware, more than ever, about surface hygiene — BY Mohini Mehrotra 'B ALWAYS KNEW a dirty floor was a hotbed of germs, or that it is good practice to wipe down doorknobs and coffee tables once a day to remove the layer of dust that settles in. But the COVID-19 pan- demic has made us more alert (even paranoid) about surface hygiene. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, can survive on surfaces for long hours—on cardboard for up to 24 hours and on plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours. Here is how you can keep your home germ-free in a post-corona world: Disinfectthe Surfaces Look for an all-purpose disinfectant spray or liquid, which helps kill 56 may june 2020 germs. Spray it on surfaces—kitchen countertops, doorknobs, coffee or dining tables, doors, switches, handles, laptops, mobile phones and so on— and then wipe off with a paper towel, a disinfectant wipe or a tissue. Remember to dispose of the tissue or wipe after use. While a reusable duster is a more cost-effective tool, it is not always possible to wash, disinfect and dry the cloth after every use, especially when you may be disinfecting surfaces more than once during the day. Hence awipe is a better choice. Sanitize the Floor When you enter your home, you unknowingly bring in a lot of germs with your footwear. Needless to say, it is extremely important to sanitize the floor with a disinfectant floor-cleaning‘SHUTTERSTOCK READER’S DIGEST J liquid. Make it a point to clean soft surfaces too, like carpeted floors and HOME HACKS Tugs, with a cleaner. — Ifyou have a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patient at home, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention + (CDC) recommends using a diluted ee ee eemeanonars household bleach solution to disinfect get rid of them would be to pour the floor To make the bleach solution | 3 cup or two of vinegardown the at home, mix one-third cup of bleach drain, once or twice a week. powder with roughly four litres of Vinegar kills 80 to 99 per cent of water. Don’t mix household bleach bacteria and viruses. For Your Bathroom: Did you know that the sink drain harbours the with ammonia or any other cleanser. For Your Kitchen: Microbiologists at the Arizona University were Avoid Contact taken aback to find that the When receiving home-delivery kitchen sink surpassed even the products, instead of making physical toilet bowl as a breeding ground contact with the agent, let them for germs. Brush the sink with leave the package at your doorstep. | chlorine and water to keep it Remember to wash your hands like a germ-free. surgeon after collecting the package. READERSDIGEST.IN 57il Old-Time Doctor Remedies That Work BY Jen Mccaffery AND Tina Donvito wits Ishani Nandi PHOTOGRAPHS BY Yasu+Junko depression. Cod-liver oil—blech!—to keep your eyes healthy. Your grandmother and her doctors probably swore by these fixes, and now science is catching up with them. Researchers have produced hundreds of studies in the recent past about the effectiveness of home remedies. But not all old-time solutions really help. That's why this list focuses on treatments with expert advice and evidence to back them up. Remember that even natural cures can interact with medication. If you take pills regularly or have a chronic health condition, check with your doctor before trying these. | ONEY TO HEAL A WOUND. Cardamom for 5B May ¢JUNE 20207 READER’S DIGEST Se = ——READER'S DIGEST A Age Spots TRY: Buttermilk You can skip the expensive skin creams. This rich by-product of butter contains lactic acid and ascorbic acid. One study showed that this combination lightened age spots more effectively than lactic acid alone. Apply to the spots with acotton ball, then rinse with water after 20 minutes. Allergies Vitamin Cc Vitamin C isn’t just good for the common cold; it turns out to be an effective natural anti- ° histamine. In one study, | | blisters can be ex- | tremey painful, but 74 per cent of the sub- jects who received a vitamin C nasal spray reported that their noses were less stuffy, com- pared with 24 per cent of the patients who took a placebo. The study's authors recommend. getting two grams per day from food and/or supplements, MAY 4 JUNE 2020 B Blisters The rawness from chafing and friction can irritate them fur- | ther. Clean a blister with soap and water, and then reduce fric- tion by applying pe- troleum jelly to the inflamed area and | keeping it covered with a bandage. Bug Bites TRY: Oatmeal “Oatmeal has a long his- tory—and equally solid : biological basis—for its ‘TRY: Petroleum Jelly ! anti-itch effects?” says Adam Friedman, MD, associate professor of dermatology at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Creams with colloidal oatmeal can be found in pharmacies or you can make a paste with equal parts oat- meal and water; apply it to the bite for 10 mi- : nutes, then rinse.STYLIST: SUSAN OTTAVIANO FOR HALLEY RESOURCES Burns TRY: Aloe “Aloe is avery soothing remedy for burns,’ says Purvisha Patel, MD, a dermatologist and the creator of Visha Skin Care. One study demon- strated it was more ef- fective than other trea- tments for second-de- gree burns. Make sure you use pure aloe, not a scented version. If you own an aloe plant, sim- ply cut open a leafand apply the liquid directly to the affected area, For serious burns, you should still see a doctor. Calluses and Corns TRY: Gingelly Oil “Massaging gingelly oil on the area is a proven and effective remedy for calluses and corns,’ says Dr Isaac Mathai, medical director of SOUKYA, a holistic well- ness centre in Benga- } luru. Gingelly oil is derived from raw se- same seeds and pro- cessed in a way that gives it an amber co- lour, darker than regu- lar sesame oil. “Scrub the hard tissue with a scrubber and moistu- rize it every day for a month. Wear shoes that fit properly and, in severe cases, consult a doctor,” Mathai adds. Canker Sores TRY: Milk of Magnesia Canker sores are ulcers of the mouth that can ; be caused by viral infec- {tions or injuries. To ease the pain, rinse your mouth with milk of magnesia or apply it to canker sores three or four times a day. Constipation ‘TRY: Ground Flaxseed “It’s almost as if nature } tailor-made ground : flaxseed to relieve con- ; stipation,’ says Will Busiewicz, MD, a gas- ! troenterologist in Mount Cover Story : Pleasant, South Caro- : lina, USA. “It is a great : source of both insoluble : and soluble fibre, which : add bulk to the stool and : promote the growth of * good bacteria’ Ground : flaxseed is an excellent © source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to help soften stool and relieve constipation. : Aim for two to three : tablespoons a day as part ofa fibre-rich diet. Cough TRY: Thyme Tea Thyme is a natural expectorant that relaxes the respiratory tract and loosens mu- cous. Studies have found that using thyme in combination with primrose or ivy relieves the frequency and duration of coughs. To make thyme tea, place two tablespoons of fresh thyme (or one tablespoon dried) ina cup of hot water. Allow it to steep, then drain out the herb, Add honey to taste. READERSDIGEST.IN 61READER'S DIGEST D Depression An aromatic, flavourful and multipurpose spice, cardamom has anti- anxiety and anti-de- pressant properties. Charmaine D'Souza, a Mumbai-based nutri- Diarrhoea ‘TRY: Raw Banana “Raw bananas, which contain pectin, a water- soluble fibre, absorbs excess water in the colon and helps pro- vide bulk to stool,” says Delhi-based nutritionist Lovneet Batra. “Bananas are arich source of potas- sium, which helps res- tore electrolyte im- balance caused by this condition. It is also a great prebiotic, which acts as food for good bacteria in our gut, further strengthening one’s digestion.” 62 may «june 2020 : tion consultant, and } quantities throughout author of Kitchen Clinic, : the day between 11 a.m. suggests taking “adaily { and5 p.m” Other re- infusion ofahalftea- | medies that boost your : spoon of cardamom : mood include chamo- ! powder and two pods of : mile tea, and one tea- } star anise in one litre of spoon of chironji water. Drink this thera- | (Cuddapah nuts) peutic solution in small ‘ at bedtime. F Eye Strain Fever TRY: TRY: Cucumber Dill Seeds “Lie on your back and D'Souza recommends place one cucumber dill seeds (suva) for fe- slice (about one-eighth _; brile conditions. “Roast of an inch, or around one tablespoon of dill two centimetres, thick) {| seeds with two pepper- over each closed eye. } corns and one teaspoon Cucumbers contain of black cumin. Boil this antioxidants that studies ; in 150 ml water for four have shown help reduce ; minutes and let it steep swelling and relieve } for 10 minutes. Strain, pain. Replace the slices; add a pinch of cinna- with a cooler pair every | mon powder and drink two or three minutes, warm. Repeat whenever for a total duration of { the body temperature upto15 minutesinall. { crosses 100 degrees,” SHUTTERSTOCKshe says. Her other go- to remedy for bringing down a fever is tulsi (holy basil) leaves—boil 20 leaves with two cloves i » or guduchi leaves | (Tinospoia cordifolia), : one of the most valued : and effective herbs in | Ayurveda. “Also, avoid | spicy or acidic foods, in one litre water until it reduces to half litre. Drink this every two hours, she advises. Foot Odour Lavender Oil Lavender essential oil not only smells good but also has antibacterial properties that help kill germs. Before bed, rub a few drops of oil on to your feet and massage it | in. Pull on a pair of socks | to protect your sheets. GERD and Heartburn Guduchi Tea Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that occurs when acidic stomach juices, or food and fluids, back up from ; the stomach into the : : oesophagus. To combat : : this condition, Mathai : recommends a herbal tea made with amrith, do not sit or lie down right after meals and | chew food well before swallowing in order to allow the oesophageal | sphincter to return to ‘ normal,” he suggests. Gout Kokilaksha ) Gout is a type of arthri- | tis, where crystallized | deposits of uric acid cause pain, redness : and tenderness in the joints. Mathai suggests the herbs kokilaksha \ (Hygrophila auriculata) or punarnava (Boerha- | via diffusa)—known for rejuvenating and pain- : relieving properties— for gout symptoms. Cherries also contain compounds that neu- tralize uric acid. Cover Story H Headaches ‘TRY: Peppermint Oil Peppermint essential oil cools the skin, numb- ing the pain ofa tension headache as well as acetaminophen does, according to two small studies. Mix a few drops with olive oil to prevent skin irritation, then gen- tly massage onto your forehead and temples. Hiccups TRY: Sugar A spoonful of sugar doesn’t just help the medicine go down— when it comes to hic- cups (contractions of the diaphragm), it is the medicine. “Eating the grainy sugar crystals forces you to swallow harder than normal, and this resets your diaphragm” to stop the spasms, says Claire Mar- tin, a nutritionist based in Oakland, California. READERSDIGEST.INREADER'S DIGEST High Cholesterol : TRY: : Niacin Studies show that taking niacin (vitamin B3) can lower LDL (or ‘bad’) cholesterol by 10 per cent and triglycerides by 25 per cent, and raise HDL (‘good’) cholesterol by 20 to 30 per cent. Since high doses can cause gastrointestinal problems, liver damage, and glucose intolerance, ask your doctor before taking any supplements. I Indigestion TRY: Fennel Those tiny seeds that you often see in bowls at restaurants are fennel (saunf). They contain carminative agents, which help expel gas from the intestinal tract. Chew a pinch of fennel to help prevent after- dinner belching. Insomnia ‘TRY: Ashwagandha : An ancient Indian : medicinal herb, : ashwagandha, also : known as Indian : ginseng, helps lower stress, fatigue and anxiety, says Batra. Best consumed at bedtime, this adaptogen contains : triethylene glycol, which relaxes the nervous system and induces sleep. Joint Pain ‘TRY: Green Tea A potent antioxidant found in green tea called epigallocate- chin-3-gallate (EGCG) may put the brakes on the joint pain and inflammation of theumatoid arthritis, according to a study in Arthritis and Rheumatology. Researchers suggest drinking two or three : cupsa day to reap : the benefits. K Kidney Stones TRY: Lemon Juice The most common kidney stones occur when oxalate—a compound found in spinach, bran and French fries—builds up in urine and ‘sticks’ to calcium, forming crystals. Drinking at least 120 ml of lemon juice per day could help as citric acid can prevent the calcium and oxalate from crystallizing into these stones. L Lip Cracking TRY: Olive Oil When you've got chap- ped lips, coat them with olive oil, a naturallubricant that will help soften and moisturize lips nicely. In fact, any vegetable oil will do. M Memory Lapses Sage A study in healthy older : adults found that taking | sage leaf extract cap- sules improved word recall and memory. Menopausal Symptoms TRY: Bay Leaves “Infuse three roasted bay leaves in one litre of water and drink this through the day,” says D'Souza. Along with this, make a mix of flax meal, curry leaf powder, bay leaves, pepper powder, sesame seeds, cloves, turmeric powder and cumin, Take two teaspoons of this after lunch and dinner. Cover Story N Nausea Thy: Ginger Ginger can help alleviate nausea caused by chemotherapy, morning sickness or motion sickness. “Although we do not yet understand the exact method that allows ginger to be effective at reducing nausea, it is thought it may work by obstructing the serotonin receptors in the gut that cause it,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, registered dietician. Tt also may prompt the body to release enzymes that help break down food. Steep ginger slices in hot water to make a tea, sip on some gin- ger ale or chew some candied ginger root. READERSDIGEST.IN 65READER’S DIGEST Neck Pain TRY: Pressure With your thumb or your fingertips, apply Psoriasis steady pressure on TRY: the painful spot on Capsaicin your neck for three Capsaicin is what minutes. Research gives chillis its heat. shows that this simple Research has shown acupressure technique : that applying capsaicin helps loosen tight cream helps relieve the muscles to reduce pain. | itching of psoriasis. Osteoporosis TRY: Soya A review of several studies conducted at the University of North Carolina found that people who ate foods rich in soya had healthier bones and a reduced risk of fractures. Scientists are still trying to figure out which active compounds may account for the protective effect, but good sources of soya protein include soya beans, soya milk, miso, tempeh and tofu. 66 May + JUNE 2020 Sinusitis ‘TRY: Eucalyptus Oil ! Give your congested sinuses a steam treat- ment. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a : pot of water, boil and remove the pot from the stove. Drape a towel over your head : and shoulders, then : lean forward so it forms a tent over the pan. Keep your face about 18 inches above the water as you breathe deeply. As the vapour rises, it carries droplets of oil into your sinuses and loosens congestion. Studies show that the main ingredient in eucalyptus oil, cineole, can help people recover faster from acute sinusitis. Sore Throat ‘TRY: Liquorice : While the body’s : immune response can usually fight off a SHUTTERSTOCKCover Story viral infection, such | | pennywort, is amem- as the common cold i : ber of the parsley or the flu, a sore throat | } family. “This herb can be soothed by i —_— helps strengthen weak liquorice root—also ; Urinary Tract veins and improve blood circulation,” says called yashtimadhu i Infection or mulethi—brewed in; hot water, says Mathai. The herb is known to bean effective anti-A study of 373 women Batra. Its active com- ponent, TTFCA (total triterpenic fraction | of Centella asiatica) ‘TRY: Cranberry Juice inflammatory and | with a history of urinary ; has been shown by analgesic agent. | tract infections (UTIs) studies to promote showed that those who : collagen and elastin- dranka glass ofcran- _ building, which helps | berry juice dailyhada ; strengthen the walls | 40 per cent reduction ! of the veins. “Take in the number of UTIs _: a teaspoon of dried ; compared with those gotu kola leaves and Tomhend | who dranka placebo. _ | boil in water and drink | While other studies } the aqueous solution,” Gum Pain — have been mixed about _ she advises. Try: | the effect of cranberry Clove Oil juice on UTIs, scientists “Oil of cloves can ; thinkacompoundin = | Vision Problems sometimes soothe | cranberry juice can TRY: an inflamed tooth,’ prevent bacteria from Cod-Liver Oil says Saul Pressner, | sticking to the walls Arich source of DMD, a dentist in | of the urinary tract. omega-3 fatty acids, New York City. Clove : this fish oil supplement oil has bacteria-slay- ! contains vitamins A ing properties and : and D, reduces inflam- also a numbing effect. mation, lowers blood Mix a few drops with { pressure and increases olive oil to avoidirri- | Varicose Veins; blood flow to the eyes, tation, then swish i ‘TRY: } cutting the risk of de- itin your mouth. Gotu Kola : veloping glaucoma & Known in Ayurveda and possibly macular | asthe ‘herb oflonge- _;_ degeneration. Take | vity; gotu kola,Indian _: one teaspoon daily. READERSDIGEST.IN 67READER’S DIGEST : Warts i TRY: W ; Duct Tape » Although doctors aren’t Wounds : sure why it works, one TRY: | study found that putting Honey : duct tape on warts and Since ancient Egyptian times, people have : replacing it every six used honey as a salve for wounds, Pure : days was 25 per cent honey contains the enzyme glucose oxidase, : more effective than which causes a chemical reaction that : freezing them—and releases hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic. | much cheaper. Honeys range widely in their ant rial i potency, however. For best results, scientists recommend manuka honey, from New i Zealand, which contains an additional ; compound that increases its aia Apply honey directly to a wound: 12 i ea ier ph it with sterile gauze. | Yeast econ Sea Salt Sprinkle a cup of sea salt : ina tub of warm water, then take a nice soak to relieve itching and pain. Zits TRY: Tea Tree Oil In one study, a 5 per cent tea tree oil gel was as effec- tive as a 5 per cent benzoyl peroxide lotion in limiting acne outbreaks—with fewer side effects. 68 May ¢JUNE 2020SHUTTERSTOCK Cover Story Boost Your Immunity—Naturally! Fight cough and cold Dilute a pinch of paprika and one teaspoon of honey with two tablespoontfuls of lime juice in half a cup of water and take it every morning to prevent colds. Take this concoction thrice a day if you already have acold. For dry coughs Make a brew of two tablespoons of ginger juice, one tablespoon of garlic juice, a pinch of turmeric powder and two green car- damom pods in 100 ml water. Bring to a boil and allow it to simmer for two minutes. Strain, add one tea- spoon of rock sugar (mishri) and drink warm. Repeat two to three times a day until the cough subsides. For stronger immunity Boil five green cardamom pods and two cloves in two litres of water and drink this water daily to improve immunity. —Charmaine D’Souza, a health and nutrition consultant Balance acidic and alkaline Ideally, your body should be 80 per cent alkaline and 20 per cent acidic. A more acidic body is prone to viral and bacterial attacks. So, avoid processed and canned foods, sugar, alcohol and refined foods. An alkali-rich diet includes antioxidant- and fibre-rich fruits and vegetables that promote gut and kidney health . Stay hydrated Drink lots of plain wa- fer, lemon water, coconut water, amla ice and fresh fruit or vegetable juices. Spice up meals Add spices such as black pepper and cinnamon, ginger, rock salt, turmeric and garlic in meals. Fight respiratory issues Take a daily dose of vitamin C-rich foods such as amla, citrus fruits and lemon. —Salila Tewari, naturopath and : founder of Swasth Bachao Andolan Supplement your body Vitamins C, D, B-complex, zinc and magnesium are all important. Research shows vitamin ; Dmay be more effective than the flu vaccine for flu prevention. Take supple- ments under your doctor’s supervision. Switch to healthy fats Cook with cold-pressed mustard, sesame, } coconut, olive oil or desi ghee. Go for the gut Boost gut health } with fermented foods, prebiotic fibre, or even psyllium husk (isabgul). Get herbal help Herbal remedies can keep your immunity robust—tulsi 1 capsule or a few leaves oncea day); guduchi (decoction or one finger-long stem crushed and boiled); neem leaves (two or three every day). —Ishi Khosla, clinical nutritionist and founder of theweightmonitor.com, Celiac } Society of India and Whole Foods india kN READERSDIGEST.INtl INSPIRATION il Heroes in White Coats Our tribute to front-line medical workers, who put their duty before their own lives and make their profession proud BY Team RD ILLUSTRATIONS BY Keshav Kapil Armed with masks, gloves and face shields, medical professionals have emerged as the new front-line soldiers in the war against the global coronavirus outbreak. Here are stories of four extraordinary health-care heroes, whom we salute. THE LAST LINE OF DEFENCE Dr Zahid Abdul Majeed, 32 He is going to die, Dr Zahid Abdul Ma- jeed thought as he looked down at the critically ill COVID-19 patient lying on the gurney, struggling to breathe through a dislodged ventilator tube, which had separated in the ambulance during a routine patient transfer from the emergency ward to the designated 70 may june 2020 All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) treatment centre in Delhi. In any other scenario, Majeed would reinsert the tube and restore the air- way. But this time he had to consider a grim reality—the highly contagious novel coronavirus outbreak that had already led to millions of deaths world- wide. This meant that the reintubation procedure was fraught with danger— reconnecting the tube would bring himaREADER'S DIGEST £ ; Pt close to the infected patient’s mouth and airway, increasing the chances of transferring virus-laden aerosol drop- lets to unprotected people nearby. Yet, time was running out. “In medicine, there is a ‘golden hour’ for a doctor to administer life-saving treatment to a dying patient. After that, things are irre- versible,’ the 32-year-old tells Reader’s Digest later, “This was undoubtedly that time” As a senior resident in critical-care medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, emer- gency situations are par for the course for Majeed. From poisoning cases and road accidents to terminally-ill, intensive-care situations, he has seen it all and thrives on the adrenaline rush of this high-risk, high-reward en- vironment. As a child, Majeed lived a carefree life without any pressures or responsibilities in a small village in the Anantnag district of Kashmir. “I was the classic troublemaker, into everything 72 may +juNe 2020 except studies. My dream was to be a mithaiwala when I grew up! My parents, however, always believed that my life would find the right direction. T fell in love with science in class nine, and later pursued medicine because my mother wanted it,” he recounts. Over the next few difficult years, Ma- jeed almost gave up his chosen field, but two incidents helped him stay the course: Once when he resuscitated a 13-year-old boy, who was fished out of a river without a pulse; the other was when he solved a poisoning case on his first day as a junior doctor at an MCD hospital. “Being the last line of defence between life and death is challenging work, but I believe I’m made for it. A more easy-going job would leave me bored. I need to be on my toes, and the satisfaction of seeing a patient revived, pain-free and back to life, right before my eyes, is beyond words,’ he gushes. Majeed was faced with a similar challenge, that day in May. Crouched in the dimly lit, cramped ambulance, the N95 mask caused his goggles and face shield to fog up, badly compro- mising his vision. In a split-second decision, he removed the goggles and shield, and with only his mask on, leaned forward to reinsert the ventila- tor tube. “It was an emotional rather than cerebral decision; more instinct than intellect,’ says the doctor. “The patient was in more danger of dying from lack of air than from infection. At my age and with no health problems, I could fight off the disease even if I wasInspiration infected,” he explains. A true professional, who is also deeply religious, Majeed credits his medical mentors and spiritual upbringing for his selfless act. “Many factors played a part in a moment like this—the holy month of Ramzan, my moral values, the professional ethics taught by the AIIMS fraternity—who knows? I can’t say it was a sound course of action scientifically, but I couldn’t live with the fact that a man would die in front of me and I did nothing about it,” he says. Thanks to Majeed, the patient got a second chance at life and is currently re- covering in the ICU. Majeed himself is now back to work after his time in self- quarantine and has, so far, tested negative for COVID-19. He has mixed feelings about the recognition his bravery has garnered, however: “What I did is not an example for others to follow, nor should it lend legitimacy for medical staff to be forced to work without protection. This is a time for intelligence, rationality and science. But if it inspires and spreads a positive message, I’m more than happy.” —ISHANI NANDI THE VIGILANT ANALYST Dr Chhavi Gandhi, 30 Dr Chhavi Gandhi, 30, a microbiolo- iy gist and infection-control officer at Bengaluru’s People Tree Hospitals, wanted to be a doctor for as long as she can remember, Her parents were both dedicated physicians in Panipat, Haryana. “My father is no more, but he has always been my inspiration. \ = It was his dream that I become a doctor,’ says Gandhi. i ie. = Her father would have been truly z proud of her today if he was around | a to witness her dedicated efforts in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. She toils daily, for hours on end, initia- ting surveillance for infection cases, analyzing data and working with inter- nal teams to determine the course of treatment. “We know what to do when a patient tests negative or positive, but the in-between stage—its uncer- tainty—is scary.” To convince a see- mingly healthy patient, who walks in with a history of travel to get the test, is tricky. “Also, dealing with a respiratory patient who has tested negative once, READERSDIGEST.IN 73READER’S DIGEST but positive on repeat tests is tough. All of this takes a lot of patience and com- passion,’ she adds. “Our virology books suggest that pandemics are as unavoidable and as hard a truth as death. Even so, it gets overwhelming, especially when the necessary resources are lacking” Gandhi says. She does not let herself feel burdened for more than a few minutes, however, trained as she is to stay calm, and think of solutions. “I think I am dealing with the stress marvellously,” she says, breaking into a small laugh. Though work is hectic, Gandhi feels there is clarity and control, pointing to her hospital’s support and improved all-round preparedness. “It helps to remind yourself that all of this is temporary— one day, it will go away. It has to,” she says determinedly. With a job that is so high-risk, Gandhi has been finding comfort in her family, “After a long day at work, I come home and cook, it’s like productive therapy for me.” Gandhi explains how respiratory pandemics are the most dangerous ones that health-care workers, scientists and epidemiologists must deal with. The relative novelty and oddity about this virus doesn’t help either. “But I am backed by a very, very supportive husband and family,’ she says. Her voice warms with pride, while talking about her husband, Mayank Juneja. “It was difficult for him at first, but he has adjusted much better after I explained the logic behind TA MAY + JUNE 2020 the isolation and protocols.” Most days when Gandhi returns home, she finds hot food laid out on the table. “He takes care of these things. It’s been so much easier, because we've been sharing the load,” she says. Acknowledging reports about medical professionals being targeted with hostility and violence, Gandhi shines with empathy. “I stand by all the health-care workers who've had to endure that kind of treatment. But, I know where it comes from. People need the assurance that they will be fine. As medical professionals with the required knowledge and skills, it’s not right that we don’t put them to use.” But health workers deserve better work conditions too, she insists. “We need resource streamlining, not just for personal protection equipment (PPE), but for everyday essentials as well. Also, we need to increase community surveillance. The data won't be truly authentic if we don’t include asymptomatic carriers.” As the pandemic continues unabated, Gandhi is faced with the fra- gility of human life now more than ever, and appreciates how rewarding a sense of community can be. “The hierarchy in a hospital notwithstanding, we all work as a unit in a crisis like this. From management, doctors, nurses, support and security staff—everyone plays a major role at every step. We are wor- King as a team and always look out for our patients, no matter what” — NAOREM ANUJATHE BORDER PATROL Dr Rajveer Singh, 40 These days, whenever Dr Rajveer Singh steps out to test people for COVID-19 symptoms, he is covered from head-to- toe in PPE. But just a few months ago, when he first started, he was equipped only with his doctor's coat, a mask, gloves and a large bottle of sanitizer, while dealing with hundreds of poten- tial coronavirus-carriers for hours. “Llook back now and feel that could easily have been infected. But, when a war is declared, you fight with what you have; you don’t bleat about the lack of weapons,” says Singh, talking about the early days of PPE shortage. His war analogy comes as no surprise: His father is a retired policeman, one of his brothers is an army officer and the other is in the paramilitary. By the end of March, Rajasthan was on edge. Bhilwara had been declared a ‘COVID hotspot’ and the panic spread- ing across the state was real. Migrants, it was feared, would only complicate the situation. The onus was on people like Singh to detect potential carriers among the thousands surging into the state. “I knew the importance of the work we were doing, and felt it was a huge responsibility,” says Singh, a soft-spoken Ayurveda doctor with the Rajasthan health department. With the local police playing an important role in controlling crowds and directing them to him and his col- leagues in an orderly fashion, Singh > Inspirati Lm Inspiration says that their role was crucial in those first few frenzied days. “The locals jumped in too, distributing food and masks to people who had walked for hundreds of kilometres,’ he recalls. Singh set up base at the checkpost bordering Uttar Pradesh, right next to a stream, two kilometres from the Rarah Community Health Centre of the Bharatpur district. His task was cut out—stop and examine all indivi- duals entering Rajasthan through this crossing. During the first weeks, as thousands of migrants from across the north streamed into Rajasthan, Singh would sit under a large tree, be- hind a squarish table, with a register and a pen in hand, from eight in the night until eight in the morning. “My job was to get a brief medical history, ask them where they were coming from and their destination,” he says. READERSDIGEST.IN 75READER'S DIGEST This was done to analyze whether or not they may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus. Scores were tested to find out if they had high temperatures and other COVID-19 symptoms. Singh believes that the best way to deal with an issue is complete honesty so that is exactly what he requested from the anxious migrants. “I told them about the dangers of the disease and asked them to answer my questions truthfully, as part of their patriotic duty. Even a single infected person could endanger hun- dreds more. So the details were important” he says. The process started two days before the country went into lockdown and health officials scanned busloads of people crossing into the state, educating them about the dangers of COVID-19. When the state changed gears, Singh continued to lead the charge and is still managing on-ground testing efforts in the district's villages. “I have to donate my time and energy as this is a worthy cause,” he says, reiterating his commitment. Singh says that he has not been able to visit his family for weeks. “I would visit my wife and son, who live with my parents, every weekend, but I couldn't do that for three weeks. But, they understand the significance of what I am doing,” he says. It is because of the diligence and dedication of unsung heroes like Singh that many of us are safe today. —V. KUMARA SWAMY THE BEDSIDE GUARDIAN Ketaki Kale, 33 When Ketaki Kale, 33, took the Florence Nightingale oath to start her career as a nurse almost nine years ago, it was impossible for her to imagine she would be sent off to the front line to battle a pandemic that would bring the entire globe to its knees. Kale _ trembled within, as she broke the news to her family—she had been deputed to the COVID-19 ward at Naidu Hospital, Pune. Kale’s mother-in-law, a retired nurse, who inspired Ketaki to take up nursing, reminded her of the spirit of service that nurses must be committed to. “You go,” she said, “I will look after the kids,’ Kale tells us. Under her care were 15 COVID patients, mostly in their mid-30s, as well as some 76 may «june 2020senior citizens, who needed special attention. Even though there were no “serious patients” to begin with, a tense environment prevailed in the ward. The mood eased up as admissions spiked. COVID-19 patients are separated from each other—there is a gap of 10 feet between each bed—wrapped in PPE, they are not allowed any visi- tors. “Since they are lonely and wor- tied, they tend to share their feelings and anxieties with us,” says Kale. There are also frequent questions from the troubled patients: “Will we be alright?” they keep asking the staff. Kale speaks with warmth about patients who wait for the ‘sisters’ to arrive every morning. “During their hospital stay, they form bonds with us and we become their families away from home,” she points out. But the hospital staff is obviously happiest when they are able to send the patients home after they recover. In fact, in the weeks gone by, they have received patients with serious complications—one of them, an 85-year-old lady, passed away about amonth ago. “I got a call athome that she had died. She had been with us for 14 days,” says Kale. This incident has, obviously, cast a shadow in Kale's section of the ward. The ‘sisters’ keep their chins up, regardless, and make sure other patients are not affected, cheering them with a kind word or a joke, whenever possible. But they have a ton of duties they need to focus Inspiration on: administering medicines and injections to patients, helping them with meals, changing, cleaning and talking to them. Serving the doctors, who come on regular rounds, with patient updates is also a crucial task. Of course, the entire hospital staff is secured with PPEs. There are strict hygiene protocols to be followed at every stage—before entering the ward and leaving it. Every day, after their eight-hour shift is over, Kale returns home and has another bath, and sanitizes herself multiple times. “I am concerned about my boys (Prathamesh, 11 and Harshal, 9)? says Kale. She spends time with them, and immerses herself in domestic duties, depending on whether it is a day or night shift. Kale’s husband, Ganesh, who works with the electricity board in Pune, pitches in with the house- work and looks after their sons. “No matter how careful you are, the risk remains,” says Kale, who tries to fight back moments of fear and uncertainty. However, being on the front-line, and battling the disease, has made her resilient and even more committed. “Our patients come first, before anything else,” she says. Stop press: Kale, while riding to her night duty was knocked down on her two-wheeler, by a speeding car. She ar- rived at the hospital, did a full night's duty and only then got herself admit- ted to a hospital the next day, where she is recuperating now. — SANGHAMITRA CHAKRABORTY EY READERSDIGEST.IN 77READER’S DIGEST 78 May ¢jUNE 2020RELATIONSHIPS Where do bibliophiles exchange sweet nothings? To find out, read on! _ Falling in Love, By Karla Marie-Rose Derus ADAPTED FROM THENEW YORK TIMES WAS ALways a reader. As a kid, I walked to the library several times a week and stayed up late reading with a flashlight. I checked out so many books and returned them so quickly the librarian once snapped, “Don’t take home so many books if you're not going to read them all.” “But I did read them all,” I said. I was an English major in college and went on to get a master’s in literature. When I created my online dating profile, | made my screen name ‘missbibliophile52598: Filling out the ‘favourite books’ section, I let my taste in literature speak for me: One Hundred Years of Solitude, A Moveable Feast, White Teeth, The Namesake, The Known World, The God of Small Things, How to Read the Air. ILLUSTRATION BY Brian Rea READERSDIGEST.IN 79READER’S DIGEST But I realized it had been more than two years since I had read most of those titles. I had stopped reading gradually, the way one heals or dies. I tried to maintain my bookish per- sona. I joined book clubs that I never attended. I requested a library book everyone was reading, only to return ita week late, unread, with fines. I still loved the idea of reading. I treasured books and bookstores. Whenever I found one, I would linger between the shelves for hours as if catching up with old friends, picking out volumes I had read and buying new ones. But it was clear to me: I was becoming a person I did not know. David was my first online date. His profile said he liked to read, so I asked him about his last book. His face lit up and his fingers danced. David read much more than I did, about a book or two a week. We seemed an unlikely couple: me, a five-foot-three black woman born to a Caribbean mother, and him, a six-foot-four white guy from Ohio. But as we got to know each other, our shared faith and mutual love of books bridged our gaps. ‘When we compared libraries, we had only four titles in common. David pre- ferred history and non-fiction, whereas I gravitated toward fiction writers of colour and immigrant narratives. On our seventh date, David and I visited the library. “I have a game,” he said, pulling two pens and Post-its out of his bag. “Let’s find books we've read and leave 80 may + june 2020 reviews in them for the next person.” We wandered the aisles for an hour. In the end, we sat on the floor among the poetry, and I read him some. He listened, his head tilted down, asking, “What is it you like about that one?” That spring, as we picnicked out- side, I said, “If tell you something, will you not judge me?” David paused from listing the titles he planned to read over the summer and raised his eyebrows. “I've only read one book this year,” Isaid. “But it’s June,” he said. “I know.” “But you like books,’ he said. “You like bookstores. You like libraries.” “Is it a deal-breaker?” “No, but still. Read a book!” Iwas painfully aware of the glaring hypocrisy in my life. I defended the virtues of bookstores in the age of online retailing and bought books whenever | got the chance, but I hardly read them. They sat on every surface until my house appeared to wear books the way one wears clothes. They piled up on chairs and draped across sofa arms. The Japanese language has a word for this: tsundoku. The act of acquiring books that go unread. Each of my bookshelves holds two rows of books, an inner and an outer. Surrounding the bookshelf are stacks containing different categories of books: Books I Have Read. Books I Want to Read. Books I Started but DidNot Finish Because I Did Not Like Them. Books I Started and Loved but Could Not Justify Reading Given Their Graphic Sexual or Violent Content. The next time I visited a dollar bookstore, I bought five titles for my- self and two for David. His charge to “read a book” echoed in my head. One afternoon, I picked up one I'd bought solely for its poetic title. Thad a hard time getting into it. The narrator was an old man, but he sounded more like what a young woman thought an old man might sound like. Whenever I was tempted to give up onit, I thought of David. He Relationships be more of the person I used to be and more of who I wanted to be. Whenever he turned to discussing his current non-fiction book about the rise of Silicon Valley or environmental philosophers, I would tell him of fic- tion, of men who left their countries by hiding in boxes only to climb out and turn into birds. I would remind him that sometimes the only way to explain the world we live in is to make it all up. I asked David once what he liked about me. He paused, then said, “You make me less cynical. I see the world as a more wonder-filled place with you.” I FELT HIM PUSHING ME TO BE MORE OF WHO I WANTED TO BE. had just started reading Infinite Jest. I pushed through the first two chap- ters and discovered a new narrator in the third. I loved the alternating points of view. I carried the book to work, I read at lunch and on my walk home, occasionally lifting my eyes to avoid strangers and uneven concrete. “How’s your day?” David texted. “Good. A little tired,” I replied. “I stayed up late and finished my book.” I tried to slip it in casually, but I was proud of myself. The last time I'd pulled an all-nighter to read, I was 12 and the book was Little Women. It was not a competition, but there was a tug. I felt him pushing me to David suggested we visit the library again. He asked if I remembered the game we played on our first visit. “I remember,” I said. He pulled a book from the shelf, dropped to one knee, and opened it. Inside, his Post-it read: “Karla, it has always been you. Will you marry me?” His proposal had rested between the pages of The Rebel Princess for over a year. “Yes,” I said. “I'll marry you.” We embraced in the middle of the fiction aisle, surrounded by other peo- ple’s stories, about to begin our own. NEW YORK TIMES (22 FEBRUARY 2019), COPYRIGHT © 2019 BY NEW YORK TIMES, nytimes.com. READERSDIGEST.IN 81THE BEST Medicine LAUGHTER . s “We never would have abducted you if we had known howmuch youwould criticize our driving.” An elderly couple had just learnt how to send text messages. The wife was a roman- tic type, and the hus- band was more of a no-nonsense guy. One afternoon, the wife decided to send her husband a text. She wrote, “If you are laughing, send me your smile. If you are crying, send me your tears, And if you are 82 may ejUNE 2020 sleeping, send me your dreams. I love you.” Her husband texted back, “I’m on the toilet, please advise.” —FRIARSCLUB.COM A market researcher approached me and said, “Can I ask you 10 questions?” “Go on,’ I said. “Question number one: Have you ever blacked out?” “No” “And finally, ques- tion number 10.” —LEE MACK, comedian In the foyer of a church, a young boy was loo- king at a plaque with the names of men and women who had died in various wars. He asked the pastor, “Who are these peo- ple?” The pastor said, “Those are members MICK STEVENS / EVERYONE'S A CRITIC/COURTESY PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS."30 ypu pom unyd yu a0 pups 0 paoe0 09 LG EYNORS LONER hao ADOMRL LOREEN RL, “Be You eve pour ‘oud eu Yoraxg uopoaad pu Sonpaxt ey oge EDUTUO GTHCY PACS " QOWr'leL” yews, le lel Rig Per) eB Te eesucay nunLay " 3INVN B3dIdd T1N4 SH1L NO LNNOODSIG 1972 ‘ONIAWS NOILdIYDSENS YNOA oe Eko )g CONTIONVH ¥ 39¥LS0d SNANTOND CONMONVH 8 39v1SOd ONIGNTOND SSS 6662 — SHLNOW ZL 09Z'L2 — SHLNOW ZL aw? 3DIdd GSLNNODSIG UNOA 301d NOLLdI4OSENS TVANNV "6662 10} ddA 4NOK jdeo0e | "YI6 Aw puas pue [972 jo Bulaes e 3e ‘YseBlq S,4apeay 0} UO!}GUDsqns YUOW-Z| AW Ye} asead ‘sa, sabi S,sapeay OL ‘adojanua peduieys e U! pled S14} YIM JSObIG 5,J0PEOY, JO ANOAey Ul JUeWIAed enbayp NOK jew Kew NOK ‘sajasd NOK 4! ‘YBNOY “MON ASNOW ON GNSS ‘Adoo e& $82 ySNI 4104 JsabIg S,4apeay jo senss! Z| xeu ay} Aofue pue GGE2 YOM YIB e wWe|D qgddvo VLVd NOILdIyDSans Ech) S3INVNOISIA Pe“LOO OLL-1UIed MON BUS Ly “snouig juBNeuUOD ‘M6 PLOT ONY Bmore uy “3 PIO COR iy ts ysas8Iq Pre oueeriy arth Ss Jogpeoy COR Ene) « ‘OL eypuj uy paysod 4! “100 OLL-Ul8G MéN “O'd’D GN —— 94240) (1H “ON Wuued INIWAVd EL TL GuV9 A1d3H SSSNISNSSTEFANO SPICCA/SHUTTERSTOCK Tate dinner with a chess grandmaster last night. Problem was, we had a chequered tablecloth. It took him two hours to pass the salt! —CHESSNINJA.COM from our church who | said, “They're nothing died in service.’ The like us—all they keep boy asked, “The saying is ‘Err. Err!” early service or the “Why should that second service?” mean they aren’t —JAMES POWERS Words you'd think were cool if you DEAR SUR OR didn’t know what MADMAN they mean: — +atrophy Arésumé’s coverletter +space bar isyour first introduction +supervision toa potential hiring extraction manager. Don’t blow it +dogmatic like these jobseekers: —¥ @DANMENTOS Maths teacher: “I have five bottles in one hand and five more in the other. So what do I have in total?” Student: “A drinking problem?” —Spotted by sHoBHA KUMAR on REDDIT.COM Ascientist who made contact with aliens "lama motivated, self- igniting person.” "I would like tocome byandshow youmy work in hopes of making something of mylife so can move out of my parents’ basement.” "I'm looking for work because even though my company was profi- table last year, this year they are expecting a large defecate.” READER’S DIGEST like us?” his col- league replied. “To err is human.” —STEVE SMITH — Reader's Digest will pay ‘for your funny anecdote ‘or photo in any of our humour sections. Post it to the editorial address, or email: [email protected] "I'm notintimated by your internship; wantto bea part of your fun atmosphere.” +°Strong writing abili- ties. Able to analysis data and problem solve.” +"lamgettingto my goal, slowly but surly.” —kilionbranding.com READERSDIGEST.IN 85READER'S DIGESTMY STORY When COVID-19 Caught Up With Me For this 21-year-old, life was all about friends, college classes and the road ahead. Then, the deadly coronavirus struck By Hrishi Giridhar § THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC rampaged across the globe, dismantling life as we knew t, I remember remaining indifferent at first. But all that changed, in late March, when I contracted the novel coronavirus. Until then, my life was like that of any regular 21-year-old’s. As a master’s student of economics at the London School of Economics, my regular day involved waking up, rushing to classes or seminars and studying in the library. I never thought this routine could, or would, change. Soon, as the virus spread through the world, our university started prepa- ring for the now-inevitable lockdown. It operationalized the shutdown in phases—it was early March when the school announced the transition to online classes, Shortly after, they shut down campus buildings. I coped as everyone else did: trying to not panic, following the news, maintaining personal hygiene and being careful, whenever I stepped out of my dorm. In the days that followed, the entire country found itself firmly gripped by this scourge—the numbers refusing to plateau. Caught in this grim spiral, I made a quick decision to return home to India. Within 24 hours, I had cleared out my room, booked my tickets and got on the flight. It was 15 March—I had no symptoms when flying back, and even READERSDIGEST.IN 87READER’S DIGEST upon landing in Mumbai, I felt healthy and normal. I passed screening at the airport, but even though I felt alright, I isolated myself from my family. I prac- tised physical distancing and avoided contact with friends and loved ones as far as possible. My plan was to carry out the recommended 14-day quarantine. my arrival that extreme fatigue began to set in—my body felt limp, as if all energy had been sucked out of it. Soon, a fever, which steadily rose as high as 102°F, accompanied it. I felt waves of pain, especially in the lower half of my body. My head hurt, I felt dizzy and threw up. The persistent dizziness was the worst of the symptoms—I could not shake it off. Then, I passed out. When I came to, I took some oral re- hydration solution and ate what I could find. 1 must have fallen as I blacked out because I found a few broken teeth and injuries to my jaw and chin when I woke. I patched up my wounds with some cotton and gauze, and told my parents about what happened. They frantically contacted our family doctor, who advised that I get tested for COVID. That evening, my father drove me to Mumbai’s Kasturba Gandhi Hospital. The test was a simple throat swab and the report would be available in 24 hours. Meanwhile, I was given a bed, food and warm water. Sure enough, the next day I was informed that | had tested positive for COVID-19 and needed to be shifted to another ward. It was past |: was about two or three days after 88 Maye june 2020 midnight and I remember feeling a little shell-shocked, but also relieved. Fearful as the diagnosis was, there was some comfort, at least, in being able to name the enemy. I called home, broke the news and fell asleep. My family showed admirable calm, partly, per- haps, to keep my spirits up. Had they panicked, I think I would have as well. I remember worry flitting in and out of my mind—younger people were sta- tistically less likely to die from the dis- ease, but then many under-30 people infected with the virus had not made it. I steered clear of the news—reports about the daily death toll only made things worse. The first few days were the hardest—I was in pain, fatigued and felt weak. The dizziness and disorien- tation lingered for a week. When I was admitted to the hospital, there were just a few COVID-19 patients, but as the numbers swelled, all of us ‘mild cases’ ‘were moved to another ward. day would start pretty early— Mies was brought to us at 6 a.m. and the rest of the day followed a strict routine of eating, resting, drinking hot water and medi- cation. As my symptoms began to sub- side, I tried to unwind and fill my days, talking to friends and family over Zoom or watching YouTube and Netflix shows. My symptoms persisted for a few days more, and soon, with rest and medica- tion, I was on the road to recovery. Compared to many others, I feel lucky and privileged. Because of theALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR self-isolation I practised initially, every- one | was in contact with tested nega- tive. In a country like ours, where we live and work packed like sardines, we need to understand how contagious the virus is, and take social and physi- cal distancing seriously. Self-isolation is a privilege and none of us in the same position should take that for granted. ness would not have been possible if ‘ot for the medical team at the hos- pital. Not only was my time there com- fortable, but the doctors, nurses, ward boys and cleaners—everyone involved in my care—were unfailingly kind, friendly and always willing to help. In light of all the struggles that front-line health-care workers face, I hope we all | undeniable that beating this ill- oe can acknowledge how much they have been putting at stake, so we can battle this pandemic together. As I write this, big cities of the world, with large stretches of empty streets, feel dystopian. During my hospital stay, I saw fellow ward-mates pass away and others lose family members to COVID-19, without being able to say a goodbye. I’m so grateful to be back home, for my family’s safety and for the wonderful medical care I received in the hospital. I pray for this pandemic to blow over soon, but until we find a cure or vaccine for COVID-19, social distancing and hygiene are the only scientific measures against it. Do it for yourself, your family, your communities and to not further overwhelm our already burdened health-care system. iN READERSDIGEST.INCLASSIC DRAMA IN REAL LIFE SECONDS TO SAVE EMILY They could never stop the 6,200-ton train in time By Collin Perry First PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 1998 ILLUSTRATIONS BY Yuta Onoda 90 May +iUNE 2020 es"READER'S DIGESTREADER'S DIGEST A DAWNING SUN silhouetted the massive form of the freight train. Loaded with fuel, water and sand for traction, the lead loco- motive weighed in at 1,86,000 kilograms— slightly less than a 747 jumbo jet. Even as it idled, conductor Robert Mohr could feel the diesel power rumble through the ground. OHR, 49, RAN his eye along the M 96 cars behind him and, for a moment, recalled why he’d always wanted to be a conductor. To him, there was beauty in the oversized machinery and in having control over such tremendous power. It was 7 a.m. on 12 May 1998. Mohr had already scanned a dispatch listing hazardous materials aboard the train. “We've got some gas with us,” he’d reported to his engineer, Rod Lindley, in the cab. The presence of liquid propane gas would mean taking extra precaution when braking the 6,200-ton train. With explosive gas on board, a derailment would be disastrous. The rest of the cargo was mainly new automobiles, car parts and coal. After a final external inspection, Mohr jumped aboard. Slowly the train pulled out of the Decatur, Illinois, 92 may ¢juNeE 2020 depot. They were headed east, into a sun that promised a beautiful day for their 276-km run to Peru, Indiana. AT AROUND NOON that day, Tila Marshall prepared to tackle some yardwork. The 34-year-old single mother of four had planned to brighten up the front of her Lafayette, Indiana, home with flowers. It was a beautiful day for it, she thought, gazing past the houses across the street. Some 45 metres away, just visible through tall, swaying grass, railroad tracks glistened in the sun. Marshall began working in a patch of soil. Sitting next to her, cheerfully running her hands through dirt, was her 19-month-old daughter, Emily. For a while, she kept turning to check on Emily, who played close at hand. Eventually, though, Marshall’s ab- sorption in her work became total.OMFORTABLE INSIDE THE en- C gine cab, Robert Mohr smiled as Rod Lindley switched on his sideboard heater, The engineer was preparing lunch the way he often did—by using the heater as a stove. “Pork chops,” said Lindley with pride, carefully positioning a lump wrapped in tin foil. “Smoked them myself.” Mohr and Lindley had 50 years of railroading experience between them, and they had a lot in common. Both had a passion for hunting and fishing, and both liked to swap stories of the outdoors. Even more, they enjoyed talking about their families. As the radio crackled with dispatcher infor- mation, they'd laugh over the trials of raising kids. Mohr and Lindley approached Lafayette at about 1:45 p.m. and slowed the train to the 40-kmph speed limit. Lindley activated his flashing lights and warning bell. The two had been through the city hundreds of times, but they grew extra cautious rounding the first curve. Ahead, over just 4.8 kilometres of track, lay no fewer than 24 street crossings. As the train came out of the curve, Lindley noticed a small tannish dot on the right rail about 130 metres ahead. He thought it might be a dog. Although it was against the rules to do so in Lafayette, he began lightly tapping his horn. “Come on, puppy, move,” he urged. READERSDIGEST.IN 93READER'S DIGEST THE TOOTS OF a train whistle startled Marshall from her garden reverie. That's odd, she thought. They don’t usually blow the whistle through town. She glanced over to check her daughter, and her heart skipped. Emily was nowhere in sight. While Lindley worked the controls, Mohr stood alongside, staring ahead at whatever was lying on the rail. It wasn’t unusual for such objects to turn out to be a bunch of rags or other debris. Far Jess common were teal emergencies, although Mohr had experienced a few accidents in his 23 years with the railroad. Now, as the train approached within 300 feet of the ob- ject on the rail, Mohr looked intently. Then shock coursed through him. “My God!” he yelled as a tiny face turned towards him. “It’s a baby!” ILA MARSHALL DASHED around to the rear of her house. She knew that Emily loved to play a game with her 11-year-old brother: The girl would run to the backyard while Zachary raced through the house to intercept her, causing squeals of delight. Marshall called out, “Emily! Emily, honey, are you back here?” 94 May ejUNE 2020 There was no sign of the little girl. Marshall ran to the front of the house, where Zachary was now standing. “Is your sister with you?” she asked Zachary. “No,’ he said, and ran into the house to look for her. LINDLEY HAD AN instant decision to make. Applying full emergency brakes with half the train still wrapped around acurve could cause derailment. But the terrible reality of the situation left Lindley no choice. He had to risk an emergency stop. The train shud- dered, and the wheels screeched in protest. Lindley lay on the horn and watched help- lessly as the train continued to bear down on the tod- dler. He and Mohr felt successive jolts as the cars braked front-to-rear, each car crashing into the car ahead. His unblinking eyes glued on the small figure before him, Lindley could do nothing now but pray. MARSHALL WAS UNABLE to focus, even as her legs turned to jelly and shook uncontrollably. Everything seemed unreal to her. A wave of nausea overcame her. Yetshe stood fixed in a hallway, unable to move. Zachary stood next to her crying, “Mom, I'm scared” S THE TRAIN barrelled forwards, Robert Mohr acted on instinct. le yanked open the left door of the engine cab and stepped out on to a narrow walkway. He hurried to the front of the engine and crossed to the right side. He then stepped down to the lower portion of the walkway just to the rear of the train’s cowcatcher, or plough. The child was now just 36 metres ahead. Mohr frantically considered what to do. At this speed—still about 32 kmph—a train this size would need another 135 metres to stop. There was no way they'd halt it in time. He winced as he imagined the plough hitting the little girl. With fewer than 10 seconds left, the baby rolled off the track and on to the outer tie. If she kept down, perhaps the right edge of the plough would pass harmlessly over her. But then she reared her backside up, preparing to stand. “No, no, baby, lie down!” Mohr yelled. The train was down to 24kmph now, as the horn loosed its deafening howl. With just the toes of his left foot on the walkway and his left hand cling- ing to the railing, Mohr stretched out as far as possible. He knew he had only one shot. The child, still trying to stand, was now directly in the path of the plough. Stretching as far as he could, Mohr Classic Drama In Real Life put his right leg out in front of him. “Come on, please,” he muttered through clenched teeth, “just give me another inch or two ...” Suddenly the little girl was upon him. ‘Swinging his leg out, he swept her aside with his foot. He saw the baby hit some rocks headfirst, then spin around as the train lumbered by. Had she been knocked clear of the engine? Mohr leapt from the moving train and ran back to the child. She lay crying by the tracks, blood streaming from a gash beneath her hair. MARSHALL STOOD IN the front yard of her home, clutching her son’s hand and staring ahead as people ran towards the tracks. She was trying to scream for help, but could only gasp unintelligibly. MOHR KNELT DOWN beside the child. “Mama! Mama!” the little girl cried out. Ecstatic relief swept over Mohr. Cradling her head, Mohr lifted her from the dirt. “Okay, sweetheart,” he whispered. “Let's go find Mommy.” It was only then that Mohr noticed the train had stopped and there were flashing red lights of emergency vehicles alongside the tracks. A neighbour, seeing the accident unfold, had dialled 911. With the baby in his arms, Mohr began to walk and was met by police and a growing crowd of onlookers. Firefighters arrived, took the baby and handed her off to paramedics for a trip to the hospital. READERSDIGEST.IN 95READER'S DIGEST Emily Marshall suffered only cuts and bruises Inher brush with the train, thanks to Robert Mohr's quickaction. police officers approaching her front lawn. Her mind spun in renewed terror. “Don’t you dare tell me that was my baby!” she screamed. A police detective held up his hand. “Ma’am, ma’am, calm down. The baby’s going to be okay. We just have to find out whose it is.” Marshall quickly realized that the child’s description fit Emily. The news that her baby was safely en route to the hospital finally sank in, and she collapsed, weeping, into the detective’s arms. Tx MARSHALL LOOKED up to see MOHR SPOKE WITH police and railroad officials, then began feeling shaky himself. Telling himself he still had a job to do, he began to walk the length of the train to check on the cars, “You go sit in the cab,’ a train official said. “I'll do the inspection.” As Mohr rested in the train, his pent-up emotions rushed to the surface. It had all unfolded so fast, 96 Maye juNe 2020 and the reality of what he had done was only now hitting him. Within minutes, Lindley was standing beside Mohr, taking the controls again. They looked at each other, their expressions of relief and gratitude more eloquent than words. Mohr’s overalls were still spattered with blood. The train pulled slowly out of Lafayette. That evening, when Robert Mohr got home, his family was standing on the front porch, applauding. They had listened to the news of his heroism on television. To Mohr’s relief they told him that the little girl had suffered nothing more serious than cuts and bruises. She'd be fine. WEEK LATER MOHR stepped from. his car in front of Tila Marshall’s house. When Marshall was introduced to the man who had saved her daughter, she hugged him tightly. Mohr picked up Emily and held her close. “Hello, Emily, he said. IN PHOTO: © STEVE KAGAN/PEOPLE WEEKLYLIFE ON WHITE/GETTY IMAGES. LAUGH LINES | i To be ornot to be ahorse rider, that is equestrian. —Mark Simmons, COMEDIAN READER'S DIGEST —_— Dootheranimals | eee eas | have signature A chicken just told me tL tranquilizers, her top-three favourite or a one i just especially pw io ch, nea —y @atanenhaus —y @ericdadourian “No, YOU are adrama queen,” <_ saidthe fainting goat tothe ‘opossum. —¥ @_Water_Baby The laminator isa device that Whoever named the <” soundsalot ewe really didn’t like more dange- female sheep. rousto baby sheep than it = maesta: non * Barnya rc 1 actuallyis. Y | —v @Tups13 READERSDIGEST.IN 97TRIBUTE mI Life-Lessons FromA Fictional Teacher How Nikumbh Sir from the film Taare Zameen Par left an indelible mark on the soul of a family — By The Family Ghosh ILLUSTRATION BY Priya Kuriyan t began with Avik’s innocuous online post on his reaction to watching Taare Zameen Par for the umpteenth time, and his tryst with dyslexia. Then his wife, Saswati, responded. And then Tinni, their daughter—the only one actually diagnosed with dyslexia—wrote about her troubles and triumphs. Together, the three narratives come together as a tribute to some incredible teachers and to the best teacher ever—life! Papa Ghosh My family likes watching some films again and again and again. So it was with Taare Zameen Par today. Tinni, our daughter, insisted on watching it for the 100" time and was eagerly joined by my physiotherapist, Anup. 98 may june 2020 Since the TV was in my room, I was compelled to watch too. The first time I took Tinni to watch Taare Zameen Par, it was with the as- sumption that it would resonate with her, given her own challenges. And I remember sitting in the dark and crying copiously. Not because I found the film touching, which of course | did, but more so because it was my story. I was Ishaan Awasthi. I had been through every humiliation and embarrassment that a child with dyslexia suffers, Suf- fered, at least, when nobody had heard of that disorder. Adding to my trauma were two very smart and successful sis- ters, prompting my parents to mostly ty and hide a rather deficient son. I was a disaster in school. Teachers were uniformly unkind and retribution atEUV) S ae) ay bg P f = Se Cal)READER’S DIGEST school and home was often violent. I had to wait until Jadavpur University (JU) to meet my Ram Shankar Nikumbh. Actually, not one, but several of them. Teachers who helped me believe in myself. Who were infinitely patient with my queries and confusion. Who gave me enough space to make my own mistakes. Who ultimately grew to be my guiding light, my moral compass, my first point of reference and my last resort. Sajni-di, who I know still reads and likes every Facebook post of mine and seldom misses out on leaving a kind word, not just for me but for every student of her’s on the platform. Jasodhara Bagchi and Arup Rudra, who believed in me more than I did. Mihir-da and Malini-di, whose strange admixture of sternness and kindness was most endearing. The late Ranajay Karlekar, who continued to inspire even in his absence. Swapan Chakravorty, who challenged us to become more than what we were. Sheila Lahiri Choudhury, whose kindness far exceeded what her truant students deserved. And many others who tolerated our extremism, a lot of which seems intolerable in hindsight. I remember them more often than they can imagine—caught at a traffic light on my way home from office, staring hesitantly at a flickering computer screen, reading disturbing headlines in the morning, when Tinni asks me a question to which I have no answer. At the bookstore, when 100) may june 2020 a name from the past stares back at me from an arty book cover. And most certainly when I see a gaggle of noisy youngsters discussing life, universe and everything else with the confidence that only the company of great teachers can gift them. This is not a tribute. This is me flashing my badge of honour in public. —Avik Ghosh Mama Ghosh Saswati, responding to Avik about how dyslexia wasn’t the only challenge a youngster could face I would have loved to be your friend when you think you had a horrid child- hood. I might have managed academics well, was not as awkward as you were, had a few friends in school and in the neighborhood but, I guess, we would have got on well ... Besides Baba, I had no other Ram Shankar Nikumbh. By the time you were spreading your wings at JU, I had retreated into a shy, reclusive and awkward shell—one who was hesitant about everything, except possibly, stud- ies and music. Baba had left us by then. My khul gaya aasman moment came much, much later ... Only when I met all of you at 4, Chowringhee Square [the offices of The Statesman newspa- per]. Then came Voices [the newspa- per’s school supplement], with all the children and their love and warmth. Then you happened to me, and then traipsed in baby Tins... Life is great. It lets stars descendat your doorstep with so much compassion. I bow to life in gratitude. For being my Nikumbh Sir. —Saswati Ghosh Teen Ghosh And then Tinni, their daughter, who fought more than just dyslexia in school, narrates her experience of angels and demons! Taare Zammen Par resonates with me so very much. I have had many challenges since childhood—dyslexia has been one of them. I see myself in Ishaan. Each day has been a struggle— a struggle to survive and to cope. 1 HAD TO WAIT UNTIL UNIVERSITY TO MEET MY RAM SHANKAR NIKUMBH— TEACHERS WHO HELPED ME BELIEVE IN MYSELF. As days passed, I too found my Nikumbh Sir—in Piyali Ma’am at Akshar. She has always been there for me, like an ever-alert angel. Ma‘am, if you are reading this, I just want to say that Ishaan was not the only lucky child to have found his Nikumbh- Sir moment. I, too, am lucky, a girl with so many challenges and with one Piyali Ma’am teaching her to cope with them. I will be ever grateful to those wonderful people—Babli Aunty in Divyayan, Miss Budhiraja in that horror of a year at Birla High, all my teachers Tribute at Akshar, my guru-ji, Bibhuti Sir, who guided, helped, supported, loved and nurtured me and have never dismissed me as a ‘special’ kid. There has always been Neena Ma’am and Noni Ma’am, without whom my Divyayan and Akshar journeys wouldn't have been possible and, if possible, much, much tougher! There was another angel called Dr Neena Ghose. She made sure that my arrival from the adoption home to the Ghosh madhouse was as smooth as possible. She did not discard me as a lost case; instead there were days when she arrived even thrice a day to see that I survived my many ailments. Thank you, Neena mashi. I remember vividly an incident of me being dyslexic. I was learning Rabindrasangeet at a reputed school at that time. In my primary third year, the teacher failed to understand that I had trouble remembering words, not tunes. He was quite unpleasant about it in front of everyone. I came back home, howling. As I told my mother all that had happened, she went back to the school with me, met the teacher and spoke to him, reques- ting him to come and watch Taare Zameen Par with us. She explained to him what dyslexia was. And that it was neither a crime nor stupidity. This is a shout-out to all those who have not shunned me for my chal- lenges. Here is one sister of Ishaan Awasthi writing to her Nikumbh Sirs. Thank you. —Tinni Ghosh & READERSDIGEST.IN LOI“Sorry I'm late. Two roads diverged in a wood, and | took the one less travelled by...” LIFE’S Like That The best gender reveal party I’ve ever been to was the one where I gave birth to a baby. —@2QUESTIONABLE 102 may +juNneE 2020 After my beloved dog in, Ian grew alarmed: Lucky passed away, “Lucky fell out of my daughter tried atree?” to explain to her —LAURIE NAVIN four-year-old son what had happened Alocal lumberyard in terms he might was having an open understand. house, and my mother “Remember that teally wanted to go. baby bird we found Dad, though, had no on the sidewalk the interest. After badge- other day?” she asked. | ring him with no luck, As the truth sank she finally said, “If CARTOON BY Harley SchwadronCOURTESY JESSIE CHAR READER’S DIGEST People say, “I’m taking it one day at a monn. = new moon eee aes on the calendar every time’ You know what? So is everybody. month confused her That's how time works. —HANNIBAL BURESS, comedian eee Reader's Digest will pay you don’t go, I'll be over if you put for your funny anecdote the only woman there.” | too much weight or piee en oa é Dad shrugged. “If on the edge. to the editorial address, or Igo, you'll still be the only woman there” —GERALD EB. BRONNENBERG Adult or adolt? Actual things grown-ups have had to have explained to them, as shared on reddit.com: +Why a room below sea level on a cruise ship would not have a balcony. +That there are more than six bones in the human body ... she thought it was head, back, arms and legs. +In regard to the North and South Poles, that neither is “the one that is always hot.” +That Halloween has never and will never fall on Friday the 13th. It was my mother. +That islands don’t tip +That Earth has one email: [email protected] ON SECOND THOUGHTS, I'LL DRIVE Jessie Char © @jesseca Today, | flew on theset ofa nightmare. READERSDIGEST.IN 103MAY ¢ JUNE 2020FASCINATING FACTS The pecret Lives of LETTERS : They may be small characters, but there are amazing stories behind = all 26 alphabet all-stars = By Brooke Nelson ILLUSTRATION By Gongalo VianaREADER’S DIGEST THE CAPITAL A hasn't always looked the way it does now. In ancient Semitic languages, the letter was upside down, which created a symbol that resembled a steer with horns. GRAB PAPER and pen and start writing down every number as a word. Do you notice one missing letter? Ifyou kept going, you wouldn’t use a single letter b until you reached one billion. BENJAMIN Frank- ( lin wanted to banish c from the alphabet—along with j, q, w, x and y— 106 may ejune 2020 and replace them with six letters he’d invented himself. He claimed that he could simplify the English language. CONTRARY TO popular belief, the D in D-day does not stand for ‘doom’ or ‘death’—it stands for ‘day: The US military marks impor- tant operations and in- vasions with a Dasa placeholder. (So the in- vasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944 was D-1.) MEET THE ‘Smith’ of the English al- phabet—e is used more often than any other letter. It appears in 11 per cent of all words, according to an analysis of over 2,40,000 entries in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. ANYONE EDUCATED in today’s school system knows that the lowest grade you can get is an R The low-water mark, how- ever, used to be repre- sented by the letter E. When Mount Holyoke College administrators redesigned the grading system in 1898, profes- sors worried that stu- dents would think the grade meant ‘excellent’ Fmore obviously stands for ‘fail’ BOTH gandc G were originally represented by the Phoenician symbol gimel, which meant camel. It was the Romans who finally separated the two letters, letting c keep its shape and adding abar for the letter g. THE BRITS have long had an hhang-up, according to Michael Rosen, author of Alpha- betical: How Every Le- ter Tells a Story. They pronounce h two ways: ‘aitch’ and ‘haitch’ Accents that dropped the h from words were once considered ‘lower class; Rosen writes. And in Northern Ire- land, pronunciation distinguished Catholics (‘haitch’) from Protes- tants (‘aitch’).the dot over the letters i and jhas a funny-sounding name: It’s called a tittle. I FUNNILY ENOUGH, THIS Is one of the two letters that do not appear on the periodic table. (Q is the other.) Invented in the 1500s by an Italian, j was also one of the last letters to be added to the alphabet. WITH THE possi- ble exception of / (see below), kis the most notorious letter in sports. It’s how baseball fans record a strikeout. (When the first box score was written back in 1859, s was used to indicate a sacrifice; k was plucked from the end of ‘struck’) THE NATIONAL L Football League has traditionally used Roman numerals to denote the number of the Big Game, but for the 50th Super Bowl, they decided to go with just the number 50. Why? Sports fans use the letters w and Jas shorthand for ‘win’ and ‘loss: Because the Roman numeral for 50 is L, the NFL worried that Super Bowl L would be, in PR terms, a big loser. YOU CAN’T M say the letter mwithout your lips touching. Go ahead and try it! THE LETTER N was originally associated with water—the Phoe- nician word for n was ‘nun, which later became the Aramaic word for ‘fish’ In fact, the capital N got its shape because it was a pictorial representation of a crashing wave. ONLY FOUR O letters (a, e, 1, 0) are doubled at the beginning ofa word (aardvark, eel, llama, ooze, etc.), and more words start with double o in English than with any other pair. Fascinating Facts THIS MAy be the most versatile letter in English. It’s the only consonant that needs no help in forming a word sand- wich with any vowel: Pap, pep, pip, pop, pup. ONE OUT of every 510 letters in English words is a q, making it the least common letter in the English alphabet, according to a Concise Oxford English Dictio- nary analysis. SOMETIMES teferred to as the littera canina, or the ‘canine letter, because Latin speakers trilling it sound like a growling dog, r gets a shout-out from William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet when Juliet’s nurse calls the letter “the dog’s name” in act 2, scene 4. THE ENGLISH S alphabet briefly included a letter called a ‘long s’. Used from the late Renai- ssance to the early READERSDIGEST.IN 107READER’S DIGEST Fascinating Facts 1800s, it resembled the letter fbut was pronounced as an s. You'll see it in various manuscripts written by the [American] Foun- ding Fathers, including the Bill of Rights. THE TERM ‘T-shirt’ refers to the Tshape of the garment’s body and sleeves. F. Scott Fitzgerald is believed to be the first to use the term in popular culture, in 1920, when the main character in his novel This Side of Paradise brings a T-shirt with him to boarding school. BEFORE THE 1500s, u and v were used inter- changeably as a vowel or a consonant. A French educational re- former helped change that in 1557 when he started using u exclu- sively as a vowel and v as the consonant. THis Is the only letter in the English 108 may june 2020 language that is never silent. Even usually conspicuous letters such as j and zare silent in words we have borrowed from foreign languages, such as marijuana (originally a Spanish word) and laissez-faire (French). EVER WONDER Waza it a double-u instead of double-v? The Latin alphabet did not have a letter to represent the w sound in Old English, so seventh-century scribes just wrote it as uu. The double-u sym- bol eventually meshed together to form the letter w. FROM ‘x marks X the spot’ to ‘solve for x; this is the go-to letter to represent something unknown. The idea is believed to have come from mathematician René Descartes, who used the last three letters of the alphabet to represent unknown quantities in his book The Geometry. He chose a, band cto stand for known quantities. THE SWITCH- hitter in the alphabet, y functions as both a vowel and a consonant. The Oxford English Dic- tionary actually calls ita semivowel because while the letter stops your breath in words such as yell and young— making it a consonant— it also creates an open vocal sound in words such as myth or hymn. BELIEVE IT OF not, 7, the letter z has not always been the last letter of the alphabet. For a time, the Greeks had zeta in arespectable place at number seven. &¥ sources: The Concise Oxford English Dictionary, dictionary. com, fonts.com, gizmodo.com, grammerly.com, merriam webster.com, oed.com, rollingstone.com, today ifound out.comPIERRE LORANGER | WORLD WDE WEIRD By Rosie Long Decter Going Nuts It seemed like the animal kingdom had it in for Pittsburgh's Chris and Holly Persic. An hour after Chris's vehicle broke down last October, his wife called to report a burning smell coming from her own car's engine. When she popped the hood, she found it filled with walnuts—more than. 200 in total. An enter- prising neighbour- hood squirrel squad had been storing nuts for the winter. They had chewed through a wire in Chris's truck for good measure. While Chris even- tually repaired his wire, Holly got to temporarily enjoy the scent of roasting nuts. In Deep Water When the Kankakee, Illinois, USA, sheriff’s of 26-year-old Bran- don Conti—wanted for driving under the influence—on their Facebook page the day before Halloween, they were hoping for tips on his where- abouts. Instead, they got a comment from Conti himself: “Appalled!” he wrote. “Where's my cos- tume?” The office responded by editing asailor suit on to Conti's mugshot, complete with a cap that read AHOY. “That's awesome,” Conticommented the next day. “I'll be there before noon.” Conti turned himselfin and was released on bail later the same day— with enough time left to trick-or-treat. office posted a photo —= - Asleep at the Wheel ‘They say you need to make a strong first impression during a job interview. A young man applying ata Subway restaurant in Redmond, Oregon, USA, did just that when his mother literally crashed his interview last October. While her son was inside talking to the manager, the mother dozed off in her car— and accidentally hit the gas pedal, sending the car through the establishment's win- dow. The crash hap- pened just feet from where the interview was taking place. ‘Thankfully there were no injuries—except maybe to the poor kid's job prospects. READERSDIGEST.IN 109Ml MEMORY ROOM A PILGRIMAGE IN MEMORIAM Two siblings make a bittersweet journey to connect with the soul of their beloved mother By Anna M. M. Vetticad ILLUSTRATION By Siddhant Jumde TANDING BY THE river Pamba, in Puthencavu one afternoon last year, my younger sister Miriam’ and I pictured a little girl playing on those banks. It was here, in this scenic Kerala countryside 88 years earlier, that our mother was born. When our father passed away in 2005, we discovered work was a great antidote to personal loss, Besides, Mum was with us to share that sorrow. I was heartbro- ken when Dad passed on, but when Mum followed him 14 years later, I felt something I had not felt before—a pain so unbearable that there were days I wished I had gone with her. NAME CHANGED UPON REQUEST 110 may june 2020 It is not that I loved my father any less, But, as Alzheimer’s consumed him, Mum, Miriam and I developed a bond that can only come from battling the indignities of this horrible condition together. Back then, we could not afford the quality nursing attendants we later hired for Mum, when a combination of Parkinson’s and arthritis robbed her of mobility and strength. So, between my professional commitments and Miriam's studies, we did a large part of the caregiving ourselves. Miriam and | were not merely close to our mother. She was our comrade- in-arms. In the months after we stoodREADER’S DIGEST around her bed with our older siblings, holding her hands in a hospital room as the life left that now tiny body, it would be an understatement to say I struggled to cope. If you have lost a parent, you have perhaps experienced sudden bouts of tears or imagined their continuing presence in the house. It happened to me often. I also deve- loped physical symptoms of my grief requiring medical treatment. WE ASCENDED THE STEPS AND WANDERED AROUND THE CEMETERY, RECOGNIZING NAMES OF RELATIVES WE NEVER MET, BUT WHOSE STORIES WE HAD HEARD. It was Miriam who suggested that we visit Puthencavu, where Mum spent her early childhood and Ammachi, our grandmother, was buried. She had long wanted to make the trip because it had been one of Mum's eternal regrets that her own mother’s grave had remained unmarked. My sister wanted to erect a headstone for Ammachi, fulfilling Mum’s wish. And that is how it came to be that, in mid-2019, we found ourselves on the banks of the Pamba where Susan Matthew (Vetticad) née Koshy-Chempolil once played as a child. We stayed that week at the home of long-time friends and reminisced fondly about our extraordinarily liberal parents. 112 may «june 2020 Mummy had often spoken of the his- toric Puthencavu Palli (church), so we ascended those famous steps and wan- dered around the adjoining cemetery, Tecognizing names of relatives we never met, but whose stories we had heard. We knew my mother was close to her extended family, but on this jour- ney we were reminded of just how close they had been during an after- noon spent with her septuagenarian cousin. We were meeting Achayan and his wife for the first time, but in the affection we saw in their eyes we discovered the legacy of goodwill that noble souls leave their children. chayan guided us to the cemetery where Ammachi was interred, next to a tiny local church. Another of Mum’s cousins promised to locate records from the 1960s and identify Ammachi’s burial spot from among the unmarked graves we saw that day. Being agnostic, I have long stopped bothering myself with religious theories about creation, an afterlife and rebirth, or scientific conclusions about hu- man existence. All I know is that death is the one certainty after birth. And in that small cemetery in Puthencavu, where lies the dust of a grandmother I never knew, I felt at peace with myself, drawing comfort from a dawning aware- ness that we all stand on a time and space continuum running from forever before to forever after—where Amma- chi, Mum and Dad too have existed and, in some form, always will.PHOTO COURTESY THE AUTHOR About 10 years ago, Miriam and I quit our demanding jobs and started work from home, largely so that we could be more available to Mum. Being a stay- at-home daughter/journalist turned out to be personally fulfilling and professionally rewarding for me. Mum was happy too and, unsurpris- ingly, made no demands. a fter she was gone, our elder sister f\\ told us how one day when she had dropped by and was alone in the room with Mum, she suddenly spoke. “Take care of the children,’ Mum said. “You mean of my kids? Of course!” But Mum corrected her: No, she explained, she meant me and my younger sister. Those were perhaps her last words. As I stood by the Pamba, I thought about the woman who by then was so frail that most days she did not have the strength to speak, yet thought past her own battered body to worry about her ‘children’ in their 40s, I remembered with gratitude the liberal upbringing she and our soft-spoken Dad gave us. ‘That not for a second did they discrimi- nate between their son and daughters, prompting an older relative to gravely express concern for the masculinity of a boy growing up among three free- spirited women, I remembered Mummy narrating this conversation to Dad— and they both laughed. Iremember her recounting to us in amusement that her habit of wearing sleeveless blouses in 1960s Delhi earned her the nickname Sleeveless Susan from Memory Room os Be re conservatives in our community. I re- member her as a fiery young woman marching up to our parish priest and chiding him if ever she deemed his Sunday sermon illiberal. He would joke that he was “scared of Susan’, but they always remained friends. It would please my mother to know that as I write this, I am grinning through moist eyes. I will not deny that the tears remain, but it is impossible not to smile at the memory of the fearless Sleeveless Susan of Puthencavu. £4 READERSDIGEST.IN 113READER'S DIGEST The robots are coming—to look after us. And they are already helping out in nursing homes and beyond Y fs hello C { oyou | new carer... x By Susannah Hickling 114 may ejune 2020ZORABOTS.COM USTIN SANTAMARIA MOVES his fingers across his iPad and sud- denly the creature comes alive. The size of a baby, Zora rises from the floor onto her feet, flexing her white plastic limbs joint by joint. She stands there, her eyes round and appealing, and the five elderly ladies seated in a semicircle in front of her are full of anticipation. “She’s giving me the eye,” laughs a lady in a wheelchair. But that’s impossible, because Zora is a robot. Since February 2019, the management of this nursing home in Paris’s 15th ar- rondissement have been using her to complement the care they offer their elderly residents. Zora leads her class through a gentle workout. She moves her head up and then down to her chest, then from side to side, all the while accom- panied by calming music. Her five stu- dents follow her every movement. Robot Zoraisavaluable addition to conventional care. READERSDIGEST.IN 115