Religiosity may improve stress levels by providing an outlet to cope CVD: Dr Sushil

STATE TIMES NEWS

RAJOURI: To enlighten the masses regarding the role of religion and spirituality in prevention of cardiac ailments Head of Department Cardiology, GMCH Jammu Dr Sushil Sharma on Sunday organized cardiac awareness cum health checkup camp in association with SVS Charitable Trust at Rajouri.
The camp was inaugurated by Shri Shri 1008 Swami Vishwatamanand Ji Maharaj along with Dr Sushil Sharma and Vibodh Gupta amidst Vedic invocations for universal peace and health for all.
Around 2000 people benefitted from the health checkup camp. Free medicines were given as per advice. Important body tests viz., ECG, Lipid-profile, BMD, Blood sugar were also done.
At the outset, Shri Shri 1008 Swami Vishwatamanand Ji Maharaj said, “Religion is an important aspect of health care and attention to religious needs has been increasingly emphasized by healthcare professionals. The strength and comfort obtained from one’s faith in a personal relationship with God as a higher power include a sense of meaningfulness and well-being. Religious coping strategies and a sense of meaning help the patients suffering from chronic diseases to trust their strengths, accept new conditions, and cope through finding their inner selves.”
While interacting with the people, Dr Sushil stated that studies have reported positive relationships between religiosity, general health, and mortality.
Some studies suggested that more frequent participation in religious activities led to lower rates of smoking, and others reported that practicing religion may be related to lower all-cause mortality, Dr Sushil said adding that religiosity may improve health through several mechanisms. Religiosity may improve stress levels by providing an outlet to cope as it also encourages people to live healthy lives, including the prevention of substance or alcohol abuse. Social support among believers may also provide positive effects on their health. Prayer and meditation as a part of religious activities may also be a form of relaxation.
Dr Sushil elaborated that patients may find purpose, community, and encouragement through religious or spiritual practices and beliefs or other coping mechanisms that can help them engage with and sustain positive lifestyle changes. Several studies found that patients who can cope with their new reality improve their physical and mental performance. Mere emphasis on the physical aspect is not adequate for patients’ health and welfare; contribution of other strategies including religious coping ones is required.
“This makes spirituality and religion an integral component of comprehensive care” Dr Sharma said.
Dr. Sushil while paying homage to late Dr. Shalinder Sharma remembered him as a great and inspirational asset to the whole of Pir Panjal valley in terms of both professionalism as well as social services which he had rendered in past and his demise as a great loss to whole region , which is irreplaceable.
Others who were instrumental in this effort included Dr Vidushi Badyal, Dr Shahbaz Khan, Dr Poonam Jagiasi, Dr Dhaneshwer Kapoor, Dr Ashwani Sharma, Dr Bharat Bhushan, Dr Raghuveer Singh, Dr Kunal Sharma, Dr Sonali Sharma, Dr Himani Jandial, Dr Monica Sharma, Dr Sourav Gupta, Dr Madhavi Sharma, Dr Ankur Goel, Dr Arun Gupta, Dr Majid Abdullah, Dr Basharat Hafiz and Dr Mir Abrar.
Paramedics and volunteers, who were part of the team, included Raghav Rajput, Gourav Sharma, Vikas Kumar, Jatin Bhasin, Rajinder Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Rajkumar, Aman Gupta, Harvinder Singh, Nirvair Singh and volunteers of the SVS Charitable Trust.