It is strange how celebrities influence a society. Leander Paes is one such example (or at least the illness he suffered). Nowadays, people all over the world are becoming more and more health conscious. The issues that are raging today in every person, immaterial of the age group, are health, diet, looks and those of aesthetic importance. Nobody can resist the thought of having a slim figure in case of a girl or a muscular body in case of a boy. Apparently, this trend has become even more conspicuous, courtesy the notoriety of fashion shows.

However, the point to be pondered about is, to what extent this trend has changed our food habits, lifestyle and eventually our health system. Here is a small attempt (with a well-serving example) to inculcate some thought-provoking issues for weight-watchers in particular and also the general population.

Cysticercosis, is an abnormality that is endemic to India. Cysticercosis is a disease caused by the manifestation of the tapeworm in any part of the body/organ. The disease expresses itself by rendering that part of the body or the organ dysfunctional where the tapeworm develops and manifests. Normally, the tapeworm is present in the human intestine. Hence, its growth or presence will not have any major effect on the human body. Then the tapeworm is eventually passed out in the faeces (pic). This used to then enter the pigs where it used to develop (pic). Earlier, Cysticercosis was known to occur in the pork- eaters. But today, as the below incident shows, vegetarians and non-vegetarians are equally prone to this disease.

The incident:

A doctor was examining a patient while he suddenly lost speech. Even after several attempts to speak, he could not utter a word. He initially approached a surgeon and tried to write down his predicament. But alas, he couldn't write properly nor could he spell the words. The initial diagnosis pointed towards Cysti Cercosis, which got confirmed after a CT scan. His CT scan showed two tapeworms on the left-brain. According to him, the source of the tapeworm was his diet. Since he wanted to lose weight, he opted for a 12-month rigorous diet course wherein he consumed only fresh green leaves as a major dietary intake and avoided oily and fat foods.

Over a period of 10-12 months, he reduced a lot of weight. But those daily meals (fresh green leaves) he had consumed were in effect tapeworm leaves, which entered his blood stream and eventually his brain. The main cause for this is that the surrounding areas of metro cities are used for growing leaves and vegetables for the city. Due to various reasons, the crops are grown with sewage water, an abundant source of tapeworm. They get on to the leaves and vegetables and when it is eaten raw, they develop into mature worm, leading to the disease. To avoid this disease, the only effective remedy is to wash, clean, cook and boil the leaves and vegetables before being consumed.