Teaching is Learning

Nature and Culture both affect health. Both affect the body, heart and mind, which ultimately has an impact on one’s individual health.   The gendered expected-behaviour superimposes natural instincts, and thus both men and women strive to achieve the socially prescribed and culturally accepted behaviors. Masculinity can best be understood in this context. Recently, there was a casual comment made by a male family member, ‘BP has become very normal these days, isn’t it?’ I responded in affirmation, “True. High blood pressure is more common among men. Their tendency to stress is an important reason behind it. If men too could talk their heart out, could gossip a bit here and there, and could manage to take life a little lightly, as many women do, they can beat the stress and avoid high blood pressure”.   My response was contradicted with lot of affirmation saying, ‘Alas that cannot be done. How can one change the nature? To this, I found an opportunity to ponder over the need...

Nature and Culture both affect health. Both affect the body, heart and mind, which ultimately has an impact on one’s individual health.   The gendered expected-behaviour superimposes natural instincts, and thus both men and women strive to achieve the socially prescribed and culturally accepted behaviors. Masculinity can best be understood in this context. Recently, there was a casual comment made by a male family member, ‘BP has become very normal these days, isn’t it?’ I responded in affirmation, “True. High blood pressure is more common among men. Their tendency to stress is an important reason behind it. If men too could talk their heart out, could gossip a bit here and there, and could manage to take life a little lightly, as many women do, they can beat the stress and avoid high blood pressure”.   My response was contradicted with lot of affirmation saying, ‘Alas that cannot be done. How can one change the nature? To this, I found an opportunity to ponder over the ne...