The Weekly Dose - Episode 37

The Weekly Dose...

... the latest from Dr Karan

  Here is your weekly dose...  

Hi all!Here is your weekly dose of the Sunday Six! A few things I found interesting this week. If you enjoy this please feel free to forward this to friends. families and enemies alike!**You'll find more in depth analysis of some of these subjects on my social platforms in the links just below, including Dr Karan Investigates! for deep dives into interesting topics on my YouTube channel.**

The Doctor Are Striking...

In the United Kingdom, within the NHS, the "junior" doctors are striking Monday 13th March - Wednesday 15th March inclusive. Surprisingly there hasn't been an incredible amount of media coverage about this and a lot of people aren't even aware this is taking place.Why are these "greedy" doctors, as some media outlets say, striking in the first place? Surely they are paid handsomely as it is!A few things to clarify. The term "junior" doctor encompasses all manner and grade and experience of doctor that is below consultant level. So basically you could have a "junior" doctor that's treating you that has been a practicing doctor for 20 years. Equally you could have a doctor that is a consultant who has been a doc for 7 years.It's also worth pointing out that the junior doctors aren't asking for a pay RISE but rather a pay RESTORATION. The semantics are important. The government hasn't accounted for inflation and other factors when determining the salaries so in real terms the doctors have faced a pay cut. A pay restoration would bring it back to what is fairly owed.One of my favourite quotes of all times from the Roman poet Juvenal springs to mind "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" "Who guards the guards themselves?"The role of a doctor is to look after the community, but who looks after the doctors?

Back To Training... 

Haven't spoken too much about this to anyone but I sustained a back injury just before the pandemic hit which plagued me for a solid 3 years. Back injuries are not fun. Do not recommend. Aside from the pain, the other annoying thing it did was it stopped me doing the things I liked doing in the gym - lifting heavy weights! Everyone has their own bespoke way of regulating their mental health mine involved throwing around some steel. Without this crutch, my mood took a slight dip, I gained more weight than I bargained for and I felt a lot more lethargic.Truth be told, I don't particularly care about a discrete number like weight, I care more about performance and how I feel. Unfortunately my weight gain affected my performance both physically and mentally..I felt less sharp and less focussed mentally and felt my stamina plummet.Thankfully it seemed by religious back exercises and stretches seemed to be paying off and I feel *touch wood* pain free and I'm back to doing weights.Wherever you are in your fitness journey, take not of a few things:1) Your weight does not determine your value2) Your life's purpose is not to lose weight 3) Having a 6 pack does not = health4) Being healthy means moving freely without pain, having great dumps, sleeping like a pig in a vegan's house, and having good emotional regulation. Prioritise these things and the rest will fall into place. 

My Big News...

It is pretty big. For me anyway.Lets get this out the way first: I am not getting married just yet (much to my Indian parents dismay) and I am not having a baby.I will reveal all this Wednesday at some point in the early afternoon (UK time) so keep your eyes glued to my socials for the news!It's a big'un and it is probably the most exciting thing I have ever done. I life a boring life so it may all be relative but hopefully this will be something you can enjoy alongside me! 

  What You Should Watch... 

Knuckle - on NetlifxThis has to be one of the most interesting documentaries I've seen. It follows an epic 12-year journey into the long standing feud between two Irish Traveler families and how they settle their differences with...bare-knuckle fighting. I've worked in many hospitals over the years and have treated many patients from the travelling community and one thing they have in common is a very strong family bond. The relatives of those patients would often spend all night sleeping in the hospital corridors, cafeteria or outside the main entrance. Incredible loyalty and togetherness. Something I admire deeply because as an only child, nothing means more to me than my parents (and Shadow my dog) and my sense of family.Although it seems bizarre to outsiders, I sort of get the lengths these traveler families would go to for honour and to protect their brethren. Worth a watch..its only 90 minutes!  

You Need To Be Bored Daily...

For the first time in over 3 years I am going out of the UK for a holiday.From April 1st for 2 weeks I'll be travelling to Mumbai and then briefly Colombo to switch off my CPU.I plan to do nothing.Nothing is very important. Being bored is important. You don't need to take a holiday to achieve this..let me explain..When you wash the dishes, go on a drive to work, commute via public transport I bet you put on your favourite podcast, stream some songs on spotify...right?The issue is those are moments of superficial boredom and it is in these moments that your brain wanders, runs wild and produces moments of creativity. Simply put, your brain needs boredom for those lightbulb moments and general ingenuity. By blocking superficial boredom and plugging the gap with other distraction you are denying yourself the proper flow of your creative juices.Be bored, just a bit, every day. 

What You Should Listen To...

The Life Of The Mind Podcast - Steven PinkerThe human mind is a labyrinth, one from which we are yet to emerge with all the answers. Steven Pinker who is a well known cognitive psychologist delves into the inner workings of the mind and untangles the human psyche..everything from evolutionary psychology, the human psyche and beyond.The first episode is a cracker - A history of psychological experiments! 

As always, please give me feedback on Twitter. Which of this weeks Sunday six is your favourite? Is there something you want more, or less of? I'm open to any suggestions so please let me know! Just send a  tweet to @drkaranrajan and use the hashtag #theweeklydose at the end so I can find it!

Have a wonderful week, all.

Much love,

Karan