Author Archives: iheart11

This is a topic close to my heart and one that I do talk about as a cardiologist. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, above all kinds of cancer and causes one in three deaths among women each year. Symptoms of heart attacks in women are different from those in men,Continue reading “Start with your heart..”

For a while it has appeared to me “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill That I go from failure to failure constantly Hoping against hope that I shall succeed One day- this is what helps me proceed Each day in my endeavors, despite making little progress ButContinue reading “Reframe success”

I know I must practice self-care It’s my responsibility, I am aware But self-care is the buzzword new Everyone is hopping on this bandwagon to Tell you how to practice self-care From celebrities to your friends, everyone wants to share Tips to make you more relaxed yet productive in your day But such advice sendsContinue reading “Self-care advice”

Enough has been said about women congregating To gossip about each other, it has been labeled a habit “irritating” By men over centuries, building an image negative Of “idle” women with boring lives to live.. When women get together, they share Everything under the sun, no topic they spare In doing so they support eachContinue reading “Not just gossip..”

Calamity seems distant until it comes to you The theoretical risk you ignore, this is something you can do Tragedy has struck many times, but far removed from it were you So you shrugged your shoulders, forgot about it promptly too You told everyone not to worry, these incidents were isolated Somewhere someone unhinged hadContinue reading “Finally it hit close to home…”

I try to read the printed word and imbibe Greater understanding to survive In a world that is changing in unpredictable ways A world headed to the future, but clinging to past ways I pour over books, lose myself for hours Books wield over me that kind of power In the author’s narrative myself IContinue reading “One story at a time..”

Whenever I speak up, into overdrive my inner voice goes Asking me to make sure I’ve not stepped on anyone’s toes To try to ascertain if I have not out of turn spoken Ensure there are no unwritten rules that I have broken My gender and immigrant status exclude me From membership of the privilegedContinue reading “Should I speak up?”

As I grow older as a practicing physician I move into the privileged position Of having had a glimpse into lives of thousands of patients Of having heard stories full of emotions intense Of having had more encounters with mortality Than I would have wished to see Of having learnt from stories, skills that areContinue reading “Listening to stories as a doctor..”

We are taught to take pride in being busy We feel validated when people see How much we work, how little we sleep Being busy allays insecurities deep.. * There is a downside to being a busy-bee Constant work is an obstacle to creativity For most people, their “Aha” moments seem To reveal themselves whenContinue reading “Daydreaming..”

I have heard travelers to my homeland say They either hated India or loved it all the way Being in India evokes strong emotions There is no middle ground, no moderation Of opinions- India saturates your senses With its juxtaposition of clashing experiences The loudness, the vibrance, the traditions-all in your face The disquieting lackContinue reading “Travelers to India..”

Life sometimes seems to drag you down in monotony All you want is a distraction, something new to help you break free From the drudgery of your life, then you serendipitously find A new idea, a new stream of thought to stimulate your mind Sometimes you get obsessed with an idea new To expand itContinue reading “Falling in love with ideas…”

I sit quietly and close my eyes to meditate Thoughts crowd my mind, my mental state Is akin to a thundering waterfall, and as I commence Deep and slow breathing, from a cascade intense My mind changes to a rushing stream, the flow Of thoughts has acquired a rhythm more slow I focus on myContinue reading “Stages of meditation”