Even after a week, the side effects of Diwali continue to pour in the city clinics and hospitals. While the diabetics, heart patients are back to their doctors a few others have landed up with liver infections as well. The reason: Punjabis’ love for food. While asthma and bronchitis patients are getting back on their feet, another set of patients have started coming in. And above all, the weight loss progrrames are being re-worked because a number of persons have come with 2-3 kg of weight gain again.

Dr Sunit Arora, owner of Sampurna Kayakalp centre who is also running an Ayurvedic spa, said, “Most of the patients are back with raised cholesterol levels, sugar levels and even with weight gain as well. So we are telling them that it is Diwali gain.”

Dr Arora adds, “But it happens every year and hence it is not a new case this time. People eat dry fruits, party a lot, enjoy drinks, eat out and what not. So such things are normal in most of the cases. It is difficult to resist for majority.”

Dr Harkamal Sidhu, deputy medical superintendent of Kapoor Hospital said, “This time, the diabetics and high BP patients have landed up with liver infections. So this shows that they must have done a lot of eating out. Eating from the road-side rehris is an invitation to liver infections. So sweets or dry fruits alone were not the contributors, this time.”

And apart from the diabetics, heart patients etc even people with no ailments are also facing weight gain by at least 2 kg after Diwali.

... contd.