The Hormonal Harmony- Taking care of your hormones
Q1 Lexiamma, what is stress?
Ans- Stress is something that the Lexicon readership face every day, but may be too proud to admit! However, in simple terms stress is the deviation from a state of equilibrium between a living thing and its environment. If that doesn’t make sense, I’ll give you an example- For us, the medical fraternity, it could be the stress of missing a distinction by one mark.
Q2 Lexiamma, can I take hormones exogenously to lose weight?
Ans- Sure, also take some poison while you are at it. Taking exogenous thyroxine for weight loss, steroids for athletic performance have existed for a long time. Severe side effects have been profiled, some including life threatening conditions. Always take the advice of a doctor before you start taking hormones as a treatment for a condition.
Q3 Lexiamma, do hormones make girls annoying?
Ans- If you think girls are annoying because of the hormones, then you are an idiot. Girls are annoying…just like that. No reason. Okay kidding. Pre menstrual stress is a real thing and can lead to irritability, but please don’t categorise every mood swing a girl has as “Look at her, she is PMSing.”
Q4 Lexiamma, everybody is talking of PCOS, what is it?
Ans- It’s when girls get fat for no reason and grow a moustache and a beard too. It’s very rampant in the society with 1 out of 10 girls diagnosed with the disease. It would also lead to low fertility, irregular periods, heavy menstrual bleeding and abdominal cramps making it very difficult to live with. You get obese because of it; you can’t lose weight because of it- making it a very toxic cycle to break out off. Special diets may help, but first we need parents to be aware of this so they stop hunkering the poor kid cuz she is overweight!
Q5 Lexiamma, does hormonal imbalance affect everyone, or is it just a girl thing?
Ans- It should have been clear by now that human beings comprise of both males and females and stress affects both genders equally as opposed to what the misogynistic society might have you believe! Normally, stress would have a suppressive effect on sex hormones, and the manifestations of low testosterone in men include, low sperm count (infertility), poor erection, and reduced sex drive. While in women it could manifest as heavy menstrual bleeding and irregular periods.
Q6 Lexiamma, what can I do about my stress-related symptoms?
Ans- Firstly, cry. Shout at no one in your room alone and break some glass…okay, maybe not the glass, you’ll have to clean up again. Second, be aware of and acknowledge the situation. There are many stress relieving and management techniques that are available and I am sure you will come across them if you sincerely read this edition of lexicon! Acceptance goes a long way, understand that life sucks, and perseverance is the way forward.
Q7 Lexiamma, I love sweets, but I’m scared it will cause diabetes. Will it?
Ans- No, you don’t get diabetes because you eat sweets. It doesn’t work like that. Unless you are eating too much of them and getting obese that may indirectly cause Type 2 diabetes, you are good if you eat a few sweets now and then. You may get cavities though…
Q8 Lexiamma, what could be the symptoms of hormonal imbalance?
Ans- Hormonal imbalance, especially as a result of mental stress may manifest differently in different individuals. Sorry for the vague answer given by doctors and ammas alike. This is because the effects of stress have to do a lot with the environmental and genetic factors of the individual. However, some of the common symptoms include mood swings, weight gain, raised blood pressure due to cortisol; irregular menstruation, hot flushes, and depression due to low estrogen; low blood sugar, palpitation, and hunger pangs due to raised insulin; palpitations, salt retention and anxiety due to adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Q9 Lexiamma, Will things get better in the future?
Ans- I am not too sure given that I am only as old as lexicon itself, you readers are twice my age! How about remaining optimistic for the future and cooperating to beat the many more stress pandemics to come! C’mon repeat with me “All izz well, All izz well…”
- By Nishitha Bujala and Prakrut Paidisetty


Avoidance Vs Indulgence – What should I Eat?
– Harshita Choudhary ( MAMC )
&
Shreya Choubey (AUF – School of Medicine)
So today, Lexiamma (the Wittiest oldie of her times) decided to spend her morning in society’s park to do some chair yoga (After all, her osteoarthritic knees don’t allow her to jog now). She was packing her things to return home when someone said – “Lexiamma, wait.”
Mrs Chaddha and her son Rohan came gushing towards her.
In a conversation with Mrs Chaddha and her young 16-year-old son Rohan who are hardly seen together (due to the “generation gap”, as they say) :
Mrs Chadhha: “Hi Lexiamma, glad I found you this morning; I saw an Instagram trend where an influencer only drank fruit juices for half the time and lost 20 Kg! Since then, I’ve only been following her footsteps. It’s so important to stay healthy! Even Mr Chaddha says that I’m glowing these days.”
Lexiamma – Noticing the ever so pale face and weak body of Mrs Chadhha, says, “ Beta; first of all, Mr Chhadha’s eyesight concerns me. Did he not notice how pale you’ve gone? Your skin’s glow is lost, just like the fibre content in your juice. All that sugar intake is doing only as good as that streetside soda. It’s essential to stay healthy, but if you keep following your “Instagram diet”, Diabetes, Hypertension and Stroke days wouldn’t be too far. Social media is for entertainment, and doctors for health advice. So, please visit a dietician if you want to lose weight healthily, and while you’re at it, book an ophthalmologist’s appointment for Mr Chaddha.”
Mrs Chadhha: “Okay, I’ll think about it if you say so…. Also, Lexiamma… Look at my son Rohan… He’s shrivelling up. Please ask Rohan to eat something! He has not eaten anything in the last two days, staying alive on a so-called protein shake! And spending hours a day in the gym, and he thinks it’s the healthiest way to live!”
Lexiamma: “Oh, Rohan, my child. I am sure soon you will have a body like Johny Bravo as you desire and impress your lady love, but I fear you won’t be in your senses till then. Let me tell you, one day, you might be ready to confess your feelings to her, but you will faint and go into what is known as “Starvation ketoacidosis”. So please do not forget to at least give your body those many calories that it needs to function at the basal level.”
As Lexiamma looks around the park searching for her oldie gang, her eyes get fixed on her neighbour’s daughter, Priya, who is hogging a chips packet with a diet coke in her hands.
Lexiamma: “Priya, I see you are having a lovely time sipping that ‘Diet Coke’ may I ask how many calories you have saved by having such a healthy breakfast? I know you have been taking strict diet schedules but let me tell you something, all aerated drinks and packaged food items contain bad cholesterol, which can build up your fat stores and give you those ugly pimples, hair loss, and what is known as “Insulin Resistance”.
Priya: “Oh Lexiamma, don’t give me all this gyaan…if you know so much, tell me the correct way of losing weight.”
Lexiamma: “My darling Priya, It’s as simple as class 5 math. You try to lose a bit more than you consume every day. This doesn’t mean you stop eating. You gain energy with healthy home-cooked food and lose calories by exercising, yoga and brisk walking. So bid adieu to your so-called “DIET” food and welcome your mumma’s delicious home-cooked food!”
Meanwhile, Lexiamma hears the voice of a new vegetable vendor in their locality…
“COME BUY YOUR ORGANIC VEGGIES… ALL FARM-FRESH, PESTICIDE-FREE VEGGIES. GRAB YOURS AT SUPER AFFORDABLE PRICES!”
A group of aunties: “Wow. Let’s buy those organic vegetables. At least they won’t be containing those harmful chemicals and pesticides!”
Lexiamma: “Hmmm… I don’t know how healthy these “organic” vegetables would be… but at least they won’t be of any harm ;).”