Dr. Chinthana Patkar: Balancing Medicine and Passion with Multifaceted Talents

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: My name is Dr Chinthana Patkar. I am an anesthesiologist by profession, and I have been working for the past 20 years. Till my high school I studied in my hometown in Madikeri, Kodagu. After that I have been in Mysore, I pursued my MBBS and MD in anesthesiology from JSS Medical college, Mysore. I work as a consultant in 4 hospitals and at the moment, my work is revolving around ophthalmology and infertility.

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: Well, medicine seems to be in our blood. Since my parents were doctors, I was influenced by medicine since a very young age. In between, I probably did not want to pursue medicine but at that particular time, I think I was also not given a choice, since my older sister decided to become an engineer, and my parents had a hospital they wanted one of us to become a doctor and probably take over when the time came.

If that was one aspect which seemed a little forced, I had the inclination on my own as well. So, it was actually easy to pursue medicine.

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: A couple of years ago, I had a professional life and a domestic life, which I don't consider personal. I began focusing on my personal life when my daughter turned 6 and developed an interest in dance. At the same time, I resumed dancing, which I had learned from the age of 5 but had stopped at 15. Pursuing this hobby allowed me to take care of myself, as dancing provided relief and served as an outlet.

After my daughter became independent and could stay home alone (which wasn't possible before due to our quiet, secluded neighborhood), I started taking very long walks, covering almost 10 kilometers each time. I did this twice a day, totaling about 17 kilometers. I'd be away from home for around 2 and half hours. This time away from home became my personal space, allowing me to think, reflect, and have introspective conversations. It gave me the opportunity to contemplate both past and future events, and reflect on what I could or should be doing.

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: Initially, I started running as a hobby and it was just something I did for fun for about 2 months. But then, I felt the urge to participate in a race. My initial goal was to finish a 10km race. I achieved that and even won first place in my age category. Surprisingly, that victory prompted me to aim for a longer distance. I decided to challenge myself to a half marathon, which is a 21km run. From then on, I found myself signing up for races almost every month. This passion for running started to impact my professional life. Since the city of Mysore has limited race events, I began looking for races outside the city. I started with races in Bangalore, then in my parents' hometown due to the emotional connection we have with the place. Eventually, I even participated in races in my home district. As a result, I began to take time off from work. Prior to taking up running, I had never taken time off for anything other than visiting my parents, which happened only 2-3 times a year. After becoming involved in races, I needed to be there to pick up my race kit on Saturdays, and as a result, I started taking off at least a day every month. This not only affected my work, but it also provided me with the opportunity to disconnect from home. Participating in races became a time for me to be alone and have some me time. This was a positive aspect for me as it allowed me to find time for myself. If I hadn't pursued this hobby and developed a love for racing, I probably wouldn't be doing this interview right now. Running has also led me to travel to many different places, which I wouldn't have experienced otherwise.

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: I'm not sure if I have achieved a balanced life. It feels quite hectic, but I have some control over it. I used to sleep very little, usually around 1 am and wake up at around 7 am, sometimes even later. When I started running, I used to run in the evenings because I believed I wasn't an early riser and tried to get my sleep in the mornings. However, when I decided to start racing, I had to switch to morning training as the races are held in the morning, which meant I had to wake up early.

Now, my day starts at 4:30 am, I finish my run at 7:30, and then I have to do the housework. My work starts after that, sometimes right after dropping my daughter at the bus stop. The only positive thing is that as a consultant in a limited number of hospitals, I work with doctors who I know personally, and they are willing to adjust to my timings. They are flexible, which makes my life more flexible too. I tend to finish by the afternoon and maybe catch a bit of rest. In the evening, some days I go running or trekking, and I try to sleep a little earlier at night to compensate for the early mornings.

I'm not sure if my life is balanced, but I think it still gives me a lot of peace because there is a balance between staying at home and being outside. Before I picked up running, I was either at home or at work all the time. When I used to go dancing, I would be outside for maybe 2 hours a week, but now I spend an average of 3 hours a day outside the house pursuing my running hobby. I'm outside the house 8-9 hours a week just for running. When I'm out running, my thoughts are not at home or work. They are either with me, my running, or something I want to implement or improve as an athlete. This gives me balance. If I were at home, I would either sleep or think about what needs to be done at home, or I would overwork and overthink.

When I go out running, I concentrate on my running, as a loss of concentration can be detrimental. I have had two falls due to a lapse in concentration for probably 2 seconds when my mind had wandered off and I tripped and fell. You have to be careful about potholes, road humps, twigs, and stones, so you have to stay focused. This focus also spills over into other areas of life, making my thinking more streamlined and clear. I also enjoy working as a doctor because I know I can look forward to pursuing my hobby.

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: Nutrition plays a major role in running, just like any sport. We need a lot of stamina, and a good balanced diet is very important.

Personally, when I was on a high protein diet and consuming more complex carbs (not rice or wheat, but everything else like fruits and vegetables), I had more energy compared to now when I am on a regular relaxed diet. I feel like I am losing out and not feeling as energetic. This change has been noticeable in the past 2 months since I reverted back to a normal Indian diet, which is more rice-based. Even though I consume proteins and other micronutrients, I still feel like I am lacking in energy.

In the present generation, there is an increased consumption of ultra-processed food, and as a doctor, I have observed a lot of lifestyle issues. Over the past 10 years, while conducting health checks for the students in my daughter's school, I noticed a lot of malnutrition, both under and over. Some kids wouldn't gain any weight over the years, while others were gaining about 10 kilos a year, leading to obesity. Despite counseling, their diet patterns were difficult to change due to social issues such as peer pressure and bullying.

In the reproductive age group, particularly in the area of infertility where I work, I have seen a lot of young patients in their twenties with decreased ovarian reserve, leading to infertility. Both males and females are facing infertility issues, partly due to their diet. Processed food lacks essential nutrients and can lead to obesity, which reduces fertility in both genders.

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: People who follow a non-vegetarian diet probably do not need extra proteins. As a vegetarian, I probably need some sort of protein supplement. While eggs are a good source of protein, you would have to eat a lot of them to get a sufficient amount of protein. As a result, some vegetarians rely on protein supplements. It's important to choose supplements from a reputable and tested brand as some may contain steroids and artificial sweeteners. Depending on my weight as a 50kg adult, one scoop of around 30g of protein is fine for me. However, if I take it twice a day, I would be consuming a lot of additives. This is concerning for me as most of the time the sweeteners used are aspartame, stevia, or sucralose. There are a few powders without any additives, which might be a better choice. I believe that consuming sugar in moderate quantities is better than consuming artificial sweeteners.

Additionally, it's worth noting that diet, obesity, and lack of exercise are interconnected, and all of these factors contribute to infertility. Furthermore, diet and obesity increase the risk of developing diabetes and hypertension at an early age.

Dr. Chinthana Patkar: It's important to continue pursuing your hobbies without taking a break from them. Spending 1-2 hours a day on your hobbies won't harm your medical career. I used to dedicate my time to reading as a hobby, and I was consistent with it, even though it affected my sleep. Whatever your hobby may be, make sure to pursue it regularly. You can always build your career, but burning out early can set you back. If that happens, take time to rediscover yourself, find a hobby, then work, and strive for balance. It's crucial to maintain a balanced life early in your medical career. Sometimes, you may not need a specific hobby – you might just need personal time to switch off and reflect. It's crucial to have quiet time to reflect without any distractions. This kind of under-stimulated environment, even if for just 10-15 minutes a day, acts as a form of meditation. It allows you to understand yourself better and determine what you want more of and what you want less of in your life. Most people may think that taking time for yourself is selfish, but I've come to realize it's essential for maintaining mental and physical well-being. Taking this "me time" allows you to rejuvenate and be better prepared to take care of others. If you're dealing with stress and struggles, it can affect your performance at work and your interactions at home. Taking this time to unwind and focus on yourself can help you leave stress behind and give your attention to what matters most.