PET SAAF KONA ACHEYOTO

The standard complaints of most of the Sindhis specially women are ograai and pet saaf kona acheyto which literally means belching and incomplete evacuation. The belching is so severe that the patients often present with aerophagy syndrome.

Belching is not a disease and is not only a habit - which started in this community in childhood - but is associated with over eating. Sindhis have the highest incidence of belching and aerophagy in the world, says Dr Kapoor.

Another common complaint is the Coated tongue. They continue using tongue cleaners and always correlate their coated tongue (which is normal) with their abdominal complaints of distension and constipation.

Incomplete evacuation is often due o their sluggish colon and associated poor abdominal tone and flabby abdomen and possibly lack of outdoor exercises. Blood cholesterol and triglycerides are often very high in Sindhi population and are mainly related to intake of alcohol and rich diet.

As compared to many other communities, in Sindhi women the symptom of leucorrhoea is very common. The incidence of urethral syndrome and Dhaat -- male leucorrhoea - as seen in many other Indian males is more or less never seen in Sindhi males although Sindhi males often over indulge in sex.

The incidence of Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is much less in Sindhi population.

Regarding the different sub-communities in Sindhis - the above-mentioned description is commonly seen in Sindhwarkis. Although, Hyderabadis and Amil Sindhis have also more or less same illnesses, belching, aerophagy and other gastrointestinal symptoms are less common in them.

Sindhis give importance to health and the prestigious hospitals in Bombay run by Sindhis like Jaslok Hospital, Hinduja Hospital etc. are only an indication that how much health-conscious Sindhis are.