Dr. Suresh Bhat

When it comes to Indian cuisine, it is all about a mélange of flavors and aroma that can entirely transform the face of any dish. One such important spice is turmeric which is not just revered for the amazing color and texture it adds to any food but for its medicinal value as well.

Turmeric or haldi is used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic treatments, and its values are now researched and approved by scientists and researchers all across the globe. But if you have decided to add turmeric in your daily edibles then you should be aware of the tips and tricks that would enable you to choose the pure form of turmeric over the unwanted filtered and chemically dyed ones.

Turmeric often tends to have unwanted additives such as chalk powder or starch or sawdust and sometimes, it is made to look appealing with the help of synthetic colors. Adulteration in spices is a common situation in India and therefore, it pays to ensure that the turmeric you buy and eat is free from Metanil yellow or lead chromate which is some of the toxic chemicals.

Quick tricks that can help you check

1. Checking for chalk powder: You can take a pinch of turmeric powder in a glass flask and add a few drops of water to it. Now add a few drops of hydrochloric acid, and if you see it to give off bubbles, it is indicative of the presence of yellow soap powder or chalk powder or both.
2. Presence of Metanil yellow: A few drops of hydrochloric acid in a pinch of turmeric will also help you understand whether it has Metanil yellow. Add some water and shake the mixture as vigorously as you can. If you see the mixture to turn pink, then rest assured that it contains this unwanted additive.
3. Spotting adulterated turmeric root: Sometimes, we need turmeric root instead of the powder, and you will be surprised to know that it may also be coated with some unwanted substance. To test for it, you will have to place turmeric root on a piece of paper and pour some water on it. If you see it leaving color, it can be impure and polished to give the desired look.
4. Go for the water test: This is one of the easiest ways to find out if there is any adulteration. You will have to take some warm water in a glass and pour in little quantity of turmeric on the surface. You need not stir or mix it and leave it for around 20 to 30 minutes. If all the turmeric powder settles at the bottom of the glass and the water is crystal clear, then the turmeric is pure. If you find the water to turn cloudy, then you need to look for some other vendor for the Haldi supply.

Such simple measures can go a long way in maintaining the good health of your family. Hence care must be taken in this regard.

One of the emerging psychiatric disorder that has significant medical and psychiatric consequences is compulsive sexual behaviour or hypersexuality, is an obsession with sexual thoughts in which people cannot manage their sexual behaviour. It may involve a commonly enjoyable sexual experience as self-stimulation which becomes an obsession. The person suffering from the condition may also get involved in sexual behaviours that are outside the bounds of commonly accepted conduct like paying for sex or having extramarital affairs.

Untreated compulsive sexual behaviour damages one’s self-esteem, health, job, relationships and career. However, with treatment and self-help, one can manage compulsive sexual behaviour and learn to manage one’s urge. Males are more likely to be unfaithful than females because they have stronger sexual impulses and weaker self-control. Compulsive sexual behaviour symptoms vary in type and severity. During intense sexual impulses, one feels as if they're beyond control. This is the first and the most common symptom as the patient uses compulsive sexual behaviour as an escape route for problems like loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress. One has trouble establishing and maintaining emotional closeness, even if one is married or in a committed relationship.

The treatment for compulsive sexual behaviour involves psychotherapy and medications. A primary goal of treatment is to help one manage urges and reduce excessive behaviours while maintaining healthy sexual activities. If one has compulsive sexual behaviour, one may need treatment for mental health condition. People with compulsive sexual behaviour often have alcohol or drug abuse problems or a mood disorder such as depression.

Counselling sessions can help one learn how to manage one’s compulsive sexual behaviour. Intensive treatment programs for compulsive sexual behaviours focus on identification of core triggers and beliefs about sexual addiction. It assists in development of healthier choices and coping skills to minimize urges and deal with the preoccupation of sexual addiction. Psychodynamic psychotherapy can prove to be very useful as it focuses on increasing one’s awareness of unconscious thoughts and behaviours, and developing new insights into their motivations. Resolving conflicts using this therapy is also recommended. The other kind of treatment program is cognitive behavioural therapy. This therapy helps one to identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviours and replace them with healthy, positive ones. Family therapy and couples therapy may restore trust, minimize shame and guilt thus establishing a healthy sexual relationship between partners.

Medications include anti-depressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, mood stabilizers and anti-androgens have also been used to treat compulsive sexual behaviour. Anti-androgens are prescribed as it reduces the biological effects of sex hormones in men thus reducing sexual urges. Luteinizing hormone is also prescribed as it reduces obsessive sexual thoughts by reducing the production of testosterone. Anti-seizure medications, naltrexone, and medications which decrease male hormones have been found to decrease the compulsive urges and impulses associated with sexual addictions for some sufferers. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a psychiatrist.