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I welcomed the study this week that suggested 10 portions of fruit and veg day could have a significant impact on preventing a number of physical health problems. With science progressing so rapidly, as a medic I often need to discern which research to seriously take on board, and what to reject. Some of the things I generally look for are: does the hypothesis makes sense, are the results repeatable and the qualification of the author. Many of us in our daily lives come to rely heavily on experts as a matter of trust: from which foods to try to learning how to rock climb. If we want reliable results we seek out a qualified guide, and put our trust in them. It’s no different in my faith, as Vedic texts advocate a similar approach to the science of devotion. In the Bhagavad Gita text When Arjuna asks Krishna what to do once he's made the decision to invest in his spiritual journey, Krishna advises him to find a Guru who has seen the absolute truth and approach them with submissive enquiry. He warns that the journey will be difficult without a guide. Although there is a strong culture of Guru-disciple relationship in Hinduism, there is much responsibility on the individual to vet the potential guru, to have a strong philosophical foundation themselves and associate with likeminded practitioners, in order to make steady progress, but also to avoid getting hurt by fallible faith leaders. The healthiest relationships allow whole hearted sharing and receiving. Furthermore, the Vedic texts give great importance to teachers of any subject matter for sharing what they have for the growth of another. Often a thankless task and a labour of love. Today my Guru would have turned 67. As is traditional, I will celebrate with much festivity to express my gratitude and love to a person who gave so much of himself to help me on my spiritual journey. And, even though he was my teacher, he always saw himself as his Guru's student. But I will also celebrate the many teachers throughout my life, who have taken the time to make me who I am today. Appreciating our teachers costs nothing and yet yields a reciprocal flow of good wishes, enhanced learning and a progressive society. I believe that the role of good teachers in nurturing two-way trustful relationships is fundamental to building a stronger society. It's particularly important in a climate where we are constantly having to question the reliability of our sources of information.