Seven Things You Can Do To Minimize The Cancer Risk

There is a lot of anxious curiosity these days about the life style and general habits amongst people and their impact on the risk of cancer. There are things that range from food/eating habits to smoking,drinking and exposure to sun etc. One week people see a study that talks about the positive effect of red wine on health and then the very next week there is another study linking alcohol consumption to enhanced risk of breast cancer for example.

All this tends to get very confusing for people and creates more questions than answers in terms of what they could do in terms of bringing about changes in their daily habits and overall lifestyle to protect themselves or at the very least minimizing their risk for cancer.
Here are the 7 recommendations that could help.
1. Quit smoking.----If you are a smoker, the SINGLE biggest thing that you can do to minimize yours and your family's risk to a large number of potential cancer is to give up smoking immediately. This is quite simply a no brainer and the most important positive change you can make in your life.
If you are not a smoker, please DO NOT even think about taking up smoking as a habit for just for social outings.
2. Say NO To Pan Masala ---- Pan Masala is by far the leading cause of head and neck ( oral) cancers in India and certain regions in UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat,West Bengal and several other states in India have a very high degree of mouth and throat cancers on account of consumption of pan masala. The very jazzy advertising that some of these companies undertook in earlier years got even the middle class ( and indeed some pretty affluent industrialists) to take up the habit of chewing pan masala and and a very large number of people have paid the price by acquiring this deadly disease in the bargain.
3. Fruits, Vegetables and Tea have been found to have a positive impact on reducing the cancer risk and therefore it is a very good idea to have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.The natural chemicals--Flavonoids found in different fruits and vegetables and teas reduce the risk of lung cancer even amongst the smokers. Strawberries, green and black teas, brussels sprouts, apples, beans and broccoli are good sources of flavonoids.
4. Alcohol consumption must be in moderation. Even if it is wine--red or white or any other drink, the idea is to limit your consumption to not more than 10 -15 drinks per month and that too on a very well spread out basis. The better option would be to have a glass of wine 2/3 days per week and not to drink on an empty stomach.
5. Protect yourself from direct exposure to sun. Sunbathing has been found to be the leading cause of skin cancer and prolonged exposure to sun without adequate sun protection lotions is highly dangerous. Tanning salons that use chemicals to induce tans are not recommended at all as they could potentially be quite risky as well.
6. Red meat in general and burnt meat ( barbeque / open fire / over heated) frozen and re-heated meat have all been founf to be enhancing the risk of various types of cancers in different studies and therefore they all must be avoided. Overall, it has also been found that vegetarians have a lower risk of getting cancer than the non-vegetarians.
7. Finally, one must lead a balanced life with pleanty of exercise, physical activity and nutritious meals. Stress, though in some form, is unavoidable in our lives these days, must me minimized and social interaction with family and friends goes a long way well. Avoid very hot liquids ( tea/coffee/soups etc.) as they can damage the inner lining of the stomach and lead to acid reflux ( commonly known as acidity). Acid reflux must be treated comprehensively as well and not dismissed merely as acidity tackled with anatcids. Esphegeal cancer is a very serious condition with very limited treatment success.

Overall, though a disease like cancer continues to be a major challenge for clinicians and researchers alike and there is no guaranteed and fool proof check list possible for its avoidance, these seven suggestions can certainly help minimize one's risk to various cancers.

Good luck and God bless.
Let us keep working for a healthier world for "Every Life Matters"

Pradeep K Jaisingh

Cancer Treatment: Does Positive Mental Attititude Have a Role To Play

Cancer is a tough disease by any standards and both patients and physicians always wonder if there are things other than just clinical protocols and well defined regimens that might have any role to play in the overall effectiveness of the treatment.Specifically, people always ask about the role of the attitiude of the patient in his or her treatment. Some patients, diagnosed with cancer, develop a negative even hostile attiitude towards life and their surroundings in general and find it very difficult to come to grips with their new reality. There are others though who respond to their cancer with a very positive approach and demonstrate an attitude of mental strength and hope.
So, the question is "Does it really help and how much?"
The answer is not a simple yes or no.One has to look at what really does one mean by Positive Mental Attitude or PMA ?
PMA is not about developing an attitude that their cancer is just a result of some bad phase or "karma" and it will go away just by some rituals or some sudden miracle that might happen. That kind of approach is plain wishful thinking and will not help at all.
PMA is first and foremost about acknowledging the seriousness of one's condition and then developing a whole new determination to do everything possible to find all facts and details about one's cancer, discussing in-depth with one's cancer specialist the very latest in clinical options and their pros and cons, agreeing to the treatment plan devised by the oncologist and adhering to in totality and following his/her advise on diet,lifestyle and other aspects and extending total co-operation to the discipline of the clinical regiment-----all with a firm belief that I am going to fight it and I am going to do everything within my power to face this very serious and tough disease and I am going to get better because of this. One may include anything and everything in it--prayers, hope , music whatever you like. It all could work for you --at the very least it will improve and enhance your quality of life and make it easier and better on your near and dear ones who are helping you from your family and relations.
Remember, it is very very tough on them as well.
In our cancer support group "Saarthak" a lady cancer survivor shared about her own approach to the side effects of chemotherapy and how it was leading to a state of depression for her. An army wife she was used to a very active social life and enjoyed her weekend get-togethers and lunches/dinners at friends' places. When our oncologist suggested to her that unlike the advice given by her previous oncologist, she was free to resume her lifestyle while following her chemo-regimen, she responded so positively and not only she came out of her depression but developed a very strong resolve to fight her cancer.
Today, she is a three year cancer survivor and is doing extremely well while enjoying her old life style with friends and families. Additionally. she is a very active member of "Saarthak" and is very willing to help other cancer patients.
Her positive attitude, certainly, seems to have made a difference to her and it can definitely work for many other.
That is certainly my hope and my belief.
God bless and let us ,together,do everything to save another life from cancer.
Please join me because "Every Life Matters"

Pradeep K Jaisingh

Smoking----How Serious Is The Cancer Risk?

People ask me this question all the time somehow believing that the cancer risk may be exaggerated. Nothing is farther from the truth.
The single biggest harm you can do to your heatlth is through smoking and on a very objective basis, you are really significantly multiplying your risk of conditions like chronic lung disease(emphysema and chronic bronchitis),heart diseases and stroke etc.
As far as cancer is concerned smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer,larynx,oral and esophageal , kidney and stomach cancers and leads to over 30% of overall cancer deaths in the United States. Over 80% of lung cancer deaths are directly attributable to smoking and tobacco use.

These statistics are so startling that all smokers must really take notice immediately and start working on a plan to quit smoking as soon as possible. Every passing day is a lost opportunity and you are putting yourself in serious peril and severely compromising your health. Additionally, you are putting the future of your family at a really major risk.
Unfortunately, in India we are witnessing an increase in women smokers as changing lifestyles coupled with new workplace habits and 24/7 working hours in IT and BPO related industries, are contributing to young girls taking to smoking. This is an extremely dangerous trend and the one with serious repurcusions for the future.For example in pregnant women, smoking causes stillbirth, Sudden Infant death syndrome, low birth weight and other similar complications and therefore the coming generation's health is being very adversely affected by this trend of increase in women smokers.

The other important point is that the second hand smoke has been officially recognized by WHO as a known human carcinogen and therefore family members in the smoker's homes are also exposed to enhanced risk of lung and other cancers and also for lower respiratory tract infections.
There are more than 50 well identified carcinogens in cigarette smoke and it should really be very obvious to everyone that how dangerous this single source is to your and your near and dear ones' health.I
f you really DO care about your family and yourself, STOP SMOKING. NOW.

Very caringly yours

Pradeep K Jaisingh