Till a few decade ago, cancer was considered as the Western disease. But today cancer has become very common in our own country. We all know someone who suffered from cancer or lost a family member to cancer. We can no longer close our eyes to this deadly disease. According to WHO, cancer was responsible for 13% of all deaths in 2008. Isn't this a whopping number?
The main reason for rise in cancer cases in our country is our changing lifestyle. As we become more Westernized, we have adopted their lifestyle and eating habits. So with a little lifestyle change, we can prevent the incidence of cancer in our families.
- Eat natural and wholesome foods. Do not consume processed foods like processed meats, maida based foods, and foods that are full of preservatives.
- Eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. Go for the rainbow, include all colours in your diet.
- Quit smoking and reduce your consumption of alcohol. Say no to narcotics.
- Get active and maintain healthy weight. Exercise isimportant for good health. Even an hour's brisk walk is great!
- Minimize the use of radiation emitting machines like cell phones and microwave ovens.
- If you use the microwave oven, do not heat anything in a plastic container.
- Do not use plastic containers to store or heat or eat food.
- Avoid sun exposure without wearing sunscreen.
- Avoid risky behaviour like unprotected sex with multiple partners etc.
- Regular screening and medical care is also very important.
In our next article in this series, we will describe the proper diet that helps in preventing cancer or fighting cancer. Till then, be healthy and be safe!