30 January,2019 12:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Small changes such as walking instead of sitting more will help to fight cancer. Representational Picture
Prevention is better than cure may sound cliché, but prevention may be the only next best option if we are left with to beat cancer. What research shows is that up to 50 percent of all cancer cases and about 50 percent of cancer deaths are preventable. A recent report released by the American Institute for Cancer Research, which along with the World Cancer Research Fund shows evidence from hundreds of scientific studies. The studies involve 51 million people, including 3.5 million people with 17 different kinds of cancer. The report spelled out simple steps which may not be glamorous but these changes can save your life.
In fact, one of the most emphasized habits is to avoid tobacco especially smoking and excessive exposure to the sun. Tobacco smoking or chewing is not just the leading cause of lung cancer but has been linked to many types of cancer, including colorectal, breast, throat, cervical, bladder, mouth and oesophageal cancers. It is important to be healthy and avoid gaining weight in adult life. The World Health Organization defines a healthy adult BMI (body mass index) as 18.5 to 24.9.
Sit less and walk more. When it comes to cancer prevention, the more the physical activity, the greater is the benefit. Experts recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise (walking, cycling, household chores, swimming, dancing) or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (running, team sports, fast cycling). 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day is mandatory for kids from age 5 to 17.
Eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Limit intake of fast foods and other processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars. Also try to get your quota of proteins from whole grains, legumes, chicken, fish, dairy products and eggs and keep cut down on red meat. As drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing some forms of cancer it is important to choose to drink cancer in moderation.
Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks that cause increase chances of being overweight and obese. Do not use supplements for cancer prevention, instead try to get everything you need from your diet. The report also made some recommendations specific to the following two groups:
For mothers: breastfeed your baby, if you can. The World Health Organization advises moms to exclusively give breast milk for six months, then to breastfeed along with appropriate complementary foods for up to two years after. Not only will this protect moms against breast cancer, but it will also protect the child against infections and other childhood diseases.
After a cancer diagnosis: follow our Recommendations, Diet, physical activity and body fat increase is important to keep a check on for people who have survived from cancer or taken treatment... Breast cancer survivors, in particular, have improved survival and better quality of life if they're physically active.
The recommendations are practical and achievable steps that everyone can take to reduce their chance of getting cancer and also contribute to a world less burdened with cancer.
Written by Dr Ganapathi Bhat, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Stem Cell Transplant at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre
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