CAN LIFESTYLE CHANGES PREVENT CANCER?-Report

With cancer becoming so common nowadays, it is more like a chronic lifestyle disease. However, despite advancements in treatments and increasing survival rates, awareness about cancer is poor. She pointed out that more than 70-80% patients consult doctors when the disease is progressed and recovery is poor at that stage. Stigma and lack of awareness were the most cited reasons for not seeking early treatment. Late detection is the cause for most deaths caused by cancer in India, and 50% of cancers are from lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and infections. There are many myths about cancer which further prevent early detection. Most people think cancers are incurable and not worth the treatment. They think because they are young, it cannot be cancer, and continue to self-medicate or ignore their symptoms until later stages. Some think that they do not have a genetic history, or do not have any bad habits therefore they are not at risk. All these factors cause them to ignore preventive health measures such as routine screening.

Lifestyle modifications can go a long way in preventive healthcare. Dr. Vaishnavi shared simple tips that are native to any Indian household, such as eating a well-balanced meal, including plant-based food sources, eating in moderation, and staying active. She also emphasized to eat local and regionally available food, along with regular exercise routines. Move more and eat smart was her mantra. Including more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fibre rich foods, while limiting red meat, processed food, barbequed meat, refined foods, and sugars was a good protocol to follow. Avoiding extreme food fads and taking supplements only when prescribed would a be a safer bet. Limiting exposure to nicotine and alcohol can also protect an individual to a significant extent. Therefore, cultivating healthy habits is a must. She also mentioned about obesity and sedentary lifestyle being the new tobacco that was killing more people and posing greater threat to one’s health. She suggests regular exercise of atleast 30-40mins for about 4-5 times a week can protect an individual against the development of cancers. Despite all this, we are not completely free from the risk of developing cancer. A majority of cancers have idiopathic causes. We need to undergo health checks and screening regularly. Mammograms for breast cancer, Pap smears for cervical cancer, low dose CT scans for lung cancer, Serum PSA testing for prostate cancer and many more preventive screening methods can be employed to ensure an individual is diagnosed at an earlier stage and has a better prognosis.

Dr. Vaishnavi patiently answered the questions asked by the audience. Her take home message was to be equipped with the right awareness, maintain healthy diet, sleep and exercise routines, manage stress levels, avoid smoking/ alcohol intake, partake in regular screening and most importantly consult a doctor when any symptoms arise. The session ended with words of gratitude and appreciation by the moderator and Mr. Amar Bhaskar for the speaker’s efforts to provide useful but simple information for everyone.