Dr. Vinayak Jog

Cancer is a fatal health condition which should be avoided at any cost. There are several factors which may lead to different kinds of cancer and prevention is the only way to stay safe. By making some lifestyle changes and altering habits, cancer can be prevented. Here is what all you can do to keep this life-threatening disease at bay:

1. Stop using tobacco: Using tobacco in any form may increase the chance of cancer in a person. Smoking leads to different types of cancer, such as lung, mouth, throat, pancreas, kidney, and bladder cancer. Chewing tobacco also may lead to oral and pancreatic cancer. Even passive smoking can cause cancer. Hence, try to avoid tobacco at any cost.

2. A healthy diet: Including several food items in your daily diet will reduce the chance of cancer. You should consume a lot fresh fruits and vegetables and your diet should also include beans and grains. You should eat light and avoid high-calorie  food in order to prevent obesity. Alcohol should be consumed in moderation as alcohol leads to several types of cancer. You should lessen meat consumption too.

3. Maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active: If you maintain a healthy weight, the risks of various cancers such as breast, prostate and lung cancer are reduced. And physical activity is a must to maintain the right weight and fitness. Physical activity provides several health benefits and prevents cancer. Both moderate and rigorous physical workouts are essential.

4. Protection from the sun: Skin cancer is caused due to overexposure to the sun and its harmful rays. In order to prevent skin cancer, you should avoid going out in the midday sun, the rays of which are very strong. Try to be in the shade while outside and wear loose fitting, light clothes. Cover all exposed areas of the skin, and do not apply excessive sunscreen on your skin.

5. Immunization: For preventing cancer, you should stay away from several viral infections. For this, you require immunization against a number of infections. Hepatitis B increases the risk of liver cancer and the hepatitis B vaccine can be taken by adults for prevention and by those who undergo risky sexual activities. HPV or the human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus, leads to several cancers such as cervical and genital cancer. The HPV vaccine should be taken in order to prevent such cancers.

Adopt good habits, maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle and take the right vaccines to keep cancer away. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Homeopath.

Possible symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Swelling of all or part of a breast (even if no distinct lump is felt)
• Skin irritation or dimpling
• Breast or nipple pain
• Nipple retraction (turning inward)
• Redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)

Sometimes a breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the collar bone and cause a lump or swelling there, even before the original tumour in the breast tissue is large enough to be felt. Swollen lymph nodes

If you are concerned about breast cancer, you should know about the steps you can take to prevent the condition. Breast cancer is a type of cancer developing from the breast tissue. Symptoms such as a lump in the breast, fluid flowing from the nipple, changes in the shape of the breast and occurrence of red scaly patches on the breast denote breast cancer.

You need to make certain lifestyle changes in order to prevent breast cancer. The ways you should adopt include the following:

1. Limit your alcohol intake: The more you consume alcohol, the more you put yourself at the risk of getting breast cancer. It is recommended for you not to drink more than one drink per day. Small amounts of alcohol increase the risk of breast cancer as well.

2. Abstain from smoking: There is a direct link between tobacco smoking and breast cancer, and the risk is even more in premenopausal women. You should quit smoking to reduce the risk of breast cancer along with many other conditions, which can develop because of the ill-effects of smoking.

3. Control your weight: Obese women are more prone to breast cancer when compared with women with a healthy weight. This is especially true when obesity occurs at a later stage in life, after menopause.

4. Keep physically active: Regular physical activity is essential for you to maintain a healthy weight, which is important for preventing breast cancer. 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercises or 75 minutes of vigorous exercises are recommended along with strength training.

5. Breastfeed: Breastfeeding plays an important role in preventing breast cancer. The more you breastfeed your baby, the more protected you are from breast cancer.

6. Limit the dosage and duration of hormone therapy: If you undertake combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years, you are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. In case you are taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about alternative options such as non-hormonal therapy and medications. If you still require hormonal therapy, you must use the lowest dose that will be effective.

7. Avoid exposure to radiation and pollution: Certain medical imaging procedures like computerized tomography involves radiation of high doses. There is a link between breast cancer and radiation exposure. Thus, you should abstain from getting exposed to radiation and avoid taking such tests if it is not very urgent.

Maintaining a healthy diet also helps in reducing your risk of developing breast cancer. You should include food items which are plant based in your regular diet, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and legumes. Also, consume healthy fats such as olive oil instead of red meat and butter. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult an oncologist.