Dr. Neha Garg

Breast cancer is one of the most feared diagnoses in women. When cancerous cells develop in a woman's breast, irregular lumps, changes in the shape or size of the breast and discharge of blood from the nipples may be experienced. There are lots of preventive measures that you can take to avoid breast cancer. It is important to live a healthy life with as less exposure to toxins as possible. Here are some tips and strategies that can lower your risk of breast cancer

Preventive measures:

• Plant based diet - Studies have shown that a high plant based diet, full of vegetables and fruits, is packed with antioxidants, minerals, and nutrients that lower the risk of breast cancer. Eat light, and avoid refined sugar and processed meat. Try to construct a healthy Mediterranean diet plan rich in olive oil and nuts.
• Maintain an appropriate weight - Do not gain extra weight as obesity and excessive weight gain are related to breast cancer. Cut down on fat and exercise regularly to lead an active life.
• Breastfeeding - If you are a new mom, breastfeed your baby as it has numerous health benefits for both you and your child, including lowering the chances of breast cancer in the mother.
• Sleep - It is important to get 8 hours of sleep every night to live a healthy life. Many studies have shown that a short duration of sleep and exposure to light at night that disrupts the circadian rhythm increases the risk of breast cancer.
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol - Do not smoke as it increases the chances of cancer in other organs and also leads to toxin inclusion in the body. Also, be sure to drink in moderation as excess alcohol consumption is cancer causing offender.
• Artificial hormones - Women during menopause often resort to hormone replacement therapy, and the extended use of this therapy can heighten the risk of breast cancer. Therefore, it is recommended to look for other options to smoothen your transition to the menopausal phase. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

What is a panic attack?

Panic attack is a sudden onset of intense fear, or terror that occurs without apparent cause. Physical symptoms may include shortness of breath, palpitations or accelerated heart rate, chest pain or discomfort. Psychological symptoms may include a suffocating sensation or a sense of unease and lack of touch with reality. Once you have recognized the symptoms as a panic attack, here are a few techniques you can try:

• Shift your focus:

Try focusing on a neutral object or person. Try focusing on a colour which relaxes you and focus on it surrounding you. Now try focusing on a silly word or something that makes you laugh. Notice how your focus shifts and how your body responds.

• Imagine the positive:

Replace a negative state with a more positive one. Imagine a time when you felt confident, safe or calm. Imagine the sounds, tastes, views and feelings of that moment. Now submerge in that moment till your body relaxes.

• Use these grounding techniques:

Look around you and identify:

• 5 things you see

• 4 things you feel

• 3 things you hear

• 2 things you smell

• 1 thing you taste

Deep breathing:

Breathe in for 4 seconds then exhale all the way out. Now breathe in for 6 seconds, then exhale all the way out. Now breathe in for 8 seconds, then exhale all the way. Feel even the smallest muscles relaxing and continue breathing slowly.

It is one of the most common expressions around, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'. As apples have properties that no other natural product or fruit has and its advantages have been demonstrated over time.
It is possible to get these benefits from different other fruits, however; an apple combines everything and makes it easier. It has been proved again and again that if it is not straightforward, simple and quick, individuals will not deal with their well-being. Hence, here is a very simple way to be healthy. This is how an apple tends to keep the doctor away:

1. Apples contain Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps protect your immune system. Many individuals who need Vitamin C in their diet have poor healing and tend to get injured effortlessly. Apple contains vitamin C in abundance and hence, are of great help.
2. Prevent heart diseases: The reason it can prevent both coronary illness and cardiovascular diseases is because apples are rich in flavonoid. Flavonoids are additionally known for their cancer prevention qualities.
3. Low in calories: A normal sized apple has between seventy to hundred calories. Eating an apple when craving sweet or chocolate can make the craving vanish since apple itself contains sugar, yet gives you just one-quarter of the calories.
4. Pectin: Pectin is a type of dissolvable fibre that brings down both pulse and glucose levels. It can likewise bring down the levels of LDL, which is the bad cholesterol in the body. Pectin, as different types of fibre, keeps up the strength of the digestive system. Apples are a fantastic source of pectin.
5. Boron: A supplement found in abundance in apples, boron strengthens solid bones and a sound brain.
6. Phenols: Apples contain phenols, which affect cholesterol. It decreases the bad cholesterol and builds up the good cholesterol. They keep LDL cholesterol from transforming into oxidised LDL, an extremely risky type of cholesterol, which can be destructive.
7. Avoids tooth decay: Tooth decay is a contamination that truly harms the structure of your teeth, which is formed because of bacteria. The juice of the apples has properties that can kill up to eighty percent of those bacteria.
8. Shields your brain from infection: This is something many individuals do not have the foggiest idea about. When you consider that your brain makes you the person you are, it gives you a rational point of view. Apple has substances called phytonutrients and these phytonutrients prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinsonis.
9. Healthier lungs: People who eat five apples or more every week have brought down their respiratory problems like asthma.
10. Forestall Cancer: Cancer tends to form in different areas and organs of the body and spreads later on. Apples focus on different tumours, for example, colon growth, prostate disease and breast cancer in ladies. Hence, its positive effects are not just limited to one type of cancer.

So grab an apple right away! If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.