Oncology

Crispy salty chips are a favourite food for all. There are many who eat chips whenever they are hungry and multiple times during the day, but henceforth, need to think twice before eating chips. In a research conducted. it was found that acrylamide is created due to prolonged frying of  potatoes. Acrylamide has the potential of disintegrating the DNA and causing cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has considered acrylamide under the carcinogen 2a group, which can cause cancer. A case had been filed in America against a reputed company, which manufactured chips, to reduce the dangerous level of acrylamide.

Hence, the point is that you should eat chips that are home-made and less fried or those with no acrylamide or with less quantity of acrylamide. Though these things seem trivial, they are of utmost importance from the health point of view. We must bring about a positive change in our lifestyle because chips can be responsible for disorders right from obesity to cancer.

Extreme hot tea or any other hot liquid has the potential to irritate the esophagus and adversely affect the DNA structure. This can subsequently cause an undifferentiated growth or cancer. Therefore, consumption of liquids should be lukewarm so as not to affect the oesophagual lining.

World-renowned scientists have researched that if tea or any other drink is consumed hot (at temperature of around or more than 65 degrees Celcius ) then it can lead to cancer of the oesophagus.

Salt is an essential ingredient in our daily diet. 

Sodium from common salt helps preserve eatables. Salt brings taste, but caution should be observed regarding its quantity of intake. In a research published in the World Journal of Enterology, it has been said that consuming additional salt or salty food has a potential to cause stomach cancer.

Ayurveda prescribes consumption of salt but in limited quantities. Excess salt has a potential to cause adverse effects on the system.

As per the law of nature, sleeping at night is maintaining equilibrium. The body maintains harmony with the external nature.

As per the 24 hours of the external nature, all the activities of our body follow the body clock; that is known as the biological clock or circadian rhythm. The proportion of the melatonin hormone in our body – feeling sleepy when it gets dark and waking up when it gets bright – is dependent on the darkness and light of the external nature.

A research published by the Journal of National Cancer Institute points out that less amount of melatonin is excreted in light and that affects the hormones in a female’s body, which can lead to creating a breast cancer lump.

Hence, women working in the night shift for a call centre, women working in the aviation industry, women working in the emergency services through the entire night, nursing staff etc. should avoid working in the night or should ensure that there will be minimal illumination in the surroundings.

CT Scan is used for various medical diagnoses, but now it is necessary to be cautious. It has been proved through researches that the DNA is damaged due to repeated and additional CT Scans and this damage leads to mutation and that, in turn, leads to malignant lumps. While getting a CT Scan, more than 100 X-rays are done and the intensity of these rays is far more than the normal ones.

The American College of Radiology has clarified that if the CT Scan does not provide the desired result then it should be avoided. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also has included CT Scan (X-ray) under the classification of potential carcinogen. Therefore, get CT Scan done only if  necessary.

Reference –
1. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

2. American College of Radiology.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has included the area covered by the mobile phone or affected by the electromagnetic radiofrequency under 2B category (one of the four that are responsible for cancer), saying that it can lead to cancer. Many researches are being conducted in this regard.

There are some inferences that if the mobile is used excessively then there is a chance of suffering from brain cancer, but there is no sufficient evidence. Nevertheless, you should use the mobile phone only for a short time. However, the use of hands-free gadgets can help.  Adopting such measures will help reduce cancer causing tendencies.

It has been found in the research published in the renowned journal, JAMA Oncology that if there is a gap of 13 hours between dinner and morning breakfast then there is 36% less possibility of breast cancer repeating itself in women who have suffered from breast cancer. Some of the researches done in the past confirm that fasting increases the body’s immunity and prevents the process of inflammation. Repeated inflammation is one of the causes of cancer. Hence, an early dinner can reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases.

As per the Indian tradition, there is a practice to have dinner before sunset. However, after such researches, we find it getting importance outside India.

We have vegetarian, non-vegetarian and mixed types of food practices. Non-vegetarians are in the habit of eating meat that is roasted at high temperatures. Meat is roasted on fire with the help of iron rods.

If it is roasted at 300 degree celcius or more, for longer period of time then Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced that can cause cancer. This conclusion has been derived after research on animals, which has been published in the renowned PubMed journal. Therefore, non-vegetarians should eat boiled meat available locally.

Everyone knows that tobacoo smoking causes cancer. The people around or in the same vicinity in which a person is smoking, also face the risks of that smoke. This is called as Second Hand Smoking (SHS) or Environment Tobacco Smoke (ETS). There are about 7,000 chemicals in a cigarette; out of which, 250 are fatal to the body while 69 chemicals from among these 250 can cause cancer.

Due to tobacco smoke, there is a possibility of causing around 13 types of cancers; among them, lung cancer is found to be caused more frequently. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also has included Second Hand Smoking (SHS) in the cancer-causing list. As per the World Health Organization, approximately six lakh people in the world die due to Second Hand Smoking. Therefore, avoid passive smoking.

Dhamasa is an ayurvedic plant. Its scientific name is Fagonia cretica. Along with the medicinal use, tea (kadhaa) is also prepared from Dhamasa. Its leaves and flowers are used for the preparation of tea. The percentage of breast cancer has increased among women in the urban areas.

Taking 20 grams Dhamasa and drinking its tea 3-4 times a day is found to help breast cancer patients and avoid further spread. The researchers from Aston University have proved how Dhamasa is useful in preventing cancer.

As a part of the changing lifestyle, refined things are frequently used. Recipes are prepared from the bran that is removed from the grains.

It has been observed from research that if there is use of more proportion of whole grains, vegetable/curry made of different cereals, pulses in the diet then the risk of cancer of stomach, intestine, breast and prostate is reduced. Therefore, it is beneficial to use the whole grain along with its husk in the diet.

We are exposed to smoke emitted from diesel engines regularly. We are not aware of its risks from the health point of view. There is no protection from such smoke. Some harmful gases and poisonous particles are present in this smoke; if they are inhaled into the lungs for a prolonged period of time then there is a risk of lung cancer.

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), who is working under the supervision of the World Health Organization, has also stated that cancer can be caused due to diesel smoke. It is essential to take care from vehicular smoke.

We purchase things or tools for daily use without looking at its label. 

One should avoid purchasing stuff that contains formaldehyde. It is present in chemicals used for cleaning furniture, construction purposes and cosmetics. Formaldehyde is found to be a possible cause of blood cancer. Therefore, such substances should be avoided.

Women of menopausal age tend to take hormonal treatments like estrogen and progesterone to maintain their levels.

However, it is necessary to take utmost care since research has proved that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be a cause to breast cancer. 

Research has proved that the use of 
of various pesticides, chemical fertilizers and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in traditional agricultural methods have found to have harmful effects on our health. Traces of pesticides in fruits and vegetables are found above the tolerable level. This is a major cause for potential cancer. In dairy products, hormones are injected in animals to get more yield of milk which is a risk for cancer. 

Hence organic foods are more safe for consumption.

Research conducted by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition has proven that the regular garlic consumption can reduce the risk of stomach and intestine cancer.  Garlic checks the uncontrolled growth of cells in the body, avoiding cancerous growth. Fresh and raw garlic is advised.

We do exercises to stay healthy. Regular exercise helps to reduce the risk of cancer along with other diseases and balancing the overall health.

In a research on fourteen lakh people, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has proved in the renowned JAMA Internal Medicine journal that due to exercise along with normal health, risk of nearly thirteen types of cancer is reduced. The persons who do regular exercise or physical exertion have nearly 20% less risk of suffering from 13 types of cancers.

Maintaining low weight helps reduce the risk of cancer. In case of prostate cancer, a new research has been carried out by the University of Oxford that if the waist of men is 37 inches or more then the risk of prostate cancer can increase.

The percentage of death in people of prostate cancer have shown to have a high BMI. A slim waist is therefore advisable.

It was said that two things i.e., incorrect diet of the mother during pregnancy and her excessive weight, can affect the foetus in a way that there is a possibility of causing breast cancer to the girl thus born. A similar new research has been conducted by Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Washington.

As per their opinion, before conceiving if the father is obese then some changes do take place in his sperms, which in future, can create a possibility of causing breast cancer in his daughter. The conclusion is that it is very important that both – the mother and father should be healthy so as to avoid causing cancer or any other disease to their child.

The percentage of usage of electronic cigarette as an option to the usual cigarette is on the rise. But it is necessary to take care while using it because a new research has come forward from the Environmental Science & Technology that electronic cigarette too can lead to cancer.

Thirty-one chemicals were found in the smoke exhaled from the electronic cigarette. Some of these chemicals can increase the risk of cancer. The thinking of some people that electronic cigarette is less harmful to health than the usual cigarette has been cancelled out by this research. Therefore, if you want to maintain your health then using no cigarette itself is appropriate.