Let’s get to know about Childhood Cancer

BPositive Magazine November issue 2016

By Dr. Vikas Goswami 

Cancer cases in teenagers and adults are biologically very different. According to a data published in Indian journal of cancer it is estimated that approximately 45,000 children diagnosed with cancer every year. The common form cancers found in children are leukaemia, brain tumors, lymphoma, abdominal tumors, and muscle and bone tumors. Cancer is such a sensitive issue and when children are exposes to it the cause of concern gets more serious. 

The cause of most childhood cancers is not known. In today’s time our lifestyle plays a pivotal role in our overall health. Easily available packed or junk food, not doing enough exercises, prolonged sitting, obesity, drinking too much alcohol or cigarette smoking are exposing adults to cancer but these factors doesn’t affect much in childhood cancer. But few studies and past researches has shown that smoking in front of your children does affect their health and might increases their risk of cancer but there aren’t much proofs available. Also environmental factors like radiation exposure, too much exposure to pollution or environmental disasters like Bhopal gas tragedy have been linked to some childhood cancers. 

Apart from environmental factors your family history of cancer could also affect your future generation and expose them to cancer. Parent’s genes increase the risk of certain types of cancer in children or sometimes they can cause a syndrome which creates developmental problems. 

If your child has been diagnosed with cancer then as a parent you need to be very strong to be able to stand by your child. Coping with your child’s cancer and finding ways to stay strong is challenging for everyone in a family. Parents and family support

10 ways to lower the risks of lifestyle disease called Cancer

By Dr. Vikas Goswami 

Cancer is indeed a lifestyle disease. Many studies has been conducted in the past and they all proves that environment and lifestyle factors such as toxic chemicals and radiation are the main causes of cancer disease. Cancer is defined as a disease that causes cells in the body to change and multiply out of control, disrupting the normal function of a particular organ or organs. 

Your lifestyle habits especially your diet as in what you eat plays a multitude of roles in the development of cancer. The first is exposure to ingested substances that initiate cancer (carcinogens). The second is exposure to substances in the diet that can either enhance or inhibit the growth of the cancerous cells. These include compounds that influence our immune system as well as those that have a direct effect on cancer cells. 

Let’s discuss few ways to combat cancer by changing our diet and exercise rules: 

1. First of all target Plant based diets. Eat generous amounts of vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit try including vegetables, fruits, salads, beans and cereals in your diet. They have cancer fighting agents in the form of antioxidants, phytochemicals and micronutrients. Have a combination of each and every fruits or vegetables like Tomatoes, watermelon, oranges, papaya, spinach, cabbage, berries, grapes, mangoes etc. Also consider juicing to easily ingest several servings without feeling too full. For example if you want to eat an apple; eat without its skin on as these days apple is coated with wax to make it more shinning. Some studies have proven that consumption of fruits and veggies of 5 portions in a day can combat 14 types of cancer. 

2. Consume omega-3 fatty acids either through foods or supplements. The foods that are rich in this healthy type of fat are walnuts and flax seed, and cold-water fish like salmon and sardines. These have anticancer properties that can fight very well with cancer. 

3. Eat more and more yogurt. The yogurt contains the good bacteria that produces metabolites which is known to prevent cancer in their gut and were also better able to metabolize fats, which could help lower the risk of cancer 

4. Reduce meat consumption as meat lacks fiber and other nutrients that have been shown to have cancer-protective properties. Meat has fat in abundance, which is often of very high levels of saturated fat. High-fat diets have been linked to higher rates of cancer and saturated fat is particularly dangerous. Finally, depending on how it is prepared, meat can develop carcinogenic compounds. Even if you want to eat then choose leaner meats like chicken or fish. 

5. Try cancer fighting foods like ginger, garlic, onion, turmeric, coriander they all have cancer fighting properties. 

6. Stay hydrated; no matter what