CANCER Important tips to remember PREVENTIVE MEASURESScientific evidence suggests that dietary factors are estimated
to account for approximately 30 percent of Cancers in industrialized countries , making diet second only to avoid ing tobacco
as a preventable cause of Cancer. Here are a few points in the right direction: · Eat a variety of healthy foods: Emphasise on plant sources. Limit consumption of red meats, especially those high in fat and processed. ·
Adopt a physically active
lifestyle : Adults should engage in atleast moderate activity
for 30 minutes or more on five or more days of the week. · Maintain a healthy weight throughout life : Postmenopausal women and those who gain weight through adulthood are at an increased risk of breast
cancer. ·
Limit consumption of alcoholic
beverages : Alcohol intake should be limited to no more than
two drinks per day for men and one drink a day for women AVOID
CARCINOGENS ALCOHOL : Increases
the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver and breast. The combination of alcohol and tobacco increases
the risk of Cancer far more than the independent effects of drinking or smoking. SATURATED FAT : Increased risk of colon and prostrate
cancers. SALT : Studies
link diets containing large amounts of foods preserved by salting and pickling with an increased risk of stomach, nasopharyngeal,
and throat cancer. DIFFERENT CANCERS AND ITS SOURCES IN DIET BREAST CANCER : Being overweight and gaining excess
weight throughout life, increases the risk of breast Cancer. Consuming alcohol increases risk to some extent. COLORECTAL CANCER : Diet high in red meat, fat and insufficient amount of fresh vegetables and fruit
in addition to personal history of colonic polyp, inflammatory disease of bowel are the main risk factors
for colorectal cancer. ENDOMETRIAL CANCER : Studies of endometrial cancer ( Cancer of the lining of the uterus) show that obesity
and use of hormonal replacement therapy after menopause increases risk. LUNG CANCER : More than 85 percent of lung cancers result from tobacco smoking.
Studies show that the risk is lower among both smokers and non- smokers who consume atleast five servings
of vegetables and fruits a day. ORAL AND OESOPHAGEAL CANCERS : Tobacco ( including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and snuff) and alcohol increase the risk for these cancers. Common signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancers women should know 1) Abnominal
vaginal bleeding 2) Vulva or
Vaginal abnormalities3) Changes
in the breast4) Pelvic
region5)
Abdominal swelling and bloating
in the urogenital area6) Persistent
lower back pain7) Persistent
stomach upset or bowel changes8) Unintentional
weight loss9) Fatigue |