Our lifestyle has a direct impact on our mental and physical health. A healthy lifestyle is so much more than just diet and exercise. A healthy lifestyle includes discipline, positivity, and mindfulness.
It is the pursuit of happiness, and in a healthy lifestyle, you learn to treat your body like a temple.
It includes a healthy and nutritious diet, a proper exercise regimen, meditation or destressing activities, physical and mental positivity, spirituality, affirmations, care, an open mind, and a sustainable attitude.
A healthy lifestyle consists of all those things that make you happy and content both physically and mentally. This directly impacts our health, especially in today’s stressed and polluted environment.
As we talk about illnesses, there is none more foreboding than cancer. While many other diseases are fatal and create chronic suffering for patients and their families, cancer takes the top position.
This is primarily due to the increase in people affected by this and in the knowledge that, at least for some people, cancer is preventable by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
About Cancer
Cancer is a life-threatening illness in which the cells in some parts of the body grow or multiply rapidly and abnormally. It infiltrates the body and destroys the normal cells.
This often spreads to other areas and is fatal for the patient. Cancer is not just hard for the person but also for their families.
It gradually chips away at the peace and stability in the family and replaces that with anxiety, worry, and constant fear.
Cancer kills the most number of persons in the world, and it is second only to heart disease. While there are many general cancer symptoms, it often varies between the type and person.
Different Types Of Cancer
Cancer can develop in any area of the human body. Some of the different types of cancers are:
Apart from the types listed above, there are many varieties of cancers. They all lead to decreased quality of life and a high mortality rate.
Look Out For These Symptoms!
Diagnosing cancer at an early stage is always helpful. This helps to prevent the disease from spreading further and helps to treat it better.
While all signs and symptoms are not cancerous, it is always good to notice unusual changes in your body.
Diagnosing cancer in its early stages can make a difference in its treatment.
There are more than 200 types of cancer, and while the symptoms vary, some common symptoms include weight loss, pain, discomfort, fatigue, inflammation, fever, etc.
Sometimes there may be a lump, a cancerous sign, especially in breast cancer.
Other symptoms other than those mentioned above are, include:
How To Diagnose Cancer?
If you find any of the above symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor. The important thing is not to panic.
These symptoms may also manifest due to non-cancerous reasons. Always consult a doctor; it is best to take periodic check-ups as you mature.
How Does Lifestyle Affect Cancer?
Many medical and scientific studies have examined the impact of lifestyle changes on cancer.
While 5 – 10% of cancer is caused due to the genetic predisposition of some persons, 90 – 95% of people get cancer from environmental factors.
Some of the common carcinogens or factors causing cancer are cigarettes, pollution, unhealthy diet, stress, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, and obesity, among others.
Even statistics indicate more death from cancer caused due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
An unhealthy lifestyle weakens the body and compromises the immune system. This makes it difficult for the body to fight illnesses.
Consumption of tobacco, alcohol, high-fat diet, stress, and even environmental pollutants change the body’s very nature.
These agents are harmful to the human body in the long run as it weakens us.
Also, a healthy diet and regular fitness regime improve our cardiovascular health, helps maintain weight, improve self-esteem, de-stresses and improve positivity.
Check More: How To Make Healthier Food Choices? Optimize Your Diet!
All this directly contributes towards a positive lifestyle.
Making lifestyle changes is extremely helpful even for cancer survivors, as the chances of relapse can be considerably reduced.
FAQs
- Can cancer be cured completely?
Currently, there is no cure for cancer, but if detected early and depending on the type of cancer, it can be sent into remission through the proper course of treatment. Sometimes the treatment can also help stop cancer relapse, and the patient becomes cancer-free.
- What are carcinogens?
Internal and external factors causing cancer are called carcinogens. It may be a substance, organism, or agent.
- Are tumors the same as cancer?
Tumors are a mass of abnormal cells in the body. They may be lumps, lesions, or swelling. Cancers, on the other hand, are abnormal cells that grow or multiply rapidly. Tumors may be benign or malignant. The latter are cancerous.
- What is the most popular type of cancer among women?
The most widespread cancer among women is breast cancer. The second most common cancer is skin cancer.
- Can natural remedies cure cancer?
A natural and healthy lifestyle has been found to prevent cancer but not cure the same. Positive lifestyle changes contribute widely to remedying cancer and preventing its relapse, but this is to be supplemented with proper treatment.