Cancer
Cancer is a major health problem in the world. There are about 20 million people who die of cancer every year and more than half of these deaths happen in low and middle-income countries. Cancer is a disease that starts in cells and grows into an abnormal mass or tissue. Cancer can occur anywhere in the body, but most common cancers begin in tissues such as skin, breast, colon or prostate.
Causes
Some cancers are caused by things you can't control, like your family history and genes. Other types of cancer are caused by things that you might be able to control, such as smoking and sun exposure. Others are caused by factors in our environment: air pollution from factories, for example, or long-term exposure to pesticides sprayed on crops.
The good news is that most cancers have known risk factors that scientists believe contribute to their development—and we know how to reduce those risks!
Cigarette smoking
Smoking is the number one cause of cancer, and it’s also a risk factor for many other types of cancer. It increases your risk of developing lung cancer, bladder cancer, and cancers in your mouth and throat.
Smoking also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is when your heart beats faster than normal because it can't get enough oxygen to function properly. CVD can lead to strokes or heart attacks if severe enough.
When you smoke cigarettes or cigars over several years, it will lead to many problems including:
- Lung damage from inhaling chemicals that are found in tobacco smoke such as carbon monoxide (CO) and tar; this includes damage to both small airways - bronchial tubes - as well as larger ones like alveolar ducts which are located near lungs' surface area; these areas need extra attention since they're more vulnerable than deeper parts due lack oxygen supply availability issues during COPD flare periods; this makes sense since CO gets absorbed faster into bloodstream allowing easy passage into brain where CO binds tightly onto receptor sites causing death within few minutes after inhalation starts!
Drinking alcohol
Alcohol is a carcinogen, and excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of cancer.
Alcohol may also increase your risk of mouth, throat, breast and liver cancer—in addition to causing other health problems such as stroke, heart attack and diabetes.
Chewing tobacco or betel quid with tobacco:
Chewing tobacco and betel quid are products that are made from the leaves of the betel tree ( Piper betle L.) Africa (particularly Nigeria). These products are used to make a paste called “paan” which is chewed as an appetite stimulant. The resulting saliva contains nicotine and chemicals known as nitrosamines which are thought to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
Studies have shown that regular use of chewing tobacco increases your risk for mouth and throat cancer by up to 60%. This increase in risk may be due either to the high amount of nicotine contained in each piece or because of other toxic elements present in the product itself like arsenic, lead or cadmium – all common ingredients found in some brands sold today! If you want your healthiest life possible then quitting this habit should always be considered before making any changes!
Exposure to sunlight/ ultraviolet rays
It's important to understand that sunlight can cause cancer, and you should avoid getting too much sun. Sunburns are often associated with sun exposure, so make sure to wear sunscreen if you plan on spending time outdoors. The best way to prevent skin damage from the sun is by wearing protective clothing, avoiding tanning beds and artificial UV light such as tanning lamps or tanning booths.
If you have a history of skin cancer or precancerous lesions on your body (such as moles), talk with your doctor about how much time you should spend in the sun each day before heading out into bright light. You may also want to consider using hats instead of sunglasses when possible—the shade provided by these accessories will keep most people safe from harmful rays while still allowing them access
Air pollution
Air pollution is a group of environmental contaminants that are harmful to our health. A study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that air pollution is linked to lung cancer, respiratory disease and heart disease.
The link between air pollution and cancer has been well-established for decades. Studies have shown that people who lived closer to major roads had higher rates of lung cancer than those living further away from them—and this was true even after taking into account other factors like smoking or smoking history.
In addition to increasing your risk of developing chronic bronchitis or emphysema; causing asthma attacks; increasing blood pressure; causing chest pain; aggravating asthma symptoms (such as coughing); increasing stress levels due to work related issues such as excess noise levels at work place locations where workers are exposed continuously throughout their shift hours with little breaks during those periods when they do take short breaks outside
Obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition:
Cancer is a major risk factor for obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition. Obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition are all associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.
Management of cancer:
In addition to dietary management of cancer patients, there are other ways that you can support your loved one through this difficult time:
Encourage them to exercise regularly (even if it's just walking around the block).
Suggest they take up a new hobby or sport so they don't feel stressed out all the time.
Dietary management of cancer
The diet is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer. Dietary management can help you to manage side effects of treatment, as well as improve your health overall.
As cancer patients, what you need to do
As cancer patients and survivors, we need to be using food as our medicine and help fight cancer.
Food is Medicine: Nutrition is an important part of every person's life cycle and it plays a vital role in supporting physical health. When you have been diagnosed with cancer or have any type of disease; nutrition should not be overlooked!
Nutrition support helps with side effects of treatment such as fatigue, nausea/vomiting and other symptoms that may arise during treatment by providing energy from simple carbohydrates (sugar) which gives us fuel for the body rather than having our body rely on protein from animal sources like meat which can lead to deficiency issues if consumed regularly over time due to lack of amino acids needed by humans specifically around this time period since most people are eating less now compared those years ago due largely factors outside their control such as economic conditions affecting jobs availability etc...
Dealing with side effects of treatment
Eat foods that are easy to digest.
Eat foods that are low in fat and high in fiber.
Eat foods that are high in protein.
Eat foods that contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Drink plenty of water (at least eight glasses per day).
Use dietary management to fight side effects of treatment
Eat a diet high in antioxidants.
Eat a diet high in omega 3 fatty acids.
Eat a diet high in calcium.
Eat a diet high in vitamin D, which helps your body absorb iron and other minerals from food (like spinach). Vitamin D also plays an important role in regulating muscle tone, bone health and energy production—all of which are compromised during cancer treatment.
Fiber is another good nutrient to eat because it can help you feel full while still avoiding the risk of heart disease or diabetes later on down the road!
Eat a wide variety of foods.
In addition to getting plenty of sleep and staying away from processed foods, you can also help your body fight cancer by eating a wide variety of foods. To make sure you're getting all the nutrients it needs, eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Try to include at least five servings per day (for example: fruit salad with oranges or grapefruit in it).
Also try to include whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat bread in your diet as well. When possible choose fish over meat for protein sources because fish tends to have less fat than red meat does! Limit the amount of red meat that you eat each week so that there is no more than 18 ounces total per week."
Choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods.
Whole grains contain more vitamins and minerals than processed foods, which is great because they help you feel full longer. They also have a higher fiber content, which helps digestion and reduces inflammation.
The best sources of whole grains are oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa (a seed), barley and buckwheat.
Limit red meat and avoid processed meat.
Red meat, such as beef and pork, is high in fat and cholesterol. It's also a major source of animal protein that can cause heart disease and other health problems. Processed meat contains preservatives like sodium nitrite (which has been linked to cancer) and chemicals like monosodium glutamate (MSG).
The Harvard School of Public Health recommends limiting red meat intake to no more thanonce per week for adults. For toddlers under 2 years old who don't eat solid food yet, it's better to avoid red meats altogether or limit them to once per week if they're breastfed or formula fed. If you do choose to include processed meats in your diet — say bacon bits on top of scrambled eggs — try making them yourself by cooking the strips in a pan with vegetable oil instead of frying them in grease laden frying pans!
Limit alcohol.
Alcohol is a common substance and it's important to limit your intake of alcohol.
The National Cancer Institute recommends that you:
Drink in moderation, meaning no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. If you have had cancer, talk with your doctor about how much alcohol you can have without putting yourself at risk of developing new tumors or having increased risk of dying from other causes like heart disease or stroke.
Avoid binge drinking (consuming four or more drinks on any single occasion), which has been linked to an increased risk of developing future cancers and other health problems such as cirrhosis (scarring due to excessive amounts of alcohol)
Limit consumption of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium).
When you're on a cancer diet, you should avoid salt. Salt is used in many processed foods, so it is important to read labels and check the ingredients list before buying anything.
Salt can cause high blood pressure and fluid retention, which can lead to headaches or stomach cramps and nausea as well as bloating.
Do not use supplements to protect against cancer.
Supplements are not regulated by the FDA and can be dangerous, so you should steer clear of them.
They may interfere with your treatment and cause side effects.
Clinical studies have not been done on supplements to determine whether they are safe or effective for cancer patients.
Aim for a healthy weight.
Be physically active every day.
You can reduce your risk of cancer by making healthy choices like eating right, staying active and not smoking. It's also important to follow recommended screening guidelines, which can help detect certain cancers early.
Conclusion
Cancer is a serious disease that can be deadly if it's not treated early. But if you make healthy choices, like eating right and getting enough exercise, you can reduce your risk of cancer. There are also some things you should avoid doing to help prevent it from developing in the first place.