Why You Should Know About Cancer?

Being diagnosed with Cancer can be one of the most frightening experiences anyone can have. Studies reveal that 1 million new Cancer cases are being diagnosed in India every year. The news of being diagnosed with Cancer can leave you in a state of emotional turmoil which is enough for anyone to lose all hopes to live and surrender to this disease.

We often think, that we are completely healthy and immune from Cancer as there is no history of Cancer in our family. But as a matter of fact, anyone with a normal and healthy lifestyle and healthy genes can get Cancer. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, particularly in developing countries.

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Few reasons why knowing about Cancer helps:

  1. Be aware – Being prepared and taking preventive actions can only do well to your health. Most people still think Cancer is a deadly disease which has no cure. Their knowledge about the disease is very limited which can only worsen the situation.
  1. Know about warning signs – Do you know 80% of Cancers are curable if they are diagnosed at an early stage? Cancer can be prevented if you know the warning signs in advance. When should you visit a doctor? What are the risk factors that cause Cancer? Information like these can make you more familiar with the disease and help you get rid of fears and clear the myths around Cancer.
  1. Know about Carcinogens – Carcinogens are substances in the environment that can cause Cancer. By Knowing about them, you can avoid them and lower your risk of getting Cancer.
  1. Remove the stigma around Cancer – Talking about Cancer is still a social stigma in India, which has increased the burden of this disease. A lot of people take Cancer as a synonym of death. It’s high time we start talking about it and make people aware about it.
  1. Be an emotional support to cancer patients – Cancer patients go through a lot during their treatment. Treatment has an intense effect on their health and personality. If nothing, one can definitely provide emotional support to them and motivate them to not lose their hope during this tough journey. Assure them that you have their back and will not let them fall.

One such initiative is Crab Curry – a Cancer support group, in which one gains knowledge about Cancer not only for himself but for others as well. Anyone can join Crab Curry on Facebook and become a part of this community.

What You Should Know About Cancer?

Cancer can leave you shocked, sad, devastated, and helpless! All at the same time.

There is a need to be aware of this disease because irrespective of gender, caste, creed and province, Cancer can affect anyone!

There are many forms of cancer, but all of them start with out-of-control growth of abnormal cells. More than 100 types of Cancer have been discovered and researched on.

What you should know about Cancer

In recent times, Cancer cases and deaths have increased at an alarming rate. Studies reveal that Cancer has become the biggest cause of deaths in India with 1,300 deaths daily and about 5 lakhs deaths every year. Among Indian men, stomach cancer cases grew by 33% since 1990, while prostate cancer shot up by 220%. While among women, breast cancer has had one of the highest increase at 166%. Increased population, unhealthy lifestyles, use of tobacco and tobacco products, unhealthy diet, lack of diagnostic facilities are some of the factors that attribute to a high rate of mortality in Cancer.

On hearing the word CANCER itself, our mind gets occupied with so many negative connotations about it. A lot of people believe it to be synonymous with death, but recent studies and researches in the field of Oncology have proven that a disease like Cancer can be cured and avoided if certain preventive measures are taken before time.

Prevention and early detection are as crucial as the treatment of Cancer. Early detection can help save a life, and it can only happen if you know how many kinds of Cancers are there, what their symptoms and treatments are and how it can be prevented. One needs to have proper knowledge about it and to get that knowledge it is important for one to know the source of such information. We have started this initiative to help those who seek knowledge and it also opens new gate for Cancer patients and survivors to share their stories and inspire others to be open about it. Join us and be a part of world full of hope, positivity and inspiration!

5 Cancer-Fighting Super foods

Broccoli

1All cruciferous veggies (think cauliflower, cabbage, kale) contain cancer-fighting properties, but broccoli is the only one with a sizable amount of sulforaphane, a particularly potent compound that boosts the body’s protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals,  says  Jed Fahey, ScD. A recent University of Michigan study on mice found that sulforaphane also  targets  cancer stem cells-those that aid in tumor growth.

Helps fight: breast, liver, lung, prostate, skin, stomach, and bladder cancers

Your Rx: The more broccoli, the better, research suggests-so add it wherever you can, from salads to omelets to the top of your pizza.

Berries

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All berries are packed with cancer-fighting phytonutrients. But black raspberries, in particular, contain very high concentrations of phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which slow down the growth of

premalignant cells and keep new blood vessels from forming (and potentially feeding a cancerous tumor), according to Gary D. Stoner, PhD, a professor of internal medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Helps fight: colon, esophageal, oral, and skin cancers

Your Rx: Stoner uses a concentrated berry powder in his studies but says a half-cup serving of berries a day may help your health, too.

Tomatoes

3This juicy fruit is the best dietary source of lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red hue, Béliveau says. And that’s good news, because lycopene was found to stop endometrial cancer cell growth in a study in Nutrition and Cancer. Endometrial cancer causes nearly 8,000 deaths a year.

Helps fight: endometrial, lung, prostate, and stomach cancers

Your Rx: The biggest benefits come from cooked tomatoes (think pasta sauce!), since the heating process increases the amount of lycopene your body is able to absorb.

Walnuts

4Their phytosterols (cholesterol-like molecules found in plants) have been shown to block estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, possibly slowing the cells’ growth, says Elaine Hardman, PhD, associate professor at Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, West Virginia.

Helps fight: breast and prostate cancers

Your Rx: Munching on an ounce of walnuts a day may yield the best benefits, Hardman’s research found.

Garlic

5Phytochemicals in garlic have been found to halt the formation of nitrosamines,  carcinogens formed in the stomach(and in the intestines, in certain conditions) when you  consume  nitrates, a common food preservative, Béliveau  says.  In fact,  the  Iowa Women’s Health Study found that women with the highest amounts of garlic in their diets had a 50 percent lower risk of certain colon cancers than women who ate the least.

Helps fight: breast, colon, esophageal, and stomach cancers

Your Rx: Chop a clove of fresh, crushed garlic (crushing helps release beneficial enzymes), and sprinkle it into that lycopene-rich tomato sauce while it simmers.

Beans

6A study out of Michigan State University found that black and navy beans significantly reduced colon cancer incidence in rats, in part because a diet rich in the legumes increased levels of the fatty acid butyrate , which in high concentrations has protective effects against cancer growth. Another study, in the journal Crop Science, found dried beans particularly effective in preventing breast cancer in rats.

Helps fight: breast and colon cancers

Your Rx: Add a serving-a half-cup-of legumes a few times a week (either from a can or dry beans that’ve been soaked and cooked) to your usual rotation of greens or other veggies.