Lung cancer is a severe, debilitating health complication that affects more than 2.21 million people across the globe and leads to the death of more than 1.8 million people every year. This dreaded disease can affect people of all ages and genders and some of its causes include tobacco abuse, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity, air pollution, unhealthy diet, and chronic and carcinogenic infections. Lung cancer is preventable in some cases but it is important for everyone to take enough protective measures to stay protected against the disease.
Table Of Contents
Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye:
- Stop Smoking: if not started then don’t try
- Put a limitation on alcohol intake
- Healthy diet, Healthy Body
- Have safe sex
- Have a screening test if you have a family history
- Be Active
- Check your radiation exposure (especially radon gas)
Takeaway
- Stop Smoking: if not started then don’t try
Many teenagers while growing up believe that smoking is a privilege of adults or a ‘cool’ activity to engage in. The portrayal of smoking by the media has also perpetuated the appeal of the evil social habit. However, you must remember that cigarettes include more than 400 toxic chemicals and 4,000 chemical compounds that contain Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), arsenic, carbon monoxide, tar, and formaldehyde. Each of these compounds can have a massive impact on your general and overall health.
Smoking is one of the biggest causes of lung cancer. It is also a leading cause of severe health complications such as heart attack, stroke, coronary artery disease, leukaemia, and cancers of the pancreas, bladder, throat, mouth, kidney, and uterus. Smoking can also damage the air sacs and airways of the lungs to cause breathing complications and chronic bronchitis. It can also increase your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Smoking can also lead to infertility and minimise bone density in women and cause stillbirth, preterm delivery, and sudden infant death syndrome.
If you don’t smoke, you should take great pride in it and must continue to stay away from this bad habit. On the other hand, you should quit smoking if you are a smoker as it will improve the overall quality of your life – financially, emotionally, and physically. It can help you, your loved ones, and those around you to live longer and breathe better. Remember, passive smoking is as harmful as active smoking and you are knowingly or unknowingly ruining the lives of people around you by smoking.
The best thing is that quitting smoking will help you rediscover the sense of taste and smell and you will be more energetic and less stressed. Your fertility will improve and you will reclaim a younger look. The biggest reason and motivation for you to quit smoking should be significant improvements in the health of your loved ones, people around you, and yourself.
You may experience withdrawal symptoms initially and they may include appetite increase, nicotine cravings, mild headaches, dizziness, cough, tiredness, constipation, depression, irritability, anxiety, and mental fog but your decision to stay strong and quit smoking will have greater benefits for you. Remember, you can quit smoking if you really decide to get rid of this bad habit. For this, you may visit a health professional to engage yourself in a smoking cessation program.
- Put a limitation on alcohol intake
Most people prefer to have a drink or two, after a tiring day. It is important to remember here that light drinking is acceptable and can even be advantageous for the heart. However, binge and heavy drinking may result in serious medical complications.
Drinking 15 or more drinks every week is considered to be excessive for men while drinking 7 or more drinks every week is considered excessive for women. A healthy limit for alcohol consumption is no more than 1 drink (2 units) a day for women and no more than 2 drinks (3 units of alcohol) a day for men. Binge drinking means having 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men.
It is important to note that certain people should completely avoid alcohol. These include pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under the age of 18, patients who have been prescribed medications that may interact with alcohol, individuals with certain medical conditions, people who intend to drive or perform activities that require coordination and attention, and recovering alcoholics.
Heavy consumption of alcohol may result in severe health complications such as lung cancer, blurred vision, impaired judgment, acute intoxication, nausea, vomiting, hallucination, and alcohol poisoning. It can even lead to accidental injuries, death, memory impairment, alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, pancreatitis, high blood pressure, gastric problems, and various psychological conditions.
- Healthy diet, Healthy Body
Healthy and right selections at the grocery store may not be sufficient to keep you protected against lung cancer but it can surely reduce your risk of developing the dreaded disease.
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. You should ideally base your daily diet on fresh vegetables, fruits, and other foods obtained from plant sources like beans and whole grains.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Every day without fail, you should try to eat leaner and lighter. You can do this by opting for foods with fewer calories.
- Limit processed meats. Eating large amounts of processed meat may increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer, including lung cancer.
- Follow the Mediterranean diet. People who follow the Mediterranean diet and supplement it with mixed nuts and extra-virgin olive oil may have a reduced risk of cancer. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes primarily plant-based foods like whole grains, nuts, legumes, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Moreover, you should eat slowly and choose smaller meal proportions. You should encourage yourself and your loved ones to take healthy snacks with fresh fruits and vegetables instead of processed foods and other foods.
- Have safe sex
Cancer prevention includes safety and protection from certain viral infections. You should have a word with your doctor regarding vaccinations against:
- Practice safe sex. It is important for you to limit your count of sexual partners and always make use of a condom during every sexual encounter.
- Don’t share needles. You should abstain from sharing needles with anyone as it may lead to HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C. It is important for you to seek immediate medical intervention if you have any doubts, worries, or concerns.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV). This sexually transmitted disease can result in cervical and other genital cancers. HPV can also cause squamous cell cancers of the neck and head. HPV vaccination is recommended for boys and girls of the age of 12 and 11, respectively.
- Hepatitis B. Vaccination for Hepatitis B is recommended for people at high risk, including individuals with sexually transmitted infections, gay men, sexually active people but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, individuals who make use of intravenous drugs, and public safety or health care workers who may be exposed to body fluids or infected blood.
- Have a screening test if you have a family history
It is important for you to undergo regular medical examinations and diagnostic tests to ensure you are in the best health and shape. Remember, early diagnosis can save you from a lot of pain, efforts, and expenses. You can even have a word with your doctor to know about the best cancer screening schedule to safeguard yourself and your loved ones.
Regular screening tests become more important if you have a family history of lung cancer or other severe, debilitating health conditions.
- Be Active
Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of developing various cancers such as those of the lung, breast, kidney, colon, and prostate. For this, you should ideally engage yourself in at least 15 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week. You may develop a custom aerobic activity plan involving both moderate and vigorous aerobics. As a general goal, you should ideally spend at least 30 minutes every day on physical activities. If you can spend more time, there’s nothing better than that!
It is equally important for you to engage yourself in healthy practices such as meditation, self-control, anger management, and motivation to stay high on energy and strength.
- Check your radiation exposure (especially radon gas)
Exposure to radon gas is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Being exposed to this harmful gas (that has no colour, taste, or smell) for long can result in lung cancer. Radon in the air may break down into small radioactive elements that may lodge in the lining of the lungs. This may cause lung cell damage and eventually cause lung cancer.
It is worthwhile to note that individuals working in underground mines where radon exposure is high should undergo regular lung cancer screening. You may order a do-it-yourself radon detection kit to check the level of radon exposure in your home or office.
Takeaway
Lung Cancer is a severe health complication and its treatment may cost you a fortune, especially if you are living in a developed country or a country where healthcare costs are extremely high. If you or someone you know is fighting a lone battle against lung cancer, it is time for you to learn about availing treatment for lung cancer in India.
India is home to some of the world’s most successful and trusted hospitals and certified, experienced medical professionals. Indian hospitals follow the highest standards of the latest treatment procedures, compassionate care, patient care and safety, hygiene and sanitisation, and pre-and post-operative care so that every patient gets personalised attention, care, and treatment. Furthermore, lung cancer hospitals in India charge a nominal treatment fee that is less than one-tenth of the treatment fees charged in developed countries like the United States, Canada, Germany, UAE, and the United Kingdom.
To get things started in the right direction, you can have a word with the Medinirvana team who will be happy to assist you with how to avail medical visa and the documentation aspect. Medinirvana can even help you with identifying the best lung cancer hospital in India for you at the most affordable price. Call Medinirvana now to access the best treatment for lung cancer in India.
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