What is the Relationship Between Physical Wellness And Cancer Care?

Physical Wellness
Physical wellness is the maintenance of our body to perform day-to-day activities like walking, running, climbing stairs, etc., at optimum level. Physical wellness is directly proportional to the physical fitness of a body.

Physical well-being is a broad term that includes good physical health and various other terms like mental health, proper sleep, relaxation, healthy diet, social life, etc. All these factors contribute to the physical well-being of an individual. It is more of a balanced lifestyle inculcated with good habits and physical and mental health.

Mental health is defined as the well-being of your mind. Mental health depends on social factors like a proper work-life balance, a good social life, good habits, etc. Mental well-being is staying away from any ailments of the mind, keeping your mind in a positive space, inculcating good habits, and refraining from harmful practices.

In fact, to achieve physical wellness, physical and mental health must go hand-in-hand. For example, if a person is physically unfit, he is prone to many ailments, hampering his mental health. At the same time, mental ailments negatively affect a person’s physical fitness.

So how can one achieve physical wellness? Physical wellness can be achieved by inculcating some basic habits in day to day life –

1. Exercise for at least four days a week to achieve physical fitness.
2. Have a proper diet consisting of important micro and macro-nutrients required by our body in sufficient quantity.
3. A sound sleep of 6-8 hours every day to maintain physical and mental well-being.
4. Drink at least 2-3 litres of water every day to maintain the normal functioning of our internal organs.
5. Avoid smoking tobacco and elements containing TBD, cannabis and drinking alcohol.
6. Have an active social life.
7. Reduce work stress.

One can quickly achieve physical wellness by including the above-said habits in our life.

Introduction to Cancer

Cancer is a disease in which the cells of a particular organ grow uncontrollably, leading to the formation of tumours that spread to other body parts and organs. Cancer can occur in any body part. According to WHO, cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with nearly 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020 (7). There are more than 120 types of cancer in the human body.

Most cancer types can be treated effectively, provided they are diagnosed early. According to World Health Organization, 30-50% of the total cancers can be prevented by avoiding the risk factors associated with cancer (7). The most common symptoms of cancer are:

1. Excessive fatigue
2. Lump under the skin
3. Sudden changes in body weight
4. Difficulty in swallowing and breathing
5. Indigestion and discomfort after eating
6. Changes in the colour of skin
7. Chronic muscle and joint pain

Relation Between Cancer and Physical Well-being
Our lifestyle determines our physical and mental well-being. In turn, physical well-being directly impacts the body’s susceptibility to certain diseases. For example, a lazy lifestyle with no exercise and poor eating habits (consuming unhealthy and junk food in abundance) will inadvertently lead to health issues like obesity, heart ailments, etc. Similarly, our lifestyle also determines if we are susceptible to cancer or not.

According to a study by Preetha Anand et al.(2008), cancer can be prevented by bringing about significant lifestyle changes. According to this study, only 5-10% of cancer cases are attributed to genetic factors resulting from patients’ ambient environment and lifestyle. The most common environmental and lifestyle factors causing cancer are:

1) Tobacco
Tobacco is consumed through various means. It can be smoked or chewed. Tobacco is one of the most carcinogenic (cancer-causing) items available today. In fact, smoking was identified as the leading cause of lung cancer in the USA by the US Surgeon General’s Advisory Commission Report, claiming 87% of the lung cancer deaths (Health Consequences of Smoking, Surgeon General Fact Sheet). This clearly shows that an abundant tobacco consumption lifestyle is more prone to cancer.

2) Diet
Diet is another essential lifestyle factor contributing to cancer. Consumption of red meats or processed meats like ham, beef, and salmon can significantly increase the risk of getting various types of cancers like bowel cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc. (Lifestyle Risk Factors- Abramson Cancer Centre). Red meat is found to be carcinogenic and is directly responsible for various types of cancers like gastrointestinal tract cancer, gastric cancer, oral cancer, etc. Also, cooking meat on charcoal contributes to cancer as charcoal smoke contains many carcinogenic carbon compounds like pyrolysates. 

Lifestyle to Prevent Cancer

As mentioned above, lifestyle is the leading cause of cancer. But how can we alter our lifestyle to avoid cancer? Below are a few lifestyle changes to prevent cancer:

1. Exercise regularly to improve cardiorespiratory endurance and enhance the immunity of the body.
2. Refrain from consuming tobacco and alcohol.
3. Avoid eating red meat and food cooked on charcoal.
4. Exercise in fresh air to avoid inhaling toxic pollutants.
5. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
6. Plant trees near your house to reduce pollutants.

By inculcating the above changes in your lifestyle, you will have physical and mental well-being and avoid the possibility of getting cancer.

Conclusion

We can thus conclude that cancer is preventable and curable if treated at the right stage. We must alter our lifestyle to avoid being victims of cancer in the first place. A good lifestyle will lead to better physical and mental health, which in turn will help us fight many diseases.

However, if you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above, get yourself checked by a doctor. Cancer is treatable if detected early. For the best cancer treatment in the country, contact us on 09930709000 or visit ZenOnco.io to book an appointment.