These lifestyle changes can prevent cancer and support healing for those already diagnosed

Cancer is becoming an epidemic worldwide. Despite advanced medical care, new hospitals and an increased focus on nutrition and wellness, cancer rates continue to rise. India, in particular, has seen a significant increase in cases, making prevention more crucial than ever. By handling various cancer cases in the past few years, there are common patterns in patients that reveal key factors contributing to cancer development and the good news is — by making a some simple lifestyle changes we can prevent cancer and support healing for those already diagnosed.

Let’s look at a few commonalities that you can also work on in case you feel you have any of these symptoms:

Constipation isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a serious health issue that can increase the risk of toxic build-up in the body. Waste and toxins that should be eliminated, stay in the colon, allowing harmful substances to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream. Chronic constipation may lead to cancer related to colon, stomach, intestine, etc. For women, constipation is particularly dangerous as it can lead to estrogen dominance. When excess estrogen isn’t excreted, it accumulates in the liver and cells, increasing the risk of hormone-related cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer. That’s why it’s important to take care of constipation by increasing the fibre intake to add bulk to the motion, drinking a good amount of water to flush out the toxins naturally, move around to have better circulation and digestion and most importantly managing stress to take care of gut and constipation.

Cancer thrives in an acidic environment. Several studies show that most cancer patients have highly acidic bodies due to poor dietary and lifestyle habits. When the body is acidic, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, pathogens, tumours and various issues. While many people believe in making their bodies “highly alkaline,” it’s essential to maintain a proper pH balance. being too alkaline is also harmful. The key is to adopt a diet and lifestyle that promotes pH balance. To achieve the same, look at avoiding or reducing processed foods, sugar and excessive caffeine, eat more alkaline food like vegetables, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and herbal teas etc, limit alcohol and give up on smoking or try to control it. Also, focus on deep breathing because oxygen helps maintain an optimal pH level and also enhances healing.

One of the biggest yet overlooked factors in cancer development is lack of sleep or insomnia. When you sleep, your body undergoes healing, repair, recovery, detoxification, cell regeneration, hormone balance etc. When we sleep, the body produces melatonin, a powerful sleep hormone with anti-cancer properties that help prevent cancer cell growth. Poor sleep reduces melatonin levels, weakens immunity and increases inflammation, which can trigger cancer or any other disease. To improve the sleep cycle, work on relaxing and unwinding at bedtime, take warm water shower, focus on left nostril deep breathing, keep the same sleep and wake up time to fix a circadian rhythm, or have a cup of chamomile tea with pinch of nutmeg powder to sleep better.

One of the most eye-opening discoveries is the connection between cancer and emotional stress, 97 percent of cancer patients had severe emotional stress. chronic stress leads to hormonal imbalances, inflammation and immune suppression, creating the perfect environment for cancer cells to grow. To manage stress better, focus on mindfulness, deep breathing and meditation, instead of suppressing emotions — talk to family or friends or even a therapist, divert your mind with the help of hobbies etc. These are a few commonalities but cancer is a multi-factorial disease and can be triggered due to various other things as well. However, prevention is possible by addressing these key commonalities where you don’t need expensive treatments or supplements but just a commitment to improve your routine and lifestyle choices. After all, your health is your responsibility.