November- Lung Cancer Awareness Month

 Lung cancer is the leading cause of all cancer deaths. Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. About 80% of lung cancer deaths in women and 90% of lung cancer deaths in men are related to cigarette smoking.

Risk Factors

• Smoking
• Secondhand Smoke
• Radon: Radon is a naturally occurring gas that comes from rocks and dirt and can get trapped in houses and buildings. It cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled. 
• Other Substances: such as asbestos, silica, chromium
• Personal or Family History of Lung Cancer
• Radiation Therapy to the Chest
• Diet:  smokers who take beta-carotene supplements have increased risk of lung cancer. Arsenic in drinking water (primarily from private wells) can increase the risk of lung cancer.

Symptoms

Lung cancer symptoms may include: 

• Coughing that gets worse or doesn’t go away.
• Chest pain.
• Shortness of breath.
• Wheezing.
• Coughing up blood.
• Feeling very tired all the time.
• Weight loss with no known cause.

Other changes that can sometimes occur with lung cancer may include repeated bouts of pneumonia and swollen or enlarged lymph nodes (glands) inside the chest in the area between the lungs.

Prevention

You can help lower your risk of lung cancer in the following ways—

• Don’t smoke. 
• Avoid secondhand smoke. 
• Get your home tested for radon. 
• Be careful at work. 
• Include antioxidants in your diet

WATER RETENTION

 

General causes of water retention are excess of water intake, regular intake of cold or chilled water, intake of chilled drinks or juices, and excess of alkaline foods . Chemical salt available in the market is an important factor in water retention. Other general causes are water intake while eating food, Irregular eating pattern, lack of night sleep, prolonged stress and various medicines esp. hormones.

Water retention is part of the premenstrual syndrome. During this time, hormonal fluctuations can cause havoc in a woman’s body. In some women the monthly rise in estrogen raises the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone, in turn, causes the kidneys to retain fluids and the woman to suddenly gain a few water-filled pounds.

While PMS is the major cause of water retention in women, water retention for both men and women can also be related to kidney problems, both serious (kidney disease) and common causes. Heart , liver, or thyroid malfunctions can also play a role in water retention. Thanks to the effects of gravity, retained water tends to accumulate in the feet, ankles, and legs, although no area of the body is immune. Other water prone areas are chin and eye esp. upper lids.

Symptoms of water retention:

These symptoms vary from person to person depending upon age, presence of other disease, gender, duration of water retention and level of water retention. I have seen two worst cases of water retention, one with sixty glasses of water and other with forty glasses of water. First one died due to heart and kidney failure, fate of the second one is unknown.

·         Swollen, bloated or puffy body.

·         Difficulty in losing weight.

·         Disproportionate body especially lower body.

·         Lose and toneless skin.

·         Saggy muscles.

·         Tendency for muscle and joint pains.

·         Mental and physical fatigue especially early morning.

·         Drowsiness.

·         Dizziness or loss of balance control.

·         Uncontrolled blood pressure.

·         Tendency for heart enlargement.

·         Hormonal imbalances.

·         Mood swings.

·         Various allergies (flu, asthma, eczema, arthritis etc).

·         High level of grief, sadness, feeling of detachment for the worldly life.

Bloating:

Bloating is the result of wind and water retention. Certain bodies have a tendency for retaining water and other types retain wind more.

Treatment:

·         Be careful about food intake and dietary habits.

·         Water intake should be carefully regulated.

·         Temperature of water and drinks should be close to the body temperature.

·         For relieving water retention peanuts, raisins, black tea, coffee, dark chocolate, cloves, soups and high proteins can be used.

WORLD VEGAN DAY

November 1 is World Vegan Day.

 A vegan or plant-based diet excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. People who follow this trend are labelled as “vegans” and this trend is called “veganism”. It is a very popular diet that has gained popularity after the millennium. Vegan diets tend to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. World vegan day is celebrated in order to raise awareness about vegan diets, products, and veganism all over the globe. 

Facts: 

• Vegan Day first occurred on November 1st, 1994.
• The total number of vegans in the world is approximately 79 million, as of January 2021. That’s a lot!