From Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2020 to the World Diabetes Day 2020 (November 14)
Today, more than ever, it is important to keep vigilant about cancer symptoms. Discovering cancer at early stages offers a better standpoint that caring for the illness when this is in an advanced phase. It is very important for all categories of cancer.
Preventing cancer when possible could be also very significant, remarkably when we are facing the restrictive conditions and access to medical care due to the pandemic. That is the reason why looking at some specific causes is relevant.
Diabetes has been identified as one condition which substantially escalates the risk of a variety of cancers, including breast cancer, and also bladder, prostate and colorectal cancer. This is the reason why next week (14th of November) there is a World awareness day on diabetes.
Many people around the world endures diabetes and its consequences in their daily lives. Therefore, it is crucial to remind ourselves what we can do to prevent and reduce the disease, so we can also prevent cancer. The Diabetes Organisation emphasises some measures to cut down the risk of diabetes. These measures include losing weight, healthy eating (e.g.: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains , low-fat or non-fat dairy products and lean meats), and adopting a healthier lifestyle (e.g., keeping active and stopping smoking). (Source: Diabetes Organisation. Know the Diabetes-Cancer Link https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-risk/prevention/diabetes-and-cancer [Accessed 11/11/20]).
We are very familiar with these recommendations, as they are common for preventing and treating many illnesses as well as for enhancing your general well-being. Precisely because of that, we need to make an effort.
It is not required that we incorporate all the recommendations simultaneously. The most long-lasting changes we can make in our life are usually those which are made with love and consistency. Thus, can we choose a couple of suggestions from the list above that are easier to work on? Could we figure out two or three fruits/vegetables/dairy products we will be happy to eat every day? Can we find a physical activity (e.g., moving our arms, legs, and body and repeat 5–10–20 times even when watching tv, when doing the cleaning around the house, or when preparing the food? Can we reduce the size of our dishes, drink a full glass of water before start eating, and slow the chewing down in order to reduce the food intake?
I am not sure what may work for you. I am only sure that we all have a set of preferences which can be used to get healthier and prevent cancer. What small changes can you make into your daily routine? Which ones will you introduce today? Which ones exactly can you introduce next week?
Even if one day does not go fully according to plans, one can only retake the challenge the meal after, the day after… as long as you are really committed to the change, small changes are always easier than big ones… and the more we progress with our small changes, the higher the probabilities to reduce or avoid diabetes and cancer.
Living under the intense uncertainty we have now, small changes are part of the things that can be under your direct control if you have the will to do it. Achieving little baby-step changes will make you feel much better and will help you to survive this difficult period.
For more references regarding the World Diabetes Day 2020, please look at: World Diabetes Day 2020: Is It Still on During the Pandemic? Written by Wil Dubois on November 2, 2020 — Fact checked by Jennifer Chesak. Online at: https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/world-diabetes-day-2020-during-pandemic [Accessed 11/11/20]
For information about the breast cancer awareness month, please go to Breast Cancer Care UK. Online at: https://www.breastcanceruk.org.uk/news/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2020/ [Accessed 11/11/20]
