Make a promise to live well

It is world cancer day and Appa is on my mind. We lost a wonderful man to this dreadful disease and I am not ready to lose anymore. Even though it is hard to pin down a specific ‘cause’ to cancer (except in some cases like cancer of the lungs), many things are known to increase the risk of cancer, including tobacco use, certain infections, radiation, lack of physical activity, obesity, and environmental pollutants. Studies say in many cases the disease is preventable and preventable through simple changes to our lifestyle.


To quote an excerpt from a research conducted recently “Results from present studies on use of mobile phones for greater than or equal to 10 years give a consistent pattern of increased risk for acoustic neuroma and glioma. The risk is highest for ipsilateral exposure.” 

Glioma – malignant brain tumors. Appa suffered Glioblastoma Multiforme, the most malignant glioma. Ipsilateral – same sided.

The message is clear. Cancer incidence is on the rise and unless we take a serious stand against this disease we are going to lose everything we have to this fight. It isn’t just rhetoric to say only people who have experienced the fight against cancer know how hard it is.

I would like to draw everyone’s attention to one potential cause that has become an essential part of all our lives - cell phone radiation. Although some researches have not established strong causal links between cancers and radiation, some have and that is enough reason to worry and act.

Now here is what we can do.

1. Children should not use mobile phones but for short calls (children are high risk category because of their thinner skull. Besides long term exposure increases the risk of tumors)
2. Use speaker or hands-free to decrease the radiation to the head. Text when you can.
3. Do not use your phone in areas with a weak signal since phones emit more electro-magnetic radiation during those times
4. Keep the calls short (long calls over a long duration increase the risk)
5. Keep the mobile phone away from the body
6. Do not use telephone in a car without an external antenna
7. Use a phone with low SAR (unfortunately iPhones have a high SAR value. Read more and find out a suitable model here if you are planning to buy a new phone.)
8.  Use mobile radiation tracking apps have been developed to help to mitigate exposure (Tawkon for Android. None so far for iPhones) 

Apart from this to prevent cancers in general, make small changes your lifestyle.

1. DO NOT SMOKE (haven’t you heard that before)
2. Exercise regularly – all parts of the body need a healthy supply of oxygen to stay healthy and watching TV or meddling with your smartphone do not provide oxygen to your body parts
3. Avoid fried foods. I know it’s easier said than done. If you must eat fried food, please prepare at home and dispose the oil after first use.
4. Eat unprocessed foods as much as you can
5. Develop a habit to eat fruits and vegetables in their natural form
6. Pick up an activity like dancing, a walk with your loved one, meditation that makes you happy and do it every day.

 Today, make a promise to live well.

Nostalgia

Rainy days like today make me nostalgic. Mostly because I dont feel like doing anything productive in this kinda weather other than just laze around and waste time. Being a sloth is my favorite pastime. And if you are a sloth like me you'll understand what a strong feeling nostalgia is.


Rains remind me of Manipal. To me rain means Manipal. I spent two of my best years there and a good quarter of that was spent in Manipal's monsoons. It rained when you got up in the morning, it rained when you were getting ready for college, it rained when you maneuvered the pot holes from hostel to the college, it rained when you ate maggi in night canteen, it continued to rain even after you had lost 4 umbrellas. And it still rained when you went to bed.


It was a part of our lives. Yes sometimes we hated it for ruining our volleyball plans, our End Point plans and our Malpe Beach plans. But we could never hate it for long. Because it was one of the things we learnt to live with.


Everything about Manipal looked beautiful when it rained. Almost seductive its beauty was. And I am missing my Manipal terribly today. What do I miss about Manipal? Its really hard to say and even harder to understand if you haven't lived there. (not visited, lived!).


For some reason, it always felt like you knew everyone there and more importantly everyone knew you! Nobody was an outsider. Nothing was a big deal. Everything could be dealt with. And friends all around. I really miss that part - doing EVERYTHING with a bunch of jokers just like you. There was camaraderie in being morons. I remember being very happy there.


Not that I am not happy now. The difference is that my mind is quite cluttered now, not necessarily with bad things, but cluttered nevertheless.


This one's to Manipal.