When a person gets affected by cancer, their immune system fights the cancerous cells in the body. However, there are some things which might come across as unimportant but can end up providing fuel to cancer cells at such times, making them more difficult to eradicate.
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Taking to Instagram on September 21, Raipur-based senior cancer surgeon Dr Jayesh Sharma shared five such things and explained how they can impede the recovery process.
1. Visceral fat
“When a cancer cell is formed, it needs an environment to grow. That environment is produced by our body’s metabolism,” noted Dr Sharma. “A very big part of that is visceral fat. Meaning, the deep fat around the organs that causes the belly to bulge.”
According to the oncologist, visceral fat is not just a storage of fat and energy for us; it is an endocrine organ that affects the hormone balance of the entire body.
“Estrogen increases, which increases the risk of breast cancer,” he stated. “Our body becomes somewhat resistant to insulin, and because of that, insulin levels keep rising, even if blood sugar remains normal. Through that, insulin itself can help cancer cells grow through multiple pathways.”
2. Sedentary lifestyle
When an individual leads a sedentary lifestyle and sits on the couch or chair all day long, their muscle activity remains low. In the words of Dr Sharma, “When muscles are active, they reduce inflammation. Our body is not made for this inactivity, so that also adds a little more petrol to the fire.”
3. Unhealthy snacking
Dr Sharma pointed out that the thing we are most likely to do if we spend the day on the couch is engage in mindless, unhealthy snacking. Eating chips or other savoury snacks, junk food and cold drinks, in short, low-fibre, high-sugar and highly processed foods, acts as adding fuel to the cancer cells.
4. Stress
When a person is dealing with cancer, they are usually under a lot of stress. As Dr Sharma stated, “Stress itself is a small factor that can again act as petrol, but the biggest effect of stress comes from pushing us toward this poor lifestyle.”
5. Insufficient sleep
The final thing in Dr Sharma’s list is the lack of necessary sleep in the daily routine. One can suffer from sleeplessness because of the stress they experience, or because they have a habit of scrolling on their phone at night, or maybe for some other reason. Whatever the case may be, lack of sleep acts as a fuel, cautioned Dr Sharma.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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