Have more sex, beat cancer

A new medical study suggests cancer rates in men will shoot up BY 2020. FYI gets nine experts to tell you how to keep the killer at bay

A new medical study suggests cancer rates in men willu00a0shoot upu00a0BY 2020. FYI gets nine experts to tell you how to keep the killer at bay

The Indian Council of Medical Research has bad news for gentlemen. A research conducted by the body says fresh cases of cancer annually among men will increase from 4.47 lakh in 2008 to 5.34 lakh by 2020. But panic not, we have an action plan ready. Nine experts show you the way.u00a0

Colours that keep you safe
Dr Ashutosh Karnatak, General Manager, Projects GAIL, India, and chromopathist (use of colours as therapy)
Blue, green and red are primary colours, and an imbalance in their proportion in the body leads to disease. If proper doses of colours are given, the ailment can be prevented. As far as cancer is concerned, the use of green colour at different frequencies can be
beneficial.
Exposure to light: Exposing oneself to green light is beneficial for alleviating the disease.
Water: Take green water in a bottle, cover it with green paper and expose it to sunlight for 8 hours. Drink it every morning and evening.
Oil: Oil can be kept in a bottle covered with green paper for three weeks and the charged green oil can be used to massage the body.

Call for community support
Jyotsna Govil, Joint Secretary, Indian Cancer Society
People usually come to hospitals with full-blown cancer, so community screening programmes are the need of the hour.

Screen tests are a must
Dr Arvind Chaturvedi, Medical Director and Chief of Radiology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute
Regular screening can help detect cancer in early stages, leading to faster and successful recovery. Unfortunately, over 70% of cases reported for diagnosis and treatment are in advanced stages, resulting in poor survival and high mortality rates. We are among the first ones in the country to start a full-fledged department of Preventive Oncology, aimed at detecting the cancer early.

Lose flab, eat oats
Ishi Khosla, Wellness expert
Living a quality lifestyle and maintaining an optimum weight will keep you safe from the danger. Even if you cannot change the environment you are living in, modify your diet, exercise and control stress. Also, regulated intake of alcohol is a must for men. One should be really selective while gorging on food from outside. Ideally, have more of soups, salads and darker veggies, and less of barbeque. Consume food like soya bean, oats and green tea.

Have more sex
Vinod Chebbi, Sexologist, marriage counsellor and psychotherapist
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men and can most often be attributed to irregular intercourse. For proper functioning of the prostate, men should have regular sex with committed partners. The chances of getting the disease increases for people who take hormonal treatments during adulthood, without sound advice. After 40, a regular prostate check up every six months is a must.

Stay away from tobacco
Dr Kushagra Katariya, CEO and Chief Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Artemis Health Institute
Keep away from chewing paan and tobacco. Regular examinations will help you avoid cancer of the skin and testicles. Try staying away from polluted areas, and refrain from consuming drugs or junk food.

Turn Yogi bear
Dinesh Ghodke, Art of Living Instructor
Yoga and meditation help a lot in preventing cancer. Regular practice of Pranayam, on a daily basis, acts as a strong suppressant. Various asanas boost the immune system, which further reboot it to tackle viruses. Apart from this, one should also maintain a healthy
vegetarian diet and lifestyle.

Kick the butt
Dr Kapil Kumar, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute
There is an urgent need to minimise the scourge of cancer as it doesn't just affect an individual but also impacts the entire family. Lung and oral cancer are the most common male cancers. Both of these are preventable to a great extent because they are largely caused by tobacco consumption. It's as simple as strong will power and self-control.u00a0

Fruits will fight it
Geetu Armanani, Nutrition Consultant, Chief Dietician of BLK Memorial Hospital
Prostate cancer is very common among males and one would need several antioxidants to prevent it. It's very important for a person to consider the quantity and the quality of the food they are consuming. Have at least five vegetables and three to four varieties of fruits everyday. If a person has an ideal diet with less intake of carbohydrates, it will reduce the risk factor.

Beware of mouth cancer
The Indian Council of Medical Research predicts:
>>Cancers in almost all sites will see an increase, except that of the oesophagus, which will actually see a dip from 23,573 fresh cases in 2008 to 20,642 cases in 2020.
>>Mouth cancer will see the highest increase by almost 66%, from 28,066 fresh cases per year to 46,785 in 2020.
>>However, in absolute numbers, lung cancer will top the list with 51,194 new cases annually by 2020 as against 42,863 in 2008.