World Cancer Day
February 04, 2018
What is World Cancer Day?
World Cancer Day takes place every year on 4 February and unites the world under a single theme to highlight the on-going fight against cancer. World Cancer Day aims to reduce the number of preventable deaths each year by raising cancer awareness among the general public and pressing governments to take further action against the disease.
Why World Cancer Day matters
The global cancer epidemic is enormous and is set to rise. Currently 8.8 million people die from cancer worldwide every year, out of which 4 million are premature deaths (aged 30 to 69 years). Over the next ten years cancer deaths are projected to increase to over 14 million per year. Urgent action must be taken to raise awareness about the disease and to develop practical strategies to address the cancer burden. Global disparities in access to prevention, treatment and palliative care are growing exponentially. With the recent adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we are entering a new era for global health. Now more than ever there is a need for a global commitment to help drive advancements in cancer and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) who are tackling these epidemics with insufficient resources. World Cancer Day is the ideal opportunity to spread the word and raise the profile of cancer in people’s minds, in the world’s media, and on the global health and development agenda.
WE CAN. I CAN: GET ACTIVE
Physical activity has been shown to combat cancer, including: prevention, helping cancer patients manage the side-effects of treatment – such as fatigue, depression and heart damage -, and reducing the risk of the disease worsening or recurring. This World Cancer Day, we’re encouraging everyone to be more active – in every sense – in the fight against cancer.
Prepared by: Dr. Wendy Sealy
“Health and Wellness: Healing for the Mind, Body and Soul”
Wednesday January 3, 2018
What is health? This term is very relative and depending on who ask to describe what it means, you may have variations based on the different perspectives of individuals.
The term may be defined simply as follows:
a. “ the state of being free from illness or injury”
b. “ a person’s mental or physical condition’
The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948 defined the term ‘health’ as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, but in 1986 clarified it by proposing that it is ‘a resource for everyday life, not the object of living. In other words, health is a resource
used to support an individual’s function in wider society and provides the means to lead a full life. Nordqvist (2017), recently defined ‘health’ as the ability of the body to adapt to new threats and infirmities. Often the terms health and wellness are used together or even interchangeably. However, according to the National Wellness Institute “wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness; it is a dynamic process of growth and change”.
The Bible is replete with texts about health and wellness under the following themes:
Our responsibility to care our body-Romans 12: 1
Truths/ Promises– 1Timothy 4: 7-9
Sin and Health-Psalm 103: 1-5
Stress and Health-Psalms 119: 143
Some tips for healthy living- HEALTH
Hygiene– Paying attention to personal hygiene is a key element to experiencing good health.
Exercise– Physical and mental exercise are important. Physical activity can help defuse stress, burn calories, and boost selfesteem. This also means that you are being encouraged to get adequate rest, relaxation and sleep.
Affirm your spiritual health in your relationship with God and others. Meditate, pray, or find solace for at least 10-20 minutes each day. Reflection is good for your soul and helps you cope with the demands of daily life.
Laugh- Smile and laugh out loud several times a day. It keeps you grounded, and helps you cope with situations that would otherwise make you anxious or frustrated.
Time Management– means staying on top of your time, life, and activities. It does require discipline and the benefits of time management far outweigh the work required.
Have a positive attitude– Do your best to look at life as if “the glass is half full.” You must believe in yourself, have good support systems, and think positively to succeed. Develop a healthy lifestyle, by eating healthy foods – choose foods that contain minimal amounts of unhealthy fats, and lower sugar. Observe all
the healthy tips mentioned above.
Dr. Wendy Sealy 2018
CINCO PASOS (Five Steps)
Step 1 Get active: A higher level of sedentary life begins at 50. However, it is never too late to start physical activity. In addition, exercise generates multiple benefits to our body.
Step 2 Drink water: Water helps the proper functioning of the organism by transporting nutrients and waste. It is part of all the fluids of the digestive system and helps regulate the temperature of the same. It is the main constituent of the body and is essential for life.
Step 3 Eat vegetables and fruits: Vegetables and fruits represent a group of foods essential to achieve proper nutrition. Their consumption is associated with the reduction of multiple diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Step 4 Measure yourself: Obesity is a disease that is characterized by excess adipose tissue in the body, so it is one of the most important steps in the program because in it you can detect possible problems in the body, as well as consider goals, projects and objectives in favor of a healthy life.
Step 5 Share: Social relationships favor physical and mental health, as well as the sense of well-being, in addition those who share, appear to live more and better, as this becomes an inexhaustible source of benefits.
Adapted from el Ministerio de Salud de Mexico (2011)
Prepared by Dr. Wendy Sealy