Know your 'silent killers' and stay healthy

By Amal Hewavissenti

People are very clever to undermine their own health with the very practices which they employ in their bid to attain and promote health. A person's predisposition to a certain "irresistibly appealing thing" may jeopardise his health and most often, such a thing may bring his life to a premature end.

Habits are unconditionally what causes severe damage or illness such as life threatening cancer. We currently venture a guess that the use of mobile phones on the ear for a prolonged period results in brain cancer but much controversy surrounds the validity of this recent guess.

Foods have greatly influenced us

Some Swedish researchers on extensive experiment, have given out conclusions in which they have suggested a course of action which might minimise the risk of brain cancer - a possible consequence of the use of mobile phones.

They maintain that the potential harm could be minimised if the phone user fixes an "absorbing button" on the phone which is devised for absorbing the shock waves. As the headmost precaution, they recommend the avoidance of speaking on the phone kept stuck on the ear and the user can easily switch over to the easy alternatives such as a hands free set or an earphone when speaking.

Signals

The researchers have spelled out the importance of using a phone case that likewise guarantees security and minimises the power and the intensity of the wave signals.

Though they have expressed fear cancer being caused by mobile phones they have not adopted the view that use of mobile phones is directly responsible for a cancerous effect on the brain or body.

On the other hand, smoking is yet another lethal habit which is well noted for "invoking the blessings" of cancer. Irrespective of caste, creed, class or age, this monster has spread its ugly tentacles over the majority of the world's younger population and has duly taken its toll at a terrific rate.

The appalling truth surrounding the habit of smoking is that a person's mental addiction is far greater and more persistent than his physical addiction. The physical addiction comes at the first stage of the habit and the psychological addiction springs from it more energetically and more perdurably turning itself into a wrackful addiction.

Women too play a major role within this social catastrophe. If a woman keeps on smoking particularly during her pregnancy, she would develop a marvellous trend for getting a cancer in the womb.

The European women are experiencing the bittermost consequences of this habit and medical experts predict that in the near future, Sri Lankan women too would fall victim to womb cancer as a result of smoking or exposure to smoking.

A husband, even if he had fallen to chronic addiction, must refrain from smoking before his pregnant wife for the reason that the smoke can enter the woman in an indirect way and it can handicap or cripple the baby forever. Moreover, cigarette smoke can afflict a baby with heart disease, eye diseases and sometimes it goes to the extent that the baby might be born as a stillbirth.

The common salt is sometimes labelled as the most macabre "silent killer" because excessive intake of salt is extremely detrimental and may kill a person by degrees. But most untowardly it is the most popular additive to most of "tasty and spicy" foods and food lovers heedlessly take in amounts of salt much more than the recommended quantity.

The medical personnel from the Institute of Medicine - America say that a generally healthy person should have his daily sodium consumption not exceeding 1,500 mg but some processed food in the market are proved to contain an excessive quantity of salt. At the same time, they forewarn that regular consumption of such foods definitely imperils a person and may bring heart diseases and stomach cancer in the long run.

Addicted

However, a doctor may advise a person to extremely minimise the intake of salt but he may unknowingly take in salt because he is "addicted" to canned food and spicy food which profusely contain harmful amounts of salt, according to medical researches.

The medical experts agree that excessive amounts of salt found in these artificial food items might induce high blood pressure, heart diseases, kidney failures and even abdominal cancer.

Wrong food habits and styles have greatly influenced us. The destructive effects of wrong food are clearly visible in the way one behaves, - that is to say, the clear changes one may have for instance, restlessness, strong stimulation, impulsiveness, and lethargy.

These are unarguably the by-products of the intake of processed food. Latest researches have revealed that the artificial colourings, additives, toxic preservatives and stimulants added to the processed food and other instant foods definitely pave the way for an abdominal cancer and liver cancer if used regularly.

The accumulated rays and chemicals contained in the foods have the potential for causing abdominal cancer, the scientists say.

Currently, most people who lead a hectic life are used to take meals long after the stomach asks for food and they take meals whenever their tight schedule of work want them to.

This creates extra trouble for a person. Most people are dependent on instant food rather than home-made food and deplorably miss out the vital fibrous food simply because they prefer instant food or have to battle with a tight schedule of work.

The nutritionists spell out the presence of highly detrimental properties lying hidden in the instant foods and they stress that the "Marvellous taste" has become the attractive mask for these toxic ingredients. Therefore, we miss the much vital fibre in food which fights off abdominal disorders, kidney failures, and possible cancer.

Perhaps you might have developed a predilection for liquor. You may feel it is fashionable particularly when it is encouraged by those around you and the attractive advertisements of liquor on media but you may be too late to realise that your health has been irrevocably undermined after a long period of life with liquor. Some mix their meals with a bit of liquor or habitually chew tobacco and betel just after the meals.

Although the narcotic effect of tobacco stimulate a person, the constant chewing of betel and tobacco increased the possibility of growth of cancer cells in the mouth has been authentically proved by researches worldwide.

The extravagant consumption of fat redoubles the possibility of heart diseases. Our fashionable menus often feature desserts with sweetmeats such as ice cream, chocolate or watalappan instead of vital fruits.

The menus highlight the meat curries prepared in attractive ways rather than health giving vegetables. This is the gravity of the problem served along with our meals.