Nicotine is Poison

• Fact: Smoking is injurious to health.
• Fact: Cancer and smoking are highly correlated.
• Fact: Cigarette smoke contains thousands of toxins, 69 of them proven carcinogens.

This blogpost  tells you more about the dangers of tobacco. It is an established fact that smoking causes damage to every organ in the body. In spite of the overwhelming evidence, most smokers find it extremely difficult to quit. This is the reality.

E-Cigarettes, a Risky Alternative

For those who cannot kick the habit, electronic cigarettes are being promoted as an alternative to smoking. Don't fall for the hype. It could be a case of the remedy being worse than the disease.

What is an e-cigarette, anyway?  They look like metallic cigarettes, but are  actually battery-operated vaporizers. Its mechanism heats up a liquid; the liquid turns into vapor, which is then inhaled, or "vaped". The liquid is typically a combination of nicotine, flavorings, a solvent and other additives.

E-cigs are tobacco-free and smoke-free, but are filled with liquid nicotine - a dangerous substance; not only when you inhale, but also by ingestion or contact with your skin. Apparently, tobacco kills slowly, whereas liqud nicotine can be lethal even in small doses: less than one tablespoon is enough to kill an adult; as little as a teaspoon could kill a child. Equally worrying is the fact that among all of the alternative tobacco products, e-cigarettes are the least regulated. You can never be sure what vapours you are inhaling.

Click here for an eye-opener published in the Guardian. Be warned - nicotine is poison, no matter how it is packaged or delivered. Still in doubt? Click here to know 10 important facts about e-cigarettes.

World No Tobacco Day

The ultimate goal of  World No Tobacco Day  (May 31) is to  protect present and future generations from the devastating health consequences due to tobacco.  The social, environmental and economic scourges of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke are so terrible that every day ought to be No Tobacco Day.

Each year, the global tobacco epidemic kills 6 million people. At least 600 000 of these are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. Unless we act, the epidemic will kill more than 8 million people every year by 2030. More than 80% of deaths will be among people living in low-and middle-income countries like India. Tragically, these are preventable deaths - which means that with adequate preventive measures -such as awareness, ban on ads, sales, higher taxes and smoking in public places - these people need not suffer and die.

To know more about the  deadly effects of tobacco, check out  Cancer Sticks and WHO Facts.

The Obstacles

There are two extremely powerful forces which stand in the way of eliminating the use of tobacco.The first is money - tobacco is a multi-billion dollar industry. Historically, the tobacco industry has employed a multitude of tactics to shape and influence tobacco control policy.

They use their huge economic power, lobbying and marketing machinery, and manipulation of the media to discredit scientific research and influence governments in order to propagate the sale and distribution of their deadly products. The second obstacle is the addictive nature of tobacco and you - once you're hooked, you're hooked!

Win-Win Strategy

For World No Tobacco Day 2014, WHO and partners call on countries to raise taxes on tobacco. Increasing excise taxes on tobacco is considered to be the most cost-effective tobacco control measure. This week, the Government of India have announced that  fresh excise tax measures will  be  implemented (Currently, India's annual excise revenue from tobacco products is Rs120 billion). Because it will also raise government tax revenues which can be allocated to more public health care, it is a win-win strategy all the way.

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Cancer Sticks

Why does a sane person knowingly poison his lungs? Here we're not talking of suicidal individuals, driven to take extreme steps to end it all. These are normal people who keep smoking, choosing to ignore known dangers.

Smokers cause damage to their own bodies and to all those who are near them. Indirect smoking is as bad, if not worse. Passive smokers are hapless victims - trapped in homes, offices, restaurants, trains - when someone lights up the cancer stick.

Proven Risks

Unfortunately the risks are real. Tobacco smoke affects our bodies from head to toe. You may be surprised at some of the ways smoking has a negative impact on our health.

Smoking is hard on the heart and lungs. but the fact is, tobacco use plays a role in a multitude of diseases that ultimately lead to disability and/or death. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds; 200 of which are known to be poisonous and upwards of 60 have been identified as carcinogens. It's no wonder that the effects of smoking are so widespread and destructive. 

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Disease in Bold are  Most Likely to Affect a Smoker

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Denial will not make the problem go away. And yet, motivation and capacity to kick the habit are alarmingly low. The fact of the matter is that you better not  start smoking. Once you're hooked,  tobacco is addictive. Precisely because it is hard to break the habit, one finds lame justifications.

• What problem? There is no problem.
• I'm used to it ... my body is strong. 
• My father/uncle/friend smoked all his life and lived to a ripe old age. I'll be fine.
• The danger is exaggerated.
• Why worry now? I have many other things on my mind.
• May be a small risk, but not a big deal
• I'll take my chances; everybody has to die, anyway.
• I don't smoke too much... just a few / only a pack a day.
• I can't concentrate/function/de-stress unless I smoke.
• ok, ok! I know I should do something ... I'll think about it.
• I'll try to cut down ... maybe tomorrow / next month / next year.

Which of these rationalisatons have you not heard? Quitting  is difficult. But not impossible. Similar to the AA method, the first step is to admit to oneself that there is a serious problem. The next is to get information and help.  See these links from the USA,  UK and India. I also came across this Facebook Page.

Disturbing Trends

Worldwide, 661 million people smoke, while 247 million use smokeless tobacco products.The situation is particularly acute in developing nations, where roughly half of adult men use tobacco. 275 million Indian adults are tobacco users. 75% of them consume smokeless tobacco products. More and more Indian women - said to be the highest in the world - chew "gutka", "khaini" and "zarda".

Their Gain is Our Loss

People in developed countries increasingly understand the dangers of smoking. Their governments continue to implement tobacco control policy and legislation. Therefore, the sale of cigarettes in the West has significantly gone down. To compensate for their shrinking markets in Europe and America,  tobacco-based companies have shifted the full force of their marketing to India and other developing countries. They are succeeding! Cigarette consumption is increasing in low and middle-income countries,  high enough to offset the decrease in Western countries. Read more here and here.

Why?

The sale of tobacco products is steadily rising in India, primarily because of targetted marketing and ineffectual government legislation. Due to low awareness of the harmful consequences, there is social acceptability and often a badge of maturity! With economic prosperity and population growth, consumption is expected to increase even more. Overall, a highly disturbing trend, with grave repercussions on the health of our young men and women as well as the next generation.

Dancing Gorilla

Have you ever wondered how x-rays and scans reveal the condition of your lungs or brain or some other part of your body? Evidently, those mysterious black and white images make sense to radiologists. Because they know what a normal or healthy person's scan looks like; and their eyes are trained to detect abnormalities at a glance.

This is the CT scan of a patient's lung. Look closely at  the top of the right lung. Do you see anything unusual?

Don't worry if you did not spot the dancing gorilla. In a psychological experiment, several expert radiologists were shown this scan and asked to look for indications of lung cancer. A whopping 75 per cent failed to notice the gorilla!

Does the experiment suggest that medical specialists are not good at detecting signs of potentially life-threatening conditions by looking at CT scans? Not at all. This happens because they are proficient at detecting abnormal signs. When the radiologist looks at a scan with a specific focus - in this case, to spot nodules that indicate cancer in the lung - he automatically filters out other things that might distract him. Including dancing gorillas :)

This is simply how our attention system works. Not just with radiologists, but with everyone. It is called inattentional blindness. Scientists say that there is a big difference between looking and perceiving. Read more about it Here.

Breast Cancer - Are You at Risk?

Breast cancer cases are surging across the globe. Over the past three decades, worldwide, the number of new breast cancer cases diagnosed  increased dramatically -  6 lakhs in 1980 to 16 lakhs in 2010. It is the Number One  cancer among Indian women living in cities. In a lifetime, one in fifteen women in India is diagnosed with breast cancer.

What causes cancer in the breast? The result of empirical research points at genetic predisposition, lifestyle, hormonal changes. In other words, the answer is not definitive.

What can a woman do to prevent its occurrence? Apart from adopting a normal, healthy lifestyle,  precious little. However, early detection is the most significant factor affecting survival. I was extremely fortunate to get an early diagnosis and prompt treatment. This was many years ago. Nowadays, medical science has made much progress. Diagnosis, treatment and survival rates are better.

Do you have breast cancer?
Every woman above 40 years must keep her eyes peeled for the early warning signs. Do a breast self-examination(BSE) once a month, in the privacy of your bathroom.

Look for a painless lump in the breast or the armpit, changes in the shape, colour or texture of the breast or oozing from the nipple.  Even if you have none of these symptoms, an annual medical check-up which includes breast cancer screening (mammogram) is a must. 

Believe me, ladies, breast cancer cells in your body  are far, far more dangerous than insects in your kitchen. If there are any malignant cells lurking in your body, do all you can, as quick as you can, to find and destroy them!

Want to know more?
Diagnosing Breast Cancer
Girl Stuff
Y-Me Answers
Info from Mayo Clinic
Another Cancer-related Site

Breast Cancer

It can happen to any woman, at any age. I've known women who had breast cancer in their teens and even in the nineties. A question that often comes up is - How shall I check whether I have suspicious symptoms?

Symptoms
In its early stages, breast cancer usually has no visible symptoms. As the tumor develops, one or more symptoms become apparent. Here's a checklist of eight warning signs.

1. A lump in the breast or underarm. Often the first symptom noticed. These lumps are painless, but will not disappear. Lumps are usually visible on a mammogram long before they can be seen or felt.
2. Swelling: Usually in the armpit. Sometimes in the neck.
3. Pricking pain or tenderness in the breast can be a sign of cancer.  
4. Flattening or indentation on the breast. 
5. Change in the size, shape or 'feel' of the breast. A reddish skin like an orange.
6. Nipple: indrawn or dimpled look, itching or burning sensation, ulceration or scaling.
7. Discharge from the nipple, which is clear, bloody or another color. (It is not always due to cancer)  
8. An area that is different from any other area on either breast. eg: a marble-like area under the skin. 

Medical Check-up

If any of the above eight signs persist, a medical check-up is strongly recommended. The standard medical diagnostics for breast cancer are

• Physical examination by a qualified doctor (oncologist)
• Mammogram  and MRI (radiology tests)
• FNAC  (a needle inserted to take a sample for lab tests)
• Biopsy (another method to take a sample for lab tests)

Which investigations are advised by the oncologist depends on the individual case.

Remember: Early detection and prompt treatment are the keys to recovery.

Some questions that a woman might ask: Am I at risk? Can I protect myself? What is the treatment for breast cancer? What are the chances of recovery? Is there life after cancer? To find answers, please click here.