If you’re wondering why I’m writing on cancer in quick succession, it’s because the seminar on cancer that I attended recently was excellent and I want to share with you a couple of useful things.
Apart from the usual medical approach to cancer treatment, it was amazing to learn about holistic therapies that promote healing of cancer. Hypnotherapy impressed me. Vidya Ramaswamy, a psychologist, and her team use hypnotherapy to promote cancer healing. According to this form of treatment, emotions in the sub-conscious mind can sometimes deter the healing process. Dealing with these emotions through hypnosis helps in cancer care much better.
Nilima and Vijay Bhat, organisers of this seminar, have a website www.cancerawakens.com This website is a guide to various approaches to cancer. This couple also coaches people on how to deal with cancer, and so on.
Some days ago, I saw a wholesome collection of organic foods which were showcased in a company. There were only 3 companies that participated but there were so many products on display and I felt like I had walked into someone’s kitchen. 
Akshayakalpa, a company that manufactures and sells organic milk, curd, ghee, butter, khoa and paneer, kept samples of their organic buttermilk and the visitors couldn’t stop drinking it. It was so delicious!
24 Mantra had displayed almost every dry ingredient that is used in the kitchen – grains, millets, dals, spices, honey, sugar, jaggery, juices and breakfast cereals – all organic! Visitors were surprised to know that there was such a wide variety of organic foods in the market!
Buffalo Back, which grows and sells organic vegetables and seasonal fruits, was a crowd-puller. I had not seen such fresh and clean greens in a long time! The vegetables were not only fresh but also were cleaned well before selling……what a bonus!
Do try the organic foods sometime. You might end up eating only those because it’s good for your health and the health of our planet!
Do you find it difficult to concentrate on your work? There are several reasons why we cannot concentrate. Find out what’s behind your lack of concentration and rectify it.
- Skipping meals. If we don’t eat our meals on time and regularly, there is reduced blood glucose available for the body and brain which in turn reduces concentration power.
- Constant interruptions by social media messages. This can disrupt your flow of thought during work.
- Email overload. If your inbox is crowded with different kinds of emails, and is constantly receiving new emails, it can distract you from your work because the curiosity to know what’s in the email can turn your attention away from what you’re supposed to be doing.
- Boredom. If you’re bored of what you’re doing, concentration slips away after sometime.
- Stress. Too many things to handle, nagging thoughts, family worries, etc can cause stress and reduce concentration to a great extent.
- Depression. Lack of concentration is one of the symptoms of depression.
- Lack of sleep. If you’re sleep deprived, your concentration level dips.
To resolve the problem of concentration, eat healthy, eat regularly, divide your time between personal, family and professional work, disconnect / turn off your computer for a few hours in every 24 hours, switch off your cellphone for a few hours at night to sleep better, develop hobbies, take micro-breaks between your work, use deep breathing or meditation to relax. If nothing works to improve your concentration, seek help from a qualified counsellor.
I’ve been asked “how much cholesterol does coconut oil contain?” countless times. And I repeat here – there is no cholesterol in coconut oil. There’s no cholesterol in fresh coconut, dry coconut, tender coconut or any other coconut product! However, coconut oil has been maligned in the coronary circles because of its saturated fat content.
The latest thinking is that trans fats do more damage to the heart and blood vessels than saturated fat. Also, nutrition science has always allowed small amounts of saturated fat in the diet and perhaps this is one of the reasons why the usage of coconut oil has not completely died down in India.
On the positive side, coconut oil contains a type of fat that is found to be beneficial, particularly for those who cannot digest fats easily. Blenderised feeds given to patients in hospitals often use coconut oil because it can be digested and assimilated easily without causing any damage to health. Also for those who require high calories, coconut oil is a good source. Coconut oil oxidises slowly compared to the high PUFA oils. This results in lesser amount of free radicals. 
Despite its positive effects, if you decide to switch to coconut oil for cooking, restrict the quantity. Remember that all oils must be taken in limited quantities.
Virgin coconut oil is now available in the market. A young Bangalorean, Kaavya Nag, has started to make 100% virgin coconut oil without using any enzymes, chemicals or heat. Completely natural, Coconess (that’s the brand name) coconut oil is extracted from fresh coconut milk in the traditional manner. Check it out if you wish.
Try to use coconut oil in your cooking once in a while……you might end up loving it!
A relative of mine was recently diagnosed of breast cancer. Apart from obesity, there were no known risk factors. While discussing her illness with an oncologist friend of mine, I was shocked to hear that this oncologist sees about 30 new cases of cancer every month! Can you imagine the number of cancer cases in Bangalore and India each year?
According to statistics, one out of every 20 women in India is likely to develop breast cancer. This is more prevalent in urban women than rural women. Risks for breast cancer include gender (women), age over 40, family history, early puberty or late menopause, prolonged use of contraceptives or hormone therapies, excess weight, high fat diet and less physical activity.
The good news is that if detected early, the chances of cure are higher. Self breast examination plays a very important role in early detection. Examine your breasts every month, and get them clinically examined by your gynaecologist at least once every 3 years.
You can get more details on breast cancer on this website – www.breastcancerindia.net