Cancer in any form is dreadful. Not only because the word itself terrorizes our mind, the visuals we recall are too scary. Once it sets in, it is very difficult to get rid of it in totality and one has to surrender to whatever treatment methods are available. Injuries to nearby organs, side-effects, trauma for the body and mind as a whole plus social stigma are some realities that stay with the victim for the rest of his/her life.

I can suggest three mantras: One, prevention is better than cure. Two, either you change your lifestyle, or make some necessary additions to counter the cancer threat. Three, try alternative medicines or therapies.

WHY GIVE OPTION ON LIFESTYLE?

If you belong to the western world, (as per Wikipedia) chances are that you are more susceptible of catching this type of cancer. But you cannot move to the other part of the world for only this reason. Moreover, how would you know for sure that you could be a victim? Only for this reason I mentioned that either you change your lifestyle or…

IS CHANGING LIFESTYLE EASY?

Definitely not. We are all part of a society and have our stated norms of behavior, work culture, food (solids & liquids) consumption pattern, ways of recreation are all set. To some extent we can change our habits like avoiding late nights, getting full sleep, exercising etc. But today’s expenses need extra work both physically and mentally. Somewhere we have to compromise which we cannot compensate with something beneficial.

A fully nourishing lunch induces sleep so some people either don’t have proper lunch, or combine it with coffee and both are harmful. Work pressure forces to go either for smoking, extra cups of coffee, or for over the counter pills as they are easily accessible. Even these have harmful after-effects.

WHAT COULD BE DONE HERE?

Remember Edison, who invented the Electric Bulb? He slept for just four hours and always got up refreshed. Develop a habit of sleeping less. Easier said than done, may be your answer. To counter I present two incidents.

1. I was working on a project and could not sleep for 3 days. The fourth evening, somehow I had to accompany my boss to an overnight musical concert. When we departed, I was totally refreshed and went back to office.

2. Many of my hostel friends developed the habit of sleeping at three in the morning to get up by seven. The same pattern holds good twenty years after passing out.

It is all in the mind. You can train it the way you want. Think about the soldiers at war zone or the police personnel who hardly get time to sleep. When these people can manage why can’t you? Try meditation, even a 30-minute trance is enough to compensate for a full night’s sleep.

HELP YOUR BOWEL DISCHARGE EASILY.

The most common cause for rectal/colon/anus cancer is constipation. Piles is the first reaction. Eat veggies or fruits that have roughage e.g. Carrot, Radish, Lettuce. Those veggies that do not dissolve in full. Eat fruits whole, as the skin acts as roughage. If not allergic to Banana, it acts as a good bowel cleaner.

Drink plenty of plain water (not disguised as beer or canned juices). Avoid the lift when possible.

Get the wonder product “Isabgol” which is neither a fruit nor vegetable nor a medicine. It is the husk of the Psyllium plant seed. This husk absorbs water, becomes slippery and aids bowel to discharge without pressure. You can consume this either with water, curd, fruit juice or sprinkle liberal amounts in any dish as it is tasteless.

TRY ALTERNATE THERAPIES

No system of medicine is foolproof. Doctors do not admit the fallacies. For example, Homoeopathy has no medicine for high blood pressure but works wonders for skin diseases. Colitis, skin ulcers, burns & wounds are treated in no time. It has no side-effects as well. Ready made mixtures are available over the counter for hundreds of diseases that you can try.

As always, there are no shortcuts to success. Trial and error should be your mantra. Find out what suits your body, your taste and let your mind guide you. After all if you catch the dreaded disease, your mind suffers the most.

Walk with nature and you remain safe. Even if you lose track, nature is there to help you out. Do not rely totally on Allopathy, try out other branches as well. Spirituality is one of them. Be selfish, for your body’s sake. Prevent accidents, injury and trauma. Improve your life. Show others how to. Contribute something to humanity.

A few weeks after our family reunion in Moloka’i in July of 2009, my niece Francine went to the doctor for a routine treadmill test. Two days later, she was on the operating table having massive open heart surgery. After nearly six hours of surgery, where they actually stopped her heart to repair it (with the help of a bypass machine), I was allowed into the ICU to see her. She was still semi-unconscious, but she took my hand while I stood over her bed. She squeezed it as firmly as she could, sending me the message that she was OK and the ordeal of the surgery was not going to crush her spirit. Her courage was truly inspiring.

In the weeks that followed, she adapted to the new lifestyle and diet of an open heart surgery survivor. Just like her survival from thyroid cancer five years earlier, she faithfully followed the doctors orders, happy to have the chance to keep her life going despite the physical setbacks. But six months after her heart surgery, the cancer returned, this time, more serious. Rectal cancer is one of the most painful cancers and usually requires a colostomy, where an opening to the colon is made through the front of the abdomen, where feces are eliminated into a bag.

Another successful surgery, another new lifestyle change. Undaunted, within weeks, she is fully functioning again, determined to be involved in the lives of her four children and her dedicated husband, Steve. Because rectal cancer is notorious for spreading to other parts of the body, her doctors decide to put her through six months of grueling chemotherapy. Francine takes it like a “trooper”, always with a smile on her face and a cheery disposition. She expects to go back to work when it’s over. She takes the last treatment during the holidays and just after the New Year (2011), the doctors give her a report on her progress.

But the news is not good. Despite the aggressive chemotherapy, a significant tumor has formed in her lung. Her doctor says they can continue chemo to slow down the progress of the tumor, but there is nothing they can do to cure her. This is devastating news to all of us. We run the full gamut of emotions: angry, sad, fearful, depressed. She calls each person who is close to her and we share a moment together. She gives us the freedom to render our opinion and listens carefully to our thoughts. But we are clearly stunned. We lack words and direction. We wait for Francine to gather herself because we’re going to take our cue from her.

At 47 years old, she is the oldest of the grandchildren. She is mature beyond her years and her trademark has been love and compassion driven by boundless energy. She’s been blessed with a loving husband and partner and together they have overcome all types of adversity to raise four fabulous young adults (ages 17-24) in a household so close they routinely choose to hang out with each other over partying with their friends. Francine has been able to bring happiness and joy to others by simply focusing on what she “has” and not lamenting over what she doesn’t have. She spreads her “attitude of gratitude” to everyone because she’s been graced with that gift regardless of her circumstances.

She knows the odds and the reality of her situation but she chooses to be grateful. She is grateful because she understands that happiness in life is connected to seeing and appreciating the gifts that are part of our daily lives. That’s a universal “given” that most people understand. The piece that Francine has that most people don’t, is she is willing to change her perspective to see the gift. When cancer took her thyroid, she accepted taking medication for the rest of her life. When open heart surgery changed her lifestyle, she embraced it instead of resisting it. When rectal cancer saddled her with a colostomy bag, she bought a new wardrobe. When lung cancer threatens to end her life, she planted a garden. Perception is reality and that allows her to live each day like the richest person on the planet.

You’ll never find a grateful person who is unhappy. And you’ll never find a peaceful person who is unable to accept the reality of their life.

The happiest people live in gratitude and go with the flow.

Benson Medina has been writing, teaching and speaking the field of self-development for over 30 years. His professional career includes sales, training, marketing and program development for several national companies.