According to the American Cancer Institute, about one-third of cancer deaths in 2006 were somehow related to nutrition, physical inactivity, and being overweight or obese. With this in mind, I urge you to not ignore these findings. Beat the odds. Don’t wait for hell to break loose.
Now it’s my understanding that people are always eager to give advice they can’t follow; at least that’s the way it seems to work with me. Something that I hear over and over again from mouths of all shapes and sizes is: “Eat well. Get plenty of sleep. You’re here to learn, and you can’t do it well if you’re not taking care of yourself.” I don’t know what any of this means anymore. What is healthy? What is the right number of hours one should sleep? What works for me doesn’t work as well for others.
Yet here’s one set-up that doesn’t seem to work for anybody: damn the consequences, sleepwalk through your semester, skip most of your classes other than the ones immediately preceding exams and the exams themselves. Play catch-up in the wee hours of the morning. Start seeing the sunrise come over your unfinished work over and over again. Most importantly, stock up on your favorite soft drinks and foods that have high sugar content. Drink up ‘cause you’re young and will always be strong.
This approach fails for many who attempt it. It only makes sense until you try to account for the “extra time” that should have been saved. But the time is nowhere to be found. Homework starts taking longer to do. Procrastination periods get longer, too. And you’re constantly hungry and eating junk food. Before you know it, 24-hour days are no longer enough to do all that you planned. You gain weight. You’re tired. All you want to do is sleep.
Now I’m not even going to attempt to give advice on how not to fall behind with schoolwork. That would be a good joke on my part. But I am going to say this about health: yes, we are indeed young. First we’re right, and then we’re somehow terribly wrong. Contrary to how we feel, we are not invincible. Not sleeping leaves our bodies very weak, and the intake of sugar depresses our immune system. If we leave our doors wide open, it doesn’t matter if we’re talking about a common cold or cancer. If something tries to get in, it will, and sugar is the preferred supply of food when it comes to cancer. The saying “sugar feeds cancer” is derived from that understanding.
So what does all this mean to you? I’m not trying to say that controlling your insulin levels will make you invulnerable to cancer. But many studies have shown that the way we take care of ourselves may play a role with some types of cancer, so be proactive about your health. And while I’m giving unsolicited advice, I’d like to add that if you’re female, you should also make every attempt to get screened by a gynecologist for cervical cancer once a year. Every little bit helps.
Editor’s Note: Elena Sebe is a co-chair for the Relay for Life fundraising event that will take place on April 27. “Not the C-Word!” is a column granted by The Poly Editorial Board to promote cancer awareness during Cancer Control Month. Views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Poly or the Relay committee.
