Why is young generation always tired and sleepy?

Trouble getting up on school days, dozing off in class, marathon lie-ins at weekends ... You’d be forgiven for thinking teenagers sleep their lives away.

In fact, the opposite is true. Sleep experts say teens today are sleeping less than they ever have. This is a worry, as there's a link between sleep deprivation and accidents, obesity and cardiovascular disorders.

Physiological changes, social pressures and external factors such as TVs and other stimulating gadgets in the bedroom contribute to late nights and mood swings.

Lack of sleep also affects teenagers' education, as it can leave them too tired to concentrate in class and perform to their best ability in exams.

Teen sleep thieves

Our sleep patterns are dictated by light and hormones. When light dims in the evening, we produce a chemical called melatonin, which gives the body clock its cue, telling us it’s time to sleep.

“The problem is that society has changed,” says Dr Paul Gringras,

consultant paediatrician and director of the Evelina Paediatric Sleep Disorder Service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

“Artificial light has disrupted our sleep patterns. Bright room lighting, TVs, games consoles and PCs can all emit enough light to stop the natural production of melatonin.”

Other distractions include mobile phones and instant messaging, which teens may use well into the night.

These all worsen the usual changes taking place in the body during adolescence, which means teenagers fall asleep later in the evening.

“That wouldn’t be a problem if there was no need to get up early in the morning for school,” says Dr Gringras.

“The early-morning wake-ups mean they’re not getting the average eight to nine hours of sleep. The result is a tired and cranky teenager.”

Several school districts in the US have introduced later start times for pupils in an effort to improve their performance, although results have been mixed.

How the body clock affects sleep

"Catching up on sleep at weekends isn’t ideal. Late nights and long lie-ins further disrupt the body clock," says Dr Gringras.

In severe cases, an individual’s body clock can be so different to everyone else's that they can’t fall asleep until late at night. This condition is called delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). It's similar to the feeling of jet lag and is a disorder of the body’s timing system.

Treatment for DSPS includes bright light therapy – such as exposure to a bright light for about half an hour every morning – and chronotherapy, which involves restoring the individual’s natural sleep phase.

“Sometimes we give a small dose of melatonin in the evening, about an hour or so before bedtime,” says Dr Gringras. “Over the long term, this helps to reset the body clock.”

“However tired they feel, they should avoid lie-ins at the weekend. They should get exposure to outdoor light,” he says.

Best exercises for a flat stomach

A bulging stomach is a problem area for most mortals. Even those who are naturally thin tend to develop a paunch as they step into their 30s.

Our stomachs store fat for a number of reasons; these reasons range from the genetic to plain abuse of food and drink, with little to no exercise. Often, those who invest heavily in exercise and diet to banish the bulging stomach, do so with a vague and incorrect idea of what is needed for a flat stomach. Today, we give you a few exercises that will strengthen and create lean abdominal muscles, help you eliminate a flabby belly and give you a flat stomach that helps you fight disease and ill-health.

The key to a flat stomach is combination

To kick that tummy fat, simply belting away crunches or pushups is not enough. A solo act can't lead to a flat tummy or fat loss. Fitness expert, Sophia Yasmin says, "In my opinion spot reduction is not possible, there is no way to target a particular part of the body for fat loss."

Your goal should be to build muscle, and focus on fat loss. Whether you are able to drop weight before attempting muscle toning, or tone muscle and then cut fat, depends entirely on how overweight you are, and how many inches you need to lose.

Follow patterned full body exercises like skipping and running to burn energy at an elevated heartrate. The kind of food you eat also helps to cut down that visible and visceral fat. A balanced healthy diet is essential for stomach fat loss.

Drink plenty of water and stay off from stress and anxiety and limit your salt intake. Besides get enough sleep to kick your belly fat.

Mentioned ahead are exercises that will help get a flat stomach.

Note: These exercises will only help you get rid of stomach fat if you practise them in combination with a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet.

Funky standing abs

This is one of the best and easiest exercises to begin with. Stand with your feet below your shoulders, and then tighten your abs slowly bending your knees.

Tilt your pelvis forward, so that your back is curved. Come back to the centre and tilt pelvis backward. Perform this exercise 15 times on either side, or as your workout permits.

Chair leg lifts

Perform this exercise using any kind of chair.

All you have to do is, sit straight with your back flat against the chair, place your hands on the seat of your chair, then slowly lift your knees towards your chest and slowly restore them back.

Carry out slow breathing while doing this. Perform this 2 set exercise at least 10-15 times.

Crunches

This is a good exercise for upper, lower and oblique abdominal muscles. Begin by lying flat on the ground, with your feet placed firmly on the ground, clasp your hands behind your head.

Raise your upper body by squeezing your abdominal muscles and when you are halfway through, hold on for 3 seconds.

Then bring back your body back to floor, slowly. Do at least 30 crunches per set.

Perpendicular exercise

Lie flat on your back, with your hands behind your back. Breathe out, as you lift your legs over your hips so they are perpendicular to the floor; slightly extend the distance between your legs.

Breathe in as you lower down your legs. Start up with 4 to 5 sets, and then increase it to 10.

Dumbbell bends

This exercise is useful for your oblique muscles. Start with grabbing a dumbbell, holding it in your right hand; see to it that your palm is facing your body.

Your feet should be at a shoulder-width distance. Slowly place your left hand on your hip and bend your upper body towards the right, while keeping your head and body facing forward.

Bring back your body to normal position and then repeat the same movement on the left side. Practice 20 repetitions.

Bicycle exercise

Bicycle is the best exercise for toning your stomach. It helps by keeping your stomach stable, along with movements, which burns fat.

Perform this exercise by lying on the floor, place your hands behind your head and bring your knees off the floor.

Bring your right elbow towards your left knee while performing cycling motion, and then switch your elbow position.

Side exercise

This exercise targets your oblique, core muscles and shoulders. Stand straight, with your feet at approximately the width of your hips. Slowly bend your knees and hold dumbbells in each hand.

Lift your hands up, so that the dumbbells are above your head and relax. Then lean your arms, head and torso to the right till 2 counts, then come back to the original position and then repeat it to the left side.

Carry out at least 10 repetitions.

Planks

Lie on the floor, with your face down, upper body supported on your forearms. Raise your entire body off the floor, with the support of your forearms and toes form a straight line.

Carry out 3 repetitions, with 15 to 20 seconds hold.

Clock exercise

To carry out this exercise, you may need an exercise ball. Rest your back on the ball with your feet aligned with your hips.

Stretch your arms over your head, contracting your abdominal muscles, and then rotate your body like a clock. Carry out 10 rotations in each side.

10 Top Health Benefits of Kissing......

                                         

They say you will always remember your first kiss and since kissing is activity most individuals enjoy, imagine kissing your way to better health. From improving your teeth to burning calories, there are many joys of kissing. So grab that special someone and smooch your way to improved health.

7 solid reasons why you're not losing weight

Do you keep piling on the kilos, no matter how many diets you try? The problem may have more to do with your general health than with your food. Here are simple solutions that can help you beat the bulge.

8 Things women desperately want from men

Someone once said 'To generalize on women is dangerous. To specialize on them is infinitely worse'.

Well, what women want still remains the unanswered question across the globe. However, men needn't lose hope for all is not lost. There are still a good number of things that most women like. Here are a few from the long list which can perhaps help you make her fall head over heels in love with you. Take your pick to woo and sweep her off her feet!

Superman: Women love to be protected. So show in more ways than one to prove that you will be her saviour should your damsel land in distress! Women are always in awe of men who can step up in times of conflicts. Be sure you grab every opportunity that situation throws at you.

Smell good: Deodorant Ads may be going overboard showing men being lured by women's perfume. But the other way is also true. Choose a deo that suits you. Especially if it's your first date, it's best not to try anything experimental. Know what smells best on you. Remember, what smelt heavenly on your friend might stink on your skin! For everything depends on your body odour. When you spray perfume on your body, what you smell is a combination of the deo spray and your body odour. Choose wise.

Surprises galore: Women love surprises be it chocolates, love notes, gifts or even a bouquet of flowers. Women don't mind them in any numbers. You are sure to score brownie points with this one!

Transparency: Honesty is still the best policy. Never lie to her if you are thinking of a long-term relationship. Never mind you will face some initial flak, but eventually you will win over her trust.

Perfect body: What with the celebrities being obsessed with getting a six pack or eight pack abs, girls too go ga ga over men with a well-toned body. Get into the habit of regular workout so you can make heads turn!

Dress well: Nothing turns off a women than a poorly-dressed man. Do a style-check, spot the trends in fashion, speak to a stylist to find out what looks best on you. Clothes maketh man literally!

Crowning glory: Nothing like a funky haircut! A good hairstyle can give you a different look altogether. What are you waiting for? Get that stunner look so you can impress that chick you have been eyeing.

Magic of your hands: You might have taken your girlfriend to the hottest restaurants in town, yet she will not mind if you can cook one of her favourite dishes (or even plain instant noodles) when she's hungry. Such moments are never forgotten.

There's a joke doing the rounds that 'A woman's mind is cleaner than a man's That's because she changes it more often'. However, there are some things that remain constant.

How fat may hurt the brain, and how exercise may help

Obesity may have harmful effects on the brain, and exercise may counteract many of those negative effects, according to sophisticated new neurological experiments with mice, even when the animals do not lose much weight. While it’s impossible to know if human brains respond in precisely the same way to fat and physical activity,

Ten lies about HIV AIDS

For nearly 30 years, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) have been shrouded in many myths and misconceptions. In some cases, these mistaken ideas have prompted the very behaviors that cause more people to become HIV-positive. Although unanswered questions about HIV remain, researchers have learned a great deal. Here are the top ten myths about HIV, along with the facts to dispute them

AIDS is a curable disease now.....

When scientists made the stunning announcement last year that a baby born with H.I.V. had apparently been cured through aggressive drug treatment just 30 hours after birth, there was immediate skepticism that the child had been infected in the first place. But on Wednesday,

Space gives humans clue on how to fight cancers

Space is now teaching man how to cure some of the most aggressive cancers. Scientists have found that the aggression of some tumours seem to be much less in the microgravity environment of space compared to their behaviour on Earth.

Black skin, a response to skin cancer risk

The ability of ultraviolet radiation to cause skin cancer is well established. Yet, it is only “generally believed” that the development of dark skin by people in Africa was an adaptive response to protect them from the damaging effects of UV rays. Also, the harmful impact of UV rays

Why the smell of food makes you hungrier

Why the smell of food makes you hungrier

Traditional families regularly practice days of fasting, during which they would skip meals — be it on Maha Sivaratri, days of the Ramzan month, or some even on a New Moon Day.

Some of these people who do such fasting claim that they end up eating more than the usual meal when they break the fast — and that the very smell of food makes them hungrier and to eat more than the normal portion. Is this true or just a feeling of an emptied stomach?

Branch of science

Well the branch of science called “hedonics” (note its connection with the phrase ‘hedonistic’), which is a study of pleasant and unpleasant sensations and states of the mind, seems to have an answer.

A recent paper in the professional journal titled Appetite (how appropriately named!) reports that fasting for 24 hours improves nasal chemosensory performance (meaning improves the sense of smell) and food palatability (meaning makes you eat more than usual and enjoy it as well). In other words, changes in smell function can modify feeding behaviour.

This group of scientists from Canada inducted a group of nine men and six women as volunteers and tested their threshold of smell by asking them to smell a set of “sniffing sticks” on two separate occasions — first when they had a proper meal and so were “fed”, and later when they were asked to go without any food for 24 hours, or “fasted”.

The odour threshold and discriminatory power were higher in the “fasted” group than in the “fed” group. So too was the palatability of the food.

Body weight

There was also a correlation between the odour threshold and the body weight of the volunteers, but this was more so in women than in men. The researchers concluded that fasting for 24 hours improves smell function and increases palatability.

It is still not clear why this is related to the body weight and the sex of the individuals. More research is needed to confirm this correlation, but we cannot yet dismiss their work as “fishy”!

Now comes a recent paper in the February 9 issue of the rather more prosaically named journal Nature Neuroscience, from a group of European scientists led by Dr Giovanni Marsicano of Bordeaux, France.

They wanted to unravel the mechanisms behind why hunger arouses sensory perception and increased food uptake.

To this end, they worked with mice because one can do direct in vivo testing on the neuronal circuits connected with sensory perceptions in the regions of the brain of live mice.

One can also work with such mice which are genetically devoid of genes which are connected with the odour perception circuit in the brain (genetically manipulated mice in which these genes are “knocked out”, so as to make them lose odour perception).

Earlier work by the Marsicano group showed that the molecule in the neurons in the mouse brain which triggers odour perception is called CB1 receptor.

Marijuana effect

This receptor, incidentally, responds to the smell of marijuana (also called hemp, hashish, or bhang, ganja, bangi, kanjavu, bangiaku in various Indian languages), and is technically called cannabinoid receptor 1 or CB1R. Though called cannabinoid receptor, CB1R responds to a variety of smells.

The group now started working with two sets of mice, one termed the control group and the other, the experimental group, members of which were given a bit of marijuana (actually the active molecule from this is called tetrahydrocannabiniol or THC) to activate their CB1R.

Now they analysed the smelling and eating patterns of the two groups for comparison. First they were both made to sniff almond oil.

The THC administered mice were seen to sniff longer and deeper, and also to eat more feed than the control group of mice. Thus, the connection between activation of the odour perception circuit in the brain and greater intake of food was seen to be true.

No difference

Next, they recruited knock-out mice in which CB1R was absent and hence no smell perception. Administering them with THC made no difference.

Thus, the role of odour perception to feeding became clarified.

Then, they made a group fast for 24 hours with no feed at all and these behaved the same way as the ones treated with THC in the first set of experiments. Those ‘fasted’ mice smelt the food longer and ate more than the control group mice.

Thus what was seen in humans by the Canadians is true with mice as well, plus we now implicate the role of the odour sensor neurons and the CB1 receptor in the process.

So, now we know why the some food, when hot and steamy tastes better than when it is cold.

May be weight watchers should watch the temperature of their daily diet as well (and may be eat cold food?), and maybe those with anorexia should check their odour perception first, and repair that first rather than go on long binges of fasting.

10 ways to manage stress for college student.................................

“When you get to college, it’s usually a fairly sizable life change,” says J. David Forbes, MD, a Nashville, Tenn., physician specializing in stress management. “It’s the first time you’re off on your own. You’re out from any kind of adult jurisdiction. That can bring an overwhelming number of choices.”

Stress occurs when your tension level exceeds your energy level, resulting in an overloaded feeling. “As long as our available energy exceeds our tension level, then we’re in an okay state,” Dr. Forbes says. “But if energy is low and tensions are higher, then that can result in a state of anxiety, depression, and feeling overwhelmed.”

College: Stress Management

If you feel like your brain is melting under the crush of books, classes, and papers, don’t freak out. Follow our stress-management tips to help relieve the pressure.

1. Get enough sleep. It may be tempting to hit the hay at 4 a.m. and then attend an 8 a.m. class, but shortchanging yourself on rest can increase your stress level. “Winging it on not much sleep has a profound effect on how we experience the stressors of the day,” Forbes says. Plus, insufficient sleep can put you at risk for serious illnesses, such as diabetes, obesity, and depression. Adults typically need seven to nine hours of sleep a night for best health. Forbes also recommends that you align your sleep schedule with normal resting hours by getting to bed before midnight, rather than staying up until dawn and sleeping until mid-afternoon. “The more that our internal clock is closely aligned with the clock of the sun, the better it is,” Forbes says.
2. Eat well. A steady diet of pizza and vending-machine fare can decrease energy levels in the body, leading to a lower threshold for stress. “You end up feeling very tired and looking for the same [junk food] to kick you back up,” Forbes says. “It’s a lousy cycle of hunting for short-term comfort food or sugar highs that actually keep you feeling worse.” Follow a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
3. Exercise. When you’re stressed, moving around may be the last thing you feel like doing. But as little as 20 minutes a day of physical activity can reduce stress levels. Forbes says just three or four half-hour sessions can lighten stress considerably. As for what type of exercise, try something that you enjoy doing, like swimming or yoga. “You’re not going to continue something you don’t like,” Forbes notes.
4. Avoid unnatural energy boosters. Artificial stimulants like caffeine pills or prescription meds may help you stay awake for that all-night study session, but putting off your body’s need to sleep will ultimately result in an energy crash, resulting again in a greater susceptibility to stress. “It’s like clipping the wires to your fire alarm while the house burns down,” Forbes says. “Just because you didn’t hear it doesn’t mean the house didn’t burn.”
5. Get emotional support. Adjusting to college can be difficult, and venting your frustrations to a trusted friend can go a long way in fighting stress. “It’s a way to empty out tensions and make them lower,” Forbes says. Choose a friend or family member who won’t be judgmental or try to give lots of advice. Or seek the help of a professional counselor or psychologist. To find a trusted practitioner, check with your student health center for recommendations.
6. Don’t give up your passions. Your schedule may be filled with lectures and study groups, but try to find at least a couple of hours each week to pursue a hobby or other activity that you enjoy. “Do something that feeds the peace of your soul in some way and stay connected with it,” Forbes says. “It promotes the anti-stress physiology of your body.” Not sure what your passion is? VisitFindmyhobby.com, a directory of Web sites devoted to almost every kind of pastime.
7. Try not to overload yourself. Between classes, extracurricular groups, and maybe even a job, it’s easy for students to take on more than they can handle. If you’ve signed up for an excessive number of courses, don’t be afraid to drop one, and remember that you can always say no when you’re asked to organize the Latin Club’s annual yard sale. “Take good, loving care of yourself,” Forbes says. “You are your own parent from here on out. Start caring for yourself like you would for a child in your charge.”
8. Avoid relaxing with alcohol. Having three or four beers to unwind after a hard day of studying may seem perfectly logical, but any unresolved stress that you have will just come flooding back after your buzz subsides. Plus, if you overindulge, you may have to deal with unpleasant side effects, like nausea and hangovers, later on. If you find yourself drinking regularly before noon, become anxious at the prospect of not drinking, or become unable to “just have one,” you may be developing alcohol dependence. Your student health center or the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service at 800-662-HELP can assist you in finding professional help.
9. Breathe. When you feel stressed, deep-breathing exercises can help melt away the tension. Try this exercise: Inhale slowly through your nose, hold the breath for a few seconds, then exhale through your mouth, and repeat as needed. This helps prevent the short, shallow breaths that often accompany feelings of tension.
10. Get a massage. If you’re feeling frazzled, try putting yourself in someone else’s hands — literally. Stress often causes your muscles to become tight and knotted, and a professional massage therapist can help to loosen them, providing stress relief. Educational requirements for massage therapists vary from state to state, so finding a knowledgeable one can be tricky.

SOME FRUITY GOSSIPS

SOME FRUITY GOSSIPS

5 Fruits for a glowing skin

That fruits are the best medicine is a well known fact. We also know that a cup of fruit juice a day is sure to guarantee a clear complexion. How about a massage with a fruit pulp or a fruit facial? Fruit facials have been there for at least a decade now. But with people getting more wary of effect of chemicals on the skin, a majority of them are now resorting to using something from their own kitchen. What better way to pamper your skin than with pure stuff which is free of toxins and not harmful to your skin?

Besides the fact that they hydrate and rejuvenate your skin, the very smell of a fruit on your face is quite de-stressing. Unlike the chemical beauty treatments, fruits are cost-effective, natural and also bring a visible difference. Here are a few fruits and their properties, choose what suits you best!

Banana: This is one fruit that's abundantly available in India all through the year. We know it's a good source of iron, magnesium and potassium and helps reduce menstrual cramps. The effect of banana on skin too is not something that can be ignored. Bananas are rich in vitamin A, B and E and hence works as an anti-aging agent. A fresh mashed banana facial can do wonders for your skin.

Lemon: Lemon juice is an important ingredient in most Indian recipes. This is also a fruit of all seasons and almost always finds place on your kitchen shelf or refrigerator. With its vitamin C content, its juice will keep your skin beautiful. A glass of warm water with a tsp of honey and a dash of lemon juice on an empty stomach every morning is a great skin cleanser. With its astringent properties, it can be used to lighten the skin tone and also diminish acne scars. Rub the inside of a lemon peel on your elbow remove dark spots. Mix lemon and honey and use it as a natural bleach on your skin.

Apple: An apple a day keeps the doctor away is cliched, but its health benefits are undisputable. Apple's antioxidant property prevents cell and tissue damage. Studies by nutritionists have shown that apples contain abundant amounts of elastin and collagen that help keep the skin young. Applying a mixture of mashed apple, honey, rose water and oatmeal can act as a great exfoliating mask on your skin.

Orange: Rich in vitamin C that improves skin texture. Like apple, orange too contains collagen that slows skin aging process. Rub the insides of orange on your skin to tighten the skin. Oranges can be dried and powdered and used as a natural scrub. Like lemon, oranges too help clear skin blemishes.

Papaya: The benefits of this fruit on skin have perhaps been talked about since the time of our ancestors. Papaya is rich in antioxidants and contain a special enzyme called papain that can kill dead cells and cure skin impurities. A glass of papaya milk or just applying the flesh of papaya on your skin can do wonders to your skin.

Mango: Rightly called the king of fruits for not just its taste but also for health benefits. The soft pulpy fruit has an amazing effect on skin too. Rich in vitamin-A and rich antioxidants, it fights against skin aging, regenerates skin cells and restores the elasticity of skin.

Don’t discard the fruit peel

The next time you start peeling that apple before eating, think twice. If experts are to be believed, eating certain fruits and vegetables with the peel is far healthier.

Says clinical nutritionist Ishi Khosla, "People tend to overlook basic nutritious facts about the foods they prepare. The trend of eating various foods without their skin causes one to miss out on the beneficial effects of essential nutrients. For example, almond skin is a good source of antioxidants. The flavonoids in almond skin team up with the vitamin E in the nut, doubling the antioxidant punch. Almond skin contains polyphones as well, which help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Almonds are also high in fiber,  protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients."

Adds dietician Dr Rajnish Verma, "Eating the skin of certain fruits and vegetables can boost your vitamin intake, increase energy levels and even combat cancer. The outer layer of fruits is rich in potassium and healthy sodium. These provide the roughage to scrub out the intestinal tract."

Says Khosla, "Orange and lemon peels can be added to cakes and pastries. Orange peel not only enhances the taste, but also provides four times more fibre than the fruit. Unpeeled cucumber also contains many vital nutrients. It is a major source of Vitamin K (essential for blood clotting), Vitamin C and magnesium."

Why you should drink orange juice

Drinking a glass of orange juice a day can keep your skin glowing and keep cold away. Orange juice is known to contain a high percentage of Vitamin C, which is helpful in boosting the immune system. 

So, you will be less likely to catch various illnesses, such as cold or flu. Also, medical studies show that orange juice may help lower both cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

What's your squeeze? 
Don't mix sugar with orange juice. Always remember that you do not need to drink a whole lot of orange juice in order to get these healthy benefits. In fact, since orange juice is fairly high in calories, avoid drinking too much of the stuff. If you are drinking canned orange juice, then be sure to check the sugar content on the label when choosing orange juice if you really want to get the highest amount of health benefits from your orange juice and, ultimately, prevent weight gain (since high sugar levels can cause it).

Pulp fiction 
It is often said that orange juice containing pulp tends to be healthier for the body, but it is an issue that is often debated. If you have a stomach condition, remember that orange juice is very acidic and for that reason, it may cause a stomach upset. Due to its acidity, orange juice can also cause tooth damage, if left uncared for.

Cancer MYTHS Don't Believe the Lies...........

Cancer is the one of the scariest diseases and a major cause of mortality all over the world. And the main reason behind this fear is the prevalence of myths about cancer which till date cause an interference with thinking of people in the community as well as people having cancer. Today, on Feb 4, recognized as World Cancer Day, let’s target some common myths about the causes, treatment and prevention of cancer. Let’s educate ourselves and spread accurate information about cancer within our family and community. 

Myth 1: Nothing can be done about cancer. Treatment is only meant to delay death

Fact: With early diagnosis and right treatment strategies, one third of common cancers can be prevented and treated. According to 2008 statistics on cancer survivors, 0.64 million deaths were reported in India. This number has reduced to 0.56 million according to the 2010 statistics. Although the change is not that significant, but there’s surely a reduction in death cases. The number of cancer survivors is increasing day-by-day. Moreover, with latest developments in cancer treatment, the quality of life of cancer patients can now be improved to a great extent. 

Myth 2: You cannot control your risk of getting cancer

Fact: There’s no single magical spell that can completely prevent cancer, but with awareness, lifestyle and dietary changes, the risk of cancer can be reduced greatly. 

Myth 3: If you don’t have anyone in your family suffering from cancer, you have nothing to worry about

Fact: It’s true that cancer is hereditary, but only 5 to 10 percent of cancers are inherited through genes. Mutation in cancer causing genes is the main reason why cancer develops during a lifetime. These changes mainly occur due to smoking, tobacco use, radiation and exposure to different chemicals. 

Myth 4: Frequent use of deodorants, antiperspirants and hair colors or dyes can cause cancer.

Fact: There is scientific proof that these things can cause cancer or even increase cancer risk. Use of chemicals can be harmful to the body in a lot of ways, but it definitely does not cause cancer.

Myth 5: All cancers are painful despite advances in treatment

Fact: Pain is common in patients suffering from cancer. But, the developments in pain management techniques are truly remarkable and cancer pain can now be treated successfully in 95 percent of cancer cases. 

Myth 6: Drinking water from bottles made of re-used plastic can cause cancer or drinking bottled water that’s been kept in a car for a long time can cause cancer due to release of some chemicals.

Fact: Neither of them is true. According to the American Cancer Society and Cancer Research UK, drinking water from bottles made from re-used plastic does not cause cancer or increase the risk of cancer. Chemicals that are released from bottled water are not yet scientifically proven to be carcinogenic.  

Myth 7: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer treatment is worse than getting the disease.

Fact: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy have their own side effects and can be undesirable at times, but recent advances have made chemotherapy drugs and other treatments much tolerable. There’s a lot of scope in cancer treatment to ease side effects and improve the quality of life. 

Myth 8: With daily use of sunscreen, you can prevent skin cancers

Fact: Using sunscreens everyday is good habit because it protects you from the sun’s UV radiation. It may reduce cancer risk but we cannot yet rely on sunscreen to eliminate the risk of cancer completely.

Myth 9: Smoking a couple of cigarettes in a day will not cause cancer.

Fact: Smoking is still the greatest contributor of cancer cases worldwide. Researchers believe that the relation between cancer risk and smoking is linear. Even if you cut down on smoking from 20 cigarettes to just say 2 cigarettes per day, your risk of dying due to other smoking related diseases (cancer, heart diseases, lung dysfunction) is reduced by just 5 percent. 

Myth 10: Constant use of mobile phones can result in brain cancer.

Fact: Constant use of mobile phones is definitely not advisable because it might be harmful to the ears. But there is no established relationship between cell phone use and brain cancer. One such study analyzing the risk of cancer with mobile phones was carried out by experts at Danish Cancer Society. They screened about 420,000 mobile users in Denmark and found absolutely no relation between cancer incidence and mobiles. Other studies from the New England Journal of Medicine also report no connection. But researchers have not totally eliminated the possibility. More research is required to confirm the risk