Student 24/7 Feb 2014 | Page 19

HEALTH Get your BMI right! Lebogang Masemula Being fit does not depend on the size you wear but your BMI (Body Mass Index) score. Welcome back to yet another year of s(u)ccess. I trust you all enjoyed yourselves and had appropriate fun. But it`s now that time of the year were we all have to work our butts off! Why not kick our academic year with a healthy lifestyle? It only takes eating a balanced meal portion of everything and a thirty minute exercise at least 3 times per week for one to be on the “safe” side. Body Mass Index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that apply to adult men and women. One major advantage of a healthy BMI score is that it protects you from numerous risks associated with obesity or a high BMI. tor to consider in your fitness plan. During my first year, I really thought walking to Building 24 was truly torture, but quite frankly; it was great exercise. In construct, exercising is not only going to a gym or jogging in the morning. A simple walk, dancing, and 10 squats per day can make a huge impact. Pertunia Madonsela, a second year BCom CA student feels that everyone should live a healthy lifestyle. She says it’s good for the immune system, and a healthy immune system means that you won’t easily get sick. She however emphasized that living a healthy lifestyle makes one feel good about their bodies and it boosts their self-esteem. The other day I was watching Kabelo’s Boot Camp on Mzansi Magic. He said something very profound: “Sixpacks are made in the kitchen, not in the gym. It`s 70% diet, 20% exercise and 10% genetics”. According to Kabelo Mabalane, what you eat is the most important fac- To sum up, s(u)ccess depends on the second letter. Evaluate your knowledge and learn a new healthy recipe every day. Denis Whitley once said “The real risk is doing nothing”. Now get up from that chair and get your BMI right! Reduce the risk of Cancer Kamogelo Madikwane Cancer doesn’t choose who we are, where we come from whether we are rich or poor, white or black. Did you know that we were all born with cancer cells in our bodies? Cancer was discovered in 1911 by Peyton Rous, when a farmer brought him a hen with a large lump in her breast, he then diagnosed the lump as a sarcoma- a tumour of cells in the connective tissue. Cancer cells are abnormal and multiply out of control, it is easier to treat the cancer when it is in its early stages. There are more than 200 different types of cancers, which can develop in different parts of your body, and on average a human being has 60 organs where cancer can develop. There are various treatment options that are available for cancer. Treat- ment options are different depending on which type of cancer you carry and how far it has grown and spread, amongst these treatments there is surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. If the doctor sees the necessity for the tumour to be cut out a surgery will be suggested, Chemotherapy treatment uses various types of drugs to kill the cells. Radiotherapy is a treatment that uses high energy beams of radiation which are focused on the cancer tissue. After chemotherapy cancer patients go through a traumatic stressful period where they feel numb, hair falls off and they don’t even have taste buds. They go through a very stressful and emotional period, especially when their close family and friends see them for the first time after their therapy they feel embarrassed and often don’t want to be seen that way. Nobody wants to go through such pain although we don’t choose to have the disease but we can reduce the risks of getting it. 5 HEALTHY TIPS ON HOW TO REDUCE CANCER 1. GREEN TEA Drinking green tea fights against various cancers. The antidioxants in the tea helps protect against a few number of cancers including breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer etc. green tea induces cancer cell death and starves the tumours by curbing the growth of the new blood vessels that feed them. 2. BROCCOLI Steam your broccoli instead of microwaving it; broccoli is a cancer preventing food, one we should eat frequently. Eat it as a snack or add it to soups and salads. Student 24/7 - 19