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BE – AWARE: CERVICAL CANCER

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Recently, I received a call from a friend whose aunt complained of post-menopausal bleeding. My first thought was could it be ‘cervical cancer’ but, I did not voice my concern, instead asked her to take her aunt for a PAP SMEAR Test.

Unfortunately, the results indeed matched my concern. She was diagnosed to have Cervical cancer. This was not the first time that I had come across a case of Cervical Cancer as the numbers have been on the rise for the last decade.

According to a study titled Epidemiology of cervical cancer with special focus on India, every year in India 1,22,844 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 67,477 die from the disease. India has a population of 432.2 million women aged 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cancer. It is the 2nd most common cancer in women aged 15–44 years.

(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4404964)

As per world statistics, India’s contribution to cervical cancer cases is 25.4%.  Majority of the Indian women diagnosed with cervical cancer have never been screened for the disease and around 70% of these cases present in advance stages due to absence of any organized cervical cancer screening program. The most important risk factor for development of cervical cancer is persistent infection by a high-risk subset of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Cervical cancer being the third most common cancer in the world, very little is known about it among the masses.

What is cervical cancer? 

Cervical cancer is a disease that develops very slowly and begins with the precancerous condition known as dysplasia. Dysplasia is easily detected in a routine pap smear and is treatable.

High risk
1)Sexual history- has had multiple sexual partners OR established sexual relations before the age of 18 OR has a partner who has had sexual contact with a woman with HPV infection.
2) Smoking
3) Weakened Immunity
4) Giving birth at very young age
5) Long-term use of contraceptive pills
6) Family history

You need to look out for these signs

1) Bleeding that occurs between regular menstrual periods.
2) Bleeding after sexual intercourse, douching, or pelvic exam.
3) Menstrual periods that lasts longer and are heavier than before.
4) Bleeding after completingMenopause.
5) Increased vaginal discharge.
6) Pelvic pain

If you have noticed any of these symptoms, kindly consult your Doctor at the earliest.

Prevention:

As we know Prevention is better than Cure especially for any cancer, creating awareness becomes the first step towards that milestone.

Lifestyle plays an important role in the prevention of cervical cancer. Foods that are rich in Flavonoids (apples, black beans, broccoli, cabbage, garlic, onion, soy, and spinach), Folate (Avocados, strawberries, oranges, lentils) and Carotenoids (Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin) are seen to reduce the chances of cervical cancer.

Other than diet make sure you follow the below habits to keep Cervical cancer at bay;

  1. Regular Screening (PAP SMEAR) post the age of 30
  2. HPV vaccine (most effective when administered before start of sexual intercourse)
  3. Practising Safe sex
  4. Avoid Multiple sexual partners
  5. Delaying first sexual intercourse
  6. NoSmoking

There is an HPV Vaccination that is certified by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP). 2 doses of either of the two HPV vaccines for adolescent/pre-adolescent girls aged 9-14 years is recommended. However, this vaccination is optional. One should consult a Gynaecologist to know more about the vaccine and how it helps.

It is always better to be safe than sorry and as we have now seen. Being safe is the best way to prevent Cervical cancer.

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Fitness as a lifestyle rather than crunching of data

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Pavan Prabhakar is a busy corporate executive working with a leading IT firm in Bengaluru. Like every other busy professional his grouse was a sense of having no time for exercise and healthy eating. The worst was that he was aware that he was doing everything wrong but was nevertheless unable to rectify his situation. A suggestion from a colleague changed everything for him. Today, he is super active, he has lost weight and is even working towards running a marathon next year. Let’s understand from Pavan what and how things have changed for him in the last year.

I had a highly sedentary lifestyle. No exercise, No monitoring of what I eat or any kind of activity. It was a double whammy in the sense that I was neither attempting to check on what I was eating nor was I consciously attempting to do any exercise. All in all, there was zero discipline …in life…

I was aware of my issues and the only way I thought I could fix my situation was through a   wearable (fitness tracker). I knew a fitness band can get me active and healthy. The only fitness band I knew of was Fitbit. But, a colleague of mine at work suggested GOQii and also explained the coach factor to me.

I researched online and read more on the coaching service. That is what attracted me to GOQii. I needed somebody knowledgeable to nag me and get me on track. I needed to get some discipline in Life and do the right things so as to be fit and healthy.

I came on board GOQii in Oct 2015 with the aim to get fit and active, control and manage my weight and train for a fitness event such as the marathon. After a few weeks of having GOQii, I noticed the changes within myself.

Today, life is more disciplined and I am addicted (in a positive way) to GOQii. Thanks to my coach I am doing all the right things. I have stopped snacking, I am eating healthily and also exercising daily. I am doing all those things which I thought was impossible to do.

The outcome of being active and eating right has resulted in my BP being controlled and 8 kgs of weight loss.. I also enrolled into a gym, on the insistence of my coach, for strength training. I do cardiovascular exercises and strength training in addition to walking. Tabata and Interval Training is also added to my routine now.

The GOQii band, according to me, is one of the best in its class. The whole concept of looking at fitness as a “Well-being solution” rather than just crunching data is what differentiates GOQii from the others. It is this differentiation that lured me toward it.

It’s been almost a year and have seen amazing results. The “Coach Concept” is like having a virtual well-wisher for you who keeps monitoring your steps, intake, and workouts. In addition, throughout the process, my coach is able to offer, some great advice. You also get some very informative (myths busted) nutrition-related mails from the master coach.

I am very happy to report that I am now addicted to the habit of watching my step count quite a few times a day…I am cognizant of what I eat, thanks to the log feature of the app. I go for regular walks. What was initially 20 minutes has now increased to 45 minutes.

I am hooked on to achieving my goals. I like to see myself getting the necessary step counts on a daily basis. From 7k steps, I increased to 9k steps and now I clock 15k steps daily. Soon, I am going to increase it to 20k steps. I am also happy that I now fit into my earlier clothes. And I have more energy! I have even reduced my coffee intake from 3 cups to 1 and stopped snacking.

Overall, I feel good about myself. I am more confident and my attitude towards life has changed. My goal going forward is to run a marathon.

What does Pavan’s coach Dhruvi Rathod have to say?

Rolling back to the day when I first spoke with Pavan, I figured he was clear in his head and knew what he was doing, what was right and what needed to be improved. There were quite a few things we discussed during the call -laying our focus on reducing weight and leading a healthy life.

It was not very difficult for me to convince and convey the concept of healthy, mindful eating with some regular workouts. With all the intentions to improve and create a healthier person, we started our journey with small changes like from walking for 20 mins to 45 mins daily, having balanced meals instead of unhealthy snacking, and having an increased water intake. It took but a few days for Pavan to incorporate all these changes.

Each time we connected to review our goals, we had more goals accomplished and always were ready to move forward to that “healthy self” he wanted to become

We inched ahead with inclusion of some high intensity exercises like Tabata, interval training.   We supported it with some good nutrition by making pre and post workout snacks as a daily ritual.

Meanwhile, we also took up some challenges like completing 1 lakh steps in 10 days, doing a water detox, Doing 10 mins meditation etc..Pavan has been a quick learner and very open to try new things which are beneficial for his health…

He has become the model of what it means to create a truly healthy lifestyle rather than merely a collection of data points or biometric units.

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What is Coaching, Anyway?

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GOQii’s mission is to provide global access to health professionals who can help you to reach your best health potential. To do that, GOQii has cultivated a community of health coaches to help you on your journey towards better health habits and (by extension) a better quality of life.

Just one thing, though….

What is a health coach?

Is it, like…a guy who is going to blow a whistle at me and tell me what to do throughout the day?

Nope.

Oh…so it’s someone who is just going to tell me what to eat and when?

Not….exactly…no.

Well – what the heck is a health coach, then?

Coaching is a relatively new vocation so far as vocations go. A purist working in an organization like the International Coaching Federation would say that coaching is:“A professional who will partner with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

Huh?

Basically…using this definition – a coach is intended to facilitate a relationship whereby YOU make the decisions about what goals YOU want to commit to. The coach is there to help ask the right questions to help you land on the appropriate goal. The coach is there to provide insights about the patterns he/she notices about what you are doing now. Finally, the coach is there to provide accountability for you by checking in on you regularly and asking about the goals you set in motion.

They use skills like Motivational Interviewing (an evidence based approach that helps people navigate confusion and ambivalence about changes they want to make in life) as well as visualization exercises and Socratic questioning.

So..then…what is a health coach?

A Health Coach is someone who integrates the skills and techniques of coaching (motivational interviewing, socratic questioning, etc.) alongside health education (giving you information that you may not know in order to help you make habit changes that are appropriate for the kinds of results you want to have).

Your GOQii coach is a health coach. They are trained health professionals who are qualified to give you information if you need it. BUT -the philosophy we follow, here, at GOQii is as follows:

  • Most people actually already know what to do – the challenge is in implementing it. They really just need accountability
  • Health isn’t about revamping your entire nutrition plan or following complex exercise routines all at once. It’s about making sustainable changes over time that turn into life-long habits and evolve into robust health in the long-term.
  • YOU know what you need better than anyone. Our job as your coach isn’t so much to tell you what to do as it is to help you unlock your own potential.
  • Yes – occasionally, you really do need some information. You might have read an article about health that confused you. You might not be sure about the next best step. If that is the case – we can and will help you by providing options for first steps – but at the end of the day, YOU are in charge. YOU decide.

So What Will Your First Coaching Call Look Like? 

  1. First, your coach will ask you what your long-term BIG PICTURE goal looks like.
    • What do you want to see change in the next year?
    • What kinds of people do you envision spending your time with?
    • What kinds of actions do you want to be doing?
    • EXAMPLE: “I want to be able to run a marathon by the end of the year.” or “I want to lose 40 pounds by the end of the year.”
  2. Second, your coach will ask you your
    • What will that change get you that you don’t have now?
    • What is motivating you to make that change?
    • EXAMPLE: “I used to love  I felt empowered by it. And lately, I haven’t felt very empowered. I want to feel that way again.” Or “I want to lose some weight so that my knees don’t hurt as much. I am struggling to keep up with my little 3-year old. I want to be able to play and run and hide and seek right along with her. I feel like my current weight is making that challenging for me because exercise is causing me physical pain.”
  3. Third, your coach will get you to identify a check-point to try and commit to in the next month.
    • In the next month, what would indicate to you that you were moving in the right direction?
    • How far do you want to try and be toward that long term goal by the end of the month?
    • EXAMPLE: “I want to be able to run at least 2 miles without stopping.” Or – “I would really like to have lost at least a couple of pounds by the end of the month.”
  4. Fourth, your coach will help you to take that goal and frame it into actions. It’s one thing to say you want to run a marathon. But that takes practice. Sure you might want to lose weight. But both of those things are Now you need to figure out which actions you want to take to get you there!
    • What is a specific action that you can take between now and next week that will move you toward your monthly check-point?
    • How will you monitor your progress on that?
    • How might you arrange your environment to optimize your success?
    • Who will you recruit as your support for that goal?
    • How will you reward yourself every time you engage in this behavior?
    • EXAMPLE: “I will make a commitment to run 20 minutes per day at least twice this week. I’m not sure, yet, how long I can go without stopping. But I will run/walk both times and push myself as far as I am comfortable. To monitor my progress, I’ll check in with the GOQii app and check it off on the list when I have completed my task. In order to assure that I run….I will put my running clothes out the night before so that I do it first thing in the morning. I’ll keep my GOQii coach for support, and I will reward myself after my run by allowing myself a download of a song on my music device or will download a new audiobook every time I complete the weekly goal.
  5. Fifth – your coach will wind up the conversation by summarizing what you have committed to. He or she will ask if you have any questions or are in need of any resources. Perhaps you are looking for some workout videos that are free. Or maybe you are looking for a quick and easy breakfast recipe that you might look at after your run. Whatever the case, your coach can help point you in the right direction and hold you accountable. And after wrapping up, your coach will set a follow-up appointment with you for the following month.
  6. Finally – your coach will follow up with you every day during the week via text to make sure you have all that you need. If you have questions along the way, you can reach out. If you feel like you’re struggling to find the motivation, your coach can help you identify what will get you back in the game.

Make no mistake – You are always the one in the driver’s seat. But your coach is there to be your copilot along the way. Your coach will help guide you along your journey and hold you accountable to the habits you want to put in place in order to get to the destination you ultimately want to get to.

Good luck – and Be The Force!

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Working towards your Health goals

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For the last couple of months I have been talking to GOQii players and tracing their journey to health and fitness. While doing so I realized how important it is for one to share their goals and their personal progression with others.If not for anything it’s simply a great ego booster and a motivator for the person to do much better going forward.

Working towards a health or fitness goal? Sharing your goals—and your progress!—with others can make a huge difference in how successful you are along the way. Research proves it. According to studies published in International journals, strong social circles can be very effective in combatting obesity and helping individuals succeed. It has also been proven that those who have shared their weight goals with their friends on social media have lost weight as compared to those who have kept their goals to themselves.

So what is it that makes one to achieve their goals easily if broadcasted?

Sharing Your Goals…Creates Accountability
Telling your family, friends, and colleagues about your goals creates the opportunity for someone to ask you about your progress down the road. And, knowing someone might be checking in can help you stay on track. If you have a coach or a personal trainer it becomes even more difficult to skip a day of training or chat on your diet.  That constant watch over you to get healthy and fit will only help you in the long run.

…Provides Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is defined as the process of recognizing and rewarding a desired behavior in an effort to encourage its continuance. Getting a pat on your back is always encouraging and give you a sense of self-worth and in this case it is nudging you to be healthier and a fit person. Positive reinforcements like “great job” and ‘keep up the good work’ helps you to alleviate any self-doubts that you may have about yourself and your ability to perform well. In other words it will only help you to stick to your health and fitness goals.

…Strengthens Your Support Network
Sharing your goals and receiving support from your social circle, encourages others to share and get support too—it’s a positive feedback loop, says Steven Ledbetter, an expert on behavior change and co-founder of Habitry. “Talking about your goals in a common space where you feel safe, creates an intentional community—you share values, like living your healthiest life possible, and help each other live up to those values,” says Ledbetter. The more you share, the stronger your community becomes, and the easier it is for everyone to reach their goals.

GOQii Can Help!

The GOQii app’s ‘Social’ section helps you connect with other players and share your experience and stories. Also the GOQii active Sunday’s are great enablers for players to share each other’s stories and health goals with each other and motivate each other to achieve those goals. So what are you waiting for, let’s get started.

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