How to take charge of your cervical health

17 Oct, 2020

Cervical cancer is unavoidable in the case of women who do nothing to prevent it. It is possible to avert your cervical cancer from naturally taking charge of your uterine health and making some slight variations in your lifestyle. Maintaining cervical health is a significant aspect of self-care for women. Silent but deadly. These are the terms most often used to define cervical cancer – a slow-growing virus that hardly causes symptoms in its early phases. Cervical cancer can occur at any age. Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). The cervix is the lower part of the female uterus that links to the vagina. Luckily, cervical cancer can often be prevented when pre-cancerous cells are sensed at an early stage.

Natural intrusions needed to sustain good cervical health often embrace changes to cervical cancer related to diet, lifestyle, and regular medical examination. Here’s how-

DIET CHANGES

The primary step to maintain good cervical health is to transform your dietary habits. You can do the following to endorse natural healing and repair of cervical cells: –

Eat foods rich in antioxidants like spinach, bananas, carrots, and sweet potato. These foods comprehend colour pigments called carotenoids that help avert the production of free radicals associated with oxidative stress and cancer development.
Consume naturally rich items in folic acid, including whole grains, kale, and other dark green leafy vegetables. Such foods help prevent uterine cancer by promoting the natural healing of damaged cervical cells.
Flavonoids are chemical compounds found in fruits and vegetables that are considered a major source of protection against cancer. The following are some examples of flavonoid-rich foods to include in your diet: Apples, Asparagus, Black bean, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cranberries, Garlic, Lettuce, and Lima beans.
Studies show that foods rich in folate (water-soluble B vitamins) decrease the risk of cervical cancer in people with HPV. It is likely that folate helps prevent HPV infection from recurrent, plummeting the risk of developing cancer. Foods rich in folate include Avocados, Chickpeas, Fortified cereals and bread, Lentils, Orange juice, Romaine lettuce, Strawberries, and more.
Some studies suggest that carotenoids, a source of vitamin A, are also supported in preventing the risk of cervical cancer.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

A healthy lifestyle that can help decrease your likelihoods of developing cervical cancer:

Avoid alcohol – Studies have shown a significantly higher risk for HPV persistence with females who drink alcohol regularly.
Stop smoking- Cigarette smoking doubles the risk of cervical cancer. Studies have revealed that tobacco by-products damage the DNA of cervical cells and may enforce the development of cervical cancer
Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep every day
Practice meditation and relaxation techniques to manage stress
Limit sugar
Practice safe sex- Use a condom every time you have sex, unprotected sex puts you at risk for dealing with sexually transmitted diseases that can growth your risk of getting HPV and maximize the probability of developing abnormal cervical changes.
Getting annual Pap smears screens to diagnose early cell changes- An HPV test checks for viruses in the cervix, which may cause abnormal cells that origin cervical cancer.
The last point is mainly vital because cervical cancer can be caused by the transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted. Therefore, you should know inside your spouse’s sexual history and practice safe sex to avert HPV infection.

CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING PROCEDURES

All women must undergo a routine gynecological examination every year, whether they are sexually active or inactive, pregnant, menstruating, or menopausal. During the examination, the doctor examines cervical cancer and other diseases, which the woman get may be at risk.

Pap test– The NCCC states that the test will comprise a Pap test, which will control if cellular changes arise in the cervix as well as in the HPV test, which can see the virus itself. These tests are recommended for women 30 and older. Screening frequency generally depends on the doctor’s predilection and patient risk. Further, if you have any discomfort in the context of altered mucous discharge, burning, itching or odor should be reported to the doctor. If recommended by a doctor, you should undergo HPV vaccination to avert contractionary infections during your vigorous sex life. In some cases where women have earlier had abnormal Pap test results, doctors may also do HPV DNA testing, which can detect HPV on a woman’s cervix.

HPV DNA test– HPV DNA testing includes testing cells collected from the cervix for contagion with any type of HPV that is most probable to origin cervical cancer.

Get vaccinated– Two vaccines, Servers, and Gardasil are accessible to protect against HPV types, which source the most cervical cancer as well as anal cancer in men. However, even if you are already diseased with one or more HPV types, the vaccine can defend you from other HPV types.

Women can take care of their cervical health by talking to their doctors about HPV and cervical cancer. In addition, a healthy diet and lifestyle is important to take charge of your cervical health