Shocked! This is the self-diagnosis that I made for myself, and I am sure many would agree with me, thanks to several widely circulated posts that run in the social media.
I am a nurse-educator with interest in nursing research and this passion makes me read through all those so-called proven research titles or news items that are being shared. I have this habit of having a look into Facebook every day, like a compulsory dose of a drug, before I go to bed. And the best time I get to do this is when my twin toddlers are off to sleep because otherwise it will be a tug of war for my smart phone.
I really wonder from where these news items surface; definitely the authenticity of the information is questionable. A few days back I read in an article of how “non-stick cookware is dangerous”. I am a fan of such cookware; for I’m a busy working woman who runs a marathon race in the kitchen. At least there won’t be any burnt food.
That’s when I read that even a slight scratch on the inside surface of such cookware can lead to cancer. At the office lunch hour the next day, the discussion was on this hot topic. Each of my female colleagues was adding to it, somebody even quoting familiar examples. My brain stores this, my mind settles to convince the brain that it is just a piece of information. At least by doing this I tried to avoid negativity.
The next day I get ready to prepare dosa and take out my favourite tava, the one I had very carefully chosen from the shop to make big dosas the way my family always enjoys. The first thing that came to my notice was a scratch on it. Now, I don’t know if it was already there, whether I had not seen it, or whether it is in the light of what I had read that I had found it.
The war starts between the brain and the mind. And one fine day I succumb and threw all my nonstick ware with scratches and asked my husband to buy new ones stating that it is not good as it is carcinogenic.
It didn’t stop there. The next day I read: “If you read this, you will throw your microwave out...” The article claimed that microwave heating or cooking causes cancer. Again the next day: “Hot foods in plastic container causes cancer.” I replaced all plastic with glassware. Then another day it was: “Eat these foods and stay away from cancer.” Of course there was a list of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants that it was claimed would prevent cancer.
But a group of students in the university where I work come out with a research finding that the pesticides used on the vegetables and fruits cause cancer. Tell me now, can we eat veggie salads raw? Or does soaking in vinegar-mixed water clear away the pesticides? Or cooking them? As this was being spoken of and analysed in our dissecting afternoon talks, my friend shared an article that received innumerable likes and many comments. Then, another article title went thus: “You have been cooking this the wrong way all your lifetime?”
Let me ignore it, I thought. But then my curiosity was kindled and I wanted to know what was that I had been cooking wrong all my life. I read it. “Bad news for non-vegetarians – eating meat causes cancer”, was the next one. Delving into the article I found hormones in the chicken are harmful, preservatives applied on fish to keep them fresh are even more dangerous. And to top it all, my friend’s colleague, a pure vegetarian, was diagnosed with cancer. The list of topics is endless and they deal with what we have been doing all our lives. I feel that we are all being brain-washed every second, every minute and every day.
I still believe in the power of positivity. With all the advancements in technology and early detection and screening methods, one day we will overcome cancer. But inducing “carcinophobia” is worse than the disease and it can leave a society handicapped. We are not to be blamed because we live in a world that allures us to read all that we see, but it is not needed to take in or trust all that we read. Instead, follow the right practices. To keep away from negativity and remain in positivity, mind-training is required.
I love to quote Swami Vivekananda, “Mind is like a magnet. If you think of blessings, you attract blessings. If you think of problems you attract problems. Always cultivate good thoughts and stay positive”.
