This week we had a young gentleman present to hospital with a 16cm testicular cancer. How someone can walk around with a giant swelling for so long without seeking medical advice is hard to fathom. On average it takes 2-3 months from the time a man notices a testicular lump to diagnosis and treatment. If you ask them “why didn’t you go to a doctor?” the responses range from: “I thought it would go away”, to “what if it’s cancer?”

The fact of the matter, is that if it’s a cancer, IT IS a cancer. Whether you fear it or deny it, the fact does not change, that the cancer is still there. We all have friends and family who are preoccupied with their health and fear illness. They constantly live in fear that they have some serious illness. They always think of the worst, “What if I have a complication from surgery? Or what if the disease has already spread?” We all wish to avoid suffering and that is perfectly understandable, but living in fear that something might happen, is like a magnet attracting it towards you. The other extreme is the individual, more commonly a male, who denies that there is a problem. This denial is actually fear in disguise.

The nature of the human body is that it is prone to problems. Despite it being a phenomenal instrument of profound complexity, the body will develop sickness. When you study the human body, it is actually is amazing that problems do not occur more commonly. A healthy lifestyle offers some protection against sickness, but even if you have a pristine diet, practice yoga, meditate and do all the “right” things, there is no guarantee. 

The solution is to live a sensible life, taking the necessary precautions, avoiding things that are clearly bad for us in the long run, and adopting habits and choices that offer us protection against illness. An annual check up with the Doctor for easily detected problems such as diabetes, hypertension, and screening for various cancers such as cervical, bowel and prostate will allow early detection and treatment if necessary. Use meditation to clear the mind of unwanted and unnecessary mental distortions such as fear, anxiety, hatred, anger, jealousy, so that it has the clarity to address problems if and when they occur.

Wishing you best in Health and Wellness