Chandigarh: If PGI doctors are to be believed, not eating food that contains turmeric as a spice (such as junk food), eating quickly and not sitting while having meals are among the major risk factors for cancer of stomach and intestines. Yoga is also advised to patients to prevent cancer and relieve the pain for those undergoing chemotherapy. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) experts; however, feel that these are hypotheses and it is difficult to ratify them as long-term studies are not feasible.

Prof Rakesh Kapoor, Department of Radiotherapy, PGI, said that owing to the fast life of today, people eat hurriedly. During the past, there was no gastrointestinal cancer as our ancestors used to sit and eat.

He added that the extract of food that we eat should be in the small intestine, stomach and large intestine at a certain time gap. The time gap is appropriate if one sits while eating. However, a difference in this time gap leads to irritation of the gut mucosa, leading to GI and stomach cancer.

Prof Kapoor mentioned that earlier we had no colon cancer. It is still highest in the West, where people eat meat, fatty food and regularly consume wine. However, we are following the western lifestyle now.

He; however, stated that this is all based on previous scientific knowledge and risk factor analysis.

Prof A Nand Kumar, former head of the ICMR’s cancer registry, said that unless studies are conducted and published, one cannot conclude the cause of cancer. He added that turmeric has antioxidant properties and is known to protect against cancer, and this has been published.