Do I need a "CANCER INSURANCE" - Find out why

Why you should consider a cancer insurance policy?

"You been diagnosed with cancer."
 Nobody would want this even in their worst dreams. The fact, however, is that today's lifestyle has increased the chances of getting cancer. Worse, there are over a 100 types of cancers and any part of the body can be affected. Further, anyone can fall victim to this deadly disease.

In fact, a recent study conducted in Britain by the British Journal of Cancer finds that the lifetime risk of getting diagnosed with cancer has increased over time - from 38.5% for men born in 1930 to 53.5% for men born in 1960. The study concluded that the lifetime risk of cancer for people born since 1960 is greater than 50 per cent now.

In India alone, about 10 lakh people are diagnosed with cancer every year and another six to seven lakh die of it. By 2035, these numbers may almost double to 17 lakh new patients and 12 lakh deaths per annum, according to a special research paper on cancer in India published in Lancet Oncology journal sometime ago.

Moreover, while the probability of getting cancer has increased substantially, the cost of treatment has also gone up many-fold in recent years. In fact, treatment costs now have the potential to wipe out a common man's entire life saving. Worse, the cost of treating cancer abroad can be several times that incurred in India, according to a Times of India report.

This is the reason why comprehensive medical insurance against cancer has become the need of the hour. Although most health insurance policies available in the market today cover almost all major critical illnesses, including cancer, but these policies generally pay only for inpatient hospitalization and for treatment at hospitals in India. They do not cover the entire cost of treatment. Also, the policy amount may not be enough as the common man generally does not go for a health policy of more than Rs 5 lakh. Such limitations may be overcome by opting for critical illness (CI) insurance which is designed to help cover medical expenses that your normal health insurance will not cover.

How to buy your right insurance policy?

Yoddhas is a Cancer support NGO (Regt with 80G,12A) Not-for-profit support community formed by patients and volunteers. It is India’s First Online Support Network for patients. It was started in 2013 by 28 year old patient, Rahul Yadav fighting Multiple- Myeloma a rare form of blood cancer.

We at Yoddhas are working to find various Cancer related insurances policies so that one can pre-emtively  insure and safeguard from the financial needs of cancer treatment.

While we tried studying various insurance policy, we explored various different policies which are active right now and being availed by the public. We also referred to many online websites like PolicyBazar.com and insurancepandit.com to do our comparative studies.

We compared many available policies in India to find out which ones would be best suited for Cancer related cover. Based on our studies these are the four insurance policies where we got a good feedback from the people and we enquired from other patients and people who have either been using or have knowledge about such policies. 

	ICICI Cancer Care Plus	National Insurance+ CPAA Cancer Insurance Policy	National Insurance+ ICS Cancer Insurance Policy	Religare Health Insurance
Eligibility	For anyone aged between 20 and 60 yrs who is not suffering from pre-existing cancer	For members of Cancer Patients Aid Association who are not suffering from pre-existing cancer	For members of Indian Cancer Society who are not suffering from pre-existing cancer	For anyone aged between 20 and 60 yrs who is not suffering from pre-existing cancer
Entry-Exit Age	20 yrs – 60 yrs (renewable up to 70 yrs)	Not given	Up to 70 yrs	20 yrs – 60 yrs (renewable up to 70 yrs)
Sum Assured	Rs 5,00,000 – 25,00,000	Rs 30,000 – 5,00,000	Rs 50,000 or Rs 2,00,000	Rs 15,00,000 – 50,00,000
Policy Term	10 yrs	1 yr	1 yr	1 yr
Premium	For a typical 10 lakh cover -4,604 to 8,945 (for men) 8,602 to 14,845 (for women)Minimum single premium - 1,200 per annum	2,400 to 8,000	Rs 496 (for 50,000 cover) Rs 1,157 (for 2,00,000 cover)	Rs 6482 to 9982(for men and women)
Waiting Periods	For Early Cancer - 12 months from the risk commencement date For Advanced Cancer - 6 months from the risk commencement date Should be able to survive for 28 days from the date of diagnosis	Should be able to survive for 30 days from the date of diagnosis	Should be able to survive for 30 days from the date of diagnosis	Should be able to survive for 30 days from the date of diagnosis

Conclusion

Firstly its always good to be planned for whatever happens. After studying the given policies and as Yoddhas Research Team our feedback is general we can state that the Indian Cancer Society’s policy is very cheap and easily available. Also the maturity amount is not big enough as we know the cost of cancer treatment is high but still the return is much higher if we compare with the premium paid. So as per our research all people should get insured under this policy.

For some selective people who have higher risk of cancer in their family should go for the higher premium policy because of the cost of the cancer treatment. They should get insured under ICICI Cancer care plus Or Religare Health insurance.

Please Note: This is a basic study based on patients and public feedback and secondary data from the various sources. We are not in any manner promoting any particular thing over another. Please do your research to make an informed decision.

Co-Authored By:

Rohit Banka 

Research and HR Consultant

Rahul Yadav 

Founder- Yoddhas and a Blood Cancer Fighter

Thanks for reading and please keep visiting our blog to discover and appreciate more Yoddhas. Do subscribe 
Feel free to contact the Yoddhas team at team@yoddhas.com 
Join our free patients group https://www.facebook.com/groups/yoddhathewarrior/

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References:

www.policybazar.com

www.insurancepandit.com

www.indiancancersociety.org

http://www.cpaaindia.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/yoddhathewarrior/ (Yoddhas Patient Group)

SOURSOP:A NEW CANCER KILLER

               

What is Soursop?

The Sour Sop is the fruit from the graviola tree. It is a natural cancer cell killer which is 10,000 times stronger than Chemo. It is also known as "guanabana" in Spanish speaking countries.

How does it help in dealing with cancer?

Although it is effective for a number of medical conditions, it is its anti tumor effect that is of most interest. Besides being a cancer remedy, graviola is an antimicrobial agent for both bacterial and fungal infections, is effective against internal parasites and worms, lowers high blood pressure, depression, stress, nervous disorders and protect your immune system and avoid deadly infections. 

You'll feel stronger and healthier throughout the course of the treatment. It will Boost your energy and improve your outlook on life. It effectively targets and kill malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer. 

The tree compounds proved to be up to 10,000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer celitselfhan Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug! Unlike chemotherapy, the compound extracted from the Graviola tree selectively hunts down and kills only cancer cells. Graviola proved itself to be a cancer-killing dynamo.

Does it have any side effects?

Sour Sop is a natural product obtained from the graviola tree so it is completely natural and definitely has no side effects.

How can it be incorporated in your diet?

Simply enough, you can make a juice out of it. It doesn't taste that bad, after all you will be drinking it for your benefit!

Thanks for reading and please keep visiting our blog to discover and appreciate more Yoddhas. 
Feel free to contact the Yoddhas team at team@yoddhas.com 

Lastly,

Praise the Yoddhas; Support the Yoddhas ; Love the Yoddhas!

Cheers!

Author- Someshree Banerjee 

FRUITS TO THE RESCUE: EATING IT RIGHT

Cancer- this malicious evil needs to be eliminated from the society as soon as possible. The elimination is no rocket science instead it can be very well done by following the right procedure and maintaining a tactful routine. Fruits are said to be one of the most important constituent of our diet.

 Tips that you need to follow:

1. Eating fruits on an empty stomach

                

Fruits detoxify your system, supply you with energy and also keep your weight in check. If not eaten on an empty stomach, the fruit will get mixed with the putrefying of other food and produce gas and hence making you all the more weak and unhealthy.

2. Drink only fresh fruit juices.

                          

Stop having those aerated drinks and those tinned or packed food or fruit juices. Have fresh fruit juices instead of cooked fruits as they contain more vitamins. Though we would always suggest you to eat a whole fruit than drinking its juice.

3. Say No to cold water

                            

Please avoid drinking cold water or drinks after a meal because it considerably slows down your digestion. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Fruits that should be included in your regular diet:   

                    

•KIWI :

 Kiwi is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and E and fiber.

•APPLE: 

                          

Apple has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thus helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

•STRAWBERRY :

                   

 Strawberry has the highest antioxidant power and protects the body from cancer-causing and blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

•ORANGE :

                              

Orange helps in keeping cold away, lowers cholesterol, prevents & dissolves kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

•WATERMELON :

                                  

 Watermelon is packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which boosts our immune system.

•GUAVA :

                            

 Guava is known for its high vitamin C content. Moreover, guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation.

•PAPAYA :

                                   

Papaya is rich in Vitamin C and carotene which is good for your eyes.

Follow these simple and effective rules because they are your master keys toward leading a happier and stable life.

Thanks for reading and please keep visiting our blog to discover and appreciate more Yoddhas. 
Feel free to contact the Yoddhas team at team@yoddhas.com 

Lastly,

Praise the Yoddhas; Support the Yoddhas ; Love the Yoddhas!

Cheers!

Author- Someshree Banerjee 

BEWARE:SPOOF ALERT!

                   

Looks relatable?

At some point of time we all have come across these types of posts/messages either on Facebook or on WhatsApp or even through E-mail.
These unwanted messages can be disguised in any form such as spam, hoax or phishing messages.
A hoax is a deliberate creation of falsehood made to masquerade the truth. It can be made to sound truthful by using unfamiliar or exaggerated terms, such as the dihydrogen monoxide hoax  which was prevalent in the 1990’s. But it is nothing but our dear water (H2O).
One of the most recent hoax which spread like a wildfire was Earth being covered in perpetual darkness after Diwali or some kind of radiations being emitted by your phone on a particular day.
The main reason why these hoaxes are circulating among thousands of people is either the lack of scientific literacy or gullibility of social media users.
We all have to understand that spamming your friends and family will not help a sick or a missing child, for that matter, at least without any background checks. (Aka sympathy hoaxes)
Now, we all have heard the tiger and the shepherd story, how the villagers don’t help shepherd when he actually needs it because of the pranks he used to play on them.

Social media is a double-edged sword. Because of these kind of hoaxes people are reluctant to help those who are genuinely in need of it.

SYMPATHY HOAXES are one of the nastiest hoaxes I’ve come across.
Creators of these hoaxes use the pictures of sick or injured children, creating fake stories and then circulating it. Usually these come with captions saying on each like or share XYZ company will donate a certain amount of money to the child or simply 1 like= 1 prayer.

MOTIVE BEHIND THESE HOAXES:

• Creation of these hoaxes are simply out of despicable mentalities for fun or to see how many likes or shares they get by fooling people around.
• Sometimes it is used by spammers to gather valid E-mail addresses, using the fact that people normally forward mails in their circles without using BCC option.

It is pointless to share these messages as it is not helping anyone.

 HOW TO AVOID HOAXES:

Next time if you come across such types of posts/messages:
In case of Facebook: Firstly, report that particular post and DO NOT comment on the post as it would promote it further.
If you find your friends taking a ride of such posts let them know.
In case of WhatsApp: If the message is from an unknown number block it right away.
DO NOT open any business card sent to you by an unknown number unless you asked for it.
Restrain yourself from forwarding any message that asks you to forward it to other people urgently. Instead try to run a background check first by using Google or true caller, if you’re still unsure ignore it.
DO NOT believe any message claiming to have found a cure for a disease or any health remedies before consulting your health professional.
In case of E-mail: Delete them as soon as you receive these messages.
If any company or person (claiming to be an official employee of a company) asks you to provide sensitive or personal information such as your bank account no. or pin number do not fall prey to such traps, instead report to the concerned authorities.

On the other hand there are a few genuine cases which need our immediate concern and support. Many people post on social media pages to reach out to a large number of people. It is highly advisable to verify the information provided and its preferable to go for cases which are shared by trustworthy associations only.
Extending a helping hand to a person in need is highly appreciated but verifying the information and channeling help to the right individual is of great importance too!

Thanks for reading and please keep visiting our blog to discover and appreciate more Yoddhas. 
Feel free to contact the Yoddhas team at team@yoddhas.com 

Lastly,

Praise the Yoddhas; Support the Yoddhas ; Love the Yoddhas!

Cheers!

Author- Arundhati Sitoke

CANCER MYTHS DEBUNKED

In today's so called 4g generation ‘Jo gol nahi hai', to every question however weird it may seem, internet is awashed with answers. But when it comes to healthcare the information is either outdated, not upto the mark or even worse misleading and far from authentic. When we talk about issues like cancer, which is one of the most dreaded word, it's important to break myths which are rooted in old theories and communication is the most important aspect to remove the cancer related stigma.
 So below are most prevalent 8 myths about cancer busted:

1. Cancer- a death sentence

Truth: Death is inevitable- don't we all know that? But hey! Cancer=death is not necessary. Today, medical science has come a long way and so has treatment of cancer. It definitely depends upon individual patient's lifestyle and other factors like stage and type of cancer but quality of life of cancer patients has improved.

2. Having sugar will worsen your cancer

Truth: Ok, let us get that straight, there is no scientific evidence that if you have cancer, eating sugar is going to harm you in anyway. Of Course, you are what you eat and it does affect your cancer risk but, eliminating all types of sugar(including natural sugars in fruits) will harm normal cells because they too require glucose to function and no, your not eating sugar will not shrink or affect your tumor anyway. So no need to ditch that sweet tooth yet! But having said above, one should reduce sugar in the diet.

3. Cancer is contagious

Truth: No! It's NOT contagious. You can't “catch” cancer from someone suffering from it by any sort of physical contact with them or breathing in the same air or sharing meals with them, except in rare cases of organ transplant wherein the donor has a history of cancer.

4. Cancer is hereditary

Truth: Research says only 5-10% of cancers can be inherited so it's not necessary if you have a family history of cancer you will suffer from it too and also it does not mean if you do not have a family history of cancer you will not suffer from it.

5. Only females suffer from breast cancer

Truth: Albeit, women are more likely to suffer from breast cancer that does not mean men can't suffer from it. Males too have breast tissue and they also suffer from breast cancer but breasts in males are not developed due to different hormones in males and females so chances are less.

6. Use of antiperspirants/deodorants causes breast cancer

Truth: According to scientific studies so far, no relation has been found between use of antiperspirants/deo and changes in cells of breast.

7. All cancers are same/cancer patients receive same kind of treatments

Truth: FALSE! There are over 100 types of cancer discovered and even if the cancer is of same type the treatments are tailored specifically for each patients depending upon location, stage and genes of individual patients. We all are different, right?

8. Cancer is extremely painful

Truth: Now that may sound true but no, not all people with cancer experience pain. It may be a side effect or symptom of cancer but it can be treated with certain medications and now a days there is a special type of care unit known as the palliative care which relieves side effects and symptoms of cancer.
So! Cancer does not necessarily have to be painful.

9. Cancer causes hair loss.

                                               

Truth: Cancer  does not causes hair loss but its treatment does . Yes, you heard it right. Chemo drugs are powerful medicines which kills rapidly growing cells which are present in our body. 
                                            

Unfortunately, they cannot differentiate between the good cells and the bad cells so in this process they end up killing the good cells too which includes the one which are responsible for our hair growth. 

These were some of the most common myths about cancer but there are many more myths which need to be taken care of!

 What to do?

First, and the foremost stop consulting Dr Google because Hey! Half knowledge is even dangerous than ignorance. There are many websites which lack credential information and are misleading. So it's better to take help from healthcare specialists and authentic sources. Lastly, stay positive and smile often!

Thanks for reading and please keep visiting our blog to discover and appreciate more Yoddhas. 
Feel free to contact the Yoddhas team at team@yoddhas.com 

Lastly,

Praise the Yoddhas; Support the Yoddhas ; Love the Yoddhas!

Cheers!



   

Author- Arundhati Sitoke

THE IDEAL DIET FOR CANCER PATIENTS

An ideal diet plan can be the key to any treatment. A well planned diet is very important as the treatments often result in side-effects like nausea and the taste changes leading to a loss of appetite. So, the choice food should be suitable to the body and should not cause any adverse effects. One should not have too many dietary restrictions.

A good diet for a cancer patient contains a mix of vegetables and meat with lot of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals. They should strictly avoidextremely sweet and oily foods.

Ideal cooking methods for them should be steaming, boiling, and stir-frying. Don’t do any deep frying, grilling, barbequing and baking items.

A balanced diet should be of

·        1. Proteins (which helps to build tissues, prevents infection, heal wounds and helps to maintain a healthy immune system);

·        2. Carbohydrates and Fats (helps in gaining energy - removes weakness);

·        3. Vitamins and Minerals (helps for proper growth, body functioning) and;

·        4. Have plenty of Water and Liquids to avoid dehydration.

Foods to Include In Your Diet:

These are some of the food which should be included in the diet of patients and help them overcome the pain with a strong body.

Proteins:

• Lean meat, fish, poultry, and eggs.

• Dairy products, nuts, dried beans, dhal and chickpeas.

• Fish and soy(especially for prostate cancer).

   

Carbohydrates: 

• Rice, chapatti, wholegrain bread,healthy pasta and noodles.

• Potatoes, oats, wholegrain crackers,corn, beansand dairy products.

• Honey (should be consumed in limited quantity so that its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties will possibly help in preventing infections).

   

  

Vegetables:

• Carrots, peas, tomatoes, pumpkin and turnips (vitamins and fibre).

• Parsley (especially good for prostate cancer), tomatoes and tomato puree.

• Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage contain certain chemicals that will help to convert bad oestrogen into good oestrogen, and hence diminish cancer risk as well as the risk of deterioration.

• Asparagus and Brussels sprouts for detoxification.

• Bitter gourd (helps in lowering the blood sugar levels).

• Green leafy vegetables (calcium and iron).

   

Fruits:

• Oranges (vitamin C).

• Bananas, mangoes, kiwi, peaches, pears and strawberries (vitamins and fibre).

• Guava, apricots,avocadoes, figs, prunes and raisins (helps in regaining energy).

    

   

Foods to avoid:

• Grilled, barbequed, deep fried, baked meats (since exposing animal protein to high heat creates carcinogenic by-products called heterocyclic amines and causes damage to system).

• Excessive consumption of sugar, saltand extreme oily foods.

• Red meat and processed meats such as ham, sausages, bacon.

• Preserved foods like pickles, kiamchye (salted mustard green), jams and century eggs (contains nitrites which are carcinogenic).

• Minimise alcohol consumption.

   

Furthermore, patients must avoid unbalancedconsumption of vitamin supplementsas they act as antioxidants and may hinder with chemotherapy treatment when taken in large doses.

Thanks for reading and please keep visiting our blog to discover and appreciate more Yoddhas. 
Feel free to contact the Yoddhas team at team@yoddhas.com 

Lastly,

Praise the Yoddhas; Support the Yoddhas ; Love the Yoddhas!

Cheers!


Author- Yamini Koneti