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He alth is trendy - Adrianna Sobol, psycho-oncologist, Member of the Board of OnkoCafe Together Better Foundation tells about the relatively new fashion for a he althy lifestyle, cancer prevention and campaigns aimed at building awareness of the society and encouraging regular preventive examinations.
- Is it true that in recent years there has been a noticeable change in our lifestyle to a more he althy one?
A.S.:Of course, recently we take much more care of ourselves and our he alth - we can say that he althy eating, playing sports, giving up smoking have become fashionable. This is undoubtedly a very he althy fashion that translates into a better quality of our lives.
- Does such a trend really translate into the fact that we suffer less and less often - also from cancer?
A.S.:He althy eating and physical activity are extremely important in cancer prevention, there is no doubt, but they are not enough for us to be able to say with a clear conscience that we implement all recommendations prophylactic. For this to happen, our he althy lifestyle must also include systematic diagnostic tests. At least once a year, we should perform the most basic ones: blood count, ESR, blood glucose concentration and urinalysis, every woman should undergo a gynecological examination and cytology once a year.
Each of us should systematically perform such tests, also in a situation when we do not observe any disturbing symptoms. When such symptoms occur, consult a doctor as soon as possible.
The recommendation of prophylaxis and systematic examinations applies to women to a large extent, because our feminine specificity is that we usually care for our loved ones with great care, but too rarely pay attention to ourselves. Meanwhile, I always encourage women to find the right balance - so that, without ceasing to take care of children, partners and other family members, they also take care of themselves.
I often use a metaphor here that reflects this situation very well: put on the oxygen mask first, then worry about the rest - otherwise you will not help anyone, including yourself.
In short: let's be fashionable - let's live he althy. A he althy life, apart from sports and he althy eating, is also an extremely important prophylaxis: systematic examinations and visits to the doctor.
- What are you doing to reach the public with this message?
A.S.:We are trying to popularize the trend for a he althy life by implementing a number of social campaigns. One of them is the ongoingBreasfit campaign. Feminine bust. A man's case.under which we conduct breast cancer prevention workshops all over Poland.
We go with them to villages and small towns, where access to information is much more difficult than in large cities, we tell women about the importance of prophylaxis, we teach them to examine their breasts on their own, we warn what signals our body sends we absolutely cannot underestimate.
Additionally, during each of the workshops, we train Breasfit Ambassadors who, equipped by us with knowledge and a professional phantom for breast examination, teach other women in their region about prophylaxis. Thanks to the support of one of our partners: the Philips Foundation, we can also provide workshop participants and other residents of towns where access to diagnostic tests is more difficult than in large agglomerations, vouchers for free breast ultrasound examinations, which is one of the most important tests in cancer prevention.
A.S.:In our campaign, we do not limit ourselves geographically - we reach small towns with education on prevention, but we address ourcharity calendar Power of Community,which is one of the campaign elements.
The calendar presents the idea of supporting women in the prevention of breast cancer by men. The ambassadors of the campaign are Polish sportsmen who appear in the photos placed in the calendar, promote the idea of systematic research and declare their support for women in this area.
In fact, we must remember that the fashion for he althy applies to everyone: women and men, older and younger, residents of large cities and small towns, representatives of various professions.
A very positive phenomenon that has recently been observed is the focus on he alth among employers who care about the he alth of the people they employ. In companies, there is more and more talk about prevention, training in this area is organized, and information on this subject is provided to employees by means of internal communication. Large corporations are also often partners of social campaigns promoting he alth.
- Is the fashion for he alth a permanent phenomenon and is it?will it develop?
A.S.:I keep my fingers crossed for that to be the case. Comprehensive and rational he alth care is probably one of the trends that is an extremely measurable investment - thanks to it we can gain a long and he althy life.
Adrianna Sobol, psycho-oncologist, lecturer at the Medical University of Warsaw Psycho-oncologist and lecturer at the Medical University of Warsaw at the Department of Oncological Prevention. He works at the LuxMed Oncology Cancer Hospital in Warsaw. She is a member of the Board of the OnkoCafe Foundation - Together Better, a psychotherapist and founder of the Ineo Psychological Support Center. Has created an online training platform He alth Begins In The Head. Author of numerous publications in the field of psycho-oncology and he alth psychology. Co-author of the book "Tame cancer. Inspirational stories and a guide to emotions" (Znak, 2022). She acts as an expert in television programs, co-creates campaigns and social campaigns. He conducts numerous trainings and workshops in the field of psychology and personal development.