10 Ways to Help Reduce Your Risk of Colon Cancer

I just saw somewhere that the month of March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so i thought it would be best to share these few tips with you on how to prevent colorectal cancer, that is cancer of the colon.

so here goes:

1. Reduce your alcohol intake. When it comes to cancer prevention, less (alcohol) is more. Alcohol use is a known risk factor for colorectal cancer -- among other cancers -- with risk increasing as alcohol intake increases. If you choose to drink, try limiting your intake to no more than one drink daily. 

 

2. Quit smoking. Smoking is not just a risk factor for lung cancer, but for all digestive system cancers, including colorectal, stomach and esophageal. Make the decision to quit this month, once and for all. 

3. Get moving! Sedentary lifestyles are associated with an increased risk of digestive system cancers, therefore one must exercise regularly.

4. Get serious about weight loss. Obesity is a strong risk factor for colorectal cancer, and it is estimated that risk increases about 15 percent with each five additional points of body mass index beyond the upper end of normal range.

5. Eat less red meat. Eating red meat increases your chances of getting colon cancer. 

6. Avoid foods preserved with sodium nitrite. They also increase your chances of getting colon cancer.

7. Eat more fruits and non-starchy vegetables. Now that you've freed up all that space in your diet from cutting back bacon and red meat, what will you replace it with? How about fruits and non-starchy vegetables -- such as dark leafy greens, beets, squashes, bell peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and green beans? These foods have a protective effect against colorectal cancer.

8. Get plenty of fiber, preferably from whole foods. 

9. Take a vitamin D supplement . That is if you live in the colder parts of the world. 

10. Drink your milk. If you like and tolerate cow's milk, here's some good news: Consuming it regularly may have a modest protective effect against colorectal cancer. Higher intake of dietary calcium (including from supplements) and liquid milk in particular has been associated with decreased risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to lower intake. Importantly, relying on cheese as the primary source of calcium may not be the optimal strategy to help reduce colorectal cancer risk. Research suggests that high intakes of cheese may actually have the opposite effect, possibly due to its concentrated saturated fat content.

 source: yahoo