How To Prevent Colon Cancer

Five Cancers That Can Be Cured

How to prevent colon cancer is appropriate at a time when the rate of colon cancer is increasing among younger men, but decreasing in older men.

The unexpected death of Chadwick Boseman from colon cancer shocked many people around the world. What happened? He was young. He was very energetic as T-Challa in the Black Panther film. These are some of the comments voiced.

The fact is that colon cancer usually begins as small, noncancerous polyps that form on the inside of the colon. Over time some of these polyps can become colon cancers.

The good news is that there are treatments to help control it. These include surgery, and radiation therapy. As well as drug treatments, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. However, there is a great saying that prevention is better than cure. So, how to prevent colon cancer is the priority at the moment.

7 Ways To Prevent Colon Cancer

While there are no assurances on preventive measures against colon cancer, there are actions you can take to help reduce your risk.  These include making daily healthy lifestyle choices such as:

Screening for colon cancer

Regular screening tests for colon cancer are the best way to protect yourself from the disease. This is because polyps are small with few symptoms. Hence, doctors advise frequent screening tests, depending on the level of risk. These tests detect and eliminate polyps before they turn into cancer. Doctors also recommend that people with an average risk of colon cancer may think of screening around the age of 50. Although, people with serious risks should think of screening much earlier.

Since there are many screening options available, each with its ups and downs, it is wise to talk with your doctor about your options. And then go on from there to choose the best tests for you.

Healthy eating 

A healthy diet that is high in fibre and low in fat is advised. The reasons colon cancer and rectal cancer may be linked with low fiber, high-fat diet.  In addition, some researchers found an increased risk of colon cancer in people who eat diets high in red meat and processed meat. So go easy on those foods.

Also include different types of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet for fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  These nutrients may play a role in cancer prevention. However, choose a variety of fruits and vegetables in order to get an array of vitamins and nutrients.

Reduce alcohol

Too much alcohol consumption raises your risk of colon cancer. But, if you decide to drink alcohol, the maximum recommended is one drink a day for women and two for men. Better still, it’s great if you don’t drink at all.

Quit  smoking

Generally, quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. Aside from increasing the risk of heart, lung diseases, and stroke, smoking may also increase your risk of colon cancer. Therefore discuss with your doctor ways to quit smoking that will work for you.

Exercise daily

A necessary requirement is the inclusion of exercise into your daily routine. Regular physical activity lowers the risk of many serious diseases including colon cancer. In other words, sedentary people are at risk of developing colon cancer. As such, getting regular physical activity may reduce your risk of colon cancer. Therefore, try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. And choose an exercise you enjoy such as walking, dancing jogging, or cycling.

Maintain a healthy weight

If you’re obese, you have a higher risk of developing fatal colon cancer, when compared with people of normal weight.  Consequently, your goal is to stop gaining weight and slowly work to lose some pounds.  Work to lose weight gradually by doing more exercise and reducing your calorie intake. Alternatively, you can ask your doctor about healthy ways to achieve your weight goal. But,  if you’re at a healthy weight, maintain your weight by combining a healthy diet with daily exercise.

Regular use of aspirin

While some evidence links a reduced risk of polyps and colon cancer to the regular use of aspirin or aspirin-like drugs. Nonetheless, this option is generally reserved for people with a high risk of colon cancer. There isn’t enough evidence to recommend aspirin to people who have an average risk of colon cancer. It’s also important to keep in mind that taking aspirin daily has some risks, including internal bleeding and ulcers. Thus, your best bet is to discuss your risk factors with your doctor to determine whether preventive medications are safe for you.

Bottom Line

Now that it’s clear that colon cancer is prevalent amongst younger people, it’s crucial to pay more attention to your body. How to prevent colon cancer means living a healthier lifestyle. And don’t forget to speak up about the prevalence of colon cancer with your friends and work colleagues. Advocating more for ‘prevention’ will help reverse the increasing colon cancer amongst younger people, and help save lives.

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a28401324/young-men-colon-cancer/?source

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colon-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353669

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