Not many people pay attention to colon cancer the way they focus on other high-profile cancers. But, they should. People should be aware of the dangers that this type of cancer can have. After all, it is the third most common cancer in the US with 140,000 people diagnosed every year.
If people are more aware of this type of cancer, they can prevent it. More accurately, 75% of cases of colon cancer can be avoided. But, to achieve this, people have to be determined to take control of their body and improve their overall health.
To do this, they would have to be ready to implement the following changes. Here is what you can do to avoid colon cancer.
1. Consume More Fiber
If a person consumes the necessary amount of dietary fiber, they can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. In particular, they can avoid distal colon and incident colorectal adenoma cancer. The more fiber you consume, the lower the chance of developing this type of cancer.
So, by eating 10 grams of fibers, you can decrease the chance by 10%. To do this, you should consume more vegetables that contain fiber. Moreover, you should add hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseed to your diet since they are the best and the most valuable source of insoluble and soluble fiber.
According to a study from 2005, eating more dried plums reduced the risk of developing colon cancer in rats. However, that doesn’t mean that this food can have the same effects on humans.
2. Avoid Processed Meats
It is important to avoid consuming an excessive amount of chemical preservatives. Therefore, you should stay away from hot dogs, ham, pastrami, sausages, salami, pepperoni, and hamburgers. But, only if these foods are not organic and contain chemical additives.
The reason for this lies in the nitrates that processed foods contain. They can increase the risk of developing certain cancers, so people should stay away from them.
3. Drink Green Tea
Even though there is no conclusive evidence that green tea can highly reduce the chance of developing colon cancer, it is still a healthy remedy useful for even pancreatic and lung cancer. Although this claim lacks evidence, this tea is still safe to drink and can be very healthy for the body.
4. Eat Garlic
Garlic has immense health benefits. According to some laboratory studies, there is even a possibility that this food can reduce the chance of colon cancer. As this study claims, consuming garlic on a daily basis can reduce the chance of developing this type of cancer by 35%.
But, if you consume it raw, it can be very beneficial for the stomach health. Moreover, consuming an extract of aged garlic can highly boost the immune system, which in turn will help strengthen the entire body.
This is an important step that people should take if they want to prevent such cancer. Besides, adding chopped or crushed garlic to the daily meals can stimulate the release of the enzyme alliinase and form allicin.
5. Consume More Fruits and Veggies
The best way to get all the antioxidants that your body needs, is to consume a huge amount of fruits and vegetables. This way you can replenish the magnesium and all the other vitamins that are necessary for normal bodily functions.
Besides, the more magnesium you consume, the lower the risk of getting colon cancer. More precisely, for every 100 milligrams of magnesium you eat, the risk of developing colon cancer decreases by 13%. The reason for this drastic change lies in the anti-cancer effects that the magnesium contains.
Furthermore, magnesium can reduce the insulin resistance and slow down the development of tumors. Other than magnesium, other plants can help reduce inflammation, remove carcinogens, eliminate old cells, manage the cells production and reproduction and managing the DNA.
These are the plants that contain a huge amount of dietary fiber. According to studies, consuming those types of vegetables and fruits can highly decrease the chance of developing colon cancer.
6. Take Vitamin D
It is important to avoid vitamin D deficiency since it can increase the risk of colon cancer. To do this, people should consume more of this vitamin. This type of vitamin is highly beneficial for the body. It can boost the immune system and reduce the growth of the cancerous tumors.
Therefore, vitamin D can have some amazing antitumor effects. To get the amount of vitamin D we need, it is best always to go walking under the sun, consume vitamin D supplements and keep your body healthy.
However, have in mind that before you decide to consume this vitamin in the form of supplement, you should always consult with your doctor first. This way he or she will monitor your levels and make sure that they stay within the target range.
7. Stop Smoking and Drinking
An excessive amount of smoking and drinking can highly increase the risk of developing colon cancer. But, when it comes to alcohol, that doesn’t mean you should completely stop consuming it. On the contrary, you can but in moderation.
However, that doesn’t apply to smoking. There is no way that you can smoke in moderation. It doesn’t matter if you smoke a little or a lot, it is still very harmful to the body. Therefore, you should completely stop smoking.
This is the best way to avoid colon cancer.
8. Stay Healthy and Fit
It is important to control your belly fat and weight if you want to avoid colon cancer. According to various studies, obesity can increase the risk of developing this type of cancer. As a study from 2014 claims, the higher the body weight, the bigger the chance of developing 10 different types of cancer.
Especially for colon cancer, it is important to lose all the excess belly fat. Even though it can prove very challenging, it is still an important step in maintaining healthy body weight.
Other Risk Factors
To completely be able to prevent colon cancer, there are a few things people should consider. Firstly, they should know that is important to understand the risk that it poses if they want to prevent it. Next, if they believe they have this type of cancer, it is best to talk to a doctor or health professional.
Here are the diseases or health issues that can highly increase the risk of developing colon cancer:
- family history of colon cancer
- inflammatory bowel disease
- Age
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