Lowering the Risk of Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is quite preventable but there still remain to be a lot of risk factors that are beyond our control. Having a knowing about which ones are relevant to you could help you understand your risk better and take the necessary steps to lower it. If you feel you’re at high risk, it is good to talk to a qualified healthcare professional.
Some factors that could increase your risk of getting colon cancer are:
- Old age
- A positive family history of colon cancer
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Being tall
There is some indication that various practices can help in lowering the risk of colon cancer in susceptible individuals.
REGULAR SCREENINGS
No marks for guessing this method of lowering the risk of Colon cancer. Any person who is over the age of 50 should go for regular annual health checkup including screenings for colon cancer. Like many other types of diseases and cancers, the earlier Colon cancer is detected, the lesser is the risk of succumbing to the disease.
EXERCISE
The amount of exercise you are getting on a regular basis and your activity levels in general have an important role to play in the development or prevention of colon cancer. There are many studies that indicate that people who get more exercise and are involved in more physical activity are much less likely to develop colon cancer. Those who lead a sedentary life, then your chances of contracting many diseases, including colon cancers.
DIET
You can be successful in lowering the risk of colon cancer if you adopt healthy eating practices. What you eat on daily or regular basis could be contributory to your likelihood of developing colon cancer. A diet that is laden with processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats corresponds to a higher rates of colon cancer.
On the other hand, following diets that are rich in veggies, fruits, lentils, legumes, proteins and healthy fats are associated with a lower risk of developing colon cancer during your lifetime. Consumption of alcohol is a major factor behind development of many different types of Cancer including Colon cancer.
Many foods, including: Pomegranates, red grapes, mushrooms, Green peas, soybeans etc. offer additional benefit by being rich in compounds that reduce gut- inflammation and susceptibility to develop disorders of digestive system.
VITAMIN D, CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM
There are many studies that suggest that getting enough Vitamin D, either through exposure to sun or via diet and supplements levels leads to lesser chances of you developing Colon cancer. Anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes in moderate sunlight is good.
Lower levels of Calcium in blood have been linked with increased chances of colorectal cancer.Therefore, do take the recommended daily intake as long as there is no other health condition that requires you to do otherwise.
Having sufficient levels of the mineral Magnesium in blood is also related to lower risk of developing Colon cancer.
INCLUDE A DAILY MULTIVITAMIN WITH FOL ATE
A daily dose of general multivitamin ensures that you do not suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Also, the Folic acid present in general multivitamins helps to reduce your risk of Colon cancer.
Many of the usual warning signs of colon cancer are easy to ignore, therefore, it is recommended to do your best in order to stay on top of them.Follow our list of methods of lowering your risk of Colon cancer and stay healthy.
