updated: 07/06/2019
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In regard to cancer, there are no warrantees, yet it is clear that there are smart choices you could make and steps you could take to reduce your risk of colon and other cancers. In fact, it is estimated that nearly 50% of colon cancer cases in the U.S can be prevented through lifestyle changes.
Colon cancer or larger intestine cancer is the growth of malignant cells in the large intestine, colon and rectum. Cancer can spread to other organs, so it is a very dangerous disease. Fortunately, colon cancer can be detected early if screened regularly. In addition, you can reduce the risk of this evil disease by changing your lifestyle and diet.
If you are also worried about this disease then this article is for you. Below, we introduce you tips on how to prevent colon cancer beforehand naturally. Applying these tips does not cost you much. But first, let’s find out the basics of this disease to get the most out of it.
What Is Colon Cancer?
Colon cancer is a cancer that develops from the large intestine or rectum (which is parts of the colon), caused by abnormal growth of cells that can invade or spread to other parts of the body. The large intestine is the last part of the digestive tract. After being chewed and swallowed, food passes through the esophagus to enter the stomach.
When it comes to the stomach, food is digested and goes down to the small intestine. The small intestine is the longest in the digestive tract (longer than 6 meters). Small intestines continue to digest food and absorb nutrients. The small intestine is connected to the colon (also called as the large intestine). The colon is about 1.5 meters long. The first part of the colon has the function of absorbing water with nutrients and it is where the residue is stored. When going down the rectum, the last 16 cm of the digestive tract, the residue is converted into stool. From here, the stool passes anal and goes out of the patient's body.
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Colon is divided into 4 segments. Cancer can originate from any segment of the colon. Cancer can originate from the innermost layer of the intestinal wall (colon mucosa), which then invades outwards through other layers of the intestinal wall. Staging of cancer is a test to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Cancer at each segment of the colon can show different symptoms. In most cases of colon cancers, the disease usually develops silently for years.
Today, researchers have discovered that colon cancer begins with a lesion called polyps. 5 to 10 or 25 years later, polyps become colon cancer. Early removal of polyps is the best way to prevent cancer. Over 95% of colon cancers are adenocarcinoma. This cancer originates from the cells of the large intestine.
What Are Common Causes Of Colon Cancer?
Here are common causes of this disease:
- Patients with ulcerative colitis but not thoroughly treated, causing ulcers gradually spread out.
- Previously, the patients had colon cancer. Although colon cancer has been removed, the disease may recur and spread to other organs.
- The patients have had colorectal polyps. Some types of polyps increase the risk of colon cancer, especially large size polyps.
- If you have colitis or Crohn's disease, you are more likely to get colon cancer. When you have these diseases, the colon becomes inflamed for a long time and the mucosa may be ulcerated. These patients need to be tested and monitored for a long time.
- Family history can also be one of the causes of colon cancer. If a member of your family (especially your mother or your father) has colon cancer, you most likely have it, especially if they have had it before the age 60. Members of this family need to do tests to check and control the possibility of each individual's illness.
- Diets which are rich in fats, especially animal fats, will increase the risk of colon cancer.
- Not getting regular exercise also increases the risk of this disease.
- Being overweight and obesity is one of the causes of colon cancer.
- Frequent smokers are also more susceptible to this disease. Almost everyone knows that smoking can cause lung cancer. Recent research shows that smokers are 30-40% more likely to develop colon cancer than non-smokers. Smoking also increases the risk of many other types of cancer.
- Frequent drinking also increases the risk of contracting the disease.
What Are Common Symptoms Of Colon Cancer?
Here are common symptoms of this disease:
- Unusual Changes In Defecation
Unusual changes in defecation such as sudden bowel movements and dilated stool are all signs that you should notice. In addition, frequent urge of going to the bathroom is also one of the most common signs of colon cancer.
- Abdominal Pain Persistent
Abdominal pain can be a sign of gastrointestinal and intestinal disorders. However, if you have frequent abdominal pains accompanied by bowel obstruction several times, you may be suffering from colon cancer.
- Blood In The Stools
With colon cancer, you will often notice blood in the stools and dark stools. In addition, stools may have mucus. About 90% of patients with colon cancer have this symptom. However, do not panic when you notice these signs. Blood in the stool can also be a sign of hemorrhoids. See your doctor for a direct examination if you experience this condition.
- Tumor
Most cancers develop tumor. If you have colon cancer, the patient can detect the tumor by touching the abdomen and paying close attention to the ribs on the right.
- Abdominal Distention And Belching
Abdominal distention and belching are common symptoms of colon cancer. They often lead to sudden pain in the intestine. In addition, this condition can cause anorexia and weight loss.
You may experience other symptoms not mentioned. If you have any questions about the signs of the disease, please consult your doctor.
Who Is At High Risk Of This Disease?
Colon cancer can happen to anyone of any gender. If you have a diet and lifestyle that is not scientific and if your parent has colon cancer, you will most likely have this disease. In addition, people 50 years old and older are also more likely to get this disease. Other risk factors of colon cancer include:
- Afrian-American race: People of this race have a higher risk of colon cancer than those of other races.
- Having inflammatory intestinal conditions like crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis may increase your potential of colon cancer.
- Having a high-fat, low-fiber diet may trigger colon cancer. This diet often includes red meat, processed meat.
- People who are inactive.
- Obese and diabetic people.
- Alcohol and smoking
- Radiation therapy for previous cancers also provokes your risk of rectal and colon cancer.
You can control this condition by minimizing these risk factors.
When To See A Doctor?
If you are one of the people who are most likely to get colon cancer, you should visit your doctor regularly to take tests.Besides, if you have any of these signs or symptoms or have any questions, please consult your doctor. Each person's condition is different, so please consult your doctor to select the most suitable option.
The above information is aboutcolon cancer. You should know this information as it helps you to accurately determine your condition as well as identify appropriate measures to prevent colon cancer. Here are 25 best tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally and effectively. Take a look at TrueRemedies.com!
Top 25 Effective Tips On How To Prevent Colon Cancer Beforehand Naturally
1. Consider Risk Factors Carefully
This is the first home remedy in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally. Regular screening can help prevent and treat colon cancer. Knowing the risk factors can help you determine when you need to receive screening. Recognizing risk factors for lifestyle and pathology can help you detect colon cancer early and increase your chances of survival. Find out about your family's medical history. If a member of your family has colon cancer, your risk will be higher. In that case, you should consult your doctor for screening recommendations if needed. Most cases of colon cancer occur after the age of 50, and African Americans are at higher risk than other races.
2. How To Prevent Colon Cancer – Receive Regular Screening
This is another must-try tip on how to prevent colon cancer naturally. Fortunately, colon cancer often starts as benign colorectal polyps. Removing the tumor can block tumors from developing into cancer. Therefore, experts say that regular screening is the most effective way to prevent colon cancer. Screening time may be after every 5 years or 10 years, depending on the type of test and the results of the previous test.
On the other hand, your doctor may recommend regular stool examination. Adults with no risk factors should start screening at the age of 50. Adults with risk factors should begin screening sooner. See your doctor for screening if you have one or more risk factors for colon cancer.
3. Learn About Different Screening Methods
This is one of little – known tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally. Although the doctor will recommend the most suitable test, it is helpful to know the details of the test:
- Endoscopy
This test is a procedure that puts the camera in the colon to look at the inside. This is considered the most accurate test. Another advantage is that if polyps or abnormal things are found, your doctor may remove them soon.
- CT Scan
Also known as virtual colonoscopy, this test is the procedure of using a CT scanner to create a digital image inside the colon. This method will be the right choice if you cannot get full colonoscopy.
- Flexible Sigma Endoscopy
This test is similar to colonoscopy, but the doctor uses a smaller tube to examine the third part of the colon.
- Fecal Examination
This test helps detect blood in the stool – early symptoms or signs of colon cancer.
4. Add More Fiber To Your Diet
This sounds strange when it comes to tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally, but it works. Fiber helps the waste move more easily in the digestive tract. Accumulated waste is thought to be responsible for the formation of polyps and then polyps will develop into cancer. Fiber helps prevent cancer and is also good for the overall health. There are many fiber-rich foods for you to incorporate into your diet:
- You should eat plenty of fresh fruits, especially berries with seeds. Eating fruits and their peels helps to maximize fiber content.
- Crunchy and leafy vegetables are usually rich in fiber. When eating potatoes, you should always eat the shell to supplement the fiber.
- Whole grains. White grains have undergone a bleaching process and therefore they are not as nutritious as whole grains. So you should eat whole grains, pasta, cereals, oats to increase fiber intake.
- You can easily use bean to cook soups and salad to increase fiber content.
- Brown rice. Like white bread, white rice does not bring much nutritional value. Therefore, you should switch to eat brown rice to increase fiber intake in the diet.
- In addition, you can take dietary fiber supplements such as Metamucil or Konsyl if you cannot get enough fiber from a regular diet.
5. How To Prevent Colon Cancer – Limit Fatty Foods
The next one in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally is limiting fatty foods. Fatty foods that produce acid in the colon can stimulate the growth of tumors and polyps. Animal fat is associated with cancer and should be consumed at moderation. Do not eat too much red meat like beef and pork. Prepared foods and frozen foods are also high in harmful fats and other chemicals that may increase the risk of colon cancer [1].
6. Eat Folate-Rich Foods
Folate is the water-soluble B vitamin, which is a crucial nutritional factor for modulating the development of colorectal and colon cancer. There is compelling evidence from some observational studies which showed that a low folate intake might increase color cancer risk. Those people taking higher intake of folate are 20-40% less likely to suffer from the cancer. The best food sources of folate are collard greens, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cooked spinach, orange juice, black beans, seeds and peanuts, and lentils.
Also, you can find this B vitamin in crackers, pastries, bread, pizza crusts or any other white flour products [2] [3].
Sometimes, people also use folic acid as an interchangeable term with folate. Actually, folate refers to the B vitamin that are naturally found in foods while folic acid is just synthetic version added to fortified foods and vitamin supplements. Folic acid is considered more readily absorbed than the folate. You do not need to overdo the folic acid. Add folate-rich foods to your daily diet and in case you supplement, opt for the multivitamin containing 0.4mg of folic acid. It is not necessary to add more from a B complex supplement or a special folic acid pill.
7. How To Prevent Colon Cancer – Get Enough Calcium
Evidence shows that calcium helps prevent the formation of precancerous polyps. You need [4]:
- Consume 1,000 mg of calcium per day if you are a woman in the 19-50 age groups or a man in the 19-70 age group.
- Consume 1200 mg of calcium per day if you are a woman over 50 years old.
Some foods rich in calcium include:
- Dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. It is thought that animal dairy products are the most abundant source of calcium. Soft cheese like Ricotta and Mozzarella contain more calcium.
- Green vegetables. Broccoli, kale, and broccoli sprouts contain high levels of calcium.
- Sardines and salmon. All fish are good for health but these two types of fish are especially rich in calcium. Canned sardines contain the highest amount of calcium among foods.
- Soy bean. Adding soy bean and soy products to your diet is a great way to add calcium to your body.
8. Add Antioxidants To The Diet
No wonder, this is definitely one that should be mentioned in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally. Antioxidants help regenerate cells and enhance the ability to fight against precancerous polyps of the body [5]. You do not need to take functional foods to supplement your antioxidant. Instead, combine the following antioxidant foods into your diet:
- Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are particularly rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents – which can cause precancerous polyps.
- Nuts Different nuts contain different antioxidants. For example, almond nuts are rich in omega-3s, while Brazil nuts contain more selenium. Eating a variety of nuts helps to provide a variety of antioxidants for the diet.
- Leafy green vegetables. Besides fiber, calcium, potassium and magnesium, green leafy vegetables are also a good source of antioxidants. Broccoli, kale, lettuce and broccoli will help provide nutrients that help fight cancer.
- Green tea. All teas are rich in nutritional value, but green tea contains the most powerful antioxidants. You can choose decaffeinated green tea if your body is sensitive to caffeine. If you have a habit of drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day, then you should replace this habit by drinking 3-4 cups of green tea a day to prevent colon cancer.
9. Papaya And Pumpkin
Because of containing many enzymes (papain and chymopapain) which can break down protein, papaya and pumpkin can help break down the texture of the fat, reducing the workload of the digestive system, especially the colon. One thing to note is that you should only eat papaya between the meals, i.e. 1-2 hours after the main meal. If you eat papaya right after the meal, you may experience some irritation with the intestinal tract.
10. Yogurt
This is another must-try treatment in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer beforehand naturally [6]. Yogurt is rich in calcium. In addition, it can regulate the balance of bacteria in the stomach, cleanse the digestive tract, stimulate stomach and intestinal motility, and prevent constipation. So, eat 1-2 yoghurt boxes daily to prevent colon cancer.
11. Fruit Juice
Among tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally, indulging yourself with fruit juice is not surprising much. In addition to the ability to provide vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes which keep the body healthy and energetic, fruit juice can also help cleanse the intestines very well. The unique biochemical composition of the fruit juices is strongly responsible for their anti-cancer properties. According to recent studies, despite chemotherapeutic agents are used for treating colon cancer, they turn into ineffective if the cancer progresses to an invasive stage. This is when fruit juices come into the picture. Regular intake of fresh fruit juices can minimize that problem [7].
12. Eat Whole Grains
Whole grains are great sources of fiber, magnesium and fiber. They keep your stools smoothly moving, and on their path, they may collect the cancer-causing compounds in the colon. You had better grab 90 grams of whole grains every day, be it whole wheat bread, brown rice or oatmeal.
13. Beans
Beans and other legumes like lentils, soybeans, and peas are plentiful of protein, fiber and vitamins B and E. Besides, beans have flavonoids, which could keep the tumors from developing, not to mention other antioxidants which might protect your body from colon cancer [8] [9] .
14. Fish
How to prevent colon cancer through nutrition? Go for fish. Fatty fish such as salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and might reduce the development of cancer cells. However, the evidence that consuming fish could keep you from getting colon or colorectal cancer is not clear. A number of research found that people eating fish rather than red meat were less likely to suffer from rectal cancer. However, do not eat too much tuna, shark, king mackerel, swordfish, or tilefish because they contain mercury as well as other pollutants that may harm your overall health over time [10] [11].
15. Maintain A Healthy Weight
Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many health problems, including colon cancer. You should maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if necessary to reduce the risk of cancer. Talk to your doctor to determine your ideal weight and maintain your weight at this level.
16. Exercise Regularly
Doing exercise regularly is the next remedy in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer beforehand. Passive lifestyle increases the risk of colon cancer. Regular physical activity helps prevent cancer [12]. This is good for physical health as well as mental health. You do not have to be involved in too much activity, but just taking part in your favorite activities also helps improve your health. You can refer to some of the suggestions below:
- Walk for 30-60 minutes several times a week.
- Join the swimming class.
- Gardening or doing other physical activities.
17. Consider Installing A Squat Toilet
Despite some controversy, some evidence suggests that sitting toilet increases the incidence of colon cancer in developed countries. It is thought that squat toilets help the waste move through the colon effectively and naturally, preventing constipation and reducing the risk of colon cancer. Therefore, if possible, consider installing a squat toilet at home.
18. Eat Lots Of Garlic
This remedy is one of little – known tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally. Eating more garlic is the ideal solution to prevent colon cancer. You should increase the amount of garlic in the diet as it is an effective antioxidant and therefore, it can help you to reduce the risk of colon cancer. You can eat more garlic with these following ways:
- Add garlic to the foods as a spice that enhances the taste of the food.
- Eat 3-4 cloves of garlic daily.
- Mix garlic juice with honey to drink daily.
19. Enjoy Coffee
When it comes to tips on how to prevent colon cancer, this is a little-known one. It was proven that people who drink 4 or more cups of coffee on a regular basis are 15% less likely to suffer from colon cancer over a decade than their counterparts [13].The reason maybe thanks to caffeine in coffee that affects the colon cancer pathway. However, different coffee types and preparing methods might have various effects on the risk of cancer.
20. Try To Use Functional Foods
The next treatment in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally is using functional foods. These nutrients can be supplemented through functional foods. If the diet does not provide enough nutrition, you can use the following foods to reduce the risk of colon cancer. If you are not sure, you can ask your doctor for advice on using the following functional foods:
- Group B vitamins.
- Omega-3 monounsaturated fatty acids.
- Vitamin D (You need to consume about 600 units of vitamin D every day until you are 70 years old).
21. Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is the next one in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally. Quit smoking if you are having this bad habit. Cigarette smoking is associated with not only many types of cancer but also many other health problems. Therefore, it is best to quit this bad habit.
22. Drink Moderately Alcoholic Beverages
Drinking a small amount of alcohol can be beneficial and good for your health. However, excessive drinking will endanger health. Drinking more than 2 servings of alcohol a day increases the risk of colon cancer. If you are addicted to alcohol, it is best to limit your intake to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.
23. Take Painkillers / Aspirin
This is the last remedy in this list of tips on how to prevent colon cancer naturally. Sometimes you may need some medicine to reduce the risk of colon cancer and polyp formation. Taking painkillers / anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin will help prevent colon cancer. However, regular use of this medicine can also cause some side effects. So, consult your doctor about this tip to prevent colon cancer.
24. Do Not Afraid To Consult Your Doctor
Everybody ought to take their health and well-being seriously by developing a good relationship with a professional doctor or physician. It will help you feel safer and more comfortable when reporting any worrisome or unusual symptoms. Do not just think you have biles or hemorrhoids if you see any blood in the toilet. Consult your physician to let him/her evaluate your condition instantly.
Here are tips to help you prevent colon cancer. As you can see, they are all very simple and convenient. You do not have to spend too much money on the process of applying them. Therefore, let’s apply them to see how effective they are. If you have any contributing ideas about our article of “Top 25 Tips On How To Prevent Colon Cancer Naturally” introduced in How To Category, do not hesitate to drop your words below this post. We will answer as soon as we could.