Did you know that colon cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in America, with approximately 140,000 people being diagnosed with the condition every year? There are many ways to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Continue reading to learn about some of the things you should do to prevent colon cancer.
Get Rid of the Smokes
Smoking, or breathing in second-hand smoke, raises the risk of many diseases such as emphysema, stroke, heart disease, and cancers such as colon cancer. Try to quit smoking for the benefit of your health. If you need help quitting, you can consult your healthcare provider or sign up for programs that help smokers to quit.
Drink in Moderation
Drinking alcohol can lead to health conditions such as health disease and liver disease, especially if you drink in excess. Drinking can also increase the risk of colon cancers. If you’re a heavy drinker, try to cut down on the amount you drink. If you can’t quit, try to keep your alcohol consumption at moderate levels. Moderate drinking is drinking two drinks a day for men and one drink per day for women.
Take Care of Your Weight
Obesity and weight gain raise the risk of getting many types of cancer, including colon cancer. Try to keep yourself within a healthy range of body mass index (BMI) according to your height and weight. If you’ve put on weight, don’t worry. You can try to lose some weight through exercise and eating healthier.
Staying active will reduce the risk of many diseases. Try to aim for half an hour of moderate activity each day. You can try things you enjoy, such as ballroom dancing, cycling, gardening, yoga, or taking brisk walks.
Eat Well
There are also many healthy recipes online for you to learn to ensure all your nutritional needs are met. Try to limit your consumption of processed meat and red meat as they can increase the risk of colon cancer. Limit yourself to less than four servings a week. Instead, aim to get vitamins and minerals that will help you to protect yourself against colon cancer, such as vitamin D and calcium. Try to consume 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D every day and 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day. If it is difficult to achieve this through cooking, you can consider purchasing multivitamins.
Get a Cancer Screening
Many hospitals offer regular screening tests for colon cancer. Screening should be done for individuals who are 45 and above, but if you have a family history of colon cancer, it might be best to screen as early as possible. By signing up for a test, it allows you to detect cancer in the early stages where it is the most treatable and manageable.
You can speak to your healthcare provider and discuss your medical history and personal preferences. They will be able to recommend the best type of screening test that suits your needs. This includes fecal occult blood test (FOBT), colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and virtual colonoscopy.
Take control of your health today by signing up for a screening. By following these tips, you will be able to reduce the risk of getting colon cancer.
