Colon cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Fortunately, it cancer is preventable especially by living a healthy lifestyle.
What can you do to prevent colon cancer?
There could be overwhelmed information and many things you can do for colon cancer prevention. However, one sure-fire step is to know risk factors of colon cancer. For those who are unaware of what risks are, let’s go through it.
1. Age
Colorectal cancer risk increases after age 50. As you get older, your risk of colorectal cancer gets higher. More than 90% of this disease are diagnosed after age 50.
2. Colon polyps
Polyps are small growth in the colon or rectum. Most of them are not cancerous, but some can become cancer and they are commonly seen in people over age 50.The risk of colorectal cancer increases with the presence of polyps. Some polyps are inherited such as seen in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), which can measurably increase colorectal cancer risk.
That is why early detection by colon cancer screening is vitally important. A colonoscopy remains the gold standard for screening, because it provides the best view of your entire colon and cancerous polyp(s) can be removed during the procedure.
3. Family or personal history of cancer
Having biologically close relatives (parents, brothers, sisters, or children) with colon cancer doubles your risk of colon cancer. Previous personal history of cancer or any inflammatory bowel disease increases your risk of colorectal cancer too.
4. Obesity
Obesity has been linked to a higher risk of certain cancers including colorectal cancer.
5. Physical inactivity
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Sedentary behavior or lifestyle has been linked to diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. It can also increase the risk of several cancers including colorectal cancer. So, you may want to examine your TV viewing time, internet surfing time, recreational and/or occupational sitting time, and might be surprised by your total sitting time!
6. Imbalanced gut bacteria
Growing evidence has pointed to how bacteria may influence the risk for cancer. Millions of microbes in your gut interact with your immune system, some are beneficial, but some are harmful. Experts believe that when bad bacteria overruns your digestive system, you might suffer from inflammatory bowel diseases, and may also be at a higher risk for colorectal cancer, because bad bacteria generate waste products that harm colon tissues and make them more vulnerable to malignancies.
7. Tobacco smoking
Cigarette smoking has been linked to a higher risk for several types of cancer; colon cancer is among them.
8. Heavy alcohol consumption
Colorectal cancer has been linked to heavy intake of alcohol. The fact is that heavy alcohol users tend to have low levels of folic acid in their bodies. Most studies in humans indicate a clear link between colorectal cancer development and inadequate folate consumption. Furthermore, research has shown that folate deficiency increases DNA damage by decreasing the expression of two genes involved in DNA repair.
9. Diet low in fiber but high in red meats
Surely, it is not clear how much diet might contribute to an increased risk of colon cancer. However, a diet that is high in red meats (e.g. beef, pork, lamb, or liver) and processed meats (such as hot dogs) can increase colorectal cancer risk. Again, a balanced, fiber-rich diet with a lot of vegetables can protect your colon from cancer.
Furthermore, if you are at age of 50+, you can assess your colorectal cancer risk using this interactive tool provided by NCI.
One more point, please be aware that some of these risks are potentially enhanced in modern society. For examples, TV watching is often associated with drinking sweetened beverages and eating junk foods. Sitting in your car during the long commute frequently comes with stress. Overall, these risk factors have a detrimental impact on colon cancer development.
So, what is the next? Take action, be proactive to optimize your colon health, and stop colon cancer NOW!
Image credits: By http://www.medicinenet.com