7 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Getting Colon Cancer

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LifeCare Diagnostic

August 17, 2021

Eat at least 2 servings of fruits and 3 servings of vegetables daily. Get at least 50% of carbohydrate from whole grains.

A diet rich in high-fiber foods can reduce your overall calorie intake and help you maintain a healthy weight, which is vital to reducing cancer risk.

Eat less red meat (beef, pork, or lamb) and processed meats (hot dogs and some luncheon meats)

A study of nearly 500,000 people published in April 2017 found that people who ate red or processed meat four or more times a week had a 20% higher risk of colorectal cancer than those who indulged less than twice a week. [1]

Get regular exercise.

If you are not physically active, you may have a greater chance of developing colon or rectal cancer. Practise at least 150 minutes of physical activity weekly.

Watch your weight.

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of getting from colon or rectal cancer. Eating healthier and increasing your physical activity can help you control your weight.

Don’t smoke.

Long-term smokers are more likely to develop colon or rectal cancer than non-smokers.

Limit alcohol.

Alcohol use has been linked with a higher risk of colorectal cancer.

Women = maximum 1 unit of alcohol/day
Men = maximum 2 units of alcohol/day

Get screened!

Colonoscopy – Gold standard for colon screening as it can identify polyps and remove them in the same procedure
Colon sentry – A simple blood test that measures the expression of seven gene biomarkers in the blood that are early warnings of colon cancer.

References:

Bradbury K.E, Murphy N., Key T.J. International Journal of Epidemiology. Diet and colorectal cancer in UK Biobank: a prospective study. Available from: here