Archive for the ‘Cancer’ Category
Colon Cancer
You may not hear about colon cancer quite as often as lung, but it’s a big killer. Like any tumor, colon cancer can occur when poor diet, environmental toxins, chronic inflammatory, age or genetics, alone or together, triggers DNA mutations that cause cells to grow out of control. If a grandparent, aunt or uncle or cousin had colon cancer, your risk is higher than average but its two to three times higher if a parent or sibling was diagnosed or even had a larger polyp at any age.
The older you are, the more time your genes have to mutate, which may be why 9 out of 10 of these tumors form after the age of 50. Smoking may increase DNA mutations, while having more than one alcoholic drink a day can rob your body of folate, a cancer fighting B vitamin. If you’ve had polyps or uterine cancer, which appears to be triggered by the same gene as colon cancer, your chances are also greater.
How to stay safe
- Work out! Exercise revs your body, which keeps your digestive system humming. Because waste may contain potentially cancer-causing substances, the less time it’s in you, the better
- Get screened! Experts recommend that everyone should have a colonoscopy at age 50. But if you have a family history of colon cancer or even large polyps, ask to be screened 10 years before the age your relative was diagnosed.
- Eat fiber! Low carb dieters: this means you! Most people swallow about 12 grams of fiber a day, only half of what they need. Fiber binds to cancer-causing toxins and moves them out of your body faster. Good sources: cereals, beans, whole-wheat pasta, pears, apples, potatoes(with the skin) and any cracker or bread so dense it tastes like wall-to-wall carpet
- The vitamin D-calcium combo in milk may decrease cell overgrowth. Aim for 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day, which you can get in 3 cups of milk
- A multi vitamin helps ensure that your 400 micrograms of folate a day, which can help you, cut your risk by as much as half. It doesn’t get easier that that!
