Care for your colon!

Care for your colon!

March is National Colorectal cancer awareness month.  This deadly type of cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women.  The American Cancer Society advises everyone over the age of 50 to get screened for colon cancer through regular colonoscopies.   And diet plays a key role in prevention, too.

Prep for a colonoscopy includes eating a clear liquid diet (clear juice, broth, jello, popsicles) and taking strong laxatives to “clean you out”.  During the procedure, a thin, long, flexible device with a lighted lens called a colonoscope will be guided into your rectum and passed to your colon to take pictures or remove polyps if they are lurking.  Polyps may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).   Don’t worry- medication is typically given prior to the procedure and you’ll likely not remember it. Most patients rest for at least 2 hours after the procedure before having a friend or family member drive them home.Risk factors for colo-rectal cancer include age (over 50), heredity, African American race, colon growths (polyps), chronic diseases of the colon such as Crohn’s and smoking.   Excessive red meat consumption has also been linked with colorectal cancer, especially in men.A recent Australian study found that different foods affect different parts of the bowel (good and bad).  For example, eating Brassica vegetables (broccoli, and cauliflower) lower the risk of distal and proximal cancer, while dark yellow vegetables and apples reduced the risk of distal cancer.    And surprisingly, fruit juice intake was associated with an increased risk of rectal cancer.In addition, consumption of whole grains (such as bran or wheat cereal, oatmeal, whole wheat bread & pasta, bulgur, etc) may reduce the risk of colon cancer up to 20%.  Experts recommend eating at least 25-35 grams of dietary fiber per day.  Here are a few ways to do it:1.  Eat oats or bran cereal for breakfast.2.  Use 100% whole wheat bread for your sandwich or toast.3.  Choose whole fruit like oranges over orange juice.4.  Add berries to your yogurt or salad.5.  Snack on an apple and handful of nuts between meals.6.  Switch to brown rice and whole wheat pasta7.  Add spinach, onions and other vegetables to scrambled eggs.8.  Toss black beans, peas or kidney beans into your salad.9.   Choose whole wheat pasta over white pasta.10.  Snack on Triscuit or other whole grain crackers.See, it's not as hard as you think to eat more fiber!