One of the best ways to prevent colon cancer is through a healthy diet.

Eat more vegetable and fruits

If you eat three or more servings of vegetables a day, you can lower you risk of developing colon cancer. It is not clear why, but it appears that the folic acid in vegetables helps keep ceels healthy. Generally speaking, a serving is about half a cup of chopped vegetables or a cup of leafy greens.

Fruits and veggies supply a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, and also contain cancer-fighting substances known as phytochemicals.

After convening an expert panel that reviewed hundreds of epidemiological studies on dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, the American Institute of Cancer Research found overwhelming evidence that fruit and vegetable consumption reduces the risk of cancer.

Eat more bread, beans and bananas

Experts recommend eating more of the types of foods that will fill you up, while at the same time, providing a variety of vitamins, minerals, protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber. Such foods include whole grains found in breads, cereals, pasta, and rice; legumes, such as beans and peas; plantains, such as bananas; and roots and tubers, such as sweet potatoes.

Look for foods that have been minimally processed and that contain few refined sugars; such foods are generally the best sources of nutrients and other beneficial substances. For example, whole-grains wheat breadis better than white, and bran cereal is better than cerals with frosting or that taste like cereal.

Eat less red meat

If you have more than one serving of red meat(beef, pork, lamb or venison) per day, you are at increased risk of colon cancer. Meat appears to contain substances that can turn normal cell cancerous. The best way to eat less meat per week is to find substitutes: chicken, fish, pasta or vegetables.

Cook meats safely

The way that meats are cooked is also important. Known or suspected carcinogens are formed when meat or fish is exposed directly to flame or intense heat, as typically happens when food is broiled, roasted, fried or grilled. High temperatures and flames induce chemical reactions as oil and fat drip down, forming new compounds that splatter back up and stick to the surface of the meat. Epidemiological studies have reported that people who frequently eat meats cooked at high temperatures may increase their risk for stomach and colorectal cancers.

Fortunately, this particular cancer risk can be controlled and should be kept in perspective. It is important that foods, and especially meats, be cooked thoroughly to kill any bacterial for people trying to reduce their risk of heart disease, eating broiled or grilled food is often recommended. To reduce your risk of cancer,don’t regularly eat meat that has been overcooked or charred. Eating such foods on an occasional basis won’t greatly increase your risk for stomach and colorectal cancers.

There are other strategies as well. Grill vegetables instead of meat. (Because the vegetables don’t drip fat, cooking them doesn’t create the compounds discussed above.) Choose lean cuts of meat or trim off the fat and skin before cooking. Turn the meat often while cooking, and use tongs or a spatula, which does not puncture the meat.

Choose broiling or grilling, where drippings fall away from the meat and may not splatter up as much, over pan frying-where the meat is in direct contact with both high heat and fat drippings, resulting in the formation of more carcinogens on the meat surface. Or precooked meats by boiling, steaming or microwaving to lessen the amount of time spent grilling.

Limit your intake of cured meats

Processed cold cuts, hams and hotdogs contain nitrites and nitrates as preservatives. Some studies report that diets high in cured meats may increase the risk of colorectal cancer, but others disagree.

So what should you do? The strategy best calculated to reduce your risk of cancer would be to eat cured meats only in moderation. It is unlikely that the occasional hotdog or ham sandwich will materially affect your cancer risk.

Limit your alcohol intake

Alcohol consumption moderately increases the chance of developing colorectal cancer.

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Gender: Men and women can develop cancer of the colon, but men are a little more likely to get colorectal cancer.

Ethnicity: In the U.S., cancer rates are higher among Japanese-Americans, African-Americans, and non-Hispanic whites compared to other ethnic groups.

Worldwide: Colon cancer rates are highest in Northern and Western Europe, Australia and North America, and are lowest in Africa and Asia. One of the most obvious clues is that, diet is related to colon cancer risks. Immigrants who come from a region with a lower rate of colon cancer (for example Japan); to a region with a higher rate of colon cancer (like the United States.); end up mimicking the higher cancer rate after the first and second generations. If this disease were completely genetic, then we would not see such risk shift. The following types of people are considered to have higher risk for colon cancer:

* If a child, sibling, or parent has polyps or cancer of the colon, then a person has 2 to 4 times the risk (based on studies by Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Columbia University).
* A family history of uterine, breast, liver, ovarian, or stomach cancer also may increase the probability.
* A past history of polyps may triple the risk.
* Your risk of developing this cancer also increases by thirty percent if you have had chronic inflammatory conditions, like Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis for 8 years or more.
* As mentioned by the Harvard Health Letter, individuals with at least one ‘first degree’ relative (father, mother, child, or sibling) who had colorectal and endometrial or ovarian cancers; can have higher genetic predisposition to this disease. They should get early screening and possibly more often compared to the general population.
* A person who smokes often or with sedentary (having a little physical activity level) lifestyle has more risk for colorectal cancer.
* People, who don’t have genetic or other specific factors or symptoms putting them at high colon cancer risk, are automatically regarded as having average risk if they reach age fifty. The chance of an average risk individual developing dangerous colorectal cancer is 1 in 19.

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These laboratory kits cost about $10 and they are the most common colon cancer screening tests, although their effectiveness is being questioned. This test involves taking samples from two different parts of your stool, for three days, and spreading the samples on the testing paper. A recent study found a 33 percent reduction in death (in average-risk people) from colorectal cancer in the group having an annual FOBT test. Some of this reduction in risk could be due to colonoscopies that were performed due to false positive FOBT results. If you are opting for an FOBT as part of your annual physical exam, there are a few things you might want to know:

* Of all the different FOBT tests available, HemeSelect (an immunochemical test) has been shown to perform better than the others.
* The test is more accurate (avoiding false-negative and false-positive test results) when you abstain from taking aspirin and eating certain foods (red meat, some raw fruits and vegetables, and vitamin C supplements). Be sure to ask your doctor if there are any food guidelines he/she wants you to follow before taking the samples.
* It can still miss a cancer that wasn’t bleeding at the time or it can pick up bleeding for which no source can be found.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

This test involves a flexible fiber-optic probe (sigmoidoscope) that views the lining of the rectum and the last two feet of colon in search for polyps. This test usually doesn’t require sedation and costs about $150. The downside to this is that the area of the colon examined by the scope typically contains only half of the possible polyps. Some physicians liken it to only checking one breast during a mammography. The other downside is that if a polyp is found, you will have to come back at another time for a follow-up colonoscopy test. This will view the entire colon with a longer endoscope and remove the polyps seen during the previous sigmoidoscopy. This test is not recommended for hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer screening because about two thirds of the lesions in these cases develop in the upper portion of the colon, not reached by the sigmoidoscope.

Colonoscopy

This is a more involved test, recommended for high-risk people or when the other tests (FOBT, sigmoidoscopy, or barium enema) results are positive. This test will view the colon, biopsy necessary areas, and remove any pre-cancerous or early-stage cancerous polyps in one step.

The downside to this procedure:

* The test is performed in a hospital or certified endoscopy unit and can cost around $550 plus hospital charges.
* Patients are usually asked to eat a low-residue or clear liquid diet for 24 hours before the procedure. They are also sedated during the procedure.
* There is a one-in-500 risk of perforation of the colon during the procedure.
* Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be discontinued one week before, due to the possibility of bleeding during the procedure.
* Abdominal cramping can occur during and after the procedure.
* Colonoscopy isn’t recommended for those with fulminant colitis, recent colectomy, known or suspected perforation, unstable cardiorespiratory condition, or coagulopathy.

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One of the easiest ways that you can understand how to spot this disease early is to know the risk factors. This will help you to recognize whether you are regarded – by medical standards – to be a high or low risk. If you believe that you are high risk you need to have scheduled visits and screenings planned with your physician.

Age – Studies present that around 90% of people who have been diagnosed with this condition are fifty years or more. Yet, it is still manageable for younger people to have it – it is merely not as ordinary.

Personal History – If you are somebody who has been diagnosed with this type of cancer and have treated it successfully than you are at a high risk for colon cancer. This is because your body is susceptible to the polyps that occur during this problem and it is very potential it will come back.

Intestinal Conditions – There are distinct conditions of the intestines that will cause inflammation of the colon. A couple of these are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Genetics – There are certain problems that are passed down through genetics and this is believed to be of them. Seek to examine your family’s history and see if any of them have had this type of cancer. If more then one of them have been diagnosed with it then this can increase your risk even more.

Diet – Many health experts think that the foods that we consume will impact our risk of being diagnosed with this condition. Eating up foods that are high in fat and low in fiber are the hardest kinds.

Lifestyle – There are other lifestyle choices that we make which will bear upon our chances. Numerous of these colon cancer risk factors include; not exercising, obesity, diabetes, smoking, and too much alcohol.

It is important to know how to identify the Risk Factors Of Colon Cancer so that you are able to Catch Colon Cancer Early.

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There are many important risk factors for cancer of the colon that makes someone a good candidate for colon cancer screening. Age is one factor, as about 90% of people diagnosed with this cancer are over 50. People are also more at-risk if they have ever had colorectal cancer, polyps, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, acromegaly (a growth hormone disorder) or radiation therapy as part of another cancer treatment. Some studies have shown that a greater risk exists for people who eat diets low in fiber and high in fat/calories, or diets high in red meat/processed meats. Obese individuals and smokers have an increased chance of developing and dying from this type of cancer too. As with most health conditions, genetics also play a role in many cases.

Approximately 5% of all colon cancer is caused by a genetic syndrome passed through the familial line. These syndromes include FAP (familial adenomatous polyposis) and Lynch syndrome (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer). About 95% of the people diagnosed with either syndrome will develop colon polyps that lead to cancer. The good news is that both of these syndromes are detectable through genetic testing. The idea that someone without these syndromes will develop the cancer because an aunt, grandmother, sibling or parent has is still debated. Some say the family may have all been exposed to the same environmental conditions or unhealthy lifestyle.

There are many screening procedures for colon cancer. The most basic is a stool blood test (or a fecal occult blood test), which allows a patient to take a kit home, create a sample and return that sample to the lab, where a doctor will examine the results under a microscope. Similarly, a stool DNA test will send the sample kit off to the laboratory for more in-depth analysis, which may be able to indicate DNA mutations or tumors that indicate the presence of cancer. A flexible sigmoidoscopy takes just a few moments, and involves a flexible, slender, lighted tube being inserted into the last two feet of the rectum and colon to see if any colon polyps are present. A barium enema uses a contrast dye and x-rays to evaluate the lining of the bowels. A colonoscopy is similar to the sigmoidoscopy, but the instrument allows the doctor the ability to search the entire colon and rectum for polyps, rather than just the lower portion. Lastly, a virtual colonoscopy uses a computerized tomography machine to take images of the colon, which is a less invasive than a conventional colonoscopy screening.

For more information on cancer read Colon Cancer Facts.

Writing about the importance of cancer screening. Don’t die of embarrassment. Get a colonoscopy. You must read Colon Cancer Facts

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Before talking about colon cancer prevention, let’s talk a little about what colon cancer is, exactly. Both the colon and rectum are part of the digestive system. The first part of the digestive system, which is the esophagus and stomach, breaks down food to be processed into energy. Next, the broken down food travels to the small intestine/bowel, which is a narrow, 20-foot section that continues breaking down food and absorbing most of the nutrients. The small intestine then sends the remaining material to the five-foot-long colon (which is also referred to as “the large intestine”), where it absorbs salt and water and stores waste. The first part of the colon is the ascending colon, which is attached to the small intestine and the appendix on the right side of the abdomen. The transverse colon runs from the right to the left side of the upper abdomen. The descending colon travels downward on the left side and the sigmoid colon is an S-shaped portion that passes food matter down to the rectum, the final six inches of the digestive system, which will pass food out of the body through the anus. No one is really sure what exactly causes a colon cancer cell to develop in the first place, or why some experience a colon cancer recurrence, but research suggests a variety of lifestyle, hereditary and environmental factors are at play.

To prevent colon cancer, screening tests and diagnostic tests are extremely important for early detection of colon polyps, which may later become cancerous. Most people begin testing at age 50, although people who are at high risk will need to go in for testing sooner. You may be at high risk of developing colon cancer if you are obese, you smoke, you eat a lot of saturated fats/red meats, you eat a diet low in vitamins/minerals and fiber, you have diabetes, you have FAP (familial adenomatous polyposis) or HNPCC (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, if you have growth hormone disorder, or if you have had ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Testing options include stool sample testing (fecal occult blood test, stool DNA test), lighted exploratory tubes being placed in the colon to look for polyps (flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy), and x-rays (double-contrast barium enema, virtual colonoscopy). These should be done every 5 to 10 years, on average.

Research suggests one of the best ways to prevent colon cancer is to eat right. An Ohio State University study found that rodents who were fed raspberries with their meals developed 80% less tumors than rodents who ate regular food. Blackberries and raspberries contain anthocyanins and polyphenolics, which inhibit blood vessel formation that would normally feed a cancerous cell. Secondly, an 8-year study from UCSD found that vitamin D/sunlight exposure alters the growth of colon cells to prevent malignancy. It’s best to spend 10 minutes in the sun before applying sunscreen, as even SPF-8 lotion can reduce your ability to convert sunlight to Vitamin D by 95%. A University of Maryland lab study shows that the inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) fiber in corn prevents the growth of the colon cancer cell by regulating cell activity. Louisiana State University researchers discovered that curry inhibits cancer cell movement and can even destroy some smaller cancer cells. Lastly, Oregon State University researchers recommend white tea for its anti-oxidant properties. In addition to these foods, individuals should limit red meat, saturated fat, alcohol and tobacco consumption.

About the author: This article was written by Suzanne Jose the editor of http://www.cleanse-your-colon.com, the website dedicated to providing free and quality information on the subject of detox, colon cleanse and weight loss. You can also get free trial offer of natural colon cleanse & weight loss treatments.

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Smoking, drinking alcohol in excess, improper diet is considered the prime risk factors for this disease. There are several different tests available to detect this disease. Digital rectal exam, fecal occult blood test, endoscopy are some of them. For times surgery and chemotherapy have been the traditional treatments for this disease. These days, new colon cancer alternative treatments are available.

Gerson Therapy: Gerson therapy is a type of organic treatment that has been in use for the last 6 decades. In this treatment, raw organic juices are given to patients suffering the disease. Apart from this juice, coffee enemas are used along with other food supplements. Gerson therapy pushes the toxins into the blood stream and eliminates them. This finally makes the body void of toxic substances that cause deadly cancer. This treatment is one of the most popular alternative methods to cure this deadly disease.

Ozone Therapy: The main aim of ozone therapy is to make our body and body cells rich in oxygen. The supply of oxygen is done by exposing the body to the ozone layer or hydrogen peroxide. The main concept of this therapy is that the disease causing cancer cells cannot live on high oxygen concentrations. Thus the cancer cells die when exposed to oxygen.

Colon cancer alternative treatment – read more to know about new methods to cure this cancer

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Minimize exposure to carcinogens

Not smoking and avoiding people when they smoke are big steps in the right direction. Avoiding carcinogenic chemicals and radiation will also help.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Estrogen replacement therapy (and estrogen in combination with progestin) is suggested to substantially decrease colon cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Although this conclusion is still controversial, researchers suspect that the hormone estrogen exerts a protective effect. This has not been proven and experts don’t recommend using it exclusively for colon protection. The suspected connection is that hormone therapy reduces the production of bile acids.

Aspirin

If you are at risk for a heart attack, you might already be taking an aspirin a day. So you might be encouraged to note that plain old aspirin has been shown to prevent some colorectal polyps from forming (including in people who have already had polyps removed). Additionally, it causes the regression of small adenomas in people with familial adenomatous polyposis. Recent data (from the Nurse’s Health Study) showed that taking four to six regular strength tablets per week, for at least 10 years, reduced the risk of colorectal cancer. Apparently a small adenoma requires 10 years or more to become cancerous, so taking aspirin on a regular basis may help during the earliest small-adenoma stage of colorectal cancer.

Researchers are trying to figure out an aspirin dosage that has positive effects for the heart and colon, but minimizes the tendency to cause stomach upset and bleeding. One recommendation for people with increased risk for colorectal cancer is to take a single 325-mg. aspirin tablet every other day (this amount is also in the range that has been suggested to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease).

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Cancer occurs when cells transform and grow abnormally. This type of unhealthy growth overwhelms healthy cells and tissues by taking away the oxygen supply, nutrients, and space. This is why it is so important that cancer is detected at an early stage. Prognosis is better if the cancer is caught earlier rather than later.

Causes
As with any other type of cancer, the exact cause of why the cells begin to transform to unhealthy levels is unknown. Most forms of colon cancer are caused by clusters of these abnormal cells on the inside wall of the colon. This form of cancer usually occurs before the patient turns 40, but not always.

Symptoms
Rectal bleeding, fatigue, pale skin, and iron deficiency are all associated with colon cancer. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your physician immediately. It is imperative that you seek help as soon as you show the signs and symptoms. Do not automatically assume that any rectal bleeding you experience is the result of hemorrhoids, because this is not always the case. As for the iron deficiency, rectal bleeding can show up as either being chronic or as an iron deficiency anemia.

If the mass gets big enough, it may actually block the colon off. Symptoms include:

· Abdominal pain
· Abdominal distension
· Unexplained, constant vomiting or nausea
· Unexplained weight loss
· Change in bowel habits or consistency
· Feeling like you still need to evacuate even after you have
· Small, ribbon-like stools
· Rectal pain

If you experience any of the above symptoms, contact your physician immediately. Sometimes the symptoms may take several weeks to several months to become prevalent, so it is imperative that you seek medical attention immediately once you have noticed something. Do not automatically assume that your symptoms are caused by something else.

Prevention – The earlier you detect colon cancer, the better the prognosis will be. You need to schedule a regular colon screening so that you have a better chance of detecting this cancer at an earlier stage, especially if you fall into any of the risk categories.

Other things that you can do to help reduce your risk of developing colon cancer are:

· Stop smoking
· Take an aspirin daily (talk to your doctor first because this is not recommended for everyone)
· Maintain physical activity
· Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits daily
· Take a safe dose of folic acid daily

By following these guidelines, you will help to reduce your chances of developing colon cancer.

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Adenomatous polyps themselves can be small and create very few or no symptoms at all. This is why screening is so important – once your doctor notes the presence of polyps he can remove them to prevent them turning cancerous.

But what if you have not had a screening? How do you recognize the symptoms of colon cancer? The first thing to note is that a lot of people with colorectal cancer have no symptoms at all in the disease’s early stages. When symptoms do appear they can vary greatly based on the cancer’s location and size.
There is no substitute for early detection, but if you have been unable to get to the doctor for screening, here are some things to look for:

1. Sudden and/or unexplained weight-loss.
2. A change in your bowel movements – look for anything that is changed from normal – a change in frequency, the consistency, persistent diarrhea or constipation any change that lasts more than two weeks and cannot be associated with another illness.
3. Extreme fatigue or weakness.
4. Not feeling able to completely empty your bowel.
5. Stomach discomfort including cramps, gas, and pain.
6. Bloody stool or bleeding from the rectum.

The fact is that most of the symptoms of colon cancer are also symptomatic of other problems so this is why it is necessary to see your doctor as soon as possible.

If it turns out you do not have cancer then you need to look into other causes for these symptoms. All of the symptoms above, except for unexplained weight loss and extreme fatigue are signs of an impacted intestinal system. If this is the case, it could be that you need to undertake a program of colon cleansing in concert with colonic irrigation to remove irritants from the bowel and allow a return of normal bowel function.

The best defense against colon cancer is regular screening and early detection. Your doctor can find and remove adenomatous polyps before they develop into cancer. If you have any bowel symptoms that you are unsure of, see your doctor immediately. Your bowel health is too important to take chances with.

If you require more colon cancer symptom information, please visit http://www.colon-cleaners.com.

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