Foods That Reduce The Risk Of Colon Cancer
One easy way to reduce your risk of colon cancer is to eat the right foods, and avoid the wrong foods. Which foods Here are some suggestions for eating the proper foods to help make your colon healthier and prevent colon cancer.
Foods to Eat
Proper nutrition improves your general health. Eating fresh, unprocessed foods that are full of vitamins and minerals is always a good choice. But there are specific foods that will reduce your chances of getting colon cancer.
Low-Fat Foods
Dietary fat is one of the chief causes of colorectal cancer. Eating high fat foods causes the body to produce bile acids. Large amounts of bile acids that enter the colon get converted into secondary bile acids, which have been known to cause tumors in the cells that line the colon.
Antioxidant Foods
Antioxidant foods boost the body’s immune system and give it a heightened ability to fight all types of diseases, including colon cancer. Antioxidants combat free radicals, which are a negative by-product of oxygen. Antioxidants cause the body’s defenses to be made stronger and be able to defend against free radicals. Tea, fruit, and vegetables are good sources of antioxidants.
Eat Fish
Instead of eating red meat, which is high in fat, eat fish. Fish contains Omega 3 fatty acids. These acids have protective properties over all chronic diseases, and are especially useful in preventing cancer. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fatty fish such as herring, salmon and mackerel. It is also found in flax seed, walnuts and canola oil, and can be taken in multivitamin form as well.
Fiber
Fiber consumption helps to protect the colon from cancer in several ways. First, a diet that is high in fiber and includes vegetables has been medically shown to reduce colon cancer rates. Second, eating a diet high in fiber removes more fat from the diet than does eating less fiber foods, and reduces the chances of getting colon cancer. Last, the addition of fiber in to the diet increases the time it takes food to digest. It also speeds up the amount of waste in the system, and moves more diseases from the body faster. High fiber foods include fresh fruit, prunes and prune juice, vegetables, nuts and whole grain foods. It is okay to take a fiber supplement to increase your daily amount of fiber as well.
Changing your diet by choosing these foods is an easy way to increase your level of health and reduce your chances of colon cancer. Eating fish, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts will keep you feeling healthy, help you lose weight, and keep your colon healthy, too.