How To Reduce Your Risk of Bowel Cancer
Consisting of 11% of all new cancers diagnosed, bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Australia. In 2019 16,398 were diagnosed, consisting of 9,069 males and 7,329 females, and a total of 5,597 deaths were recorded, which begs the question: how can we better manage this deadly disease? Thankfully, there are quite a few ways that regular people can reduce their risk for bowel cancer – in this article, we take a look at some of the simplest ways to do so to ensure that you can have a much better chance at staving off bowel cancer.
[alert-announce]Getting a screening[/alert-announce]
There’s no better way to ensure that bowel cancer is easily managed than if a patient decides to find a colonoscopist and get a thorough screening. This screening will allow a gastroenterologist to carefully examine the inside of your colon and rectum, and in the event that any cancerous or precancerous tumours are identified, remove any concerns. Screenings allow the gastroenterologist to spot signs and symptoms before they develop, which often occurs through finding growths on the colon or rectum called polyps that can be removed before they turn into cancer. It is always the case that earlier is better, as treatments are much more successful earlier on than if the cancer has time to develop. Getting these screenings becomes much more important as people get older, and is recommended to regularly occur every few years. If there is a history of bowel cancer in your family, it is recommended that you start getting screened before you turn 50. If you have any concerns, it’s always a good idea to talk to your GP and discuss when might be the best time for you to start getting tested.
[alert-announce]Improving your diet and exercise[/alert-announce]
There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that a good diet and regular exercise can decrease the risk factor for bowel cancer. One of the clearest ties between poor diet and bowel cancer exists within the consumption of red meats, such as beef and lamb, as well as processed meats, such as bacon and smallgoods. For this reason, these meat products should be consumed very sparingly in a healthy diet. This is also true of alcohol, which also has indicated risks associated with bowel cancer. Instead, make sure to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Exercise is also an important factor in preventing bowel cancer – exercising regularly has been proven to reduce the development of bowel cancer due to the lessened production of insulin when staying active. The benefits of exercise are also tied to management of weight (as being overweight or obese also acts as a considerable risk factor).
[alert-announce]Staying aware of the risk factors[/alert-announce]
Understanding the risk factors and actively managing them in the long-term is by far the best way to manage bowel cancer. Even if you are aware of bowel cancer being a common disease in your family, regularly consulting with your GP and getting tested will help you catch it before its too late. Until then, not engaging in a sedentary lifestyle and eating all of the right foods will help a great deal in ensuring you don’t develop bowel cancer. All it takes is a bit of mindfulness!
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