AN ANTICANCER LIFESTYLE

    Being proactive with your health suggests that changing the diet and making other lifestyle changes could eliminate 40 percent of colorectal cancer, according to Consumer Reports on Health.

·        EAT LESS RED MEAT:  During digestion, red and processed meats form carcinogenic chemicals.  According to a 2011 meta-analysis combining results of 21 studies, the colorectal cancer risk was 22 percent greater among people who ate five ounces of red and processed meat a day compared with those who ate less than an ounce. 

·        Eat more vegetables, fruit, and fiber.  A recent study using data from the U.S. Polyp Prevention Trial looked at the impact of diet on 1900 people with a history of pre-cancerous polyps.  Those who met goals for cutting fat and consumed at least 18 grams of fiber and 3.5 servings of vegetables and fruit per 1,000 calories each day were 35 percent less likely to develop new polyps during this study.

·        Exercise.  Sedentary people are about twice as likely to develop colorectal cancer as highly active exercisers.  Aim for at least 30 minutes a day of moderately intense exercise.

          Maintain a healthy weight.  Being overweight increases the risk of colorectal cancer no matter how active you are.  Excess abdominal fat (indicated by a waist size that exceeds 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men) could be a more important factor than over-all body weight.

           Don’t rely too much on drugs or supplements.  Some, such as aspirin and related NSAIDs, calcium supplements, and for women, postmenopausal hormone therapy, might lower the risk, evidence shows.  But all additional health risks, and there is not enough proof of their effectiveness and safety to recommend use to prevent colon cancer.  Limit alcohol.  People who have an average of two to four drinks a day have a 23 percent higher risk than those averaging less than one drink a day.  Researchers have enough evidence to conclude definitely that smoking tobacco contributes to colorectal cancer.  Women appear to be more susceptible to precancerous polyps from smoking than men according to a study published online in July 2011 in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences.