Colon Cancer Is Preventable – Here’s How

Today I would like to talk about a topic that can be sensitive, but in my opinion, timely and necessary. I am talking about colorectal cancer.

I have bad and good news for you regarding this topic. But first, it is important to understand the basics of this type of cancer.

What Is Colorectal Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer starts when cells in the body start to grow out of control. 

Colorectal cancer can be called either colon or rectal cancer, depending on where it starts. However, these two are usually grouped together because of their many similarities. 

To understand how this cancer originates, it can be very helpful to understand the normal function of the colon and rectum. You can learn more about their function by clicking on this link.

The Bad News

I’ll start off with the bad news. 

According to the American Cancer Society, although the overall death rate for colorectal cancer has dropped, deaths from this type of cancer among people younger than 55 have increased significantly over the last few years.
In 2022, colorectal cancer is expected to cause about 52,580 deaths. 

Sadly, this trend that is affecting a younger population is not a big surprise. 

Why Is Colorectal Cancer Affecting Younger People?

It is no secret that in this day and age people live a more fast-paced life. Everybody seems to be busier, which consequently results in cooking less at home and buying more of those pre-packaged foods, and visiting the drive-thru more often.

Nowadays, a lot of the food that people consume is “dead.” It doesn’t contain enough (or any) digestive enzymes and/or fiber. And in this type of cancer, these two are KEY for prevention. 

The Good News

The good news is, there are ways in which people can prevent this horrible trend to continue. Even if someone is diagnosed with colorectal cancer, making some changes in their diet can help improve their quality of life. 

The Importance of Fiber

The magic word here is FIBER. I cannot express enough how important fiber is and how much our body needs it to function properly.

Just think of this: When you wash a pan, if you take just a washcloth with some water, it might not get 100% clean. There’s probably going to be some grease stuck in there. However, if you take a scrub brush and wash the pan thoroughly, it will get 100% clean.

Well, this is how insoluble fiber works. When you have fiber in the right form, it cleans out what comes down through the intestines, while also scrubbing the actual intestinal walls in the colon. Therefore, if your walls don’t get cleaned thoroughly, there will be some leftovers stuck in there, turning into toxic waste. This toxic waste will go back to the bloodstream and eventually, it could cause colorectal cancer. 

Dr. Stephen O'Keefe, who has worked as a gastroenterologist in Africa and the U.S., conducted a study that compared the prevalence of colorectal cancer in African Americans and native Africans. During a series of colonoscopies in both populations, Dr. O’Keefe found that native Africans almost never test positive for colorectal cancer, while 50% of African Americans that got tested came out positive. His findings? Oh, surprise. Dr. O’Keefe said that the low risk among native Africans is most likely related to the high amount of fiber consumption. In contrast, among African Americans, that dramatic increase in colorectal cancer cases can be attributed to low fiber consumption.
This study is such a great example of the impact that fiber consumption has on our lives.

Increasing our fiber intake is not as hard as you might think, but it does take us to be more INTENTIONAL.

Prevention Tips

• Eat between 25-50 grams of fiber DAILY

• Focus on getting fiber from fresh and natural sources such as avocado, beans, and lentils. 

• You could also get your fiber from eating certain grains like whole wheat, quinoa, flaxseed, and chia seeds. 

• Drink water: Once you increase your fiber, drinking a lot of water is extremely important. 

Be mindful of what you are consuming and get that recommended daily grams in your system.

Believe me, your body will be grateful!