More than 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer every year. It’s a daunting number, but you can improve your chances of staying out of this unfortunate group with a few simple changes: taking a vitamin pill, making a small adjustment to your diet, and steering clear of a popular medication. Let’s dive into these three ways to ward off colon cancer.
Boost Your Niacin Intake
The helpful vitamin mentioned earlier is niacin, also known as vitamin B3. Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia have discovered that niacin plays a significant role in preventing colon inflammation and cancer. In addition to preventing inflammation, niacin also helps protect and repair DNA, which is essential for overall health.
The recommended daily intake of niacin varies depending on your age and gender, but for most adults, it ranges between 14 and 18 milligrams per day. You can find niacin in various food sources such as poultry, red meat, fish, whole grains, and legumes. Of course, you can also opt for a vitamin supplement if you’re not getting enough niacin through your diet alone.
Add More Fruits, Vegetables, and Fiber to Your Diet
The necessary dietary change to help prevent colon cancer is to eat more fruits and vegetables and consume more dietary fiber. The latter has a twofold benefit – not only does it help maintain regular bowel movements, but fiber also feeds the friendly bacteria in the colon that protect against inflammation and lower the risk of cancer.
To add more fiber to your diet, start by incorporating whole grains such as brown rice, oats, quinoa, and barley. You should also consume more legumes like beans, lentils, and chickpeas. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, opt for those with a high fiber content such as raspberries, apples, pears, spinach, and broccoli.
Experts recommend aiming for at least 25-30 grams of fiber per day, so make sure to adjust your diet accordingly and monitor your fiber intake as closely as possible.
Be Cautious with Antibiotics
The medications you should avoid are antibiotics. While they are incredibly helpful for treating certain bacterial infections, they can also wipe out the friendly bacteria that protect your colon. Consequently, if taken unnecessarily or too frequently, antibiotics can increase the risk of colon inflammation and cancer in the long run.
Make sure you only take antibiotics when prescribed by your healthcare provider and for the recommended duration. If you’re suffering from a cold or flu, antibiotics won’t do much to help, as they don’t kill viruses. Instead, try to find alternatives to help you feel better, such as over-the-counter cold medicines, rest, and plenty of fluids.
It’s Never Too Late to Make Changes
The key to successfully warding off colon cancer is starting with these three simple actions: increasing your niacin intake, adding more fruits, vegetables, and fiber to your diet, and using antibiotics cautiously. The sooner you begin implementing these changes, the better your chances of protection against colon cancer.
But even if you’re already in a high-risk group or have a family history of colon cancer, it’s still worth making these changes to your lifestyle. As researchers like Nagendra Singh suggest, “mega-doses of niacin may be useful in the treatment and/or prevention of ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and colorectal cancer, as well as familial adenomatous polyposis, or FAP, a genetic condition that causes polyps to develop throughout the gastrointestinal tract.”
To further reduce your risk of colon cancer, it’s also essential to follow additional preventative measures such as maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, limiting alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking.
Finally, don’t forget the importance of regular screenings for colon cancer – early detection is crucial for successful treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider about the best strategy for you, and remember that prevention starts with simple changes.
