Colon cancer — health experts say that it’s the second leading cause of cancer death on the planet. They add that everyone can get it, and one’s lifetime risk of being diagnosed with it is about 1 in 20.
Terrified that you may one day be diagnosed with colon cancer? Instead of fretting unnecessarily, it is a much better idea for you to promise yourself to add 2 to 3 servings of oily fish to your diet every single week.
According to a study conducted by the University of Oxford and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), participating individuals — amounting to 476,160 — who consumed 359.1 grams of any type of fish per week had 12 percent lowered risk of colon cancer compared to those who ate less than 63.49 grams of any kind of fish per week. Do take note that a typical serving of fish amounts to about 100 grams.
On the other hand, those who had only 63.49 grams a week of oily fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel had 10 percent lowered risk of colon cancer.
Actually, the study lasted for several years. Over the subsequent 15 years, the involved researchers found out that 6,291 participating individuals had eventually developed colon cancer.
The results of the long-term study by the conducted by the University of Oxford and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) proved that regularly consuming fish can help in considerably lowering one’s risk of colon cancer.
They confirm that the best fish for the job is the kind that’s oily due to the presence of lots and lots of long-chain fatty acids.
Just because you can spot the word “fatty” doesn’t mean that it’s bad for you. If truth be told, long-chain fatty acids possess anti-inflammatory properties — inflammation within is something that’s scientifically-proven to dramatically increase a person’s risk of developing deadly cancer.
However, the study only entailed investigating the amount of fish consumed on a weekly basis. It did not include supplementing with fish oil that some of the participants could have been doing — the researchers said that supplementing with fish oil could have also influenced the results of the scientific investigation.
Despite of that, it’s evident that the inclusion of 2 to 3 portions of fish, including most especially the oily kind, to the diet can help in lowering your chance of winding up with colon cancer.
Aside from regularly consuming oil fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel, here are some other ways to have your colon cancer risk considerably lowered:
- Consume less red meat and most especially processed meats
- Include plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables to your diet as their fiber content has anti-colon cancer perks
- Maintain an ideal weight as being obese is regarded as a colon cancer risk factor
- Get your regular dose of exercise
- If you’re a cigarette smoker, quit the habit without delay
- Keep your intake of alcohol to a minimum — up to a glass a day if you’re a woman and up to 2 glasses a day if you’re a man
Sadly, there are risk factors for colon cancer that you cannot change or avoid. They include being 45 years of age or older and having some family members who are diagnosed with it — colon cancer, just like most other types of cancer out there, tends to run in families.
If you have these non-modifiable or unavoidable colon cancer risk factors, it is a good idea to get screened for colon cancer without delay. Also, it will help a lot if you will follow some of the things that you may do in order to keep colon cancer at bay, the ones just discussed above.
