Colon cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, begins in the colon or rectum and can spread to other organs and tissues in your body. Symptoms include blood in your stool, abdominal pain, lower abdomen tenderness, changes in bowel habits, intestinal obstruction, weight loss and unexplained anemia. Maintaining a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet is important if you have colon cancer. Certain supplements may be helpful in preventing, relieving, and controlling this cancer and its symptoms. Check with your doctor before taking supplements and never replace other forms of therapy with supplements.
Probiotic Supplements
Probiotic supplements consist of a combination of organisms, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, which act as helpful bacteria in maintaining the health of your digestive tract. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, research indicates that probiotics may aid in decreasing the risk of reoccurring tumors in those who have had surgery for colon cancer removal. The University of Maryland Medical Center advises that a dose of 5 to10 billion colony-forming units per day may be effective. You should also refrigerate probiotics to maintain the integrity of the bacterial cultures. Probiotics may also be obtained in some dairy products, such as yogurt. Check labels to see if products contain these bacterial cultures.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may help decrease your risk for colorectal cancer. Omega-3s are required by your body for healthy growth, development and brain functioning, but your body does not produce them. Therefore, you must obtain these fats from your diet. According to UMMC, animal and laboratory studies indicate that these fats may prevent colon cancer from becoming worse. You can talk to your doctor before taking supplements to see if you might benefit from these fats. You can also find these fats naturally in such foods as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, flaxseed oil, hempseeds, hempseed oil and walnuts.
Green Tea
Green tea, also known as Camellia sinensis, may be beneficial for colon cancer. Green tea can supply your body with antioxidants, substances that protect you from free radical damage. Free radicals are harmful agents that invade your body and cause cellular damage, infection and illness. By boosting your immune strength, green tea may help you prevent and combat colon cancer. Evidence of green tea and its benefits for cancer prevention is inconclusive and more research is required. UMMC recommends a dose of 250 to 500 mg per day as a standardized extract to help increase your immunity. You can also obtain this supplement from tea.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is used for many conditions, including constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammation of the stomach lining and inflammation of the small intestine. According to MedlinePlus, people also use flaxseed to reduce risk of developing lung, colon and breast cancers. Evidence is inconclusive and more study is required. Flaxseed may be helpful as a fiber source to help you combat symptoms of constipation or diarrhea that occur with colon cancer. Flaxseed can add bulk to your stool matter and help push it out of your colon, and therefore relieve constipation. At the same time, it may help relieve diarrhea since it adds the extra bulk to the watery stools that occur in diarrhea. You may need to monitor its effect on you. Check with your doctor if you are considering adding flaxseed to your daily diet to ensure your safety.
