The last segment of your digestive system includes your bowel, which is also referred to as the large intestine, or colon. The colon stores waste from digested foods and empties waste into the rectum for elimination. Risk of bowel cancer increases as you age and from heredity, but you can lower the compounding risk factors with preventive measures taken in your diet and lifestyle habits.
Bowel Information
The large intestine is approximately 6 feet long and consists of the ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid colon, with the final portion being the rectum. Cancer can occur in any portion of the colon, rectum or both and is generally referred to as colorectal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in American adults, but in many cases, it can be prevented with health screenings and by taking precautionary measures. The general dietary recommendation to reduce cancer risk is consumption of a primarily plant-based diet and limiting red meat consumption.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and substances such as phytochemicals and antioxidants that may protect you from cell damage. Phytochemicals protect plants from bacteria or viruses, and when you eat produce you reap the benefits of the properties of phytochemicals that eliminate toxins, inflammation or tumor growth in the colon. Antioxidants act as protective substances, preventing healthy cells from being attacked by free radicals that are created during the breakdown of food. Eat an array of vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables daily, including sweet potatoes, greens, broccoli, citrus fruits, cantaloupe and berries. Five to nine small servings of fruits and vegetables throughout the day increases your bowel-protective efforts.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are not processed, bleached or refined during preparation, so the grain kernel remains intact with fiber and nutrients. The American Institute for Cancer Research suggests eating whole grains instead of processed white grains to lower your cancer risk. Wheat bread or pasta, bran cereals, oatmeal and brown rice are choice in a cancer preventive diet. The fiber in whole grains also helps move your bowels readily so you are not constipated or experience digestive distress that may irritate your colon.
Additional Dietary Tips
Red and processed meat is high in saturated fat, which inhibits healthy bowels. Limit your consumption of fatty meats and replace it with leaner meat sources, including baked poultry or fish. Healthy unsaturated fats like salmon or tuna may also protect you from cancer by reducing tumor development, according to Stanford Medicine. Avoid excessive alcohol use, and if you smoke, consider quitting. Get regular health screenings and talk to your physician about dietary changes to protect you from bowel cancer.
References
- University of Washington; Taking Care of Your Bowels; The Basics
- Stanford Medicine: Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risk
- Susan Cohan Colon Cancer Foundation; Eating Well/Diet; Dr. Joel Fuhrman
- American Institute for Cancer Research: Reduce Your Cancer Risk
- American Cancer Society: Can Colorectal Cancer Be Prevented?
- American Cancer Society; Colorectal Cancer Overview; 2011
