Colon Cancer, Part2

So, after writing two good articles for the blog, I pushed a ”new button” and wiped it all out.  Ugh!  Sorry for the delay. 

Colon Cancer, Part 2 Statistics:  3^rd most common cancer in US.                 

 2012 – 2021 statistics dropped by 1 % per year in people over 50 years of age                 

 2021 -  2021 statistics increased by 2.4% per year in people under 50 years of age                  

Why?  Screening has increased during this time so early detection and removal of polyps                  

Death rates for those over 50 decreased, but under 50 death rates have increased by 1% per year             Lifetime risk:  1 in 24 for men, 1 in 26 for women. 

Is Colon Cancer Preventable?  Yes, to some degree, if not genetic but same modifications are important. 

How to Lessen your Risks: I can’t say enough about this. We need to take charge of our lifestyles, what we “do” to our bodies. We usually ignore our bodies, but not our cars.  Why is that?  They cost $40,000, minimum, that is the minimum for one surgery. Take a look.  Some of this might seem redundant, but don’t you notice a pattern of warnings from the experts? 

• Stop smoking.  It is linked to almost every cancer. Is that little hot stick and frying your lungs worth it?  Ask your HCP for help with meds, etc if you need help.  Get a little stronger, believe you can do this.  Believe me, the withdrawal from cigarettes is nothing compared to surgery and chemo.  Please don’t smoke in a car or inside your house if you live with someone, their risks also increase.
• Stop fake food, you know the ultra-processed food, especially the ones on the end caps of the aisles.  If you can’t pronounce it, or have never heard of it on a label, don’t eat it.  The food industry is killing us. We don’t exactly know why, but I am sure it is to make the almighty dollar.  Plus, it is like a drug, if we keep buying it, asking for it, they will find novel new ideas to poison us.  Shop the perimeter of the grocery and eat clean, healthy foods.
• Maintain a healthy weight, no, not the one that you think is ok, the one that is good for your height and weight.
• The “E” word”, exercise.  Again, there are 1440 minutes in a day, you need minimum 30 minutes per day, no excuses. Move more, walk, gym, etc.
• Decrease stress in your lives.  It doesn’t mean you have to do yoga or meditation, but that would be wonderful. There are great meditations on YouTube.com, 10 Minute Meditation To Start Your Day is one example, and there are a host of others. How about a walk, the gym or an exercise class on You Tube?  If you are already thinking “no way, I am tired”, think about these facts.  They are real.
• Alcohol?  Yes. Drinking 3.5 drinks per day (which is a total of 3.5 ounces of hard alcohol) per day triples the risk of colon cancer. There are many others that it contributes to. Why?  Need it? More serious issue, time to decrease.  Want?  Habit, same plan, decrease? Stress?  There are many other ways to decrease stress than something that contributes to cancer.

This article is not about judgement, it is about loving your body enough not to destroy it with a cancer diagnosis. A plan.  Shop the aisles, fresh fruit and vegetables.  They are actually antioxidants that help lower your total cancer risks.  Definition of an antioxidant-a substance that counteracts the deterioration of damaging oxidizing agents in cells.  We need 5 portions per day.  Canned, frozen, fresh, just try to increase your levels.  Think of it as a Hoover vacuum cleaning out your cells. We know some of these facts, please take the time to absorb.  

The overall cancer of any kind in in our lives is 42.05%.  If that doesn’t stun you as much as me, then really think of that number. Something much larger is going on in the food, , etc.  Please diminish your risks by cleaning things up (Hoover vacuum) in your body. 

I wish you nothing but good health.