Ronald Reagan’s primary health concern in his latter years was Alzheimer’s Disease, but he was also a victim of colon cancer. More men than women succumb to it. The risk rises at 40 and peaks after 55.
You are in the danger zone if you
- eat a high-fat, low-fibre diet
- have a previous history of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis)
- have a history of polyps in the colon or have colorectal (bowel, rectum, colon) cancer in the family
Ominous Clues :- Any prolonged changes in your normal bowel habits such as
- diarrhoea or constipation which lasts for more than 2 weeks
- blood or heavy mucus in the stool
- a feeling of fullness that does not ease even after passing a stool
- painful bowel movements
- colicky pains
- combined with weight loss and anaemia.
Confirmation
If you suspect that something is wrong, get yourself to a doctor before the tumour spreads. The sooner the diagnosis is made, the better the chances of a normal life. Do not be embarrassed or afraid of a rectal examination, which can ID the culprit easily.
This can also be done via a stool test for occult blood. The best results come after eating a high fibre, no red meat diet for three days.
These can then be validatec with a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, in which the area is evaluated through a lightec tube passed through the rectum. Small cancerous growths can also be removec during this procedure.
The fight back plan
Colon screening every year after 50.
- Eat more whole grains, das with skin, multi grain atta, bajra, millet, jowar, channa, dalia, sprouts, leafy greens, citrus fruit. The World Health Organization recommends a minimum daily intake of half a kilo of produce (i.e. fruit and veggoes) fibre in these foods may offer protection helping to move possible carcinogenic toxins out of your system speedily so that they don’t have the time to do much damage. Antioxidant vitamins C + E in produce also team with fibre to bind with the carcinogens and whisk them away.
- ln extreme cases, where there’s a strong family history and presence of polyps, colon removal may be adviced as a preventive measure.