Five Lifestyle choices that put men at an increased risk for colorectal cancer

Friday, October 12, 2012 by: Natural News Writer
Tags: lifestyle choices, colorectal cancer, men

(NaturalNews) Current mainstream cancer statistics indicate that in the U.S., men have slightly less than a one in two lifetime risk of developing cancer. Although there are over 200 different cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men. While this news is grim, the good news is that today we know that most cancers, especially colorectal cancer are greatly lifestyle related. In fact, one of the easiest cancers to prevent is colorectal cancer. According to the British Medical Journal, dietary choices alone account for an 80 percent reduction of colorectal cancer. By being aware of the lifestyle choices that put them at an increased risk for colorectal cancer, men today can empower themselves and greatly decrease the risk by changing their habits.

1. High meat diet

In our modern day society, men are much heavier meat eaters than women, putting them at an increased risk for colorectal cancer. It is clearly known today that a diet high in red meats and processed meats has been linked to increased colorectal cancer risk. Meats cooked at very high temperatures, such as grilled or fried, also increase colorectal cancer risk due to the carcinogenic heterocyclic amines that are produced during these processes. For best colorectal health and a decreased cancer risk, diets should be largely plant-based.

2. Low fruit and vegetable intake

While fresh fruits and vegetables offer the most vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber, most men in our society are not used to eating a diet rich in these two food categories. Increasing the fruit and vegetable intake has been found to be protective against colorectal cancer due to the action of the micronutrients and phytochemicals, as well as the rich fiber content. Whole, natural plant foods should be the main source of fiber, of which men should be getting at minimum 30 grams per day.

3. Being overweight

Research has shown that being overweight, but especially obese increases the risk of colorectal cancer and this risk appears to be increased even further in men. Maintaining a healthy weight through a natural, whole food diet and engaging in regular physical activity decreases men's chances of colorectal cancer.

4. Regular alcohol consumption

Regular and/or heavy alcohol consumption increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Although both men and women tend to drink in our society, statistics show that alcohol consumption is highest among men. British data for example, found that men drink twice as much as women. When it comes to the different forms of alcohol, a Canadian study found that beer was most strongly implicated with colorectal cancer incidence. Alcohol increases men's risk for colorectal cancer due to its role as a toxin, as well as stripping vital nutrients from the system that would normally be protective against various diseases, especially cancer. Reducing alcohol, or avoiding it altogether is most prudent to significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

5. Lack of regular health maintenance

It often comes as no surprise that men are much less likely to invest in routine health maintenance compared to women, and usually wait until something is wrong before taking action. This puts men at a greater risk for many diseases, including colorectal cancer. Among the most beneficial things that men can include as part of healthy colon maintenance are colon cleanses. These can be done in various forms from herbal cleanses and juice fasts, to more thorough treatments like colon hydrotherapy.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.cancer.org

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1114436/?tool=pmcentrez

http://science.time.com/2011/02/21/why-men-are-worse-for-the-planet/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7201874.stm

http://www.jstor.org