Important news for all of us, especially those who have a higher chance of suffering from colon cancer symptoms. A new report suggests that eating too much meat, including processed meats might just up your risk of getting colon cancer. Cancer of the colon is the 3rd most common cancer, after skin cancers, diagnosed in the United States.
Doctors tell us that most all cancers of this type get started in the glands that line the colon and rectum. This type of cancer often starts out as noncancerous polyps that over time develop into cancer. Experts are coming to believe that what we put into our bodies may play a part in the risk of colon cancer - a high fat, low fiber diet, loaded with red or processed meats is not what your body needs to stay cancer free.
The AICR recommends eating just 18 ounces of red meat (beef, lamb, pork) per week as this brings only a tiny increase in risk of colon cancer. This works out to roughly five or six small portions per week.
Processed meat is a no-no as the findings of the report showed that consuming processed meat increases your risk of colon cancer two times as much as eating red meats. The larger the quantities of processed meat you eat, the more risk you have for developing colon cancer.
Those who eat 24.5 ounces a week (about 3.5 ounces a day) of red meats face a 17% higher chance of colon cancer in comparison to those who eat no red/processed meats according to the AICR/WCRF report. Those who ate 7 ounces of red meat a day, a whopping 49 ounces a week, were found to have a 34% greater chance of developing colon cancer.
Why is red and processed meat so bad for you?
No one knows exactly, some suggest chemicals known as heterocyclicamines, a by product when cooking meat at a very high temperature, might play a part. Processed meats are created by just such processes - i.e. smoking, curing or salting and adding things like nitrates - none of those sound very healthy. We also know that the body changes nitrates into nitrosamines, known to raise the risk of cancer.
Moderating your intake of red meats is a smart move. And by doing so you leave more room in your meals for good foods like veggies and whole grains. As for the processed variety, less is more.
The report also cautions against drinking too much alcohol, as this might up your colon cancer risk. Extra fat in the belly area appears to play a part in increased cancer risk, which is why experts recommend making other healthy lifestyle choices - taking in more fiber and being more active on a regular basis as being so important.
Cutting red and processed meats from the diet, as well as making other dietary and lifestyle changes (drinking less alcohol, eating more fiber, being active regularly and keeping your weight in the healthy range) could prevent just under half of all colon cancers. That's over 64,000 cases each and every year according to the latest findings.
The good news, explains expert panel members who examined all the literature on the risk of colon cancer symptoms, is that people do have an element of control over the risk of this terrible disease. You can do something to help yourself, but you have to act now, and avoiding eating too much meat is an easy place to start.
By Kirsten Whittaker
Doctors tell us that most all cancers of this type get started in the glands that line the colon and rectum. This type of cancer often starts out as noncancerous polyps that over time develop into cancer. Experts are coming to believe that what we put into our bodies may play a part in the risk of colon cancer - a high fat, low fiber diet, loaded with red or processed meats is not what your body needs to stay cancer free.
The AICR recommends eating just 18 ounces of red meat (beef, lamb, pork) per week as this brings only a tiny increase in risk of colon cancer. This works out to roughly five or six small portions per week.
Processed meat is a no-no as the findings of the report showed that consuming processed meat increases your risk of colon cancer two times as much as eating red meats. The larger the quantities of processed meat you eat, the more risk you have for developing colon cancer.
Those who eat 24.5 ounces a week (about 3.5 ounces a day) of red meats face a 17% higher chance of colon cancer in comparison to those who eat no red/processed meats according to the AICR/WCRF report. Those who ate 7 ounces of red meat a day, a whopping 49 ounces a week, were found to have a 34% greater chance of developing colon cancer.
Why is red and processed meat so bad for you?
No one knows exactly, some suggest chemicals known as heterocyclicamines, a by product when cooking meat at a very high temperature, might play a part. Processed meats are created by just such processes - i.e. smoking, curing or salting and adding things like nitrates - none of those sound very healthy. We also know that the body changes nitrates into nitrosamines, known to raise the risk of cancer.
Moderating your intake of red meats is a smart move. And by doing so you leave more room in your meals for good foods like veggies and whole grains. As for the processed variety, less is more.
The report also cautions against drinking too much alcohol, as this might up your colon cancer risk. Extra fat in the belly area appears to play a part in increased cancer risk, which is why experts recommend making other healthy lifestyle choices - taking in more fiber and being more active on a regular basis as being so important.
Cutting red and processed meats from the diet, as well as making other dietary and lifestyle changes (drinking less alcohol, eating more fiber, being active regularly and keeping your weight in the healthy range) could prevent just under half of all colon cancers. That's over 64,000 cases each and every year according to the latest findings.
The good news, explains expert panel members who examined all the literature on the risk of colon cancer symptoms, is that people do have an element of control over the risk of this terrible disease. You can do something to help yourself, but you have to act now, and avoiding eating too much meat is an easy place to start.
By Kirsten Whittaker
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