Eat These Common Foods to Cut Your Risk Of Colon Cancer

“Worth noting!”

— Dr. Dale

From Eat These Common Foods to Cut Your Risk Of Colon Cancer

You know whole grains are good for your heart, but they may have another benefit, too, according to a new report from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research.

After reviewing six studies in a meta-analysis, which included 8,320 cases, researchers concluded that eating at least 90 grams of whole grains per day can slash your colon cancer risk by 17 percent.

That’s a pretty big deal, since colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in men, making it the second leading cause of cancer death, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

And colon cancer is quickly on the rise in young people. People born in 1990 have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer than people born in 1950, a study from the ACS found.

So, how can eating oats and brown rice help prevent colon cancer from forming in the first place? Whole grains are a great source of dietary fiber, which helps reduce insulin resistance—or the inability for your body to absorb blood sugar, causing it to accumulate—which is a known risk factor of colon cancer. Fiber also keeps you regular, which is important, since passing waste quickly reduces the chances of cancer-causing mutations to develop.

Plus, the bran and germ of your grains are packed with certain anti-carcinogenic compounds, like vitamin E, selenium copper, and zinc, the report states.

To get the best bang for your nutritional buck, load up your plate with oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown or wild rice, which are all touted by the American Heart Association. 

Just bear in mind your diet can only take you so far. Once you hit 50, you should start getting screened for colon cancer regularly, but only a little more than half of people who should get tested actually do so, according to the ACS.

Yet, colonoscopies can save your life, since a majority of people who are diagnosed with early-stage colon cancer are cured. If you have a first-degree family member that suffered from colon cancer, then you should start screenings at 40, or 10 years younger than when they were diagnosed, the American Academy of Gastroenterology recommends.

And if you experience the telltale symptoms—like blood in your stool, abdominal cramping, and persistent constipation or diarrhea—tell your doctor, stat. He or she may recommend a colonoscopy to check what's up.

Don’t Just Sit There, Do Something!

“It’s so important to stay active! Great read.”

— Dr. Dale

From Don’t Just Sit There, Do Something!

Sedentary behavior—or as those of us outside of academia like to call it: “sitting,” “couch potatoism,” or “binge-watching Game of Thrones with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s”—has long been linked to a host of rotten outcomes: obesity, depression, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and lousy health over all. (Honestly, you could sit and read scientific papers on this for days on end: Pubmed, the NIH’s archive of biomedical literature catalogs 4,386 papers on sedentary behavior published just since the start of 2016.)

But a new study published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine (which, unfortunately, is available only to Annals subscribers), sheds new light on the issue and sounds a loud, clanging alarm bell about the lasting health risks of prolonged sitting. And, yes, it’s worth sitting and reading this one.

Keith Diaz, an assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, and colleagues at five other institutions, somehow managed to convince 7,985 people aged 45 and older to wear an Actical accelerometer (made by Philips Respironics)—which measures physical movement and energy expenditure—on their right hips for more than 10 hours a day over a stretch of at least four days. (Most people wore the device for at least six or seven days, Diaz told me in an interview this morning.) Then the team retrieved the devices, crunched the stored data, and determined how often the study subjects actually got off of their butts during that period and for how long—whether they were at home, at work, or someplace else.

Overall, during a typical 16-hour waking day, the four groups spent an average of 12.3 hours being sedentary—with the mean “bout” of uninterrupted butt time being 11.4 minutes.

But then Diaz and crew divided this giant couch-warming cohort into four different quartiles based solely on movement (that is, non-sitting) patterns—and they waited several years to see whether mortality outcomes differed between the groups.

Differ they did.

After a median four years of post-study follow-up, those in the least sedentary quartile (sitting a mean 649 minutes a day in typically 6.5-minute bouts) had a dramatically lower rate of death from all causes than those in the most sedentary group (835 minutes at rest, in periods of relative motionless averaging just under 20 minutes each).

Not surprisingly, those who were more active also tended to be younger, have less body mass, and have fewer health issues (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease) in general. To account for those differences, the research team did several post-hoc analyses where they controlled for these and other factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, region of residence, education) with three different statistical models. In each case, those who sat the least—and for the shortest periods of duration—had the lowest rate of death from all causes.

Indeed, this duration of couchification is the most telling aspect of the study: Those who got up more frequently—presumably, even to stand and fetch the cable remote…or a glass of water in the kitchen, let us hope—were less at risk. (“Persons with uninterrupted sedentary bouts of 30 minutes or more had the highest risk for death if total sedentary time also exceeded 12.5 hours per day,” observed David Alter, a Toronto researcher who was not involved in the study, in an accompanying editorial.)

So why is prolonged, unbroken sitting so dangerous? Diaz (who uses a standing desk, take note) says he and his colleagues hypothesize that it might interfere with glucose regulation—encouraging a pathological transformation in muscle tissue that may have parallels to diabetes: “The muscles stop working like they’re supposed to and they stop taking up glucose like they’re supposed to,” he says. (That paper is in the current issue of the journal Circulation—and, unfortunately, is also blocked to non-subscribers.)

Whatever the mechanism of action turns out to be, however, the message is clear: Get off your damn butt, and do something.

7 Things You've Always Wondered About a Colonoscopy

“If you’re getting ready for a colonoscopy and have a lot of questions about what to expect, this is a great read! ”

— Dr. Dale

From 7 Things You've Always Wondered About a Colonoscopy

It isn't so bad when you know what to expect.

A colonoscopy is a scary-sounding procedure (who wants a scope going up their most private orifice?!), but it’s one of the best detection tools doctors have for colorectal cancer and bowel diseases. Knowledge is power when it comes to any health procedure, and knowing what to anticipate will make things less worrisome. Here's what to expect before, during, and after a colonoscopy.

1. Um, how do I know if I need a colonoscopy?

For people with no personal or family history of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's, colonoscopies don’t need to begin until the age of 45, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). After that first one, you'll need a test every 10 years.

But for those who meet any of the aforementioned qualifications, you may need to start much sooner and be screened more frequently. The American Cancer Society offers an excellent breakdown (with charts!) of when you should get a colonoscopy based on risk factors like a family history of cancer.

2. Do I have to follow a special diet before the colonoscopy?

The Colon Cancer Alliance recommends that you begin a low-fiber diet the week before your scheduled colonoscopy. In addition to sticking with low-fiber foods, they recommend avoiding fatty foods, fruits and raw vegetables with skins, whole grains, and anything with seeds or nuts, including popcorn. That's because in order for your doctor to successfully view your colon (aka your large intestine), it must be completely empty—and these foods can become caught in your colon for longer than typical waste. Their recommended meal plan includes things like eggs, white bread, turkey or chicken, Greek yogurt, spinach, and melon.

According to Rudolph Bedford, M.D., gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, preparation is the most important part. “If you don’t do a good job of emptying out your colon, your doctor won't be able to see it clearly,” Dr. Bedford tells SELF. “That can result in a missed polyp, a longer procedure, or even a need to repeat the procedure.”

3. OK, so what can I eat the day before the colonoscopy?

The day before your procedure, a clear liquid diet must be followed. According to the Mayo Clinic, this includes water, clear sodas, fat-free chicken or beef broth, and coffee or tea without added milk or cream. Some doctors have added restrictions or allowances (like hard candy), so make sure you follow their individual instructions. Dr. Bedford suggests checking the ingredients list on anything you eat the day before, and “avoiding any fluids that contain red, blue, or purple food coloring” as they can look like blood in your colon during the colonoscopy.

4. Is the prep really as bad as everyone says it is?

There is no sugar-coating this part: The final step of readying your digestive tract for a colonoscopy is to clear it completely, and this is...unpleasant. Each doctor has their own preferred method, but the end result will be the same: complete emptying of your colon. Some doctors prescribe a large volume of liquid laxative prep, while others recommend over-the-counter pill or powder laxatives. Regardless, you should do this part at home or somewhere you’re comfortable—you’ll be going to the bathroom frequently over the course of several hours, until what you pass is totally clear.

Some helpful prep tips from the Colon Cancer Alliance include chilling the prep solution, using a straw so the liquid goes to the back of your mouth and you avoid too much taste, and following the prep by sucking on a lemon slice or a piece of hard candy.

5. Well, now that all that is over, what happens the day of the procedure?

Some patients will have to finish the rest of their bowel prep that morning, while others will go directly to their appointment. Since you'll be given anesthesia, you'll need to arrange a ride home from the procedure ahead of time. On procedure day, you're not allowed anything by mouth (not even water or gum).

After you arrive at the hospital or surgical center, you’ll change into a gown and get blood taken. Then you’ll be taken to a private room for the colonoscopy. Sedation will be administered, so it’s likely you won’t remember any of the actual procedure (phew!). According to the Mayo Clinic, your doctor will insert a long, flexible tube called a colonoscope into your rectum. The scope has a small camera on the end, and images are projected onto a screen while your doctor does the procedure (you'll notice these screens in the room, before the sedation kicks in). He or she will also puff air into your colon so it expands for a better view. Biopsies (samples of tissue) may be taken, and if any polyps are found, your doctor will remove those as well.

6. So...about that extra air in my colon...

You'll be taken to a recovery area while the sedation wears off. As embarrassing as it might sound (no pun intended), you’ll need to get rid of the air that the doctor shot into your colon. Don’t try to hold it in, because that will only cause unnecessary cramping. Honestly, just take advantage of this one-time opportunity to pass gas without judgment. Once the sedation has mostly worn off, a nurse will check on you and send in the doctor.

“Once you feel better and are more awake,” Dr. Bedford says, “your doctor will provide you with a report of what was learned during the procedure.” This can include ulceration, inflammation, bleeding, scar tissue, polyps, or irregular tissue. Your doctor will also tell you if biopsies were taken and how long it will take to get a result. The Colon Cancer Alliance provides a great list of questions to ask your health provider after the procedure (you can read it here).

7. What should I do the rest of the day?

Once your ride has dropped you off safely at home, take it easy for the rest of the day. You’ll be hungry and thirsty, and unless your doctor has indicated otherwise, you’re free to eat a normal diet. You might still feel bloated or gassy, and the Mayo Clinic recommends taking a short walk to help pass the leftover air in your colon. You may also have a small amount of blood in your first bowel movement post-colonoscopy, especially if your doctor removed polyps or took biopsies. This is totally normal. But if you pass blood clots or get a fever, let your doctor know right away.

Not knowing what to expect during a colonoscopy can make it a whole lot scarier, so if you still have questions, ask your doctor. Being prepared for the procedure will help alleviate most of your worries, and they'll understand that you're nervous. But hey, your colon's health is far too important to neglect.