Eating less red meat, more nuts and vitamin D are three habits used by Dr. Michael Shusterman, New York University, to avoid colon cancer.
The incidence of bowel cancer has increased significantly in young people since the 1990s, according to the American Cancer Society. It is currently the leading cause of cancer death in American men under 50 and the second deadliest for women in the same age group.
According to Michael Shusterman, a gastrointestinal oncologist at New York University, while experts still don’t know exactly why the number of cases is increasing, some lifestyle habits can help reduce the risk. develop colon cancer
While being obese, having type 2 diabetes, and smoking don’t always directly cause colon cancer, Shusterman often recommends that patients quit smoking, cut back on alcohol, and exercise at a moderate intensity. , eat more fiber and less red meat, and avoid as many processed foods as possible.
Making big lifestyle changes can be difficult, so Shusterman focuses on small things that can easily fit into her schedule.
Shusterman shares three simple changes he made to help prevent colon cancer.
Eat less red meat
A diet high in red meat such as beef, liver, pork and deli meats is strongly linked to bowel cancer.
According to the World Health Organization, meat cooked at high temperatures or in direct contact with flames or hot surfaces, such as barbecue, also increases the risk of the disease because it produces more cancer-causing chemicals.
Although he loves the taste of burgers and liver, about four years ago, Shusterman decided to eat less of this meat to protect his health. Currently, he rarely buys red meat and only eats it on special occasions.
For Shusterman, getting out and exercising four times a week is a lot harder than eating less red meat. His advice is to try making red meat a snack rather than a main dish, and replace it with something else, such as chicken or fish.
Eat more nuts
Some evidence has shown that nuts, such as cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts and hazelnuts, may reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. According to another study, people with stage three colon cancer who ate at least two servings of nuts per week were less likely to have their cancer return or die prematurely than those without the disease.
Although the full effect of nuts on colon cancer risk requires further study, some positive associations were enough for Shusterman to add more nuts to his diet.
It should be noted that the effect of nuts on bowel cancer may be influenced by a number of other factors, such as the fact that people who eat nuts already have a healthy lifestyle.
Vitamin D
Shusterman takes a daily vitamin D supplement to reduce his risk of disease. He usually takes a dose of 1,000 to 2,000 International Units (25 to 50 micrograms).
Some evidence suggests that people with healthy vitamin D levels have a lower risk of bowel cancer, while other studies do not.
However, for Shusterman, the habit of supplementing vitamin D is still valuable.
“Sunlight makes people happy,” he said.