There are over 200,000 new cases in the United States alone every year. It’s the third leading cause of cancer in America. And it’s the second leading cause of cancer death.
And yet colorectal cancer gets very little attention.
Because let’s be honest, most of us don’t have a “fight colon cancer” bumper sticker on our cars. We don’t have several different colon cancer t-shirts to choose from when we’re packing our gym bag.
And we certainly don’t participate in huge “save the colons” walkathons every year.
Ignoring colon cancer could be a deadly mistake
It’s as if the entire population of Amarillo, Texas is given a potential death sentence every year. But we choose to stay silent because it makes us uncomfortable to talk about our digestive tracts.
And that reluctance could literally kill us.
Well it’s time for a change. Because colorectal cancer is far too common—and far too deadly—for us to continue to ignore it. And let’s start with an exciting new breakthrough that could send the number of new cases plummeting.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have made a discovery which could hold the key to preventing colon cancer and other diseases of the gut.
Controlling this common process could prevent colon cancer
According to the study published in the journal Nature Communications, the scientists uncovered a source of tissue inflammation that raises our risk of colon cancer and other digestive tract diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
In this natural process, called autophagy, cells break down and recycle dangerous elements that can harm our health. Specifically your body uses a series of amino acids to break down a protein called Kenny.
But sometimes this process can go off the rails. When it does, Kenny begins to accumulate. And that buildup triggers dangerous inflammation.
This research is still in its earliest stages. But the scientists have already identified a way we can help activate healthy autophagy to stop harmful inflammation and help prevent colon cancer.
And that’s through our diet.
7 fruits and veggies that could help prevent colon cancer
It turns out certain fruits and veggies contain natural compounds that activate the autophagy process so you can avoid inflammation.
The University of Warwick researchers identified seven foods that can help prevent the inflammation that’s behind many diseases of the gut, including colon cancer.
- pomegranates
- red grapes
- pears
- mushrooms
- lentils
- soybeans (we suggested fermented only)
- green peas
Eat more of these foods gut-friendly foods to slash your risk starting today. And should you still receive a colon cancer diagnosis another new study has revealed how your diet could also help you survive.
Slash your risk of colon cancer death up to 50%
According to the new study published in JAMA Oncology, eating a high fiber diet before a diagnosis—or even starting one after—makes folks far more likely to survive colon cancer.
Each additional five grams of fiber a volunteer ate was associated with a 22 percent lower risk of death from colorectal cancer. And that same five grams led to a 14 lower risk of dying from anything during the study period.
Plus folks who started on a higher fiber diet after diagnosis still saw major benefits. For each additional five grams of fiber they ate their risk of dying from colon cancer plummeted 18 percent. And they too had a 14 percent lower risk of dying from any cause during the study.
The researchers say cereal fiber and whole grain foods had the highest impact. For every additional five grams of cereal fiber, the chances of dying from colon cancer dropped 33 percent. And the chances of dying from any cause dropped 22 percent.
But don’t stop there. According to Healthier Talk contributor Dr. Glenn Rothfeld you could slash your risk of colon cancer up to 50 percent by drinking two and half cups of this delicious beverage a day. Click here to read his special report.
References:
1. “Kenny mediates selective autophagic degradation of the IKK complex to control innate immune responses,” Nature Communications 8, Article number: 1264 (2017)
2. “Fiber Intake and Survival After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis,” JAMA Oncol. Published online November 2, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.3684
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