Colon Cancer: Slash Your Risk For This Killer Cancer!
Colon Cancer: Slash Your Risk For This Killer Cancer!
According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer cases have doubled over the last 25 years. Over 50 thousand Americans will die of colon cancer this year. Cases are on the rise, especially among younger people (Thanikachalam & Khan, 2019). By the way, colorectal cancer is simply colon cancer that has affected the rectum.
Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Sadly, half of all people diagnosed with colon cancer will die of the disease.
Do I Have Your Attention Yet?
Colon cancer is considered a so-called Western disease. That means that there is something very unhealthy about our diet and lifestyle that promotes diseases like colon cancer (O’Keefe, 2016).
Risk Factors for Colon Cancer
Sedentary lifestyle
Alcohol
Smoking
Type 2 Diabetes
Being African American
Eating lots of red meat and processed meats
Being exposed to cancer-causing agents
Being in a lower socio-economic group
Who is at the Highest Risk of Colon Cancer?
African Americans!
Celebrities Who Have Died of Colorectal Cancer
Chadwick Boseman, died at 45. He played superheroes – both real-life superheroes like Jackie Robinson and Marvel superheroes like the Black Panther of Wakanda. But he couldn’t save himself from colon cancer.
Farrah Fawcett
The list is very long!
It’s hard to fathom someone like Chadwick Boseman dying of colon cancer because his on-screen appearance was healthy and vibrant. Perhaps he found out too late. The CDC doesn’t recommend screening until age 45.
Early Warning Signs
Blood in the stool or urine
Lots of abdominal cramping
Symptoms of anemia (like fatigue) – you may be losing blood!
Blood work that reflects blood loss such as a sudden drop in ferritin (stored iron) or RBC count
Unexplained weight loss
Changes in bowel habits
The Importance of Fiber
Most Americans eat meat. The purpose of this post is not to convince you to give up meat completely. But most Americans rely on cheap, poor quality animal protein and skimp on vegetables. The fiber in vegetables is known to be protective against colon cancer. So if you’re eating lots of animal protein and very little fiber-rich foods, you are increasing your risk of colon cancer (O’Keefe, 2016).
What is fiber anyway?
Fiber refers to the part of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and beans that don’t break down when you eat them. While the nutrients in most food get absorbed in the GI tract, dietary fiber makes its way all the way to the colon.
Fiber is also a carbohydrate. While most carbs also break down into sugar, dietary fiber helps bulk up your stools.
Fiber is critical to your health!
Health conditions associated with low-fiber diets
Constipation
Type II Diabetes
Obesity
High cholesterol
Diverticulitis
Gut microbiota overrun with “bad” bacteria
Certain cancers including colon and breast cancer
How much fiber do we need?
Experts seem to agree that we need at least 25-30 grams a day of dietary fiber. Most Americans only get 15 grams.
If you want to evaluate your diet for dietary fiber, there are many apps and websites that can help. I like www.cronometer.com. It’s free.
While a high-fiber diet is best, supplemental fiber products can also be helpful.
How much fiber do YOU get on a typical day?
Find out! Getting adequate fiber may lower your risk of colon cancer and other diseases and chronic conditions.
Track your fiber and leave me a comment below!
Great Sources of Delicious Fiber:
Avocados
Apples
Okra
Brussel sprouts
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Beans, beans, beans
Nuts & seeds
Whole wheat bread
Leafy greens
Deep Dive on Plant-Derived Chemicals that Protect the Colon
Certain kinds of fiber ferment in the colon and produces short-chain fatty acids, SCFA. There are at least 3 kinds of SCFAs. Butyrate is the one best known for supporting colon health because it feeds the colon cells, colonocytes.
In a detailed study of lab rats fed a variety of diets, “butyrate (was) associated with protection against the initial stages of colon carcinogenesis regardless of source” (Perrin et al., 2001). By the way, “carcinogenesis” refers to the beginning or genesis of cancer appearing in the body.
What Fibers Produce Butyrate?
While many sources of fiber produce butyrate, wheat bran, and oat bran are high on the list.
One of my favorites is oat bran. I have a serving of homemade granola made with oatmeal almost every morning. Oats are known to form butyrate in the colon. Butyrate helps to lower inflammatory markers as well as strengthen and tone the colon (Nyman, 2020)
Other Great Sources of Butyrate
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut
Flax
Chia
Beans, beans, beans
Apples
Butter (contains butyric acid)
Should You Supplement With Butyrate?
In general, it’s best to eat a healthy, whole-food, mostly plant-based diet. If you do, you’ll get plenty of healthy fiber which will ferment down into butyrate.
However, individuals diagnosed with serious GI problems such as Crohn’s disease, or those undergoing chemotherapy for colon cancer, may want to speak to a licensed nutritionist about supplementing with butyrate.
Butyrate has been shown to kill human colon cancer cells and supplementation may play a role in fighting the disease (Xia et al., 2014).
Other Nutrients That Protect the Colon
Calcium promotes apoptosis, or cell death. This is important for cancer prevention. Having adequate calcium in the body helps to bind up and remove excess fatty acids and bile acids. You can track your calcium with one of the many free apps to be sure you are getting enough for colon health. If you tolerate dairy, full-fat yogurt, butter, milk, and cheese are great sources. If not, sardines, tofu, and many leafy greens are great sources of calcium. If you aren’t getting enough calcium, talk to a licensed nutritionist about supplementing.
Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties. Like calcium, it can help remove excess bile acids (Thanikachalam & Khan, 2019). If you aren’t sure of your vitamin D levels, consider taking 1-2,000 IU daily, especially in the winter.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also powerfully anti-inflammatory.
Resistant Starches Can Protect the Colon
What in the world is meant by “resistant starch”? It’s a starch such as white potatoes or rice that is boiled and then eaten ideally as leftovers. They are called resistant because they aren’t fully broken down by amylase, the enzyme that helps to digest carbohydrates.
I love white rice and typically make it with added butter, seasonings, and a ton of chopped steamed broccoli. As it sits in the frig, the rice form resistant starches that will resist being fully broken down until they reach the colon.
The next time somebody tells you white rice is unhealthy, remind them that the traditional Chinese and Japanese diets have used it for centuries and their populations are much healthier than ours.
Like calcium and vitamin D, resistant starch helps bind to excess bile acids, keeping the colon healthy (Thanikachalam & Khan, 2019). Resistant starch will also produce butyrate if allowed to ferment in the colon (Perrin et al., 2001).
Who Should Avoid a High-Fiber Diet?
While that feels like a trick question, there is always someone who should use caution when changing their diets.
Active diverticulitis – may call for low-fiber, bland meals until the flair-up passes
Active Crohn’s disease or IBS – may need to avoid certain kinds of fiber during flair-ups, such as onions and garlic
Anyone with a very low fiber diet may need to slowly increase fiber in order to avoid GI upset.
Disclaimer
The included information is not meant to or should not be used to replace or substitute medical treatment, recommendations, or the advice of your physician or health care provider. The information contained within is strictly for educational purposes and is based on evidence-based nutrition. If you believe you have a medical problem or condition, please contact your physician or healthcare provider.
References:
Nyman, M., Thao Duy Nguyen, Wikman, O., Hjortswang, H. & Hallert, C., (2020) Oat Bran Increased Fecal Butyrate and Prevented Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients With Quiescent Ulcerative Colitis—Randomized Controlled Trial, Crohn's & Colitis 360, Volume 2, Issue 1, otaa005, https://doi.org/10.1093/crocol/otaa005
O'Keefe S. J. (2016). Diet, microorganisms and their metabolites, and colon cancer. Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 13(12), 691–706. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2016.165
Perrin, P., Pierre, F., Patry, Y., Champ, M., Berreur, M., Pradal, G., Bornet, F., Meflah, K., & Menanteau, J. (2001). Only fibres promoting a stable butyrate-producing colonic ecosystem decrease the rate of aberrant crypt foci in rats. Gut, 48(1), 53–61. https://doi.org/10.1136/gut.48.1.53
Thanikachalam, K., & Khan, G. (2019). Colorectal Cancer and Nutrition. Nutrients, 11(1), 164. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11010164
XIAO Min, LIU Yun Gang, ZOU Meng Chen & ZOU Fei (2014). Sodium Butyrate Induces Apoptosis of Human Colon Cancer Cells by Modulating ERK and Sphingosine Kinase 2[J]. Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, 27(3): 197-203. doi: 10.3967/bes2014.040