If you have a family
history of colo-rectal cancer or you if you are over 50, you are one of
those people who should be watching your health for colon cancer.
Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestines, also called the bowels.
The symptoms of colon cancer are:
- Blood in the faeces
- Constipation
- Weight loss
- Anemia
- Chronic fatigue
- Change in bowel habits
There are avoidable health risk factors for colon cancer that can be eliminated these include:
- A low fibre diet
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Diet high in saturated fat
- Too much red meat
- Alcohol abuse
- Couch potato lifestyle
Persons with a history of diseases such as ulcerative colitis have and increased risk of developing colon cancer.
Pevention
There
are many things that a person can do to prevent colon cancer and one of
them is screening at home if you are at risk. This can be done by
testing your stool for occult blood. it is a simple test and is available online.
Apart from a healthy diet there are preventive actions that one can do, actions that can become part of one's lifestyle.
- Regular screening for those at risk
- Avoiding use of tobacco
- Keeping physically active
- Controlling alcohol consumption
- Maintaining a healthy weight
Contact your health professional if you have symptoms of colon cancer.
Take control of you health to prevent cancer and other non-communicable diseases with this consumer health education program. Click here to view.
