Yes, really. That many. Want to know why? Because those deaths all come from colon cancer, and it’s one of the most easily preventable of all the cancers out there. It’s also treatable if it’s caught early enough, so if you have any symptoms of it – cramping, thin stools, bloody stools, and unexplained weight loss – go see your doctor. If you’re over 50 you should have a colon cancer screening even if you don’t have any symptoms. Sure, it’s embarrassing and a little uncomfortable, but it’s better than suffering and dying from cancer.

There are some very easy ways to really lower your risk of colon cancer. One of them is what you’d expect to hear from every doctor you visit for anything at all: quit smoking. You might think that smoking mostly affects your lungs, but that’s not true. It affects every organ and every tissue and every cell in your body with a constant bombardment of free radicals. Those are very bad for you, and keeping them out of your body is a great idea. When you smoke you swallow some of it, and it goes through your system and into your colon. Not a good place for it. Smokers also have larger colon polyps, so if they do develop colon cancer, it’s often bigger and more aggressive.

If you don’t smoke, there are a lot of other things you might be doing that are raising your colon cancer risk. Here are some other simple things you can do to help avoid the cancer:

• Eat a healthy diet that’s high in fiber, fruits, and vegetables and low in things like animal fats and red meat and high-cholesterol choices.

• If you’re heavy, lose weight – especially if you’re male. Overweight men have a higher colon cancer risk than overweight women, but all overweight people raise their risk of colon cancer when compared with their normal-weight counterparts.

• Stay busy. You can cut your risk of colon cancer by as much as 40% if you get the recommended amount of exercise, and you’ll lower your risk for other health problems, too.

• Pay attention to your medical information and history. If your family has a history of cancer – especially colorectal cancers – you should be screened more often and at a younger age. You can also have genetic counseling if you’re at very high risk to help you reduce your controllable risk factors as much as you can.

In addition to doing these things (which you should already be doing anyway!), there are a lot of people who recommend colon cleansing.

There are several different ways to do this. There are products you can buy and drink, and there are cleansers you can make on your own. Be careful about what products you buy and use. There are a lot of companies out there that make suggestions for colon cleansing that are just not realistic. Some of them can even be dangerous!

Do a little research first and you’ll be able to get what you need to keep your colon clean. It’ll help you prevent colon cancer and make you feel healthier. Couple that with the other tips – eating right and exercising – and you’re well on your way to a much healthier lifestyle.

SOURCE: http://coloncancer.about.com/od/cancerprevention/a/Colon_Cancer.htm

prescription medications you may be using. As always it is highly recommended

that you consult your Primary Care Physician or Doctor before using a colon cleansing product.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration: The Statements for these products have Not Been

Evaluated By The FDA. These Products Are Not Intended To Diagnosis, Treat, Cure,

or Prevent Any Disease.