Channarys-blog

Colorectal cancer prevention and diet have a lot in common.

After all, your colon and your rectum are responsible for things like nutrient absorption, water management and elimination of waste.

You don't need a scientist to tell you that garbage in equals garbage out. But let's hear what the experts have to say anyway.

Many studies on colorectal cancer prevention and diet have found that red and processed meats are a major contributor. However, a group of doctors in France were unconvinced by "existing evidence" and decided to do a comprehensive study for themselves.

So they followed a mere 478,040 men and women for nearly five years and finally concluded that red and processed meat was positively a cause of colon cancer AND that eating fish actually considerably reduced a person's risk. [Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 15;97:906-16]

This isn't the only research that implicated omega 3 oil from fish as a factor in reducing colorectal cancer.

Doctors associated with the New York University Women's Health Study closely watched 14,727 women for an average of 7 years. They found "a progressive decline in risk of colorectal cancer with increasing intake of fish and shellfish."

And there's more. They also found a similar decline in the risk for women inversely proportionate to the amount of calcium they consumed. In laymen's terms, that means the women who ate the most calcium had the lowest risk.

But interestingly, they weren't as certain about the red meat connection as our friends in France were. As a matter of fact, the doctors at NYU said the association of red meat to colorectal cancer "remains unclear." [Nutrition & Cancer, Vol. 28:276-81]

Another fascinating study out of Harvard suggests that it's not so much the red meat and fats, but rather our "western" lifestyle that causes the problem.

They cite obesity, physical inactivity, a diet low in vegetables and fruit, while high in red meat and processed foods, all contributes to one common denominator of this lifestyle high levels of insulin in the blood!

The researchers hypothesize that elevated blood insulin "promotes colon carcinogenesis" because insulin is a "growth factor" that causes cellular division of epithelial cells in the colon. [Cancer Causes & Control, Vol. 6, No. 2:164-79]

So what are we to do about colorectal cancer prevention and diet? It's easy as pie as long as you don't eat the pie.

Stick with whole foods, including lots of vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains and other fiber rich foods, unprocessed oils, like extra virgin olive oil, lean meats (mostly fish and chicken, but an occasional T-bone won't hurt), low fat dairy and plenty of pure water.

Studies suggest it's important to cut way back on alcohol, practice stress management and exercise regularly (very important!)

Following these guidelines will not only reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, but many other cancers as well, plus heart disease and diabetes too. And it will also improve your vim, vigor and vitality!

Michael Byrd has over 18 years of education and experience in the fields of physical therapy, health, fitness and nutrition. His pursuit of wellness has shown him many fish oil health benefits as well as the benefits of using natural whole foods to help you look younger, feel better and stay healthy. Michael will even send you a Free CD when you visit his site at http://www.omega-3.us.

There are many myths that surround colon cleansing. Some say it is dangerous and can even kill while others claim great miracles have happened because of it. The truth is out there, somewhere.

• Doctors will be the first to talk about the importance of research. At the same time they will tell you how colon cleansing is dangerous - yet there is no research that proves it is. In fact, no research has been done on colon cleansing aside from smaller studies by individual doctors who have gone on to advocate it. Because these studies don't involve pharmaceuticals and were not set up to cost millions of dollars, the American Medical Associations will not look at it. The research is then labeled as not "peer-reviewed," meaning the AMA didn't look at it.
• One of the most important colon cleansing facts is that your cleanse must consist of a proper diet. A colon cleanse is meant to assist the bodies' natural cleansing processes. Even doctors are aware that the body is capable of clearing waste. But this can only be done when the bodies' digestive system is not burdened with foods that may sit in the digestive tract for up to ten hours. To eat right for a colon cleanse, eliminate junk food, eliminate as much processed foods as you can, eat mostly fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, cut out milk and milk products, and if you eat meat (this includes poultry and fish), eat no more than the size of your palm, two to three times per day.
• Colon cleansing supplements help expedite a colon cleanse. These usually consist of a fiber to soften built up waste and to attract toxins, while adding herbs for extra nutrition.
• It is extremely difficult to find statistics of people being hospitalized from herbal use because it is so rare. However you can find that some herbs may interact with drugs/pharmaceuticals. In this case you should talk to the doctor who gave you the prescription. On the other hand, it is estimated by the Journal of the American Medical Association that more than 2 million people have suffered side effects from pharmaceuticals and 106,000 patients die each year by pharmaceutical drugs that are properly prescribed and properly administered. Another entry in the Journal states that in 2005, there were 32,000 deaths attributed to "Adverse Reactions to Prescription Drugs" and 7,600 deaths from "Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Such As Aspirin." I add this not to bash the medical community but to put the herbal use in perspective.
• The benefits of colon cleansing may be many. There is no research or studies showing one way or the other. There are only the many people who have testimonials. It is possible to find stories of people who have benefited from cleansing who are actually not selling a supplement. Of course many of the testimonials are on these types of web sites - but then again - where else would they be posted?

I hope this sheds some light for anyone looking to try out a colon cleansing program for the first time. Colon cleansing facts are difficult to come by and many of us must rely on testimonials of other people. If you are looking for the right supplement, there are many good ones to try. It is best to avoid harsh laxatives since they work differently than herbs such as cascara sagrada or triphala, and the harsh laxatives do not cleanse the body.

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