Protect Your Colon: How Fiber and Lifestyle Can Lower Your Risk
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. This cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death in the United States and is rising rapidly in adults under 50. It is one type of cancer that has modifiable risk factors related to nutrition that we can fix to decrease our risk and educate others. I lost my grandpa to colon cancer before studying nutrition and I often wish I had known what I know now. My family hates it, but I am constantly telling them to add a fruit or vegetable to their plate at every meal, buy the whole grain over the other, or sneaking nuts and seeds into anything I bake for us. Ways We Can Decrease Our Risk: Fiber! Fiber helps reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by increasing stool bulk by absorbing water allowing waste to pass through quickly which limits carcinogen exposure to the colon lining. A fiber-rich diet supports a healthy gut microbiome. When gut bacteria ferments fiber it produces short-chain fatty acids that have anti-cancer prop...