National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. The good news, however, is that early diagnosis often leads to a complete cure. There’s no single cause of colon cancer. Nearly all colon cancers begin as non-cancerous polyps which slowly develop into cancer. This is the reason why colonoscopies can be life savers, as finding a polyp and removing it during this procedure prevents the cancer from developing. You have a higher risk for colon cancer if you:

• are older than 60
• eat a diet high in red or processed meats
• have colorectal polyps
• have inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis)
• have a personal history of breast cancer

Two genetic syndromes, familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (also known as Lynch syndrome), increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Smoking and using alcohol are other risk factors for colon cancer.

Treatment largely depends on the stage of the cancer. Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

The important facts are that this cancer can be prevented when polyps are removed and can be treated successfully in the early stages.

Nutrition Awareness Month

A new CDC report gives Americans’ diet a failing grade. The Healthy Eating Index, comparing how people actually eat against the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, scored the typical US diet at only 60 points our of a possible 100. The only categories in which US adults are getting enough are total grains and meat and beans. We especially come up short on dark green and orange vegetables and whole grains. Instead we are consuming too many calories from sugary foods and alcohol and too much sodium. A healthy eating plan emphasizes and includes:

• fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
• lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts
• foods low low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.