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Your colon health is quite important. Colon health diet is important for a healthy colon.Just as diet can have a negative or positive impact on your heart, brain or bone health, colon health also is impacted by what you eat.
Your colon is a part of your digestive system. Many bad conditions can make it to work improperly. Some of those include bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer.
Treatment for these syndromes can be diet, lifestyle modifications, medications or surgery.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most serious colon diseases. It is the third most common cancer. Obesity and colon cancer have a close relation.
Colon cancer and obesity may be connected due to some reasons. Increased levels of insulin may be one factor that may often occur in obese individuals. Lowering the levels of insulin or preventing the production of insulin may reduce the risk of such cancers.
Diet, exercise and weight factors may affect colon health adversely. Colon health diet can help you to maintain colon health.
Colon Health Diet
1Diet high in fruits and vegetables
Diets high in fruits and vegetables may have to be taken for good colon health as they do not contain any fat or high amounts of carbohydrates. They are high in anti-oxidants and phytochemicals that fight against colon cancer. They contain nutrients, minerals that may reduce the risk of cancer in the colon by keeping good colon health.
For this, take salads containing fruits or vegetables without seasoning that can help. Or chew vegetables like beets or carrots that help in cleansing the colon. Similarly, eating a fruit regularly during the day can help with fighting colon diseases and keep your colon in good health.
2Limit the intake of red meat
According to studies, if you eat 100 gm of red meat in a small hamburger or a 50 gm in a hot dog, it can cause the risk of colon cancer. Or even if you eat processed meats like sausage, bacon daily, you may hold the same risk. Since these processed meats contain preservatives that can react with the colon health, it may be dangerous consuming processed meats.
3Check before you eat sugar
Studies show that ulcerative colitis is found in people who often consume diets high in sugar and low in fiber. Foods high in sugar can have a number of calories in them that you gain weight that can lead to obesity.
All the fat stays in the colon due to lack of fiber. This may increase the risk of forming the cancer.
4Increase your fiber intake
Taking a diet high in fiber is good for intestinal and colon health. 25 – 35 gm of fiber per day is the recommended amount of fiber to be consumed.
The best way to eat fiber is to consume fiber-rich fruits and vegetables like pears, apples, bananas, oranges, peas, carrots and corn. Whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice are good to be eaten. Legumes, soy and beans are good in fiber too.
Fiber helps in preventing colon diseases by relieving constipation regularly. This can, therefore, help in lowering the risk of diverticular disease.
5Calcium through milk
Studies have proven that calcium and vitamin – D may be associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. However, high intake of calcium can be risky as it can cause prostrate cancer. That can happen when you exceed 2,000 milligrams a day.
Make sure you are getting the recommended amount of 1,000 – 1,3000 milligrams of calcium a day. Low -fat or fat-free milk is recommended.
Other sources of calcium are leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, etc,.
6Choose whole grains
Whole grains contain all the essentials and nutrients that they occur naturally with. Adults are recommended to eat at least half of their daily grains as whole grains with 3 – 5 servings.
Some whole grains are barley, whole wheat flour, brown rice and oats. These foods contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids, anti-oxidants and phyto-chemicals that are colon-friendly. These are more beneficial than their refined equivalents like white flour and white rice.
7Choose healthy fats
Avoid saturated fats and trans fats to prevent colon cancer. Polyunsaturated fat can lower the bad cholesterol levels. Include omega-3 fatty acids present in mackerel, salmon, walnuts, olive oil, canola oil, etc. Unhealthy saturated fats are found in red meats and butter, lard and margarine.
8Limit alcohol intake
Drinking occasionally may be okay. Too much can cause damage to the cells in the liver and digestive tract that can cause cancer. Women should keep to drinking one glass per day and men two glasses per day at the maximum.
By eating fiber-rich foods like vegetables and fruits and whole grains and making other dietary changes, you can prevent colon cancer. Hence, colon health diet plays an important role in keeping your colon in the best of its health.
By Pradeepa Polineni
