Here's How To Prevent Colon Cancer

Statistics show that colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed in the world. While there are genetics components to this health problem, there are also ways to help prevent the it, no matter your risk.

It's estimated that 5 to 10 percent of all colorectal cancer cases are from hereditary reasons. New findings propose that diet could be a main contributor to the other 90 to 95 percent of these cases that change your diet and help to extend your life, limiting your suffering from the potentially devastating disease.

A vegetarian diet can be associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer when compared with non-vegetarians. The study was based on a Seven Day Adventist study that reviewed data among 77,659 participants and identified 380 cases of colon cancer and 110 cases of rectal cancer.

Findings revealed that vegetarians had a 22 percent lower risk for colorectal cancers, 19 percent lower risk for colon cancer and 29 percent lower risk for rectal cancer. When compared with non-vegetarians, other diets resulted with astounding pescovegetarians receiving the greatest benefit and at a 43 percent lower risk.

Vegans also had a 16 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer while lacto-ovo vegetarians had an 18 percent lower risk and semivegetarians had an 8 percent lower risk. 

Taking red meat out of the equation is also a way to help, as well as keeping your diet high in dietary fiber.

"If such associations are causal, they may be important for primary prevention of colorectal cancers. ... The evidence that vegetarian diets similar to those of our study participants may be associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, along with prior evidence of the potential reduced risk of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and mortality, should be considered carefully in making dietary choices and in giving dietary guidance," the study concluded, in a news release.