Preventing Colon Cancer

photo from skewtips.com

Apparently, colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and this has largely to do with diet. By avoiding certain foods and making sure you have plenty of others, you're treating your body with the respect it deserves. One of the big no-nos is nitrates--found in processed luncheon meats, bacon, cold cuts, hot dogs, and sausage. And of course the saturated fats.

Another 'ounce of prevention' is eating more vegetables. Some studies show that heavying up on vegetables can cut your risk of getting colon cancer by one half. Put THAT thought into your vegetable soup when you create your next homemade veggie soup. With all the winter veggies available, you can make a fantastic combo that you can keep adding to for variation--all week long! BTW-by adding beans, you're adding protein and essential B vitamins and iron. Not to mention, they are ridiculously low in fat. Which is exactly what you want!

Here's another colon cancer risk slasher: magnesium. According to a study cited in Care2, researchers have found that by adding magnesium to your diet, you cut the risk by 41%. And you don't need to go running to the supplement section of your favorite health food store. Just pick up some raw almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, figs, alfalfa sprouts, and dark leafy greens (think collard greens, kale, chard. . . you get the idea).

And there's a magical spice that is popular in curry dishes that turns things yellow. Have you guessed what it is? Turmeric, of course. It contains a compound called curcumin, which scientists at the University of Chicago found destroys H. pylori, a harmful bacteria that is linked to ulcers and colon cancer.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-ways-to-slash-your-colon-cancer-risk.html#ixzz1D0NrKE00