About Women's Health Issues

The question of what causes colon cancer is something that many people wonder about. To understand this, we need to first understand a few things about our colon. The colon is the last part of the digestive system which ends in rectum. The colon and the rectum are together referred to as large intestine. There are two types of tumors that can occur in the large intestine.  The first type is a benign tumor of the large intestine called polyps. They do not spread to other parts of the body and once they are removed, they usually do not cause further problem.

However, when these benign tumors aren’t removed, they tend to grow into cancerous tumors over a period of time. Colon cancer or colorectal cancer is malignant and can spread to other parts of the body. Once, they begin to spread in the body, this can cause serious complications.

Causes of Colon Cancer?

Do you want to know what causes colon cancer? Diet plays a vital role in colon cancer. Research shows that colon cancer occurs more commonly in Western countries and the incidence of this cancer is increasing in other countries that are adopting western food habits. Here are some of the other things that could increase the risk of colon cancer in a person:

1. Diet – High fat food increases the risk of colon cancer while high-fiber diet reduces the risk of incidence of this cancer.
2. Family History – While the risk of colon cancer increases with family history, almost 80% of colon cancer occurs in people who have no family history of this complaint.
3. Drinking and smoking – Research shows that smokers are more prone to colon cancer than non-smokers. Similarly, people who consume alcohol have higher risk of developing this cancer.
4. Polyps – Benign polyps can be removed through colonoscopy. However, when they are not removed, polyps develop into colon cancer after a period of time.
5. Age and Physical activity – The risk of colon cancer increases with age. Also, a person with low physical activity is more prone to colon cancer than a person who is physically active.

Precautionary Steps

It is evident from the research that the risk of cancer depends on a person’s diet and lifestyle. Here are some things that you could do to keep the risk of colon cancer at bay:

• Choose a healthy diet rich in high-fiber
• Make dietary supplements containing probiotics a part of your everyday diet
• Exercise regularly. It could be a workout at gym or yoga or aerobics. Just choose a physical activity that suits you.
• Keep your colon free of toxins. You could do this by opting for a natural colon cleansing product that contains herbs such as Slippery Elm, Flax Seeds, Bentonite Clay, Olive Leaf Extract, Black Seeds, Turkey Rhubarb and other essential colon cleansing and healing herbs. Repeat this at regular intervals as recommended by your doctor. This will keep your colon clean and reduce the risk of tumors.

Finding the answers to what causes colon cancer may not be an easy thing to do. However the best advice is to choose a healthy lifestyle, stay fit and be happy!