Bowel Cancer Awareness
Posted
by Stacey Hancock
at 12:33pm, Tuesday 31st May, 2011
June 6th – 12th is Bowel Cancer awareness week. Last year I was working in another office and it was very sad to hear of a colleague’s flatmate who had been hospitalised with Bowel cancer and only 6 weeks to live – he thought he had Coeliacs disease. In that very same week another colleague’s sister was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer after it was found during an appendix operation.
This cancer is very scary and very real and our kiwi “She’ll be right mate” attitude just won’t cut it with this disease. In 2007 43% of all diagnosed Bowel Cancer cases died. That is nearly 50% and is a statistic that is way too high to ignore. Bowel Cancer kills more people than prostate AND breast combined. The rate of Bowel Cancer diagnoses is on the increase annually, this is not a happy picture.
Prevention is your best tool here. I don’t wish to generalise, but as I understand it if you present with pain, but no blood in stool, then there is a slim chance you will be referred on for a colonoscopy to really get a good look at what’s going on. But here’s the clincher, once there is blood in the stool, if it is cancer – you’re in big trouble. Given that it that this disease can go under the radar until too late, I strongly urge you to look after your intestinal health BEFORE it starts giving you signs.
This includes:
• Reduce consumption of red meat – the palm of your hand is ample.
• Introduce more vegetarian proteins to the diet such as legumes, beans etc
• Increase fruit and vegetable intake
• If you happen to love your starchy carbs, switch from white bread to wholegrain and try switching your cereal from processed to other forms of grains such as amaranth, millet, buckwheat etc.
• Including a probiotic after every course of antibiotics
• Improve your function. This includes things like chewing food properly, sitting down to eat, not holding on if you feel the need to go.
• Increase fluid intake to assist with elimination
• Reduce all acidifying foods such as sugar, alcohol, softdrinks, pies, cakes etc.
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Listening to your body better and observing its patterns. If there is pain and it is ongoing then it needs to be checked out. Similarly if your stool is consistently type-1 or type-7, then this is also a sign that something isn’t right in the digestive system.
Symptoms of bowel cancer are similar to some other ailments, but include:
• blood in your bowel motions (this may look like red blood or black bowel motions)
• a change in bowel habits
• diarrhoea, constipation, or feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely
• bowel motions that are narrower than usual
• General abdominal discomfort (frequent gas pains, bloating or cramps) that can be confused with indigestion
• unexplained weight loss
• tiredness
• anaemia
The health of your bowel is a direct reflection on the health of you. It absorbs nutrients, provides beneficial bacteria and is a major part of your immune system. Please, I urge you to think about your bowel health now, because too late is just too late.
This cancer is very scary and very real and our kiwi “She’ll be right mate” attitude just won’t cut it with this disease. In 2007 43% of all diagnosed Bowel Cancer cases died. That is nearly 50% and is a statistic that is way too high to ignore. Bowel Cancer kills more people than prostate AND breast combined. The rate of Bowel Cancer diagnoses is on the increase annually, this is not a happy picture.
Prevention is your best tool here. I don’t wish to generalise, but as I understand it if you present with pain, but no blood in stool, then there is a slim chance you will be referred on for a colonoscopy to really get a good look at what’s going on. But here’s the clincher, once there is blood in the stool, if it is cancer – you’re in big trouble. Given that it that this disease can go under the radar until too late, I strongly urge you to look after your intestinal health BEFORE it starts giving you signs.
This includes:
• Reduce consumption of red meat – the palm of your hand is ample.
• Introduce more vegetarian proteins to the diet such as legumes, beans etc
• Increase fruit and vegetable intake
• If you happen to love your starchy carbs, switch from white bread to wholegrain and try switching your cereal from processed to other forms of grains such as amaranth, millet, buckwheat etc.
• Including a probiotic after every course of antibiotics
• Improve your function. This includes things like chewing food properly, sitting down to eat, not holding on if you feel the need to go.
• Increase fluid intake to assist with elimination
• Reduce all acidifying foods such as sugar, alcohol, softdrinks, pies, cakes etc.
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Listening to your body better and observing its patterns. If there is pain and it is ongoing then it needs to be checked out. Similarly if your stool is consistently type-1 or type-7, then this is also a sign that something isn’t right in the digestive system.
Symptoms of bowel cancer are similar to some other ailments, but include:
• blood in your bowel motions (this may look like red blood or black bowel motions)
• a change in bowel habits
• diarrhoea, constipation, or feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely
• bowel motions that are narrower than usual
• General abdominal discomfort (frequent gas pains, bloating or cramps) that can be confused with indigestion
• unexplained weight loss
• tiredness
• anaemia
The health of your bowel is a direct reflection on the health of you. It absorbs nutrients, provides beneficial bacteria and is a major part of your immune system. Please, I urge you to think about your bowel health now, because too late is just too late.
