Our colon is an amazing part of the human body. It has an array of duties from absorbing water and nutrients from our foods so they be transported to our cells, to acting as the major toxin and elimination collector from the food and substances we ingest. The colon is part of the intestines, and if you spread it out, it would reach 6 feet. The waste gathered in the colon is transported to the rectum where we can eliminate it.
Colon Cancer can occur in this hard working organ and colon cancer affects about 7% of Americans. The good news is that this type of cancer can be cured if found early enough. Scientists have not been able to determine exactly how people get colon cancer, but they have identified some risk factors. [click to continue…]
Did you know that a good night’s sleep can help your body fight colon cancer? Feeling rested can affect our mood in a positive way and decrease levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone responsible for the fight or flight response.
Cortisol is produced by our bodies to help regulate our immune system. Our immune system is the warrior of the body….always on the lookout for invaders such as infections and cancer cells. Too much cortisol in our systems can mess up the army, so to speak. The fighter cells on patrol can get overwhelmed when too much cortisol is released during times of stress or consistent lack of sleep. When the fighter cells are constantly stimulated, they cannot work effectively, and our body becomes prone to invaders. [click to continue…]
A colon cancer diagnosis is a scary and devastating event. It seems like all control has been lost, as suddenly there are many health car professionals telling you what to do, what tests need to be done, surgeries, and other procedures such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It can be like riding a roller coaster in the middle of a tornado… everything seems upside down. This article will discuss some of the options one can consider to regain some control over your life.
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You have probably heard this before. The idea of colon cancer can strike fear and dread in many people. One thing you might consider when thinking about your cancer risk is risk factors that are modifiable and risk factors that are not. In other words, thing you can do something about and things that you cannot. Changing your diet is one way to help decrease your risk factors for colon cancer. Let’s focus on how fiber can help. Fiber is a substance found in many foods, especially fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. But let’s talk a little bit about what it does [click to continue…]
Cancer is a word that can invoke fear and dread in many people. The big C is not a welcome visitor at any time. But- let’s see if we can decrease that fear a little by talking about what we can do to prevent cancer. We will be focusing on Colon Cancer for our discussion here, but many of the risk factors we will talk about can be applied to other types of cancer as well.Fist of all- is there anyone out there who is not at risk for Colon Cancer? Well- no…Everyone has some risk factors. But, there are risk factors that we can control and risk factors we cannot. [click to continue…]