Colorectal Cancer: 5 Practices To Avoid For Prevention
HuffPost • • health
Key Points:
- Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer globally and can be difficult to detect early due to symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain often being overlooked or mistaken for less serious issues.
- There has been a rise in colorectal cancer cases among younger adults, prompting new screening guidelines recommending that all adults begin screening at age 45 to improve early detection.
- Family history is a major risk factor, with up to one-third of colorectal cancer patients having relatives who were also diagnosed, making it important to know your family's medical history and start screening earlier if needed.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle—avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, staying active, and eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, although no lifestyle guarantees prevention.
- It is crucial to pay attention to bowel changes or symptoms such as blood in stool or unexplained fatigue and to discuss these openly with healthcare providers, advocating for thorough evaluation if symptoms persist.
