How To Prevent Bowel Cancer
Prevention is very much linked to lifestyle factors.
There are lots of small changes you can make to your lifestyle that will keep you healthy and reduce your risk of cancer.
Try changing your diet to include more fibre. Fibre provides bulk to our food, helps it pass easily through the gut, and also retains water. A small change at breakfast could have a great health benefits. For example you can really increase your daily fibre by eating a bowl of cereal, with a handful of added nuts, raisins or seeds. Wholemeal rather than white toast is also an excellent source of fibre.
Add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. Try to follow the 5 portions a day advice, using the measurement of a handful as your portion, to help you know how much you are getting.
Replace red and processed meats with other foods like fish and chicken.
Food that has been over cooked, over processed or burned is less good for you. Try some different cooking methods such as grilling, steaming and generally keeping vegetable cooking times shorter.
Try to bring excessive alcohol drinking down to sensible limits
-no more than 2/3 units daily for women, 3/4 units a day for men.
Gradually start doing some regular exercise e.g. walking, cycling, and swimming. It can be easier to start a new exercise with a friend or family member, and make sure you reward yourself and keep yourself motivated to continue.
Finally, early detection prevents symptoms worsening. If bowel cancer is caught early, treatment is simpler and more effective and many people can be cured.
There are new developments in screening for bowel cancer in Guernsey. Ask your GP for further details.