Sitting for long periods of time can lead to various health issues such as back pain, heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer. In particular, persistent inflammation caused by prolonged sitting can increase the risk of colon cancer and other types of cancer. To minimize this risk, it is recommended to take breaks and stand up to move around every hour, walk and talk instead of sending emails, have lunch outside, and use a pedal trainer under your desk for exercise.
Sunlight exposure can also be beneficial for preventing colon cancer by providing the body with vitamin D. It is important to get enough sunlight exposure on the face, arms, and legs without sunscreen for up to 30 minutes, depending on skin color. Taking vitamin D supplements and eating foods high in vitamin D can also help prevent colon cancer.
For individuals with a high risk of developing colon cancer, some medical professionals suggest taking two low-dose aspirin tablets daily instead of one to potentially reduce the risk of acquiring bowel cancer by up to 60%. However, this therapy is controversial and may lead to risks such as peptic ulcers or anemia from mild gastrointestinal bleeding. It is important to discuss this preventive strategy with a doctor if bowel cancer runs in the family.
Get up, stand up
Sitting for lengthy periods of time is known to cause health concerns such back discomfort, heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, diabetes, and obesity. But did you know that sitting without getting up can also make you more likely to get some kinds of cancer? In fact, colon cancer is the most common type of cancer. This is because sitting for lengthy periods of time can lead to inflammation in the body. Studies have shown that persistent inflammation is a major cause of colon cancer and many other kinds of cancer as well.
You may minimize your risk by taking easy steps, which is good news. For example, if you work at a desk, make sure to stand up and take a brief stroll around the office or down the corridor every hour. Instead of sending an email, consider walking up to your coworkers and talking to them face-to-face. At midday, you could want to go for a walk outside or find a good place to dine inside. You may also put a little pedal trainer under your desk if it won’t bother anyone else. These small things you can do for yourself can go a long way toward keeping you healthy and clear of cancer. There are, of course, some easy things you may do on your own to lower your risk of health problems caused by sitting for lengthy periods of time:
- Take breaks. If you work at a desk, get up and walk about for a few minutes every hour. You can go around the office, down the hallway, or someplace else that’s convenient.
- Send less email. Instead of sending an email, travel across the room or up the stairs to chat to your coworker in person.
- Have lunch outside. Don’t have lunch at your desk. Try eating outside if the weather is nice, or find a good place inside if it isn’t.
- Walk while you talk. If you spend a lot of time on the phone, stand up and, if you can, walk while you talk.
- Use pedal power: You may buy a little pedal trainer that you can put beneath your desk to get some exercise while you work. This will let you work out your legs while sitting and not bother other people.
By doing these simple things every day, you may lessen the bad consequences of sitting for long periods of time and improve your health and well-being as a whole.
Stay in the sun
Sunlight can be good for your health in many ways, including helping to avoid colon cancer, if you get enough of it. Even while it’s important not to get a sunburn, your body needs enough vitamin D, which is made when your skin is exposed to the sun, to be healthy and prevent cancers like colon cancer. To receive enough vitamin D, you should regularly expose your face and arms and legs to the sun without sunscreen for up to 30 minutes, depending on the color of your skin. People with darker skin may be in the sun for longer amounts of time. Taking a vitamin D supplement and eating foods high in vitamin D, including oily fish, can also help prevent colon cancer and keep your health in good shape.
Consider double-dose aspirin
It has been demonstrated that aspirin may help stop the growth and spread of cancer. As a result, some physicians are suggesting those who have a high risk of developing colon cancer to take two low-dose aspirin tablets daily rather than just one. Bowel cancer is substantially more likely to strike people with a hereditary susceptibility, frequently at a young age. They may potentially cut their chance of acquiring bowel cancer by 60% by taking two aspirin tablets every day. However, this is a contentious therapy that could result in consequences including peptic ulcers or anemia from persistent mild gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite these dangers, some medical professionals think aspirin therapy is beneficial enough to risk it. If bowel cancer runs in your family, it’s important to discuss if this preventive strategy is suitable for you with your doctor.
Brown rice help fight colon cancer
After a lot of back and forth, a big review encompassing almost 2 million people has finally shown that eating foods high in fiber can help avoid colon cancer. The review suggests that these types of cancer are less likely to happen if you eat a lot of whole grains and cereals, especially rice and oats. People should strive to eat brown rice and oats as often as possible, as long as their bodies can manage it, for the best health benefits. By doing this, patients can take a simple and effective step toward keeping their bowels healthy and lowering their chance of getting colon cancer.
Choose the cancer-fighting cabbage
When green vegetables like cabbage are chopped, boiled, eaten, and digested, a molecule called singrin is made. This chemical has been found to help fight cancer. This molecule is changed into allyl-isothiocyanate in the body, which can make cancer cells weaker and stop them from growing. So, eating boiled greens can help prevent cancer, especially malignancies of the digestive tract. By eating more green vegetables, you can take advantage of singrin and other chemicals that are good for your health and well-being as a whole.
Eat plenty of oily fish
It’s important to eat meals high in omega-3 fatty acids to maintain your digestive system healthy. Oily fish like sardines, mackerel, and salmon, as well as flaxseed (linseed) oil and fish oil supplements, are the greatest places to get these healthful fats. Studies have shown that consuming fish oil supplements can help people with Crohn’s disease, a kind of inflammatory bowel illness, have fewer flare-ups. Also, eating oily fish once a week can reduce the chance of getting colon and rectal cancer by up to 40%. The amount of protection is closely related to how much fish is eaten. For every extra serving of oily fish eaten per week, the chance of getting cancer goes down by another 4%. Adding more fatty fish to your diet is a simple and effective method to improve the health of your digestive system and lower your risk of getting cancer.
Time to Stop
Smoking is a known risk factor for colorectal cancer, and studies have indicated that women seem to be more negatively affected by smoking than men are. According to research, even after quitting for up to ten years, women still have an increased chance of getting colorectal cancer as a result of smoking, although this is not the case for males. Therefore, it’s important to let your doctor know about your smoking history, especially when discussing the best screening options. If you smoke, quitting as soon as you can help lower your risk of getting colorectal cancer and other smoking-related health issues.
