
Mina answers:
Ok this is a general list and may not be specifically bowel related but i suppose any cancer prevention is a good thing
10 Recommendations for Cancer Prevention
1. Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight
Convincing evidence shows that weight gain and obesity increases the risk of a number of cancers, including bowel and breast cancer.
Maintain a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular physical activity to help keep your risk lower.
2. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day
There is strong evidence that physical activity protects against cancers including bowel and breast cancer. Being physically active is also key to maintaining a healthy weight.
Any type of activity counts – the more you do the better! Try to build some into your everyday life.
3. Avoid sugary drinks. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods (particularly processed foods high in added sugar, or low in fibre, or high in fat)
Energy-dense foods are high in fats and/or sugars and can be low in nutrients. These foods increase the risk of obesity and therefore cancer. Sugary drinks, such as colas and fruit squashes can also contribute to weight gain. Fruit juices, even without added sugar, are likely to have a similar effect, so try not to drink them in large quantities.
Try to eat lower energy-dense foods such as vegetables, fruits and wholegrains instead. Opt for water or unsweetened tea or coffee in place of sugary drinks.
4. Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and pulses such as beans
Evidence shows that vegetables, fruits and other foods containing dietary fibre (such as wholegrains and pulses) may protect against a range of cancers including mouth, stomach and bowel cancer. They also help to protect against weight gain and obesity.
As well as eating your 5 A DAY, try to include wholegrains (e.g. Brown rice, wholemeal bread and pasta) and/or pulses with every meal.
5. Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats
There is strong evidence that red and processed meats are causes of bowel cancer, and that there is no amount of processed meat that can be confidently shown not to increase risk.
Aim to limit intake of red meat to less than 500g cooked weight (about 700-750g raw weight) a week. Try to avoid processed meats such as bacon, ham, salami, corned beef and some sausages.
6. If consumed at all, limit alcoholic drinks to 2 for men and 1 for women a day
Since the 1997 report, the evidence that alcoholic drinks can increase the risk of a number of cancers, including breast and colon cancer, is much stronger.
Any alcohol consumption can increase your risk of cancer, though there is some evidence to suggest that small amounts of alcohol can help protect against heart disease. Therefore, if you choose to drink, do so in moderation.
7. Limit consumption of salty foods and food processed with salt (sodium)
Evidence shows that salt and salt-preserved foods probably cause stomach cancer.
Try to use herbs and spices to flavour your food and remember that processed foods, including bread and breakfast cereals, can contain large amounts of salt.
8. Don’t use supplements to protect against cancer
Research shows that high-dose nutrient supplements can affect our risk of cancer, so it’s best to opt for a balanced diet without supplements.
However, supplements are advisable for some groups of people (see our recommendations booklet to learn more).
Special Population Recommendations
Recommendations 9 and 10 don’t apply to everyone, but if they are relevant to you, it’s best to follow them.
9. It’s best for mothers to breastfeed exclusively for up to 6 months and then add other liquids and foods
Strong evidence shows that breastfeeding protects mothers against
breast cancer and babies from excess weight gain.
10. After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention
The Report found growing evidence that maintaining a healthy weight through diet and physical activity may help to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.
And, always remember – do not smoke or chew tobacco
Smoking or using tobacco in any form increases the risk of cancer and other serious diseases.
Another source says the following….
Milk, dietary calcium may protect against bowel cancer
Calcium, vitamin D partner in colon cancer prevention
Ginger shown to slow colorectal cancer
Polyphenols could reduce colorectal cancer risk
Diet key to colon cancer risk in women
Colon cancer risk cut by dairy products – study
08/07/2004 – Higher consumption of milk and calcium is associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer, according to a major study based on 10 different trials.
The findings contrast with evidence that dairy products can increase the risk of other cancers, such as breast and prostate, although only milk was linked with a decreased cancer risk in the new study.
Researchers from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the US analysed the results from studies carried out in five different countries, involving around half a million people, 5,000 of whom developed bowel cancer.
They report in this week’s Journal of the National Cancer Institute (vol 96, no 13, 1015-1022) that the more milk people drank, the less likely they were to have bowel cancer.
People with an intake between 70-174g had a 6 per cent lower risk than those drinking less than 70g. The risk decreased further to 12 per cent for those with an intake of up to 249g and to 15 per cent lower risk for those with an intake of more than 250g daily.
The study did not find a significant impact on risk from other dairy foods such as cheese and yoghurt.
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the third most common form of the disease worldwide.
Studies in animals have suggested that calcium may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer although research into the impact of calcium or dairy foods on bowel cancer risk has been inconclusive. Calcium is also known to help combat the risk of colon cancer.
The new study also showed that calcium intake was inversely related to the cancer risk. The relative risk for the highest versus the lowest quintile of intake was 0.86 for dietary calcium and 0.78 for dietary and supplemental sources combined. These results were consistent across studies and sex, said the researchers.
This suggests that increasing calcium intake to 1,000mg a day or more could result in 15 per cent fewer cases of bowel cancer in women and 10 per cent fewer cases in men.
Researchers do not yet understand the mechanism by which milk could prevent cancer.
A diet rich in fruit and vegetables and fibre has also been shown to have a protective effect on the disease.
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I’ve also heard that tomatoes are an excellent and here’s an article that states just that!
Exhaustive Survey Links Tomato Intake to Reduced Risk of Cancer
A thorough review of scientific literature strengthens the evidence that eating tomatoes and tomato-based products can provide powerful protection against many kinds of cancer. Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a leading cancer researcher at Harvard Medical School, reached this conclusion after analyzing the results of 72 studies on the health effects of tomatoes.
“The antioxidant properties of lycopene, a carotenoid found primarily in tomatoes, have raised interest in the tomato as a food with potential anticancer properties,” says Dr. Giovannucci, whose research review appeared in the February 17, 1999, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Some studies examined dietary differences between cancer patients and people free of the disease, while others measured lycopene levels in blood plasma. A total of 57 studies present convincing evidence of a relationship between tomato consumption or blood lycopene level and the risk of cancer.
The data are strongest for cancers of the prostate gland, lung and stomach, but also extend to several other kinds, including breast, pancreatic, colorectal, esophageal, oral and cervical cancers. According to Dr. Giovannucci, these benefits were observed whether the diets contained fresh or processed tomatoes.
Researchers believe that lycopene neutralizes harmful free radicals that can damage cells and trigger cancer. But researchers believe that cancer protection most likely comes from a complex interaction between lycopene and other phytochemicals and nutrients present in tomatoes.
The author advises that current recommendations should emphasize the health benefits of diets rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes and tomato-based products. Though there is strong evidence connecting lycopene and cancer protection, researchers are not in agreement about how this occurs.
Hope that helps!