6 steps to cut your risk of BOWEL CANCER

ENSURING you lead as healthy a lifestyle as possible really can cut your risk of bowel cancer. Yes, it can feel like a real challenge to change our habits, especially if they are life-long. But making small adjustments may have a significant impact on our health in the years to come. There are six areas that our experts believe are worth addressing…

1 RATION THOSE SAUSAGE BUTTIES

THE PROBLEM: It is estimated that around one in five cases of bowel cancer in the UK are linked to eating red and processed meats. The World Health Organisation has warned that 50g of processed meat a day – just one sausage – increases the chance of developing bowel cancer by 18 per cent. And don’t think because it’s a fancy deli salami, prosciutto or Parma ham that it doesn’t count. All of these have been processed in some way, even if it’s just to preserve them. THE SOLUTION: Swap red meat for turkey or chicken, or choose vegetarian options for all your favourite foods, whether it’s curry or a pie. Can you give up a bacon sandwich? Try an avocado, turkey and tomato club – and see if you still miss it. You also need to fill up on fibre, a lack of which has been linked with bowel cancer. Swap your morning fry-up with bacon for a bowl of porridge oats.

2 LIMIT YOUR BOOZE INTAKE

THE PROBLEM: Around ten per cent of bowel cancer cases in the UK are linked to drinking alcohol. And it’s not just binge drinking that’s harmful – any amount can cause damage. According to Cancer Research UK, the less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk of cancer. No type of alcohol is better or worse than another, it is the alcohol itself that leads to the damage, regardless of whether it is in wine, beer or spirits. The culprit seems to be a product created when alcohol is digested – a very toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. A build-up of this can cause significant damage to DNA, and prevent our cells from repairing the damage. There are also other ways in which alcohol is thought to increase the risk of cancer, such as increasing the levels of some hormones. THE SOLUTION: It is important to say that not everyone who drinks alcohol will get cancer – of course not – but it is a risk and we have to weigh up that risk.

Ask yourself what’s best for you and how can you cut back without compromise – ideally, try to make drinking a treat rather than a habit.

Make sure you stick within the chief medical officer’s guidelines of 14 units of alcohol a week for men and women.

3 LOSE THOSE EXCESS POUNDS

THE PROBLEM: Excess weight is linked to approximately 13 per cent of British bowel cancer cases. And recent research suggests bowel cancer risk is 46 per cent higher in people with the largest waist circumference, compared with those with the smallest. Extra fat in the body can have harmful effects, such as producing hormones that affect the way our cells work, raising the risk of several diseases, including cancer. Overall, experts believe any weight loss is seriously advantageous – if only for better general health. THE SOLUTION: Speak to a health professional, such as a GP, nurse or pharmacist, to find out if you are overweight or obese, then take a look at the NHS 12-week weight loss plan. Visit nhs.uk and search for ‘weight loss guide’.

4 GET YOURSELF MOVING

THE PROBLEM: The link between bowel cancer and exercise has been examined many times and a review of 52 studies found the most physically active people had a 24 per cent lower risk of the disease than those who were least active.

Exercise is also linked to a

lower risk of polyps developing in the bowel.

Being active has long been known to help keep your bowels functioning regularly each day: in fact, I recommend exercise to adults and children with constipation for this reason. It is perhaps this effect that allows exercise to reduce the risk of bowel cancer.

Some research has suggested that constipation on a long-term basis can expose the lining of the colon to potentially carcinogenic substances in the stool, which might increase the risk of cancer. THE SOLUTION: Move! Make movement a part of your day. Whether it’s getting up from your desk every hour to walking the dog – right through to running, swimming, playing golf or taking part in team sports – move that body.

5 SMOKER? STUB IT OUT FOR GOOD

THE PROBLEM: About one in ten bowel cancers in the UK are linked to smoking, and the risk increases with the number smoked each day. THE

SOLUTION: Ask your GP or pharmacist for help quitting, not only to reduce your risk of bowel cancer but to protect your lung and heart.

REST WELL: Try to get seven hours’ sleep to cut your cancer risk, keep a check on any excess weight and cut down on booze

6 GET SEVEN HOURS’ SLEEP EVERY NIGHT

THE PROBLEM: It’s widely accepted that a lack of sleep – or interrupted slumber – can wreak havoc with our blood sugar and appetite control, compromise our immune system and increase our risk of conditions such as diabetes or cancer. For example, a study published in the journal Cancer found that adults at risk of bowel cancer who have less than six hours of sleep a night have a higher chance of developing growths in the bowel that can develop into cancer. THE SOLUTION: Where possible, stick to a consistent regime of at least seven hours’ sleep a night.

If you struggle with this, speak to your GP.