Colon cancer is one of the modern male diseases associated with a man who eats on the go, is not active enough and overwhelmed by daily stress. Moreover, many of us do not consider having regular medical examinations and tests such as a colonoscopy, for fear or just because we think “this can’t happen to me”. Currently, colon cancer is the third most common cancer in men and second in women, and in Romania it is responsible for the second highest number of fatalities.
The risk of developing colon cancer is influenced by diet and increases in people who consume more animal fats, sugar and alcohol. At the same time, the risk decreases for people who take on a balanced diet, rich in fibre and dairy products which contain good bacteria for digestive tract functioning.
The best fibre sources are whole cereals (oat, muesli), fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes and seeds, such as flax. Among the products containing good bacteria, probiotics and prebiotics, the most recommended ones are fermented dairy products, but still as fresh as possible.
A study by American researchers from North Carolina University points to a new tasty and healthy item to bring to the table of the beneficial nourishments for colon health. It’s the plum, a fruit with multiple benefits, but the one the American nutrition specialists refer to is the dry plum which contributes to maintaining a balanced level of healthy bacteria in the colon and, implicitly, to a decreased cancer risk. Therefore, have a snack of dry plums, but mind the quantities, since they are rich in sugar and eating them with no limit can result in putting on extra weight. Four to five dry plums are the perfect quantity to have for a 4 o’clock snack in a healthy diet program containing breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks.
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