According to The National Cancer Institute, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.
Your colon is a major part of your digestive system that helps remove waste and send nutrients from food into your body. The colon can develop a disease called colorectal cancer. Fortunately there are ways you can prevent colorectal cancer through things like exercise and early screening.
Get moving
According to a study of physical activity and colorectal cancer, it is estimated that 12 to 14 percent of colon cancer can be attributed to lack of frequent vigorous physical activity.
Exercising three times per week helps to raise your heart rate to burn fat, increase circulation and boost your immune system.
Exercising 20 minutes a day can burn up to 1,500 calories a week which can spur up to a 5 to 10 percent loss of belly fat. Increasing daily exercise to 60 minutes with an average weekly burn of 4,000 calories could result in a reduction of belly fat of up to thirty percent. This belly fat can be a factor in diabetes, a disease strongly associated with the development of colorectal cancer.
Get screened
Another important way to prevent colorectal cancer is to get screened. The US Preventative Services Task Force recommends being screened starting at age 50 once every 10 years. However, if there is colorectal cancer in your family or you are at high risk, it may be recommended to get tested before 50.
Preventing Colorectal Cancer in Dallas
The most common ways to prevent and diagnose colorectal cancer are:
- Colonoscopy
- Biopsy
- PET/CT Scan
- MRI
Contact your doctor about getting screening, or contact Southwest Diagnostic Center for Molecular Imaging at (214) 345-8300 to schedule an consultation today!