March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and we wanted to provide our readers with some ways that they can be proactive with their health to avoid colorectal cancer. We caught up with friend and New York City based gastroenterologist, Dr. Jeffrey Crespin, M.D., to get his expert advice on how best to prevent the disease. Here are his seven tips for preventing colorectal cancer. Spread the knowledge to your friends and loved ones!
1) Get Screened. Screening for colorectal cancer is actually one of the very few cancer screening tests that can actually prevent the disease. Testing usually starts at age 50, and options include colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and fecal occult blood testing.
2) Quit Smoking. Most people know smoking causes lung cancer and heart attacks. But you can add colorectal cancer to the list. Smokers are 18% more likely than nonsmokers to develop colorectal cancer, and 25% more likely to die from the disease, according to a 2008 study.
3) Avoid Red Meat. There’s something about eating red meat—a lot of it—that seems to harm the intestines. Numerous studies have linked red-meat consumption to a higher risk of colorectal cancer, as well as diets heavy in processed, salted, smoked, or cured meats such as bacon, sausage, and hot dogs.
If you just can’t live without red meat, limit yourself to two 4-ounce portions each week, but choose lean cuts, trim the fat, and don’t char it on a grill.
4) Get Enough Calcium and Vitamin D. Adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D may help prevent colorectal cancer—but don’t overdo it.
5) Lose Weight. Obesity is linked to colon-cancer risk, especially for men.
6) Exercise. Want to really lower your risk? Get moving. There’s strong evidence that exercise cuts the risk of colon cancer and polyps, and sedentary living increases it. One review of medical literature suggested that exercise reduces colon-cancer risk by 25%,
7) Take an Occasional Aspirin. Studies have shown that aspirin decreases the number of polyps which are the precursors to colon cancer.
Dr. Jeffrey S. Crespin has been a practicing gastroenterologist in Manhattan for over ten years. A board certified gastroenterologist, he is affiliated with NYU Lenox Hill, St. Lukes-Roosevelt, and Beth Israel Hospitals. Dr. Crespin is expertly training in endoscopic procedures, which allow direct visualization of the intestinal tract for optimal diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases. To learn more about his practice, visit www.nycgastrodoc.com.
DASHA wellness & spa is a luxury lifestyle brand and New York City-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness. To learn more, visit dashawellness.com.
