Things to Do for a Happy, Healthy Abdomen

I kept saying it: preventing is much easier than curing. Trust me, please, even if you are young and nothing bad seems to be possible to happen to you. I was just like you when I started to destroy my life bit by bit and now, at only 24 years old, I am trying hard to get it back on track and enjoy a painless, colon-healthy life. So please, invest just a little time in reading the following tips and try to follow them and you will be thankful at 60, when everybody else will have lots of problems. Because a healthy abdomen can't be had without a bit of interest from you.

So, if you want to reduce the risks of colon cancer or other complications, as well as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), here are a few easy steps you should follow as often as possible:

• Healthy diet: All research suggests that eating a diet rich in fiber and calcium may help prevent colon cancer and other diseases. Whole grains from breads and cereals, as well as nuts, fruits, vegetables and beans may also have protective effects (even though consumption of these foods is not recommended if you are having colon problems).

• While the cancer-fighting mechanisms in various foods are not completely understood, researchers continue to work on the connection between cancer and diet, with promising results. Studies show that calcium, vitamin D and folic acid (which can be found in cabbage) may keep colon cancer at bay. On the other hand, a diet high in saturated fat combined with a sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk of colo-rectal cancer.
  

• Exercise regularly: Scientific evidence supports the conclusion that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of several cancers — particularly colon cancer — among men and women. A 1997 study by the Harvard School of Public Health determined that regular moderate exercise, such as a daily hour-long walk, reduced the risk of developing colon cancer by almost 50 percent. However, it was recently discovered that the so called “good" walk right after dinner, is actually a real pain for your abdomen and digestive system and actually harms both digestion and colon. So try to take a little break between eating and walking.

• Quit smoking: Countless studies and researches have linked cigarette smoking to colon cancer (among other types of cancer, of course). The studies also found that smoking at a young age increases one's lifetime risk of colorectal cancer. And since your risk increases the longer you smoke, it's never too late to stop. Not to mention that, among with the decrease in IBS or other colon related problems, you will also reduce chances of getting other problems related to smoking.

• Limit alcohol drinking: Excessive alcohol consumption may increase your risk for colon cancer. Alcohol has also been linked to other gastrointestinal cancers. So if you drink, do so only in moderation and try to stay away from very strong alcoholic beverages.

• One aspirin: People who take aspirin regularly to keep their hearts healthy may reduce their risk of cancer. Taking an aspirin every other day for 20 years may cut the risk of colon cancer almost in half, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In addition, research conducted by doctors from St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York shows that a combination of aspirin and cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may nip cells in the earliest stages of cancer.
  

So, as you can see, it's nothing too difficult: just a few easy steps that can be done if you care at least a bit about your health. And trust me, you should: it's much easier to prevent than to cure! I know.

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