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Prevent bowel cancer with a wholesome diet
In Germany, around 26,000 people die each year from colon cancer. To protect yourself, from a certain age you should take regular check-ups. Very important is also a healthy diet. Because this can prevent tumors according to scientific studies.
Colorectal cancer risk is influenced by nutrition
In Germany alone, around 26,000 people die each year from colon cancer. The incidence of this type of cancer increases with age, which is why older people should go to the check-up regularly. This is especially important when it comes to colon cancer cases in the family. Of great importance is also the diet. Because this can affect our colon cancer risk, according to research.
A high-fiber and high-quality diet can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. The key point here is the individual intestinal flora. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com) Healthy lifestyle prevents colon cancer
In addition to age and genetic factors, lack of exercise, tobacco and alcohol consumption, malnutrition is also a risk factor for colorectal cancer. Above all, the danger of consuming much red meat is repeatedly proven in studies.
In contrast, vegetarians are less likely to get bowel cancer, according to a study by researchers from California's Loma Linda University.
According to another study, fat fish also protects against colon cancer, as does nuts. These even act actively against colorectal cancer, as study results by nutritionists at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena show.
And a Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute study showed that a full-fledged diet can prevent tumors in the gut that are associated with certain colon bacteria.
Investigation with data of nearly 140,000 people
As reported by consumer information service aid in a recent communication, data from two studies totaling more than 137,000 participants were evaluated for the study.
The men and women were initially 54 and 46 years old, respectively, and worked in the health sector. Every two years, they had to provide information about their diet and lifestyle.
A distinction was made between a high-fiber diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains and a western diet with white flour products, sweet desserts, red and processed meat.
The individual intestinal flora is the crucial point
During the study period, colorectal cancer was diagnosed in 1,019 cases. In every eighth tumor, genes of Fusobacterium nucleatum could be detected in the tissue. This bacterium is one of hundreds that naturally colonizes the large intestine of humans.
It has been known for a long time that a high-fiber diet can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. However, this connection is more complicated than expected.
As the scientists explained, the individual intestinal flora is the crucial point. Subjects with a wholesome diet were reported to have a 57 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer in which F. nucleatum was detectable. However, the diet had no influence on other tumors in the intestine.
Multilevel relationships between diet and cancer development
Probably changes the healthy diet over a longer period of time, the environment and colonization of the colon with microorganisms, the authors write in the journal "JAMA Oncology".
The intestinal flora becomes more diverse and undesirable bacteria such as F. nucleatum are pushed back. Earlier studies had shown that the bacterium is associated with colon cancer and its presence is favored by a Western diet.
It probably lowers the immune response of the body to the tumor cells and promotes their growth.
However, as the consumer information service Aid writes, the links between diet, certain food groups, micro-organisms in the gut and the development of cancer are so complex that it will be difficult to prove the reliable relationships between individual factors.
Only by combining many results can the new findings help in practice to provide individual nutritional recommendations. (Ad)