Symptoms of Colon Cancer

The symptoms of colon cancer are these:

1) Blood in the stool

2) Thin stools may signal that there may be an obstruction in the bowel

3) Constipation that is chronic

4) Feeling like you need to empty your bowel when you don't

5) Abdominal pain could be a symptom

6) Fatigue which lasts more than three days may be a sign of anemia caused by intestinal bleeding

The symptoms of colon cancer are often present in those who are overweight or obese. The real question is, what are you going to do--if it is not too late--to prevent or reverse these symptoms?

More about the symptoms of colon cancer, for educational purposes:

* Generally symptoms don't occur until after the tumor has been developing for ten years or more

* Those who don't eat meat or milk products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, are far less likely to experience these symptoms(See "Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up")

* Research studies have shown(See, "The China Study", by T. Colin Campbell, Jr., PhD) that those who eat the most vegetables and fruit and the least animal food products are the least likely to experience the symptoms of colon cancer

It only makes sense that eliminating any foods that slow the passage of waste products in the colon is beneficial to the health of the digestive system. Meat and milk products, especially cheese, are found to take longer to digest, which increases the time that toxic and carcinogenic elements in waste material are in contact with the lining of the colon.

As Dr. John McDougall points out, after detailing the many anatomical, physiological, nutritional, and evolutionary indications that "We were made to be plant eaters, not meat eaters. We are now paying the price for straying from our design with chronic illness and premature death."

Constipation is one of the worst enemies of colon health. The natural solution to constipation is a diet composed of whole grains, vegetables of all kinds, beans, fruit, and nuts--and no meat or milk products. Adding fiber to a diet filled with meat and milk products is like pressing both your accelerator and brake while driving. Yes, it is possible to stay somewhat regular while eating a diet including meat, cheese, and other milk products, but the negative influences of animal foods, which have been found to stimulate cancer tumor growth (See "The China Study") are inescapable. Why risk feeding cancer what it thrives on, just because one enjoys the flavor of these foods?

As stated earlier, I am not a doctor, but I read the advice of medical doctors and nutritional researchers and relay the gist of what the most progressive of these have taught me. An excellent book for anyone who has questions about digestion is "Dr. McDougall's Digestive Tune-Up," by John A. McDougall, MD. It is short, it is thorough, and it is well-referenced. It is written in a style the laymen can easily understand.

Another excellent source of evidence that the natural solution to the many problems caused by the American-style diet is "The China Study," by T. Colin Campbell, Jr., PhD. Dr. Campbell spent a 40+ year career at the highest levels of cancer research and has come to the firm conclusion that a plant-based, whole food diet is the one that makes the most sense for humans who desire to be healthy.

My personal experience in changing my diet over a period of years is completely in agreement with what these noted doctors explain in their books. The less often I ate ANYTHING containing meat, poultry, or dairy products, the better my digestion and elimination became. Other distracting problems, such as a runny nose and congestion, also resolved as I thoroughly cut all milk products out of my daily diet--and this is hard to do unless you cook for yourself and search out bread(for example) that doesn't contain milk in the ingredients. It may be difficult and somewhat inconvenient to cut these offending foods out of one's diet, but it is surely worth it for anyone who wants to enjoy optimum health.

Another item that seems to slow my digestion is the occasional use of analgesics, in particular ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, or acetominophen( all members of the NSAID family). And of course, any opioid pain reliever, such as codeine, will cause some constipation. Avoiding these, whenever possible, has helped me in the quest for excellent regularity and overall avoidance of any of the symptoms of colon cancer.

.A Diet To Cut the Risk for Symptoms of Colon Cancer