(NaturalHealth365)  According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States.  While that is a massive amount of colorectal cancer diagnoses each and every day, it’s important to know that nutrition plays a major role in both the progression and the prevention of colon cancer.

It is estimated that the majority of colorectal diagnoses could be prevented if we all made healthy diet and lifestyle choices.  Making poor lifestyle choices is raising the number of cancer-related deaths each year, and unnecessarily so.  By incorporating these powerful anti-cancer nutrients into your diet, you can proactively reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer and avoid becoming a medical statistic.

The simple truth about colorectal cancer

The everyday food choices we make play a much larger role in cancer development than most people think.  With people being diagnosed with cancer every day and colorectal cancer-causing 50,000 deaths this year, it’s crucial to take control of your health and make healthy lifestyle choices.

The truth is that you have control over preventing a fate with cancer.  While colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers seen today, it is also one of the most preventable.  If you feed your body right, you will create an environment within the body in which cancer just simply cannot survive.  The body will be able to identify cancer cells and destroy them before they are able to take control and wreak havoc on your system.

This is why food choices matter: Dietary choices are important in preventing all types of cancer but are especially important in preventing colorectal cancer.  Just think about the function of your large intestine and where it’s located.

Everything you consume has to pass through the large intestine.  If you choose to eat a diet high in toxins, and carcinogenic compounds, these compounds are directly damaging the cells in the large intestine, putting you at risk for developing colorectal cancer.  Again, this is why colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers seen today.

In order to take the steps in preventing colorectal cancer you will want to avoid foods that contain preservatives, processed meats, high-sugar foods, toxic fats, and refined carbohydrates.  While these foods need to be kept out of the diet, there are powerful nutrients you should be adding in, in order to prevent cancer from developing in the first place.

Remember that prevention is always better than cure, so if you want to take the steps you need to prevent cancer, carefully consider the choice of your next meal.

The most powerful nutrients to protect against cancer in the colon

1. Cruciferous vegetable extract:  Cruciferous vegetables are excellent for promoting natural detoxification and can actually prevent the development of colorectal cancer.  Cruciferous vegetable extract comes from vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.  The extract found in these vegetables is high in isothiocyanates, which are known for preventing colorectal cancer cell development when studied in the lab.  These extracts also proved to support cancer cell death.

2. Garlic:  Garlic contains nutrients that have been used in treating health conditions for thousands of years, and colorectal cancer is no exception.  Evidence shows that a diet fairly high in garlic reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancer.  The American Institute of Cancer Research recommends chopping garlic and waiting 10-15 minutes before cooking it in order to gain the most health benefits.  Studies on human garlic consumption have shown a 37% reduction in colorectal cancer risk in those who ate the largest amounts of garlic!  Here is just one more reason to add garlic to your diet.

3. Fish oil:  It’s to no surprise that quality fish oils may be helpful in preventing cancer in the colon.  Fish oil helps to reduce overall inflammation in the body, making it an excellent option for cancer prevention.  W. Elaine Hardman, Ph.D., a researcher at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, claims that those who live in countries that consume larger amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from wild-caught fish have actually shown to have less of a prevalence of prostate and colon cancer as opposed to countries that consumed less omega-3 fatty acids.

She also found that laboratory studies found a correlation between supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids in relation to slowing the growth of tumors.  Another reason why omega-3s may be so important in preventing colorectal cancer is that they may promote cancer cell death while also reducing the enzymes required for cancer cells to grow.

Take control of your health, and eat cancer-fighting foods to reduce your chance of developing cancer.  Start by removing processed foods from your diet, maintain a regular exercise routine, and add in some of the strongest cancer-protecting nutrients available today.

By making these healthy choices, you are adding quality years to your lifespan while not only preventing cancer in the colon but many other forms of cancer as well.

Editor’s note: To learn more about how to stop cancer naturally, own the Stop Cancer Docu-Class presented by NaturalHealth365 Programs and featuring many of the best holistic cancer care experts in the world.

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
Cancer.org
Cancer.org
Lifeextension.com
AICR.org