By MaryEllen Zung

We know that what we eat matters to our health.  But did you know that good nutrition can help reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States?  Reduce your risk with these nutrition tips.

Eat Foods With Fiber.

High fiber foods include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.  Fiber not only helps keep us satiated when we eat, but it scrubs our colon of environmental toxins and helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

Eat Whole Grains.

Whole grains contain cancer-fighting vitamins and minerals. Try unprocessed grains such as oats, quinoa, millet and amaranth for breakfast, as a side, and in a salad or in Buddha Bowl.

Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.

Eat the rainbow!  Fruits and veggies not only contain fiber, but they also contain phytochemicals, the building blocks of life. Especially important to a healthy diet are dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, asparagus and Brussel sprouts.

Eat Beans and Pulses (Legumes).

Beans and legumes are full of folate, a B-vitamin that promotes tissue growth in your body and helps your cells to function properly.

Enjoy Nuts and Seeds – Mindfully.

Studies have demonstrated that eating a serving of tree nuts can reduce the reoccurrence of colorectal cancer among stage 3 survivors by 42%. In this study, it also decreased overall mortality by 57%.

Avoid Processed Meats.

Processed meats such as sausage, hot dogs and kielbasa as well as deli meats like ham, turkey, salami, bologna and pepperoni contain a high amount of salt along with preservatives such as nitrates, and are considered a human carcinogen by the World Health Organization.

By making a few adjustments to your nutrition, you can help reduce your risk of colorectal cancer.

Mary Ellen Zung, BA is a Certified Holistic Health Coach helping her clients with lifestyle change for overall health and wellness.  In her role with the North Jersey Health Collaborative, she provides cancer screening webinars with a grant from ScreenNJ.  For more information about cancer screening webinars contact Mary Ellen at maryellen@njhealthmatters.org.