March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
On August 28, 2020, the world was shocked to learn of the passing of the Marvel wonder, “Black Panther”, Chadwick Boseman. He had battled with colon cancer for 4 years before his passing. He had won the hearts of many young and old in his portrayal of T'Challa. He was also known for his roles as Jackie Robinson in “42”, James Brown in “Get on Up”, and Thurgood Marshall in “Marshall”.
Many people are unaware of Colorectal cancer although it is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Further, it is highly preventable, and if detected early, is one of the most curable types of cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2021 more than 149,000 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed, and almost 53,000 men and women will die from the disease. These statistics are alarming to most of us, however, the death rate from colorectal cancer has dropped over the last few decades, because people are getting screened and changing their lifestyle to reduce related risk factors.
Ways to protect your colorectal health:
Get screened for colorectal cancer.
Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
Get regular exercise
Take control of your weigh
Don’t smoke.
Avoid alcohol.
DID YOU KNOW? International data indicates that meat, particularly beef, is the food most closely associated with both colorectal and breast cancer.
Learn more at www.cdc.gov, https://www.cancer.org, or www.mayoclinic.org.
The blog is written by :
Tess Gibbs