Busy Colon Cancer Specialist Shares 3 Simple Things He’s Doing to Prevent the Disease That’s Killing More Young People

Colon disease is currently the leading cause of malignancy in men under the age of 50 and the second leading cause of death for women of a similar age. The rate of the disease has been increasing since the 1990s in younger individuals, according to the American Malignant growth Society. The total clinical cost of colorectal malignant growth care in the US was $24.3 billion from each year in 2020, according to Habitats for Infection Prevention and Prediction.

While specialists don’t really know exactly what’s behind the rise in cases, and certain variables, such as genetics, are beyond our control, there are certain lifestyle choices that could reduce the risk of developing colon disease. Dr. Michael Shusterman, a gastrointestinal clinical oncologist at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Disease Center on Long Island, shared some insights with Business Insider.

Lifestyle Factors in Colon Cancer Prevention

Being corpulent, having type 2 diabetes, and smoking are all associated with a more serious risk of colon malignancy. Still, “they don’t essentially cause colon disease indirectly,” Shusterman said. Nonetheless, he routinely suggests that patients quit smoking, limit alcohol intake, exercise regularly, eat more fiber and less red meat, and stay away from super-manipulated food sources as much as can reasonably be expected.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Making huge lifestyle changes can be difficult, especially for busy professionals. Dr. Shusterman acknowledges this and focuses on small, manageable adjustments. “It’s hard to do when you’re a busy professional, and given that’s the situation, it’s imperative to get the opportunity, but it’s a struggle for me,” he said.

Here are three simple changes Dr. Shusterman made to help prevent malignant colon growth:

1. Eat Less Red Meat

There are major areas of strength between malignant colon growth and a diet high in red meat, such as hamburger, liver, pork, and deli meats, Shusterman says. Cooking meat at high temperatures or in direct contact with fire or a hot surface, such as grilling, appears to increase the risk by providing more cancer-causing synthetic compounds, according to the World Wellbeing Association.

Despite his love for red meat, Shusterman decided to cut back for his health. He rarely buys red meat now and only eats it on special occasions. “It’s a lot harder to go out and sort out four times a week than it is to cut down on red meat in a lot of ways,” he said. Try to make it a treat as opposed to a regular diet and replace it with something else, like chicken or fish.

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