Colon cancer is a disease that may be caused by many factors.  These are genetic, dietary, and environmental factors.  It is unlikely that any one factor, such as fiber, plays a dominant role.

Woman with Variety of Fruits and Vegetables

So what can help reduce your risk of colon cancer?

Oral supplements such as calcium, fish oil and folic acid, diets high in fiber, fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and red meat, avoiding obesity, getting regular exercise, and quitting cigarette smoking are safe measures that are likely to prevent or at least reduce your risk of colo-rectal cancer.

As you are aware, high fiber diets are the best thing for colon problems.  A woman should eat 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day and a man 30 to38 grams a day.  The best foods for a high fiber diet include fruits, vegetables, and grains.  In making the right combination of foods, you can very easily sustain a high fiber diet.

Studies have shown that people with high fiber diets have more frequent and bulky stools and had less illness. It is thought that the health benefits from fiber relate to its ability to increase stool bulk and speed up how quickly stool moves through the colon.  A recent National Institutes of Health study concluded that fiber from grains and whole grain foods helped reduce the risk of intestinal cancer and lower gastrointestinal cancers.  This can also help with overall colon health.

Here are some supplements that have been proven to help with lowering your cancer risks:

• People using glucosamine had 27% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using chondroitin had 35% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using fish oil had 35% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) had 54% lower risk of colorectal cancer.
• People using the herb St. John’s wort had 65% lower risk of colorectal cancer.

These are all supplements that are available over the counter or in your local health food store.  All supplements have various benefits so it may be necessary to do your research on what else each of these supplements can do, besides reduce your cancer risk.

Vitamin D is a supplement that may help with digestion and may reduce cancer risks.  Your body produces acid to digest food; however, in high amounts this digestive acid can be cancerous.  Studies have shown that Vitamin D can help your body alleviate some of this acid before it can lead to colon cancer.  Vitamin D also helps protect against other types of cancer, helps your heart, strengthens your bones by helping your body use calcium, and boosts your immune system function.

These methods are not guaranteed to eliminate colon cancer.  However, they can reduce your risk of colon cancer and they can help keep your colon healthy.

Suggested Reading

• Supplements for Colon Cleansers
• The use of Psyllium Husk for Colon Cleansing
• What are the possible treatments for colon cancer?
• How can you Cleanse your Colon to Remove Candida?
• The Best Colon Detox Menu
• The Colon Health Diet
• Natural Remedies for Colon Problems

Segmented Pink Grapefruit

As your colon is constantly working to eliminate excess waste, a colon cleansing may be necessary to keep the colon working to full efficiency. The first step in your detox is a trip to the grocery store.  You will need the following:

• Filtered water – This can be bottled water or tap water that is filtered
• High fiber fruits – Organic are best and obviously fruits that you like.  Some suggestions:  Grapefruit, oranges, berries, and apples
• Vegetables – again organic is best, as is vegetables that you can eat raw or cooked.  Some suggestions:  broccoli, cabbage, lettuces of all kinds, squashes, zucchini or any other favorites.
• Psyllium Supplements – Psyllium can be found at most health food stores, pharmacies, and natural health stores.  Psyllium contains soluble fiber, which increases stool bulk, and whisks matter from the colon.  It should be taken with plenty of water, as a tablet or as a powder mixed with water.

As with all diets, you should consult your physician to make sure it is safe and appropriate for you.

This diet should only be used for one to three days.  Once the diet is over, you can return to your regular diet gradually incorporating meat, grain and dairy products.  It is recommended that you only have one meal per day when returning to normal to not create a digestive problem.  However, it is hopeful that in following this diet even for this short period of time, you may adapt some of these healthier habits and keep your colon healthy in the long term.

The following is the diet, along with some sample menus:

For Breakfast:

• Fresh fruits, eaten with skin or in their whole state, for example:
  • Grapefruit, sliced and sectioned (no sugar added)
  • Orange
  • Apple
• If you wish, you may instead make a juice blend from these fruits.
• Psyllium tablet or powder, taken with a large 8 oz glass of water

For Lunch:

• Large salad of raw vegetables
• With olive oil and vinegar or plain vinegar as dressing.
• Lemon juice may also be used as desired.
• NO salad dressings.
• Sample:  Large salad with romaine, red and green lettuce, cucumbers, spinach, celery, sprouts; topped with balsamic vinegar

For Dinner:

• Steamed, cooked vegetables.
• Do not microwave vegetables.
• Eat as much as desired.
• Dress only with lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Sample:  Steamed broccoli, cauliflower, carrots

As for beverages, drink at least one quart of filtered water, including water with added psyllium.

At the end of the three days, you will hopefully feel better and energized. After this three-day detox, you can continue your detox with foods that are high in fiber.  In eating these foods alone, you can have a natural detox on a regular basis.

Suggested Reading

• Colon Cancer and Your Diet
• How can you Cleanse your Colon to Remove Candida?
• The Colon Health Diet

In keeping the colon healthy, there are many different supplements available.

Probiotics are dietary supplements or foods that contain beneficial or good bacteria, which is like the bacteria normally found in your body.  Probiotics help to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in your body including bacteria and fungus.  Probiotics can be taken as a vitamin supplement or they can be found in such foods as yogurt, fermented and unfermented milk, some juices and soy drinks.  Probiotics are best taken twice a day, thirty minutes prior to eating.

Milk thistle is a powerful supplement for detox.  Milk thistle actually supports the liver, but this is helpful for a detox in general.  Milk thistle is helpful if you consume excessive amounts of alcohol or fat in your diet.  This can also help your colon as alcohol and fat can create problems for the colon.

Fiber supplements are probably your best bet when it comes to colon health.  If you are not getting enough fiber in your diet, you can take supplements.  A fiber supplement can help your body maintain your cardiovascular system by fueling its natural cleansing system.  Along with colon health, studies have also shown that daily fiber supplements lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and prevent your arteries from hardening.

There have been numerous studies that show that fiber can help prevent colorectal cancer. A recent National Institutes of Health study concluded that fiber from grains and whole grain foods helped reduce the risk of intestinal cancer and lower gastrointestinal cancers.

Further, there has been a large focus lately on the acai berry.  It is being marketed as a dietary supplement that has many benefits, which include improved digestion, increased energy and a detox aid.  The Acai berry is sold in tables or powder for making drinks.

Another thing you can try is fennel.  It is a natural diuretic.  It can rid your body of excess water and strengthen the walls of the bladder.

Another possibility is birch extracts, which are also detoxifying.  Birch can be taken in a pill or vitamin type form.

Finally, Vitamin D is a supplement that may help with digestion and may reduce cancer risks.  Your body produces acid to digest food; however, in high amounts this digestive acid can be cancerous.  Studies have shown that Vitamin D can help your body alleviate some of this acid before it can lead to colon cancer.  Vitamin D also helps protect against other types of cancer, helps your heart, strengthens your bones by helping your body use calcium, and boosts your immune system function.

In using these various supplements, you can help keep your colon healthy.  The supplements all have different benefits which may also include other health benefits along with the colon.

Suggested Reading

• Colon Cancer and Your Diet
• The use of Psyllium Husk for Colon Cleansing
• Herbs that Naturally Cleanse Parasites
• When is a Candida cleanse needed and how do you do it?
• What are probiotics?
• Natural Remedies for Colon Problems

Woman drinking bottled water after workout

Cleansing your colon can be done naturally and it is also referred to as detoxifying your colon.  Many people struggle with weight gain in the United States.  The busier we get, it seems like our diets become worse and have little to no time for working out and staying healthy.

Some of us gain weight due to genetics, others gain weight due to our lifestyle and habits.  Unfortunately, the dietary habits of Americans is sometimes downright awful and then even when we try to eat right and to stay healthy, our choices end up making it worse for us.

We all need a certain amount of fat and protein in our diet, but the key is to balance is out.  A colon cleansing diet can help detoxify our bodies.  It’s important to remember that a quick one-time solution will likely not do the trick for permanent weight loss.  It’s important that we lose the weight slowly and correctly, so that the weight stays off.  Unfortunately, when we lose weight too fast, our bodies tend to pack the weight back on and then we end up gaining even more weight back than we lost in the first place.

Fiber is an important part of colon cleansing.  It’s also important to our overall health and wellbeing.  We need lots of water and fiber for our bodies to work properly.  When we get enough fiber, we have regular bowel movements without too much difficulty.  You also get additional water from eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

The important thing to remember during a colon cleansing detoxification system is to make sure you are drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day and that you are eating a healthy well balanced diet and getting plenty of exercise.  Exercise is important to keeping your body healthy and to keep everything working properly.  Try to walk for at least 20 or 30 minutes a day.  If you can’t fit all of your walking in all at once, break it up so that you are walking for 10 minutes three or four times a day.  This is sometimes easier for some people and is just as beneficial.  Incorporate some strength-training exercises into your weekly routine and alternate activities.

Add more household chores to your daily routine, such as sweeping, vacuuming and dusting.  Gardening is another fantastic form of exercise that many people enjoy doing.  Not to mention that when you’re done with the gardening, you will likely have a wonderful place to sit and relax in.  Having a relaxing and almost meditative place to sit in at the end of the day can be very beneficial to you and your weight loss journey as well.

Suggested Reading

• How To Cleanse The Colon
• How Safe Is Colon Cleansing?
• The use of Psyllium Husk for Colon Cleansing
• How can you Cleanse your Colon to Remove Candida?
• Avoiding Colon Cleansing Trials
• How can you safely cleanse your colon?
• The Colon Health Diet
• General Tips for Colon Cleansing
• How Can Foods Heal Your Colon

3 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 (8 ounce) bag shredded carrots
1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and pepper

Over medium-low heat, cook the bacon in a frying pan until lightly browned.  Do not drain the fat from the pan!  Add the onion rings, shredded carrots and sauté until the onion is limp, but not completely browned.  This should take about five minutes.  Add the baby spinach, dill weed, salt and pepper.  Cook until the spinach wilts, stirring frequently.  Serve warm.

Broccoli and Tofu Bake

1 cup of onion, chopped.
2 garlic cloves, minced.
2 cups of broccoli florets.
1 cup of mushrooms, chopped.
1 tablespoon of water.
¼ cup of nonfat cholesterol-free egg substitute.
2 medium egg whites.
10 oz of soft silken tofu.
1 tablespoon of yellow mustard.
1 teaspoon of dried basil.
Pinch of nutmeg.
¼ teaspoon of salt.
Pinch of black pepper.
2 tablespoons of nonfat Parmesan cheese.
Red pepper rings, to garnish.
Nonfat cooking spray.

In a skillet sprayed with a non-fat cooking spray, sauté the onion and garlic.  Next, add the broccoli, chopped mushrooms, and about 1 tablespoon of water.  Cover; reduce heat and steam until broccoli and mushrooms are just tender.  Place in an 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with nonfat cooking spray.  In a blender, combine the egg substitute, egg whites, tofu, yellow mustard, basil, nutmeg, salt, black pepper and Parmesan cheese.  Blend for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the mixture is smooth and pour over the broccoli mixture.  Garnish each corner with a red pepper ring and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35 minutes or until the center is firm.

Woman Cutting Blackberry Pie

1850 Blackberry Pie

1 10″ Unbaked Pie Shell
1 qt Blackberries
1 c Flour
2 c Granulated Sugar
1 c Milk

Fill shell with berries. Mix flour, sugar, and milk. Pour mixture over berries. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes until center is set. If desired, brown under broiler.

Blackberry Grape Tea

1/2 c Concord grape juice
1 Cinnamon stick
1/8 ts Whole allspice
1 c Blackberry-flavored herb tea

Combine the grape juice, cinnamon stick, and allspice in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 1-2 min, stirring occasionally. Pour the tea into the saucepan and stir all the ingredients together. Remove the cinnamon stick and strain the tea into a large mug.

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Fruits and Vegetables

Fiber is often classified into two categories, insoluble and soluble.  If it is insoluble, it does not dissolve in water.  If it does dissolve in water, it is soluble fiber.

So what does that mean to you?

You should eat a variety of high fiber foods, soluble and insoluble.  Insoluble fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases bulk.  This can help with constipation of irregular bowel movements.  The foods that contain insoluble fiber are foods containing whole wheat flour, wheat bran, along with nuts and vegetables.

As fruits are mostly water-based foods, they are soluble fiber.  With this kind of fiber, the food actually dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material.  This can help lower cholesterol and lower blood glucose levels.  The best foods for soluble fiber are peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits and carrots.

Fiber has many benefits, especially relating to colon health:

• Prevents constipation:  fiber helps in two ways.  It can increase the weight and size of your stool and soften it, making it easier to pass.  In the alternative, if you have diarrhea, fiber can help solidify stool.

• Reduces the risk of digestive problems:  A high fiber diet can lower your risk of hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis.

Fiber has other health benefits, including:

• Lowering cholesterol:  soluble fiber found mostly in beans, oats or flaxseed can help lower your LDL levels (or the bad cholesterol).

• Helps control blood sugar:  fiber will slow the absorption of sugar, hence improving blood sugar levels.

• Helps with weight loss:  a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber foods tend to be lower in calories than other foods, such as foods high in sugar.

• May reduce risk of colon cancer:  There is evidence that a high fiber diet may help lower the risk of colon cancer; however, your best bet is still to undergo regular colon cancer screenings.

Eating fiber can be an easy way to keep your colon healthy.  In having a healthy diet, you are less likely to have digestive problems, stomach problems or bowel movement problems.  And in changing your diet, you may be able to lose weight and lower your cholesterol.  In adding just a few things to your diet, you will be making tremendous progress.

Suggested Reading

• The Colon Health Diet
• What are probiotics?
• What is a colonic?
• How Can Foods Heal Your Colon
• What is colon disease?

Blackberries

One of the best techniques for thoroughly and healthily healing your colon is to watch what you’re putting into your belly.  There are several different approaches to colon cleansing through food.  You must choose the healthiest choice, which fits your particularly individual lifestyle.

Lack of certain types of foods will help to clear out your colon.  This is referred to as fasting.  Some experts refer to this part of a colon cleanser as a detox phase.  This method typically refers to being on a juice diet for approximately one week.  Some people will stay on a juice fast for two to three weeks, but this is a matter of personal preference.  You can typically use either fruit juices or vegetable juices or a combination of both.  Most people cannot handle the thought of going on a pure juice fast for a week, let alone a couple of days.

The best foods to stick to when cleansing your colon and detoxifying your body are foods that are packed full of fiber, like whole grain foods and green leafy vegetables.  These types of foods are naturally packed full of fiber.  Flax seed is especially good for colon cleansing and can be added to cereals, drinks and yogurt.  Make sure you eat plenty of fresh green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli and salad greens.

Fruit is absolutely delicious when it comes to cleansing the colon for healing.  Blackberries are an excellent choice!  They have eight grams of fiber per cup!  This type of natural fiber does wonders for cleansing and healing the colon naturally.  Prunes and prune juice are also very beneficial and an age-old cure for constipation!  Since constipation prevention is part of colon cleansing, you should be able to see why you would benefit from eating prunes and drinking prune juice.

By choosing the correct foods and liquids to eat throughout your colon cleansing, you will be choosing a healthy diet that will benefit your entire body.  Don’t forget to drink plenty of water, at least six to eight glasses of water a day.  For added benefit, try adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to each glass of water.  This will also help to release additional water retention from the body and to cleanse and detoxify the whole body.  Apple cider vinegar is excellent for getting rid of fungi and other infections and is overall healthy for everyone.  It is somewhat of an acquired taste, but if you eat vinegar-based salad dressings, you can get used to drinking vinegar water.

Finally, make sure you are getting plenty of regular exercise.  Exercise is an important component to not only losing weight and staying healthy, but also for cleansing the colon and ensuring that the body is working correctly.

Suggested Reading

• How To Cleanse The Colon
• How Safe Is Colon Cleansing?
• The use of Psyllium Husk for Colon Cleansing
• How can you Cleanse your Colon to Remove Candida?
• Avoiding Colon Cleansing Trials
• How can you safely cleanse your colon?
• The Colon Health Diet
• General Tips for Colon Cleansing
• Losing Weight Through a Colon Cleansing Diet and Program
• What are probiotics?

Vegetable Tray

Often times, foods will taste good, but they won’t necessarily be the best for you.  Let’s face it, that’s why weight gain is such a problem in the United States.  Here, particularly, we overeat and eat too much processed foods.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important to your overall health.  Low-carb diets were the “in” thing for a while, but newer research has proven that these aren’t necessarily the best way to go.  Not all carbohydrates are unhealthy.  In fact, we need some carbohydrates in order to survive and for energy.  Good carbohydrates are those which do not contain refined sugar.  Good carbohydrates are available in the form of grains, vegetables, fruits and rice.  All of these foods still contain all of their original vitamins and minerals.

Fats

Again, you need some fat to stay healthy.  A diet that is completely without fat is not necessarily the healthiest of choices.  Think of seeds and nuts when going for the good fats.  These types of fats are vital to your health and for the function of much of your body.  Saturated fats from animals are what should be avoided.  Eating excessive amounts of such fats can cause all sorts of health problems.

Protein

Like carbohydrates and fats, protein can be either good or bad, depending on how much of it you eat and how you eat it.  Vegetable proteins are usually considered to be good proteins.  These types of foods are easier for us to digest.  Bad protein is the protein you get from red meat, which can result in several different health problems.  Such health problems can seriously affect the colon.

Processed Foods

Processed foods are just not that healthy for you.  By sticking with natural and organic foods, you’ll be taking in a lot healthier foods.  Instead, stick to fresh fruits and vegetables; raw is better!  These types of foods are easier for your body to digest and should always be eaten first.  The worst thing you can do is to eat a food, which is difficult to digest first and follow up with an easier digested food.

Water

Don’t forget to drink plenty of water.  For additional cleansing benefits, add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar to each glass of water.  This will help cleanse and clear out your system, not to mention help fight off infection.  It’s an excellent cure for a bladder or yeast infection and adds a nice taste to your water, particularly if you feel like drinking plain water is bland and boring.

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Salad

The foods and liquids you put into your body are important.  Making the wrong choices can cause colon problems, constipation and an array of health issues.  No one wants to deal with those types of issues and they can be disrupted throughout the day.

Your colon is important and vital to your overall health.  Unfortunately, some of us do not realize the significance of a healthy colon.  By incorporating certain healthy foods into your day-to-day diet, you’ll be doing your colon a favor.

Believe it or not, a raw egg yolk is probably one of the most effective ways to cleanse your colon.  The egg yolk contains many different important vitamins and minerals, which your body requires to stay healthy.  Try eating just one egg yolk a day and see if it doesn’t make a difference.  If your body is responding positively, try increasing the amount of egg yolks you are eating a day.

Fish oil, coconut oil, cod liver oil and olive oil are excellent for cleansing your colon.  Spread it over a serving of green salad greens.  Begin with a gradual amount and work up to eating more and more.

Yeast flakes are almost as good as raw egg yolks.  There are many important vitamin B in yeast flakes.  If for some reason you cannot stand the thought of eating a raw egg yolk, use yeast flakes instead.

Incorporating a healthy diet and a lot of exercise is also part of a good colon cleansing program.  Sometimes, talking to your doctor about what medications you can switch away from can also be helpful.  While cleansing your colon, you may feel fatigued, sluggish and tired.  This is completely normal as your body releases toxins back into your body as it is fighting getting rid of the negative stuff!

Your diet should primarily consist of fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds and beans.  These particular foods are rich in fiber and soluble water.  They will also help prevent constipation, which is extremely important.  Green foods are especially wonderful for a colon cleansing diet.  Make sure you are drinking plenty of water too.  You should be drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day.

You also might try doing an enema at home.  This can help to completely detoxify your colon.  Enema water helps to flush out the toxins.  Adding coffee to your enema water with make it even more useful and beneficial to you.  A coffee enema is an excellent detoxifier for your liver as well.  Make sure you stay away from a lot of dairy products, fried foods and foods that are high in protein.  Plan your diet carefully and exercise regularly.

Suggested Reading

• How can you Cleanse your Colon to Remove Candida?
• How can you safely cleanse your colon?
• What is an enema?
• How to Make Your Own Colon Cleanser?
• How Can Foods Heal Your Colon
• Can you Cleanse your Colon with Diet Alone?
• Can my diet help control Candida growth?
• A healthy diet and a healthy colon

Young Woman Eating a Pear

The colon is in charge of elimination of waste.  It is thought that as your colon works to digest all the bad foods that we eat, it is unable to digest everything.  This causes a build-up.  This build-up produces toxins or bad bacteria, which can enter further into the body through the blood circulation causing even more problems.  Therefore, the colon can be overtaxed and in need of a thorough cleansing.  However, a colon cleanse does not have to be drastic, such as an enema or a starvation diet.

There is a simple way to cleanse your body and begin a healthy diet at the same time.

This type of cleansing starts with eating all raw, frozen, or lightly steamed fruits and veggies.  Drink only water, raw fruit juices or green tea.  And eliminate breads, pasta, dairy products, meat, coffee and alcohol.

While normally with a diet, you are told what to eat with a colon cleanse, it is helpful to tell you what not to eat.  In the beginning, you should spend at least a week beginning to eliminate foods.

These foods and beverages are vital to cleansing your colon.  You should immediately eliminate the following:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Candy and chocolate
• Soft drinks
• Sweeteners (sugar, fructose, dextrose, and artificial sweeteners)
• Processed foods
• Deep fried foods

In simply making these small changes, you may start to feel better including more energized and even healthier.

The next step is to add in the right foods.  The best foods you can eat are all organic fruits and vegetables.  Fruits are a great option, as they contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.  The inside of the fruit is soluble and the skin is insoluble.  Therefore, the best fruits you can eat are ones with skin, such as:

• Apples
• Pears
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Peaches
• Apricots

When eating vegetables, raw vegetables are usually your best source.  However, you can cook your vegetables, just be sure not to overcook to the point where the vegetables become soft, as they might lose some of the benefits.  Good cooked vegetables are:

• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Corn
• Mushrooms
• Cauliflower
• Onions

And of course, snacks, which are very important to a diet.  There are many healthy snacks that are also high in fiber.  These include:

• Popcorn
• Nuts
• Peanut Butter
• Sunflower seeds

While you may not want to sustain a diet of vegetables and fruit only, you can eat fiber filled cereals such as bran or natural oatmeal.  You can also still eat meat, but possible cut your intake.  You should eat a small piece of meat with the above vegetables and fruits or a salad.  This fiber will help regulate the meat that you are eating.  These changes can help to cleanse your colon and aid with digestion.

Suggested Reading

• How can you safely cleanse your colon?
• How Can Foods Heal Your Colon
• Foods and Your Colon: What to Avoid and What to Eat
• Can my diet help control Candida growth?
• A healthy diet and a healthy colon