March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Posted on: 01/31/2012

• Get regular colorectal cancer screenings after age 50. Between 80-90%

of colorectal cancer patients are restored to normal health if their cancer

is detected and treated in the earliest stages.

• Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet.

• If you use alcohol, drink only in moderation. If you use tobacco, quit.

If you don’t use tobacco, don’t start. Alcohol and tobacco in combination

are linked to colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers.

• Exercise for at least 20 minutes three to four days each week. Moderate

exercise such as walking, gardening or climbing steps may help.

Colorectal cancer affects both men and women equally – 140,000 people are

diagnosed with the disease every year. But colorectal cancer is preventable, and

can be successfully treated and is often curable when detected early.

To lower your risk of colorectal cancer, the American Society of Colon and Rectal

Surgeons recommends that you: