Surviving Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is encouraged by diets containing animal fat and discouraged by diets rich in vegetables. A low-fat, plant-based diet is important both for those seeking to prevent cancer and those who have already been treated for it.

Researchers at the University of Arizona found that people who have been treated for colon or rectal cancer have less risk of recurrence when their diets are rich in fibre. They found benefits from daily supplements of 13.5 grams of wheat bran fibre (the amount in a half-cup of bran cereal), but they speculate that other forms of fiber might have the same effect. A vegetarian diet can easily boost fiber intake by 10 to 29 grams per day. If you have bran cereal, topping it with soymilk rather than cow's milk allows you to avoid animal fat, cholesterol, lactose, and animal proteins.

Colon cancer typically develops from polyps in the colon wall. These polyps become smaller and fewer in number within six months on a high-fiber diet.

Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

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