Bowel Cancer (also referred to as colorectal or colon cancer) is the second leading cause of death after lung cancer. Studies suggest that up to 90 percent of bowel cancer can be avoided by appropriate changes in diet and lifestyle.

The bowel is part of a section of the digestive tract called the large intestine. By the time food reaches the bowel most of the nutrients would have been absorbed and it has become a waste product. The bowels main function is to change this waste product into a stool.

Bowel cancer is a malignant tissue that grows in the wall of the bowel. This type of cancer can be more dangerous then other forms of cancer, because due to its location it can go undetected for a long time. However, if it is discovered early enough, the cure rate is 90 percent.

Who is at risk?
The risk of bowel cancer starts at the age of 40 and doubles each decade over the age of 50. However, there are even cases of people younger then that, who have already got diagnosed. People with a personal history or family history of bowel cancer or polyps, inherited bowel cancer syndrome, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are at a higher risk and may require screening at an earlier age. Screening is done by FOBT (Faecal Occult Blood Test). This is a non-invasive way to check for the likely presence of bowel cancer or polyps.

Here are some tips that can help reduce the risk of this disease.

• Fibre

helps by moving the wastes through the digestive tract faster. This means that any possible carcinogenic waste has less time to get reabsorbed. It is recommended that a person eats at least 30 grams of fibre per day. This can be achieved through cereals, wholemeal bread, fruit, potatoes, vegetables etc.

• Calcium and Vitamin D

have also been shown to reduce the risk of bowel cancer. Calcium reduces the risk by binding to bile acids in the bowel. Vitamin D can cause changes inside a cell, which can cause a slowing of cell growth and even cell death.

• Folate

is essential in the forming of new cell and tissues as well as keeping red blood cells healthy. Folate protects against bowel cancer due to the nutients role in the synthesis and repair of DNA-preventing mutations in the cell's genes that can cause it to become cancerous. Foods rich in folate include citrus fruits, wholegrain cereals and liver.

• Exercise

reduces the occurrence of bowel cancer. The main effect of exercise is that it helps to move the waste material through the bowels faster giving less time for any alterations in cell growth.

On the other hand, a high consumption of processed meats like sausages, salami, ham etc can increase the incidence of bowel cancer. There is also some evidence that excessive charring of meat can produce carcinogenic compounds. Finally, smoking, can double the risk of having polyps. So in a nutshell, it's best to stick to a healthy diet of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals and reducing fats and alcohol while exercising regularly.