March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and on Tuesday local and regional health and dietary specialists shared the importance of early cancer screenings and healthy eating.
Members of the Community Medical Clinic, the Kentucky Cancer Program (KCP) and the Christian County Extension Office hosted their third annual Colon Cancer Community Lunch and Learn at the Hopkinsville-Christian County YMCA. Before the program got underway, attendees got to walk through a large inflatable colon that showed what colorectal cancer, polyps and Crohn’s Disease look like.
KCP focuses on spreading awareness concerning cancers that can be screened which includes colorectal cancer. Jamie Knight from KCP says colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the country.
She also says Kentucky is ranked fourth in the country for colorectal cancer deaths. Knight says the cancer can develop as the result of genetic factors as well as lifestyle habits. She says one’s physical inactivity, weight, diet, smoking and alcohol drinking could play a role in the development of colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer symptoms include, a change in bowel habits, blood in stool, cramping, abdominal pain, fatigue, weakness and weight loss. However, Knight says those symptoms can be mistaken for many other diseases so early screening is imperative.
Knight says colorectal cancer typically impacts those over the age of 50, but she says lately more people under 50 have been getting the disease.
Benita Wade the SNAP Education program assistant at the extension office shared how a healthy diet could decrease the possibly of colorectal cancer from developing. Wade says protein is important to the everyday diet, but how it is prepared can determine whether it’s healthy or not. She says grilling, baking and sauteing are much healthier than frying.
Wade says non-meat protein options should be a part of one’s diet and that foods with non-enriched grains can promote colon health.