With beverages, look for sugar-free alternatives like sparkling water and unsweetened teas or coffees. The American Institute for Cancer Research and ACS recommend aiming for at least 30 grams of fiber from food sources each day.

Focus on incorporating a variety of whole grains, colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans into your diet. Fiber aids colon health by helping to keep you regular and prevent constipation by moving foods through your gastrointestinal tract.

This may then lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon that can lead to diverticular disease. Whole grains are grain products that have not been stripped of their nutrient and fiber-packed exterior.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that all adults eat at least half of their daily grains as whole grains, about three to five servings.

Some readily available whole grains include barley, quinoa, whole wheat flour, wild and brown rice and oatmeal.

These foods contain more colon-friendly vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytochemicals natural compounds in plants that have a beneficial effect on the body than their refined grain counterparts, such as white flour and white rice.

An easy way to determine if the food is a whole grain is to check the label. If the first ingredient on a grain product says "enriched," it is not a whole grain.

A healthy colon contains billions or even trillions of beneficial bacteria per milliliter. Foods containing probiotics can also help to foster growth of the gut flora in the colon.

Those looking to increase their intake of probiotics may try foods such as yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, kefir, miso and sauerkraut. While eating right can help keep your colon happy, the most powerful way to prevent colon cancer is through screening.

A colonoscopy is an examination of the colon that allows physicians to both screen for and prevent colorectal cancer.

Eating for a Healthy Colon. A healthy diet can be a powerful force against colon disorders — including cancer. Home RUSH Stories Eating for a Healthy Colon.

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to LinkedIn Share via Email. A weighty connection According to the National Cancer Institute, the association between obesity and increased colon cancer risk may be due to multiple factors, including increased levels of insulin in the blood, a condition that may occur more often in obese individuals.

Diet dos and don'ts Diets high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains and low in red and processed meats have been associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer, according to the ACS. To help promote good colon health, follow these five diet recommendations: 1.

Add plant-based foods into your diet. Limit red meat consumption. Hold the sugar. Up your fiber intake. Eating a high-fiber diet is good for overall intestinal and colon health.

Choose grains wisely. Diversify your gut microbiome. Make screening a priority While eating right can help keep your colon happy, the most powerful way to prevent colon cancer is through screening. Related Stories. One way to keep your colon healthy is by following a diet rich in fiber, calcium, and vitamin D.

Kimberly Yee, a colorectal surgeon and Director of the Colorectal Cancer Program at White Plains Hospital. Green vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale contain glucosinolate, an organic compound which some studies suggest may have cancer-fighting effects.

One daily serving of processed meat, which roughly translates to a hotdog at the family barbecue, increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent. There are healthier ways to get enough protein in your diet, such through fish or nuts. Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt are excellent sources of protein, calcium, and vitamin D.

Yogurt is also known to be a natural disease fighter.

One daily serving of processed meat, which roughly translates to a hotdog at the family barbecue, increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent. There are healthier ways to get enough protein in your diet, such through fish or nuts.

Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt are excellent sources of protein, calcium, and vitamin D. Yogurt is also known to be a natural disease fighter. All yogurts contain probiotics -"friendly bacteria" that can support digestive and immune health. sugary starches to low-glycemic resistant starches.

When you heat up the cooled rice or potatoes, you'll still enjoy the benefits of a resistant starch. Another way to eat your way to good colon health is to include plenty of probiotics in your diet. Probiotics are another type of beneficial bacteria that are present in fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and yogurt.

However, the bacteria must be alive in order to help your colon. Make sure your yogurt, too, has live bacteria and little-to-no sugar. Mix up your probiotics and indulge in at least one or two servings per day.

You can also schedule an appointment online. Foods that Support a Healthy Colon. Colon and Rectal Surgeons of Greater Hartford Blog Foods that Support a Healthy Colon. You Might Also Enjoy But what if you experience pain in the left lower quadrant instead?

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