So, it’s the holiday season, and you’re staring at a full month of parties, sweets, rich food, and other delights. But now is no time to ignore your health. The question: Can you enjoy the holidays and keep your body in tip-top shape? The answer: Yes.
Colon cancer, diverticulitis, and other issues of colon health are associated with certain behaviors and lifestyles that can increase your risk. As such, no matter the time of year, keeping your colon healthy is important to your long-term wellness.
Boca Care Surgical Associates offers minimally invasive surgery for a number of different colorectal issues. But our provider — Avraham Belizon, MD, FACS, FASCRS — believes an ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure, so follow our tips, and stay healthy through the holidays!
Colon health is essential to your overall well-being. This major organ removes waste, and without it, your body wouldn’t be able to eliminate that waste. It also wouldn’t be able to absorb the nutrients in the food you eat.
What you eat — as well as other behaviors — can highly affect your digestive health, which, in turn, affects your colon. These parts of the body are intrinsically linked and require consideration and care, even (and we would argue especially) during the holidays.
We recommend these five ways to care for your colon in the midst of the festivities:
The holiday season coming around again doesn’t mean you should abandon healthy choices you’ve been making and resolve yourself to do better in the new year. On the contrary, it’s still time to be cognizant of the food you eat, what it’s made of, and how much you’re consuming. Red meats and sugars aren’t great for your colon, while fiber, plants, and grains are.
Of course, you want to enjoy yourself, but it’s better to have a plan in place. Consider the foods that are most important to you and make some rules for yourself around them. Then, you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. But maybe just one slice!
We get it. People are going to eat some sweets, rich food, and the like during the holidays. That’s part of the fun. And there are other ways to counterbalance your small indulgences. One of these is drinking plenty of water.
Drinking lots of water helps your body remove waste more easily. It softens the stool, aids the kidneys and liver in their important jobs, and helps waste move more easily through your colon. If you want to help your colon out, drinking water will go a long way.
The holidays are a time where people become more likely to drink beyond safe limits. But alcohol use actually makes it harder for the colon to do its job. Plus, alcohol consumption and colon cancer are linked. So, instead of having more drinks this holiday season, why not keep it to a minimum or consider making festival mocktails for your guests?
Another common problem this time of year is people tend to fall off their exercise routines. But your colon health depends on you getting your body moving now more than ever because it aids in your digestion and makes it easier to eliminate waste.
Exercise also helps reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancers, one of which is colorectal. Especially if you’re going to be spending lots of time sitting around with loved ones, try to plan a trip to the gym or a refreshing walk as often as possible.
Eating, drinking, and making merry are great, but sometimes, we all feel like the holidays went by in a blur. Maybe it’s because we were rushing around all the time, trying to get the right presents, dig into our meals, or get to the next party.
But slowing down — especially when it comes to consumption — is a great way to keep yourself feeling good. Chew your food slowly and take your time eating. This way, you’ll digest better and you won’t overindulge.
Also, check in with yourself: “Do I need that piece of pie, or should I wait for my meal to digest first?” “Would another drink just make me feel unwell?” All of these ways of slowing down are good for your digestion, your gut health, and yes, your colon.
And since it protects you, isn’t that the best way to repay it? To learn more about preventative measures for colon health, call 561-395-2626 or make an appointment online to visit our Boca Raton, Florida office.
