How a Healthy Plant-Based Diet Can Help Prevent Bowel Cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Scientists have confirmed that a healthy plant-based diet can help reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases and deadly bowel cancer. A study of 143,434 Britons found that those following a healthy plant-based diet had a lower risk of developing ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The research, conducted between 2006 and 2010, showed that diets rich in fruits and vegetables have protective effects against these diseases due to their anti-inflammatory properties.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are types of inflammatory bowel disease that affect millions of people in the UK and the US. Individuals with IBD have a high risk of developing bowel cancer within 10 years due to the irritation of the bowel lining. Symptoms of these diseases include diarrhoea, blood in stool, stomach pains, and fatigue. A healthy plant-based diet may help prevent the onset of these conditions.

Another study suggested that a vegan diet can lower the risk of colorectal cancer in men. The rise in colon cancer cases among young people over the past 30 years has puzzled experts, with some attributing it to factors like E. coli infections, accelerated aging, lifestyle choices, and exposure to chemicals. Ultra-processed foods and microplastics have also been implicated in the increase in bowel cancer cases.

According to the source: Daily Mail.