Nutrition

Overcoming colon cancer with diet

Published

2 years ago

June 1, 2024

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Foods to fight colon cancer

In this chapter, we will be discussing how we can overcome colon cancer with our diet.

Cancer of the colon or rectum is also called colorectal cancer. Colon cancer is a fast rising type of cancer but often curable if you catch it early enough.

Some risk factors implicated in colon cancer include:

• Polyps-growths inside the colon and rectum that may turn into cancer.

• High fat diet

• Advance age

• Family history or personal history of colorectal cancer

• Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease

Some signs and symptoms include: blood in the stool, thin stools, a change in bowel habits and general abdominal discomfort. However, it may be without symptoms, and thus requires screening.

Treatment option include: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Notwithstanding, prevention they say is better than cure and one of the best ways to prevent colon cancer is through our diet.

Foods to include

• Fibre rich diet such as whole grains, brown rice, broccoli, and black beans.

• Calcium rich diet such as milk, broccoli, and cabbage.

• Folate rich food such as spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, and artichokes.

• Anthocyaninrich food such as blueberries and cherries.

• Lutein rich foods such as tomatoes, spinach, nectarines, and broccoli.

Foods to avoid

• Sodas and caffeine rich drinks

• Red meat and meat products

• Processed foods

Lifestyle modification

Modifying our lifestyle from a predominantly sedentary lifestyle to incorporating exercises like going for walks, jogging, and riding bicycles, as well as cutting down alcohol intake, and cigarette smoking all serve to reduce our risk of colon cancer.

In conclusion, we may not be as informed about colon cancer as certain other cancers, but it nevertheless poses a major risk to our healthy life and peace of mind, which cannot be underestimated. By following the modifications and food choices listed above, we can guarantee many more years of life free from colon cancer.

The writer is aNutrionist and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Holistic Health Consult “Your health your wealth.”

E-mail; info@holistichealthconsult. org

By Bernice Korkor Asare

Nutrition

Can Ghana feed its people well? Building a nutrition-sensitive food system

Published

6 days ago

August 29, 2026

WeeklySpectator

When we talk about nutrition in Ghana, the conversation often focuses on individual choices: eat more vegetables, reduce sugar and salt, drink more water and exercise regularly.

These messages are important, but they tell only part of the story. Good nutrition is not just a personal responsibility; it is also a food-system issue.

What Ghanaians eat is influenced by what farmers produce, what food costs, how it is processed and marketed, what is served in schools, and what information consumers receive.

Ghana has the agricultural capacity to produce a wide variety of nutritious foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, eggs, roots and tubers. Yet production alone is not enough. Poor storage, transportation challenges and weak market access mean that an estimated 30 per cent of food in Ghana can spoil before reaching consumers or retailers, according to a 2025 study by the International Growth Centre. The losses are particularly significant for fruits and vegetables, reducing both farmers’ incomes and the availability of nutritious foods. This is where policy becomes important.

Agricultural policies should consider not only how much food Ghana produces, but also whether that food contributes to healthy diets. Greater support for diverse crops, local vegetables, fruits and legumes could strengthen both agriculture and nutrition.

The food-processing industry has a role as well. Processing can reduce food waste, improve convenience and create new markets for local produce. But greater attention should be paid to the nutritional quality of processed foods, particularly those high in salt, added sugar and unhealthy fats.

Public education must also become more practical. Telling people to “eat healthy” is not enough when nutritious foods may be unaffordable or unavailable. Consumers need information, but they also need a food environment that makes healthier choices realistic.

Good nutrition begins on the farm, continues through the market and food industry, reaches the school and household, and ultimately ends on the plate.

What is needed is greater coordination.

A successful nutrition strategy should connect agricultural production with health objectives, school feeding with local agriculture, food processing with nutritional quality, and public education with the realities of household income and food prices.

The ultimate goal is not simply to produce more food.

It is to ensure that Ghanaians have reliable access to safe, affordable and nutritious food throughout their lives.

Feature Article by Women, Media and Change

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