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Staying healthy is easier if you take care of the basics. Go to the doctor at least once a year for a wellness checkup. Get your preventive screening tests. Just doing those two things can help you live a longer and healthier life. Annual wellness exams and screenings catch health problems early, when they’re easier to treat.But there is plenty more you can do to protect yourself from health problems. Protecting your colon is important because, except for skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the U.S. And it's the second most common cause of cancer deaths.
What all can you do to protect yourself from colon cancer? Start with these five things, says the Mayo Clinic. 
1. Get a Colon Cancer Screening
The growing number of people getting preventive screenings has brought the colorectal cancer death rates down for people over 55. That shows that screening really does work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that everyone 45 to 75 years old get a screening. If you have certain health problems or a family history of colon cancer, your doctor may want to start testing you for colon cancer earlier. Learn about the different options for colon cancer screening.
2. Move Your Body
Exercise offers many benefits, from helping your heart to managing your weight. Research shows it may also lower your chance of getting some types of cancer, like colon cancer. A good goal is 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days.
3. Eat Your Vegetables and Limit Processed Meats
Getting enough fiber is an important part of a healthy colon. Eat higher fiber foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Limit how much meat you eat, especially processed meats. Limit unhealthy fats like the fat found in fried foods. But eat healthy fats like those found in olive oil, avocados, nuts and salmon.
4. Watch Your Weight
Extra pounds can raise your chance of colon and other cancers. If you need to lose a few pounds, start by talking to your doctor. Your health care provider can be a great resource to help get you started on the right plan for you.
5. Don’t Smoke and Limit or Avoid Alcohol
If you choose to drink alcohol, do so moderately. That means no more than one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men. And if you smoke, quit. Your doctor can offer tips or guide you to a program to help you stop.
Age, risk factors and family medical history can impact the timing of your cancer screening tests and how they’re covered. Be sure to tell your doctor if your parents, siblings or children have had colon cancer or a history of colon polyps.
Also ask your doctor:
The rates of some types of cancer diagnosis, including colon cancer, are increasing for younger adults. Colon cancer is now a leading cause of death in adults under 50.
Since the 1990s, cases of colon cancer and the number of deaths from colon cancer in this younger age group have been steadily rising. Causes and risk factors for young people are mostly the same as those for older adults. And the things you can do to lower your risk are the same, too.
But what may be different is getting an early diagnosis. Many younger adults aren’t old enough to be getting regular screenings for cancer. They may not know anything is wrong until after they experience symptoms, when the cancer is more advanced and harder to treat.
And even when younger adults have potential symptoms, there can be delays in diagnosis. Symptoms are often mistaken for less serious conditions, like stomach upset or hemorrhoids.
It’s important to be aware of the signs. The most common symptoms for early-onset colon cancer include:
If you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor.
American Cancer Society, 2026; Six Ways to Lower Your Risk for Colorectal Cancer, American Cancer Society, 2021; 5 things you can do to keep your colon healthy, Mayo Clinic, 2023; Talking with Your Doctor About Colorectal Cancer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024; Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors, American Cancer Society, 2025; What Causes Colorectal Cancer?, American Cancer Society, 2024; Can Colorectal Cancer Be Prevented?, American Cancer Society, 2025; Early-onset colon cancer, Mayo Clinic, 2025; Colorectal Cancer Rates Are Skyrocketing in Young Adults—Is Your Lifestyle Putting You at Risk?, Cancer Research Institute, 2025; Clinicians Struggle to Understand Dramatic Rise in Early Onset Colorectal Cancer, American College of Surgeons, 2024; Young-Onset CRC Facts, Colorectal Cancer Alliance; What to Know About Rising Rates of 'Early-Onset' Cancer, Yale Medicine, 2024Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation,
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