Dear anxious Amanda,
Now that we’re moving on, I can understand why colon cancer is increasing among young people in the United States, because as the U.S. Department of Agriculture found, 95 percent of Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diet. Adults should consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily, which is about two to three bowls of oatmeal or a cup of chickpeas. The problem is that most Americans only consume about 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day.
A recent study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention showed that eating a lot of high-calorie junk food and sodas is associated with a higher risk of colon cancer. In the said study, researchers found that those who consumed more high-calorie snacks – including foods high in fat and sugar such as desserts, chocolate, nuts, chips, cookies and cakes – were more likely to develop colon cancer.
In addition, the said study also found that drinking a lot of fruit and vegetable juice was associated with a higher risk of colon cancer in patients with high body mass index. Similarly, eating large amounts of fried and breaded white fish was associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
Energy drinks worry me because as of March 2024, 32 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 in the United States regularly consume energy drinks, and energy drinks are the second most popular “dietary supplement” among adults in that age group after multivitamins. So I hope that we here in the Philippines do not follow the trend in the United States.
So it all depends on diet. You are what you eat.
Good luck!
Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist, surgeon, and clinical sexologist. She is also a trained hypnotherapist and medical acupuncturist. She has been in broadcast media for over a decade and has written a book about her 15 years on her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” Your questions may be sent to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Door 11, Ebro-Pelayo Building 1, Juan Luna St., Barangay 29-C, Davao City, or via email to [email protected]. If you do not want your letter to be published, we are unfortunately unable to respond. Thank you for your understanding.)
