For the love of guts, here are some easy tips for great bowel health

Unsurprisingly, the food you eat plays a huge role in good bowel and gut health. And since June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, we asked AIA Vitality Ambassador Marika Day for her advice on eating for a healthy bowel. 

It’s Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, so let’s talk about our guts.

As it happens, there are actually heaps of things you can do to help lower your chances of getting bowel cancer.

Cancer risk aside, good bowel health also makes a huge difference to your overall health. From your mental health, immunity, even your chances of getting various cardiovascular diseases - a good gut goes a long way towards a healthy life.

And seeing as 1 in 3 cases of cancer can be prevented, here are a few simple diet-based tips to help you reduce your risk of cancer, and help promote good bowel health. 

Super simple, but often overlooked: making sure you get enough fibre in your diet is fundamental to promoting good gut health. In particular, research shows that consuming whole grains can lead to a decreased risk of bowel cancer, which is a pretty easy change to make. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, pulses and whole grains – get around them. 

Red and processed meats have been proven to increase your risk of bowel cancer by up to 1.8 times for every 50 grams consumed – so go easy on the steaks and snags, and your bowels will thank you for it. Swap them out for plant-based proteins like legumes and pulses, and you’ll also be getting a big dose of that all-important fibre too. Two birds, one stone. 

Consuming more than two alcoholic drinks a day is associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer (and other cancers!), so reducing your intake of alcohol is a super simple step you can take. If you’re craving a delicious drink, you can always try a health-boosting mocktail instead. 

We probably don’t need to go over this one again – but smoking increases your risk of all types of cancers, including bowel cancer. Smoking also increases your risk of death from bowel cancer, meaning if you get bowel cancer and you smoke, you’re more likely to die from it. So steer clear. 

Having a high BMI (body mass index) is associated with an increased risk of bowel cancer, so making sure you’re remaining active and generally eating well – as obvious as it sounds – is important when it comes to minimising that risk.

Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancers in Australia, and one of the big misconceptions around it is that it only effects older people, or people over 50, which simply isn’t true.

Older people might be more susceptible to it, but nobody is immune, so it’s important to look after your bowels and be on the lookout for any signs and symptoms of bowel cancer. 

If you notice any changes in your stools, or any kind of bleeding from the rectum, and it’s persistent, go and see a health professional. I know that when it comes to this kind of thing it can feel awkward and uncomfortable, but doctors see and talk about these things every single day. They won’t judge you. It’s their job to talk about and assess these things – so you’ve nothing to be afraid of. 

Marika Day is a nutritionist and Accredited Practising Dietitian who knows what the body needs to function at its best. With more than five years’ experience in the health and fitness industry, Marika's holistic approach to diet and exercise is tried and true. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.