Bowel Cancer / Colorectal Cancer (CRC)

The World Health Organisation put New Zealand and Australia on the top of the chart for colorectal cancer.
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Known risk factors that are specific for bowel cancer include:
Non-modifiable
  • Age - 90% of diagnosis of bowel cancer occurs after 50 years 
  • Family History - those with an immediate family member are 3-6 times the risk of those without ​

​Modifiable
  • Obesity
  • Physical inactivity (including those who are a normal weight but sedentary)
  • Diet  - intake of red meats, processed meats, charred meats, low fibre diets, high fat diets
  • Diabetes
  • Smokers (current and former)
  • Alcohol consumption (one glass of wine, or one bottle of beer daily)
​Diet and lifestyle play a key role in the prevention of colorectal cancer.  This is true both for those in a non-modifiable high risk category and those in a low risk category.   It is also a key component in preventing a recurrence of bowel cancer.
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Support for you through your bowel cancer treatment programme

As you enter into your programme of surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, SmartGENES offer a health and wellness plan to support you through this time.  We believe there is a lot that can be done prior to, during and after your conventional oncology treatment.

Focusing on Treatment Outcomes

There are dietary  protocols that can be used during chemotherapy and radiation, that have the potential to work alongside treatment plans.  Some herbs and supplements that also have this potential, are safe for use during this time. 

However, herbs and supplements also have the potential to get in the way of treatment, so we recommend you do not take any supplements that have not been prescribed to you by a naturopath skilled in this area.

Minimising Side Effects of Treatment

This is a big one.  Some of the side effects of chemotherapy can be severe, and have the potential to limit the treatment schedule.  What this means is that the chemotherapy programme may have to pause, or the drugs be reduced because of the severity of the side effects.  With many of these drugs we know what the side effects are likely to be.  This means we can introduce specific supplements that have the potential to limit the side effect, with the aim of tolerating and completing the chemotherapy programme.  The full course of the best drugs available as determined by your Oncologist, is your ideal outcome.

Maximising Health During Treatment

Whilst we focus on the big side effects that can limit treatment, the smaller ones also have the potential to make life difficult.  For example, the digestive tract can often be affected with constipation, diarrhoea, ulceration, nausea, and oral inflammation.  We want to look at how to minimise these effects, what foods can and can't be tolerated, and how to optimise digestion and absorption.

Restoring Health After Treatment

For some the after effects of chemotherapy and radiation can linger for years.  The most common of these persistent symptoms include: fatigue, peripheral nerve pain and cognitive impairment.  No longer restricted by chemotherapy considerations, this is where we can really start to address these side effects. ​

Reducing the Risk of Recurrance

This is a field of study in itself.  Often the diet, lifestyle and supplements implemented earlier in the process will flow through into this area.  However now that you are well, and feeling healthy again, there is often so much more that can be incorporated.  Understanding not just which foods to keep out, but which foods keep you well comes to the fore.  As well as understanding which of the supplements are the most important to continue on with.

Free Initial Chat

We understand that this is a challenging time, and appreciate that choosing a health provider to work with is an important decision.  

To this end we offer a no obligation, free 10 minute chat which can be face to face, by telephone or on-line.
During this time, you get to decide if you would like SmartGENES as a part of your healthcare team.