4 / 8
4
q
Love it or hate it, 50 is a milestone birthday.
And you may not realize it, but it’s a mile-
stone for your health too. It’s the age when
most adults should start getting screened
for colon cancer. This screening can not only
detect cancer but also prevent it. In other
words, it saves lives.
If everybody 50 or older had regular
screening tests, the number of U.S. deaths
from colon cancer would be greatly re-
duced. Here’s why:
w w
Colon cancer usually starts from abnor-
mal growths in the colon or rectum called
polyps. Over time, some polyps turn into
cancer.
w w
Screening tests can find polyps. Doctors
can then remove them, stopping cancer
ou survived all those
over-the-hill jokes
and cards, and you
managed to blow
out all those candles
on your cake.
Turning 50, it turned out,
was really no big deal.
What is a big deal at this
age, however, is making sure
you stay in good health.
As you get older, you’re
more likely to face health
challenges. Here are five
suggestions for beating back
those challenges:
50
@
5 MUST-DOS
Shape up your shopping
cart.
A good diet pro-
motes good health—and it
starts in the grocery store. If
you’re not already purchas-
ing fruits and vegetables,
whole grains, fat-free or
low-fat dairy products,
lean meats, and fish, it’s
time for some meal make-
overs. Foods that aren’t so
healthy—such as butter, ice
cream, cookies and cakes—
are OK periodically. Just
don’t eat them often.
Whittle away unwanted weight.
A
tubby tummy puts stress on your
heart, lungs, blood vessels and bones
and increases your risk for some
serious diseases, including type 2
diabetes.
If extra pounds have sneaked up
on you, wrap a tape measure around
your waist just above your hips. A
measurement greater than 40 inches
for a man or 35 inches for a woman
is a sign that you should cut some
calories and get more exercise.
Y
1
2
Preventing
colon cancer
K N O W Y O U R O P T I O N S