In middle age, people are in their "prime years" for career advancement and family care, but their health risks also quietly enter a "concentrated outbreak period".
Recently, a study conducted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, covering 204 countries and regions worldwide, indicated that among the working-age population (aged 15-64), one in every 46 individuals may suffer from gastrointestinal cancer, and the risk of onset increases sharply after the age of 40.
Why does the risk of colorectal cancer "skyrocket" after the age of 40
Forty years old is not merely an age figure, but a "health inflection point" for the body, with two key reasons behind it:
✅ Decreased immunity: When you are young, your immune system can promptly eliminate abnormal cells. However, after the age of 40, immune function declines year by year, weakening the "monitoring ability" against intestinal lesions. Small issues such as polyps and inflammation are more prone to malignant transformation.
✅ Accumulation of long-term damage: From youth to middle age, habits such as high-fat and high-oil diets, prolonged sitting, and staying up late continuously irritate the intestinal mucosa. Coupled with high work pressure and long-term mental stress, intestinal flora imbalance and recurrent chronic inflammation gradually pave the way for cancer cells.
What deserves more vigilance is that colorectal cancer rarely exhibits noticeable symptoms in its early stages. By the time many individuals experience symptoms such as bloody stools, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits, the disease has often progressed to its middle or late stages, thus missing the optimal window for treatment. Regular screenings after the age of 40, coupled with abandoning unhealthy habits, are crucial in preventing cancer progression.
After the age of 40, these five habits are the most "nourishing" to cancer cells. Change them now!
No.1 I can't do without meat, but I eat less vegetables
Long-term consumption of large amounts of red meat (pork, beef, lamb) and processed meat (ham, bacon, sausage), coupled with a severe deficiency in dietary fiber intake, are clear risk factors for colorectal cancer. Meat digests slowly in the intestines, producing harmful substances that irritate the intestinal mucosa; whereas dietary fiber can promote intestinal peristalsis and adsorb toxins. Without it, the intestines become like a "stagnant sewer," where toxins are repeatedly absorbed.
No.2 Sitting for long periods without moving, never exercising
Prolonged sitting is a "silent killer" of the intestines! When you sit still for a long time, the peristalsis speed of the intestines slows down significantly, the retention time of feces in the intestines is prolonged, and the contact time between harmful substances and intestinal mucosa is increased. At the same time, it can also lead to obesity, which is an important risk factor for colorectal cancer. Studies have found that people who sit for long periods have a colorectal cancer risk that is more than 30% higher than those who exercise regularly.
No.3 Long-term constipation, irregular bowel movements
Occasional constipation is nothing to worry about, but long-term difficulty in bowel movements, with bowel movements occurring every three to four days or even longer, can allow toxins and carcinogens in feces to continuously irritate the intestines, inducing intestinal polyps - and over 90% of colorectal cancers are caused by malignant transformation of intestinal polyps. In addition, treating bowel movements as a "task" and spending long periods of time on the toilet playing mobile phones can also increase the burden on the intestines.
No.4 Heavy taste, fond of pickled and spicy food
High-salt diets and pickled foods (such as pickled vegetables, kimchi, and salted fish) contain nitrites, which can be converted into carcinogens, namely nitrosamines, after entering the human body. Foods that are too spicy can repeatedly irritate the intestinal mucosa, leading to chronic inflammation. If the inflammation persists for a long time, it may undergo malignant transformation.
No.5 Ignoring bloody stools and mistaking intestinal cancer for hemorrhoids
This is a common mistake many people make! Hemorrhoidal bleeding is mostly bright red and adheres to the surface of the stool, while colorectal cancer-related bleeding is mostly dark red, mixed with mucus and pus, and accompanied by changes in bowel habits, thinner stools, abdominal pain, and rapid weight loss. Many people who experience bleeding after the age of 40 always assume it's hemorrhoids and keep delaying treatment, ultimately delaying the diagnosis and worsening the condition.
After the age of 40, to protect your intestines and prevent bowel cancer, doing three things well is enough
1. Adjust your diet to reduce the burden on your intestines
Follow the principle of "more vegetables, less meat, high fiber": eat at least 500 grams of vegetables and 200-350 grams of fruits every day, with staple foods paired with coarse grains (oats, corn, brown rice, sweet potatoes); reduce red meat and processed meat, and replace them with fish and chicken breast; eat less pickled, fried, and grilled foods, drink plenty of water, with a daily water intake of no less than 1500 milliliters, to keep the intestines moist.
2. Get moving, and let your intestines "get moving"
Avoid prolonged sitting and take a 5-minute break every hour; engage in moderate-intensity exercise for 150 minutes per week, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and yoga, which can not only promote intestinal peristalsis but also help control weight and enhance immunity. Develop a regular bowel habit by squatting at a fixed time every day, without using a mobile phone, and completing the task within 5 minutes.
3. Regular screening to detect cancerous changes at an early stage
It is recommended that all individuals over the age of 40, regardless of gender and whether they have symptoms, undergo a colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is the "gold standard" for detecting intestinal polyps and early-stage intestinal cancer. It allows for direct visualization of intestinal lesions, enabling timely removal of polyps and preventing canceration at its source.
Special reminder: High-risk individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer, long-term intestinal discomfort, obesity, and the aforementioned unhealthy habits should undergo screening earlier and have annual follow-up examinations.
Health is never achieved overnight. After the age of 40, we should rely less on luck and more on self-discipline. By abandoning harmful habits, undergoing regular screenings, we can keep colorectal cancer at bay.
Expert Introduction
Vice President
Deputy Director of Hainan Provincial Cancer Prevention and Treatment Center
Director of the Endoscopic Integrated Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Gastrointestinal Tumor Endoscopy and Diagnosis Department, Gastroenterology Department
Doctor of Medicine, Chief Physician
Professor, Master's Supervisor
High-level talents in Hainan Province
Winner of the May 1st Labor Medal in Hainan Province
Medical expertise
Proficient in various complex and difficult techniques of digestive endoscopy, such as ERCP and related techniques, ESD and related techniques, endoscopic ultrasonography, PEG, capsule endoscopy, small intestinal endoscopy, and other endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.
Clinic Hours
Tuesday morning Thursday morning