QCS launches ‘Eat Right; Live Better’ campaign

Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) has launched “Eat Right; Live Better” campaign to raise awareness about colorectal cancer which is the second most common cancer in men and third among women in Qatar.Dr Hadi Abu Rasheed, supervisor, Health Education at QCS, pointed out that colorectal cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the colon or the rectum and most colorectal cancers begin as a growth called a polyp on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Some types of polyps can change into cancer over the course of several years, but not all polyps become cancer.The official also advised to eat fruit and starchy vegetables to avoid the diseases. The antioxidants and fibre in dark leafy greens, squashes, bell peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, green beans, and fruit have a protective effect against bowel cancer. Fibre-rich foods like beans, seeds, nuts, oatmeal, edamame, dry roasted chickpeas and bran cereal escort carcinogens out of the body. There are non-modifiable risk factors such as; age-incidence and death rates for colorectal cancer increase with age (50 years and older); gender; colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates are higher in men than in women; family history  first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) with colorectal cancer or polyps. The signs and symptoms are bleeding from the rectum, blood in the stool which may make it look dark, a change in the shape of the stool, cramping or abdominal pain, a feeling of discomfort or an urge to have a bowel movement when there is no need to have one, new onset of constipation or diarrhoea that lasts for more than a few days, weight loss, weakness and fatigue.