There are several steps that you can take to reduce your risk of developing colon polyps:
Eat a healthy diet: A diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in red meat and fat may help to reduce the risk of colon polyps.
Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese increases the risk of colon polyps. Maintaining a healthy weight can help to reduce the risk.
Exercise regularly: Engaging in regular physical activity can help to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of colon polyps.
Don’t smoke: Smoking increases the risk of colon polyps and many other health problems. Quitting smoking can help to reduce the risk of colon polyps.
Talk to your doctor about calcium and vitamin D. Studies have shown that increasing your consumption of calcium may help prevent recurrence of colon adenomas. But it isn’t clear whether calcium has any protective benefits against colon cancer. Other studies have shown that vitamin D may have a protective effect against colorectal cancer.
Aspirin: Taking a low dose of aspirin every day for a long period of time may help prevent polyps from developing into colorectal cancer in some people. However, taking aspirin daily may cause side effects such as bleeding in your stomach or intestines. Talk with your doctor before you start taking aspirin daily.
Get screened for colon cancer: Regular colon cancer screenings can help to identify colon polyps early, when they are most easily treatable.
It is important to speak with a medical professional about the specific steps that you can take to reduce your risk of colon polyps.