Colon cancer is cancer of the colon and rectum, which are the final sections of the large intestine. It is the most deadly digestive disease, affecting millions of people every year. Overall, colon cancer is the second most leading cause of cancer death in many countries. Colon cancer normally develops from adenomatous polyps, grape-like growths on the membrane of the large intestine, which if removed early in their growth, will never progress to invasive cancer.

Flax Seed
Flax seed is yellow or brown colored seed or fruit of the flax plant, which is widely cultivated for its oil-rich proteinaceous seeds. Whole flax seed needs to be ground so that health promoting nutrients and compounds, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytonutrients lignan and alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, can be utilized by the human digestive tract. The high lignan content of flax seed is thought to play a role in fighting against various human cancers, including colon cancer.

Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly referred to as garlic, has been used for thousands of years for culinary and medicinal benefits by many cultures. The popularity of this herb has increased in recent years as an adjunctive therapy in cancer. Scientists are especially interested in garlic’s organosulfur compounds, which give garlic its characteristic odor. More research is needed but tentative results indicate that organosulfur compounds from garlic may inhibit the proliferation of adenomatous polyps in the large intestine, which almost always precede colon cancer.

Green Tea
Green tea comes from the plant Camellia sinensis. Dried leaves of Camellia sinensis plant are infused with hot water to produce green tea. Green tea is brewed and drunk as a beverage, which has many potential health benefits, including preventing and combating cancer. Epidemiologic observations show that antioxidants in green tea, notably EGCG, or epigallocatevhin-3-gallate, appear to significantly lower the risk of developing colon cancer.