Latest news with #DrJosephSalhab
Daily Mail
02-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Eat to beat bowel cancer - gut doctor reveals SIX hearty snacks to prevent the disease as cases soar in under 50s
A top gut doctor has revealed that one of the simplest ways to cut your risk of bowel cancer could be sitting in your fridge—and it's not just about loading up on fibre. Dr Joseph Salhab says while the digestion-boosting nutrient plays a key role in preventing the disease, it's not the whole story. 'Remember that lowering your risk is not the same as eliminating your risk, but we know people with healthier diet have a lower risk of chronic disease,' he said. One easy way to tip the odds in your favour? Eat a daily portion of yoghurt. The dairy favourite, which contains naturally occurring cancer-fighting bacteria, could reduce bowel cancer risk by as much as 20 per cent, if eat daily, experts have claimed. Dr Salhab, whose Instagram video on the topic has been viewed over 1.4 million times, also recommends adding a handful of nuts to your breakfast. Tree nuts like almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts are packed with fibre, protein and omega-3 fats—all linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and bowel cancer. But of course, fibre does play an important role too. According to Bowel Cancer UK, a lack of fibre—the indigestible parts of plants that support digestion—is responsible for an alarming 28 per cent of all bowel cancer cases in the UK. Often called roughage, fibre helps maintain a healthy gut by supporting regular bowel movements and reducing the time potential toxins remain in contact with the bowel wall. And Dr Salhab didn't stop there when it comes to easy breakfast swaps that can help ward off disease. According to the gut expert, an apple a day really can keep the doctor away—potentially slashing the risk of colorectal cancer by 47 per cent. Kiwis may be even more powerful. Just one serving provides over 80 per cent of an adult's daily vitamin C needs, and they're rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that help the body neutralise free radicals—unstable molecules linked to cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Mr Haney Youssef, a colorectal surgeon at The Harborne Hospital in Birmingham, told the Daily Mail earlier this week that fruits high in fibre are crucial for maintaining gut health. He said: 'When beneficial bacteria in our gut ferment fibre, they produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. 'These compounds actually nourish the cells lining our bowel and have anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent the cellular changes that can lead to cancer.' And it's not just breakfast foods that offer protection. Snacks like guacamole and salsa can also benefit the digestive tract, according to Dr Salhab. Avocados are rich in phytonutrients with proven cancer-fighting properties and are a good source of healthy fats, which may help guard against colon cancer. Tomatoes, meanwhile, are one of the few major sources of lycopene—a powerful antioxidant shown to reduce the risk of digestive tract cancers, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. But Dr Salhab stressed that while a healthy diet can lower the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, 'diet never replaces medical therapy or evaluation.' He urged anyone concerned about changes in their bowel habits to speak to their GP. Common warning signs include persistent changes in bowel movements—such as diarrhoea, constipation, or going more or less often—as well as blood in the stool, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, and extreme fatigue. However, bowel cancer can also develop with no symptoms until it has spread, making it far harder to treat. Worryingly, rates are rising among younger adults—defined in cancer terms as those under 50. A recent global study found cases are increasing in 27 of 50 countries. While bowel cancer is strongly linked to obesity, experts say it's increasingly affecting people who are otherwise fit and healthy. Some believe the answer lies in environmental exposures unique to younger generations. Although no single 'smoking gun' has been identified, theories include modern food additives, microplastics, and pollution. Around 44,000 cases of bowel cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year, with around 130,000 in the US. The disease claims nearly 17,000 lives annually in Britain and about 50,000 in America. Overall, just over half of patients survive for at least a decade after diagnosis. According to Cancer Research UK, 54 per cent of bowel cancer cases are preventable.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Little-known type of pain could be earliest sign of deadly bowel cancer, doctor warns - as cases surge in under 50s
A gut doctor has warned of a little-known red flag sign that can indicate deadly bowel cancer. While it is well known that abdominal pain is a sign of the condition, gastroenterologist Dr Joseph Salhab highlighted a specific detail that the public should pay attention to. Dr Salhab urged people to watch out for persistent abdominal pain that's 'localised in the same spot' and is associated with a new bout of constipation or diarrhoea. If the pain is bad enough to disturb your sleep, you should also see a GP, he added. 'If it wakes you up at night because it's so bad, these are not signs you should ignore,' advised Dr Salhab in an Instagram video that has been viewed over 512,000 times. Responding to a video of a 28-year-old woman whose cancer was mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome, the US-based specialist went on to list other warning signs of the deadly cancer. 'A change in your stool caliber with thin stools or even with rectal bleeding and weight loss are not signs you should ignore,' he added. He also said that if the pain does not improve with dietary changes or bowel movements, this could be a red flag sign. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Joseph Salhab (@thestomachdoc) Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in the stool, occurs when cancerous tumours bleed into the digestive tract. Other warning signs of the cancer include a lump in the abdomen, bloating and feeling very tired or short of breath. However, bowel cancer can also appear with no symptoms until it has spread to other areas of the body, where it becomes harder to treat. It comes as diagnoses of the disease have sky rocketed by 80 per cent in under 50s across the globe within the last 30 years, research suggests. In contrast, rates of the disease in older age groups, who are statistically more likely to get the disease overall, have either declined or remained stable in the same period. Experts have suggested a host of factors are likely behind the phenomenon — from increased pollution to rising obesity and even invisible particles of plastic in drinking water. Genetic factors are also likely to play a role, according to researchers. But diets high in ultra-processed foods, salt and alcohol and low in vitamins and minerals are the main risk factors underling the most common cancers in under-50s. In the UK, bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer, killing almost 17,000 people each year, with the number of young-onset cases continuing to rise. Analysis suggests deaths from bowel cancer overall in the UK are set to rise by 2,5000 a year by 2040. Meanwhile, the number of people in the UK diagnosed with the disease will rise by around a tenth in the same period. A 2024 Cancer Research UK analysis of 50 countries revealed that England saw the fourth fastest annual rise in the rate of early-onset bowel cancer in the decade to 2017, faster than any other country in Europe.
