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House Call
Ebony, June, 2000
Expert advice on Health and Fitness
`At 43, what are my chances of becoming a victim of colon cancer?'
PREVENTING COLON CANCER
Q After hearing stories about young athletes like Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis having bouts with colon cancer, I have to wonder what my chances are of becoming a victim of the disease. I just celebrated my 43rd birthday and don't have any medical problems, but I am older than Strawberry and Davis. What is this test that doctors say can save your life? S.H., Tampa
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A According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer victimizes 130,000 men and women annually, and more than 55,000 of those persons die each year, making colon cancer the second leading cause of death due to cancer (following lung cancer). More common after age 50, colon cancer, if it's caught in its earliest, most treatable, stages, is curable more than 90 percent of the time, doctors say.
A Medical experts say more than 30,000 to 40,000 lives would be saved each year if more people took the time to undergo regular screening, beginning at age 50 or earlier, depending on family history or other circumstances.
The test you probably are referring to that could save your life is a colonoscopy, a procedure in which, after a mild sedative is administered, a doctor inserts a flexible lighted tube into the colon to look for abnormal growths. If any small precancerous polyps are found, the doctor can use the colonoscope to remove them immediately, making the colonoscopy the only screening test that not only detects cancer but can prevent it.
In addition to regular screening, doctors recommend preventive measures that should include regular exercise and a low-fat diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber.
BANANAS AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Q High blood pressure apparently runs in my family, but thankfully, I don't have the condition that has affected my parents, a brother and one of my three sisters. I often hear stories about a link between high blood pressure and bananas. What is it? L.E., Atlanta
A High blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the most common chronic conditions, which affects one in four American adults. Abnormally high pressure in the arteries increases the risk of problems such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney damage.
Recent studies indicate that increasing potassium consumption could be an effective defense in lowering blood pressure. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium. Researchers say the typical person averages about 2,500 milligrams of potassium daily and they believe that adding another 2,340 milligrams per day (equivalent to five bananas) could not only lower blood pressure but may even prevent hypertension.
In addition to bananas, you can get extra potassium in a diet that includes spinach, baked potatoes, raisins, orange juice, raisins and cantaloupes.
Regular exercise and a proper diet, doctors say, are essential elements in preventing high blood pressure because obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, stress and excessive amounts of alcohol or salt in food all can play a role in the development of the condition, particularly in people who have an inherited sensitivity.
SURVIVING WITH ONE KIDNEY
Q Since the brother of basketball player Scan Elliott donated one of his kidneys to the NBA star for a transplant, I began to wonder what kind of life the person who donates the kidney will have to face. Can a person live a relatively normal life with only one kidney? R.C., St. Louis
A The short answer is yes, but obviously precautions should be taken to prevent trauma to the existing kidney. Doctors say Noel Elliott and other donors usually go ahead and resume their previous activities almost immediately after they recover from the surgery. Interestingly, physicians say 1 to 1.5 percent of the population may be born with one kidney and never know it, exhibiting no effects from the condition.
Noel Elliott's brother, Scan (of the San Antonio Spurs), had focal glomerulosclerosis, a disease that prevents the kidneys from properly filtering waste from the blood. With his return to the NBA, he became the first pro athlete in a major sport to resume competition after a kidney transplant.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group
