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Colon cancer is often called the silent killer because it grows for years in the lower intestine before it is large enough to create symptoms. Colorectal cancer is also one of the most preventable of the hundreds of types of cancer but is said to affect around 96,000 people in the United States ever year. (Source: Feinstein, ed. 1996) While prevention is the key, once the cancer is detected, early treatment can be effective and typically involves surgery to remove the cancer itself as well as chemotherapy, radiation, or a treatment. A healthy diet will also be key to recovery and to remaining cancer free as well. In fact, a healthy diet is crucial to prevention of colon cancer in the first place.

Many people believe that instead of eating healthy foods, they can simply use supplements and get everything that they need. They believe that the supplements give them all of the nutrition that they are not getting from foods; however, whole, varied foods are the best way to get all of the nutrition that you need. That is not to say that supplements are bad; in fact, they can be a healthy part of a good diet as long as they are only part of it. When supplements become the majority of the diet, however, they may be displacing other nutrient sources.

Look on the average American’s bookshelves and it will be a safe bet that on a very large percentage of them you will find books that advise avoiding sugar or fat or carbohydrates completely. You will see books that teach you how to live a totally meat free diet. You will see how to avoid dairy products or gas producing foods or any number of foods, food groups or nutrients. What you are not likely to find at all, however, is any kind of information that tells you how to avoid protein. These books do not exist for a number of reasons:

You may have seen those great big jugs of powder in the pharmacy section at your favorite drugstore and wondered what they are all about. Those jugs are filled with protein supplements, which are great for everyone from dieters to athletes to junk food addicts, and also for anyone who is concerned about good health.

Concentrated protein supplementation is highly recommended for bariatric patients for two specific reasons. The primary reason is to aid short-term recovery after bariatric or weight reducing surgery. The secondary is for maintaining long-term good health.