Keep your red and processed meat consumption to a minimum to avoid an increased risk of cancer, says a new study by the U.S. National Cancer Institute in the Public Library of Science Medicine.

Researchers found that people who ate the most of these specific types of meat had the highest risk of developing colorectal and lung cancers. Evidently, compounds created during cooking or the digestion of these types of meat damage DNA and in many cases result in the growth of tumors.

To help minimize your risk, the best -- and most obvious way -- to do so is to cut back on the amount of red and processed meat you consume. Researchers suggest sticking to around 3g per 1,000 calories you eat.

Do you know what the second leading cause of cancer is in the U.S.? Colon cancer. Despite this fact, the number of screenings done to check for this cancer remain quite low. Colonoscopy can usually detect cancer at the early stages, thus saving the lives of many patients. Still, for one reason or another, about half of the amount of people who should be screened never undergo this process.

This may be due to a few reasons, chief among them being a lack of education on the disease. For one, many people think that colon cancer primarily strikes only men. Not true. The number of cases of colon cancer is almost equal among men and women. Second, not everyone is familiar with some of the signs and symptoms. Chronic diarrhea, blood in the stool, frequent stomach discomfort, and unusual changes in bowel habits are all indications that something may be amiss.

To help prevent the onset of this form of cancer, be on the lookout for any of the aforementioned symptoms and engage in a regular exercise program. Research has shown that walking for 60 minutes a day may decrease prostaglandin E2 levels -- a substance associated with colorectal cancer. Also, avoid smoking, and try to eat a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and keep your fat intake to a minimum.

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I take a daily Centrum multivitamin. Chewable, because for some strange reason, I have trouble swallowing pills. But there's some new research out of Harvard that many people may find just as difficult to swallow.

According to an article in the March edition of the Harvard Men's Health Watch, people who take a multivitamin may be at a greater risk of developing prostate, breast, or colorectal cancers. Researchers posit that an overabundance of folic acid found in bread products, when combined with the amount found in a multivitamin, can leave people consuming an excess of 1,000 mcg or more of folic acid per day. This amount, say researchers, can increase cancer risk.

However, this report has received a great deal of backlash from the scientific community. The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), in response to the Harvard findings, released a statement saying that there was no reason to stop taking multivitamins.

Andrew Shao, CRN vice-president for regulatory and scientific affairs, said: "The issue raised on folic acid from a scientific standpoint is one that warrants follow-up, but it is not something isolated to multivitamins. He further stated that "The majority of Americans don't eat well... and multivitamins are an important component to the diet."

What do you guys think about these findings from Harvard? Personally, I think I need to see more conclusive evidence showing a link between multivitamins and cancer risk before I'm convinced, but that's just me. How about you?

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The Journal of Nutrition released a study suggesting that vitamin B6 may help protect men against colorectal cancer.

Reviewing the dietary intake of over 81,000 Japanese adults, researchers found that men with the highest level of vitamin B6 had a 31-percent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer than men with the lowest intake of this B vitamin. The researchers also discovered that drinking more than 5 ounces of alcohol per week doubled the risk of this type of cancer in men with lower B6 consumption levels.

Vitamin B6 is found in chicken, liver, legumes, whole grains, pork, and nuts. Are you sure you're getting enough?

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A recent University of California, Irvine study revealed that screenings have had a profound effect on the prevalence of colorectal cancer. From 1998 to 2002, colorectal cancer dropped from 42.8 cases per 100,000 people to 38.6 cases per 100,000 people. The drop in diagnosed cases came at the same time that colonoscopy screenings increased by 80%. With proper screenings, colorectal cancer is a preventable form of the disease. During a colonoscopy, non-cancerous polyps can be removed, preventing possible cancer development.

Colonoscopy is widely considered the most effective screening option. There are other alternatives such as a flexible sigmoidoscopy where a tube is inserted only into the lower portion of the colon. According to the American Cancer Society, men and women over age 49 should follow one of these screening options:

• A yearly stool blood test or fecal immunochemical test.
• A flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years.
• A yearly stool blood test plus a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years.
• A double contrast barium enema every five years.
• A colonoscopy every 10 years.

Ask your doctor which screening options are best for you. Your doctor's recommendations may very from the above options based on your medical history.

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The results of a new study say that screening for certain types of cancer among the African-American population can be quite a bit more effective when telephone outreach methods are used.

In the study, 27% of people contacted by telephone went for a cancer screening within six months -- compared to just over 6% of those who only received information in the mail.

Those figures alone point to a very successful rate of getting certain segments of the population to be screened for different types of cancer. Additionally, with African Americans being at a much greater risk of colorectal cancer than any other ethnic groups in the U.S., the success of phone consultations is great news in many respects.

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