Surely everyone is familiar with the burning sensation that all too often accompanies the after-dinner mint following a heavy meal. You know the acidic taste you get in your mouth after burping? The pressure in your chest that makes you wonder if you just might be having a heart attack? That’s heartburn.

In a Q&A on Caring.com a reader asked, “How are heartburn and colon cancer related?” The answer gives us a clear indication that there is a probable link between heartburn and colon cancer. “A reoccurring heartburn can sometimes be a key sign towards determining a more severe case with digestive disorders. We all experience heartburn occasionally but a prolonged feeling of heartburn is likely due to another cause and needs medical attention as soon as possible.” (more…)

Talking with your parents about their health can be a touchy subject, especially when it comes to colon health. But if one or both of your parents have had colon polyps removed during a colonoscopy, then you need to be screened before age 50, the recommended age for a first colon screening. That’s because a family history of polyps increases your own risk of developing polyps—the tiny growths found in the lining of the large intestine, bowel, or colon—that can ultimately grow into colon cancer if not detected and removed.

So how do you get the conversation started? (more…)

On March 21, 2012, actor Matthew Broderick turned 50.  Perhaps best known for his portrayal of the much-loved (and hated) Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Broderick is now at the age for his first colon cancer screening (assuming he has no prior family history of polyps or colon cancer). But will the actor who once played the quintessential goof-off show up or skip out?

“Bueller?…Bueller?…Bueller?…” (more…)

Saint Patrick’s Day is March 17th, a day when we celebrate the luck of the Irish by wearing green and consuming Irish beverages and foods. Unfortunately, though, carrying a good luck charm or wearing your lucky underwear is no guarantee against colon cancer. The only surefire way to prevent the disease is to take action, which is why having a colonoscopy is so important.

Probably because of my red hair and freckles, I have always been obsessed with “all things Irish.” As a child, I remember looking for four-leaf clovers for hours at a time as well as several vain attempts of finding the ubiquitous leprechaun with his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I had high hopes of attaining the luck of the Irish because I wanted good luck. (more…)

We might be too old for cartoons and fairy tales, but how many of us wish that genies-in-a-lamp and fairy godmothers were real? If we had a little magic on our side we could look like we were 25 again, win the lottery, have super powers and prevent colon cancer from ever rearing its ugly head. But like many of the notions from our childhood, magic does not exist. Yet, colon cancer remains very real. (more…)