It’s one of the hardest cancers to identify. It’s also the second deadliest cancer to hit both men and women.

Colorectal cancer killed more than 50,000 people in the United States in 2010.

Its symptoms can mimic less serious conditions. This includes irritable bowel syndrome and even hemorrhoids.

Most colorectal cancers, up to 95 percent, are adenocarcinomas. They begin with a growth called an adenoma. It’s basically a more gentle way of saying “tumor.” Eventually, they can turn cancerous.

But it might not happen for years, even decades. This is why polyps can become a serious threat to your health. But you can lower your risk of ever getting them in the first place.

This important mineral helps prevent tumors and lowers your risk of developing colorectal cancer.

In the battle against colorectal cancer, magnesium is essential.

It’s found in our bones and soft tissue. It’s also present in many foods.

Magnesium helps in over 300 enzyme systems in the body. They support muscle and nerve function, blood pressure, blood sugar control, and energy production.

It’s the mineral that may help you beat this type of cancer. One study follows 768 cases of colorectal adenoma and 709 control subjects. The results show that for every 100 mg of magnesium you add to your diet each day, you can lower your risk for developing a growth by 13 percent.

But if you already have a growth, you lower your risk of developing colorectal cancer by 12 percent.

The more magnesium you have in your body, the lower your risk.  We recommend that you aim for 400–500 mg a day.

It’s easy to get that much magnesium from food. One ounce of almonds has 80 mg of magnesium. That’s only about 20 almonds.

Using magnesium as a medicine goes back all the way to 17th century England. A farmer from Epsom found that his well water had a healing effect on the skin. The main ingredient, magnesium sulfate, is still in Epsom salt to this day.

Some other great sources of magnesium are spinach, cashews, avocado, and salmon. Chances are if you’re already eating these foods, you’re helping to keep cancer out of the picture completely.  You can get extra magnesium from a supplement as well. Citrate, glycinate, and taurate are good forms to look for.  

Be careful not to go overboard with magnesium. This is especially true if you have kidney problems. Weak kidneys may have a hard time handling too much magnesium. A large buildup of magnesium can lead to side effects ranging from low blood pressure to coma and even death.

You don’t have to live in fear of getting colorectal cancer. But with so many new cases each year, it’s a reality that isn’t going away.

Adding more magnesium to your diet may lower your risk for developing colorectal cancer.

P.S. According to one report, when a leading doctor at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center found out that he had advanced‐stage cancer, he told his colleagues, “Do anything you want—but no chemotherapy!” Not surprising. Doctor’s know better than anyone how devastating chemo can be. So why aren’t more doctors using that alternative, Nobel Prize winner-studied, natural treatment instead? A study on people who received it for cancer and other ailments noted that “the results have been spectacular; the only side effect is ‘chronic good health.’”