At Hello Doctor, we’re all about preventative healthcare, which means part of our job is to help educate and inform you about health and wellness, and what you can start doing today to help prevent your risk of illness and disease later in life. After all, prevention really is better than cure.
Which brings us to today’s interesting news snippet, which reconfirms previous studies which have shown that taking aspirin every day can help keep colon cancer at bay. According to scientists, this common over-the-counter medication, which most people already have at home, can half your risk of developing this type of cancer. There’s a catch though, the type of aspirin you take is very important, and it only works for certain people.
How does it work?
For years, scientists have been trying to figure out why some people were immune to the effects of aspirin, and now they’ve found an answer. It turns out that certain people lack the necessary genetic profile to create large quantities of enzymes that are needed to help ensure aspirin works the way it does.
We asked the doctor
We spoke to Hello Doctor’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Russell Thomson to find out more about it, how much you should take and the type of aspirin you’re taking. Here’s what he had to say: “The daily recommended dosage should be half a tablet a day, and another thing is to make sure you’re taking the right type of asprin. Ordinary, un-coated asprin can lead to stomach ulcers if you use it long term. Instead, you need to use “enteric-coated aspirins.” These are coated with a substance that protects the lining of the gut and prevents ulcers from developing. It’s also important that you don’t crush the pill, as this defeats the purpose of the added coating. In fact, this rule applies to all medication.”
Always speak to your doctor first before you start taking any new medication, even if it is an over-the-counter remedy.
Kyle Boshoff for HelloDoctor.com
Article source: IOL