Sophie Medlin, a consultant colorectal dietitian based in London, has spent 20 years thinking about colon cancer risk. Her own playbook is simple: she eats mostly whole, unprocessed foods, adds fermented foods every day, and keeps processed meat off the menu as much as possible.
Medlin said she has 'essentially eliminated processed meat.' That includes foods like beef jerky, which she said is getting 'a bit of a health halo' because of the high-protein trend. Processed meat, such as hot dogs and deli meat, and unprocessed red meat have been linked to colorectal cancer to varying degrees.
She still eats red meat, but limits it to a maximum of two servings a week. The World Cancer Research advises eating no more than 350 to 500 grams of red meat a week, or around three portions.
Medlin also tries to eat some kind of fermented food every day, such as yogurt or kimchi. She often makes tzatziki with Greek yogurt, cucumber, extra virgin olive oil, and herbs, and uses it as a dipping sauce. She also often eats pickled cabbage or yogurt with meals.
The reason is the gut microbiome, which Medlin described as the trillions of microbes that live in the colon lining and influence overall health, including chronic disease risk. She said that when plant foods are fermented in the gut, they produce postbiotics such as short-chain fatty acids that help protect against colorectal cancers.
She also tells patients to add an extra vegetable to the pan when cooking dinner. 'It's just as quick,' she said, and it gives an extra type of vegetable and additional gut health benefits.
Cases of colon cancer in younger people have been rising since the mid-90s, and it is now the deadliest cancer form of the disease for under-50s. Scientists do not know what's behind the uptick, but evidence suggests that healthy lifestyle choices like regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower the risk.
Founders should read that as a reminder that consistency beats complexity. Medlin's routine is not expensive, not fancy, and not built on extremes. It is built on repeatable choices that fit inside an ordinary day.
Start smaller than you think. One extra vegetable, one fermented side, one less serving of processed meat is a workable habit stack. For anyone trying to protect long-term health without making every meal a project, that is the real takeaway.
