ORLANDO, Fla. — In 2018, WFTV anchor Jorge Estevez had his first colonoscopy. He chose to make it public because health care is a personal priority. We asked him how things are going since it was done.
What has changed for your diet since your colonoscopy?
While I try to eat a healthy diet, I really stepped up my game when I received the results of my colonoscopy. At one point, I ate red meat every day, sometimes twice. Now, I cut that down to once or twice a week and pack my meals with fiber and vegetables.
An estimated 140,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with colon cancer in 2019. Watch Jorge Estevez and doctors from AdventHealth Orlando discuss prevention here.
What about your lifestyle? Has it changed?
<span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#212121">"Colon cancers and stomach cancers run in my family. "</span></span></span>
Do you worry more about getting cancer now?
Colon cancers and stomach cancers run in my family. Ever since my mother started getting tested years ago and discovered she had polyps every time, I knew it was my turn to start getting tested. Her polyps have always come back benign, I still worry that may not be the case for me. I will get screened every two to three years. My first colonoscopy came back with six polyps and while they were benign, I still don't want to risk it.
Are you procrastinating about scheduling your colonoscopy? Read about Jorge's experience with it by clicking here.
What would you tell someone who is afraid of getting a colonoscopy, or simply putting it off?
As long as you follow the instructions, the prep should be routine. The secret is to take the afternoon off and just plan on doing nothing. You will be busy, don't get me wrong, but it is key to designate the time to relax and concentrate on the prep. The secret for me was to not eat anything heavy a couple of days before you begin the prep. I had light meals and soup whenever possible. It really made the difference.
Did you know your colon is 5 feet long? Learn other interesting facts about your large intestine by clicking here.
What did you learn after sharing the story of your colonoscopy?
It was incredible how people reacted to my colonoscopy. I started posting about it days before. I was looking for tips and advice on how to make it go well, and I ended up getting so much more from people on my social media pages. The posts all together generated thousands of comments and countless private messages of encouragement. After it was over, they began to private message me about how it went and how they were inspired to now go and do it after they put it off for years. It was such a rewarding experience because I, too, put it off even though it was in my family history. I am so grateful to have had that support from our viewers.
[ To send Jorge Estevez an email about his story, click here. ]