Probably the chilli dish, but even on the off-chance it is blood, it's still probably nothing serious. Colon cancer is rare at your age and most of the symptoms you mention are normal for you.

When I was 40, I had rectal bleeding nearly every day for a month or two, I always pass stools probably 3-6 times a day. I had also lost weight (about a stone in maybe a year or less), had trapped wind and had started getting occasional loose stools (maybe once a week; to be honest, it's quite possible this was due to the stress of the whole thing).

One incident of rectal bleeding wouldn't have bothered me, even a week of it, but going on and on for weeks and combined with weight loss and some other symptoms (not the passing stools regularly, since I always did that and that was clearly not related as it had not started at the same time as the other things), I panicked.

The consultant said that at my age, I'd have to be "the unluckiest person in the world" for it to be cancer and the odds were less than 1%. Given that you are slighly younger than I was, that you probably even haven't had bleeding, and if you have it is only one instance and you having mentioned weight loss, I would say your chances are even less than mine. 

Probably the chilli dish, but even on the off-chance it is blood, it's still probably nothing serious. Colon cancer is rare at your age and most of the symptoms you mention are normal for you.

When I was 40, I had rectal bleeding nearly every day for a month or two, I always pass stools probably 3-6 times a day. I had also lost weight (about a stone in maybe a year or less), had trapped wind and had started getting occasional loose stools (maybe once a week; to be honest, it's quite possible this was due to the stress of the whole thing).

One incident of rectal bleeding wouldn't have bothered me, even a week of it, but going on and on for weeks and combined with weight loss and some other symptoms (not the passing stools regularly, since I always did that and that was clearly not related as it had not started at the same time as the other things), I panicked.

The consultant said that at my age, I'd have to be "the unluckiest person in the world" for it to be cancer and the odds were less than 1%. Given that you are slighly younger than I was, that you probably even haven't had bleeding, and if you have it is only one instance and you having mentioned weight loss, I would say your chances are even less than mine. 

Thank you so much! I’ll definitely go see my doctor after Christmas but your post is very reassuring! 

I know I have always struggled with anxiety, especially around my health - so I know that often amplifies what May very well be simple things.

thanks again have a great day