Lifestyle Modification - Ask Dr. P

What is Causing the Alarming Rise in Cancer Rates in Young People?

by Pain Doc | Mar 27, 2024 | Lifestyle Modification

In recent years, a concerning trend has emerged in the world of cancer care: more and more individuals under the age of 50 are being diagnosed with various forms of cancer. At the time of this writing, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales (age 42) recently announced that she has cancer. She had abdominal surgery in January of this year that was at first thought to be non-cancerous, but later diagnosed as cancerous (no details on the type of cancer have been released at this point). This phenomenon challenges the long-held belief that cancer primarily affects older adults, shedding light on a complex issue that demands attention and action.

Recent studies have revealed startling statistics, indicating a significant rise in early-onset cancer cases globally. From 1990 to 2019, the incidence of early-onset cancer increased by a staggering 79.1%, with a 27.7% rise in early-onset cancer deaths. This trend is particularly evident in the United States, where breast cancer tops the list of diagnoses among younger populations, closely followed by gastrointestinal cancers, including colon cancer which are increasing at an alarming rate. Amazingly, the statistics show that someone born in 1990 has over twice the risk of getting colon cancer than someone born in 1950. In other words, today’s 34 year olds are twice as likely to get colon cancer than today’s 74 year olds!

What factors are contributing to this concerning uptick in early-onset cancer? While genetics play a role, it appears that environmental and lifestyle factors are paramount. Changes in nutrition and lifestyle habits over the past few decades have created a perfect storm, with ultraprocessed foods, sugary drinks, smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity identified as potential culprits. These factors can disrupt the body’s internal processes, leading to inflammation and metabolic disturbances that increase cancer risk.

Moreover, emerging research suggests a link between changes in the gut microbiome—a community of microbes residing in our bodies—and cancer vulnerability. Poor dietary choices, excessive antibiotic use, and certain medications can disrupt this delicate balance, potentially facilitating cancer development.

As a long time advocate of using scientific thinking in everyday life, I think of the major environmental changes in society that coincided with the birth of millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, for this generation is getting hit the hardest with this uptick in cancer. What new thing did this generation absorb, starting in their early prepubescent years?

The one that comes to mind is cell phone use. Cell phones started to become mainstream in the late 1990s. Ten years later, about 80% of adults had one. Of course, cell phones needed cell phone towers that carried the signals using radiofrequency waves, and today’s 5G networks have a frequency of about 25-52GHz. Could this be a factor? Yes, everyone who lives in modern society gets exposed to these frequencies, but maybe they do their damage when the body is still developing? This may explain why people born in the 50s and before have about the same rates of cancer over the past decades.

Cancer is also associated with genetics. Certain mutations can be the catalyst for cancer development, and maybe these new cell phone frequencies are able to affect DNA, which is passed onto the offspring?

Another possibility for the rising rates of cancer in young adults is the introduction of new industrial chemicals and food additives in consumer products and the food supply. Chemicals are used for many different purposes, such as fire retardants, fabric manufacturing, materials engineering such as hardwood flooring, agriculture, and more. Sometimes the use of these chemicals in consumer products are rushed for government approval and there hasn’t been enough time to conduct experiments on their toxicity to humans. Ultra processed food have preservatives that help big food corporations produce more food that has longer shelf life and have addictive effects on consumers to encourage repeat buying.

Of course, many of these chemicals can find their way into the water supply and atmosphere, where they continue to be ingested, daily. This is why I encourage everyone to invest in a home water filter and air purifier, like the AirDog. You must be mindful of what goes into your body at all times.

Despite ongoing efforts to understand the root causes of early-onset cancer, many questions remain unanswered. While obesity and lifestyle factors explain some cases, there are instances where seemingly healthy individuals are diagnosed, highlighting the complexity of this issue. Additionally, underdiagnosis of early-onset cancers remains prevalent, emphasizing the need for improved awareness among primary care physicians and proactive advocacy by patients.

The consequences of early-onset cancer extend beyond diagnosis and treatment. Younger patients face unique challenges, including concerns about fertility, long-term side effects of treatment, and the impact on daily responsibilities such as work and education. Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach that encompasses not only medical treatment but also psychological support and long-term care planning.

As we grapple with the implications of this unsettling trend, there is a pressing need for collective action. This includes increased funding for research, education campaigns to raise awareness among both healthcare professionals and the general public, and revisions to screening guidelines to ensure early detection and intervention. Recent recommendations to lower the age for colorectal cancer screening reflect a step in the right direction, but more must be done to address the multifaceted nature of early-onset cancer.

In conclusion, the rise in early-onset cancer cases serves as a sobering reminder of the complexities of this disease and the importance of proactive measures to combat it. By working together to understand the underlying causes, improve detection and diagnosis, and support affected individuals, we can strive towards a future where cancer is no longer a threat to individuals of any age.

The Two Essentials for a Long, Quality Life

by Pain Doc | Jan 9, 2022 | Lifestyle Modification, Low Back Pain Exercises, Nutrition

As I transition out of mid-life, I face the inevitable things that happen at this stage of one’s life: parents, aunts and uncles aging and dying; birth of grand-nieces and nephews; and subtle changes in my body and physical ability. As someone with a professional background in healthcare, I can’t help but to analyze the health aspects of these mortal events.

The first I shall mention involves my mother and aunts (her sisters). In the gene department, I’d say they acquired good ones for longevity—mom is 88, and her sisters are in their mid-90s. However, their health status is starkly different. Yes, mom is a few years younger, but in terms of physical ability and vitality it’s as if she’s 20 years younger. One dear aunt has just weeks to live. She is barely ambulatory, and she is fading. Her body is frail, and her mind is diminishing. There were beginning signs of organ system failure during the past year – wounds not healing well; constipation, and swelling in the lower limbs.

The other aunt suffered several falls in the past year, breaking her leg each time, and is experiencing symptoms of congestive heart failure—fluid in the lungs and difficulty breathing. Both aunts require 24/7 assisted living at the time of this writing.

And mom? She still drives, speaks loudly and coherently (although her hearing is declining but not terribly); is able to vacuum and clean her home where she lives alone (dad passed in 2016), and even work in the back yard raking leaves, pulling weeds, and watering plants. She watches a lot of TV in the afternoons and, after chores and dinner, late into the night, yet is able to do all these things. She shows no signs of slowing down.

All three women fortunately did not develop dementia in their advanced age. Mom shows no signs of it at all, and I am hoping and praying I have those genes!

My dad, on the other hand, developed dementia during his last five years alive, and it played a role in his passing from an unfortunate hospital accident.

I attribute my mom’s stronger vitality, compared to her older sisters, to two things:

Give to Others. Stay Socially Connected. Avoid Isolation

She sends birthday cards to all her children (four, including me) every year, ever since we moved out of the house to go to college–without fail; on-time, every time.

For me, it’s birthday card every year for the past forty years. She does the same for her grandsons (3) and granddaughter, and now great-grandson. She’s very giving and considerate of others.

If you read authors in the Self-Improvement field, such as Brendan Burchard and Steven Covey, one of the common themes is giving. Something good happens when you give. The gesture is basically about giving out love. But to be able to give love, you must first be at peace with yourself, and have abundant love for yourself and your life. It’s like money – you can’t give others money unless you have money yourself to begin with; enough to spare.

When you love yourself, you aren’t sad; you aren’t depressed and most of all you value yourself so you take care of yourself. You don’t do things that will hurt yourself in any way and as a result, you achieve mental health, which promotes physical health. So believe me when I tell you that doing something as simple as sending someone a birthday card for 40 straight years carries a lot more meaning that it appears. It’s all about your attitude and outlook in life, which drives your actions. I do believe in the power of love. It’s one of the mysteries of being human.

My aunts, however, spent most of their lives isolated. Their spouses passed away when they were relatively still young and they never remarried. They sort of grew into living mostly solitary lives, over decades. I suspect that even with losing their spouses early on, that their isolated life was mostly due to their personality—their nature, which developed in accordance with their mindset. They are not as outgoing as my mom, and appeared to not mind being alone; at least that’s what they thought.

Do Whatever it Takes to Stay Physically Active, As Long as You are Able

The second thing that separates my mom from her sisters: she was consistently physically active all her life, and still is to this day. She is purposeful about it: she plans out her day the day before and has a set agenda– visit a friend, get some groceries, buy household things, go the bank; work in the yard, clean the house, and so on. She often mentions to me how she sweats in the back yard after doing some chores (she lives in Florida where the humidity and heat can be quite uncomfortable in the summer). She delivers food to friends who live nearby, out of the kindness of her heart. And, she goes to church regularly, where she gets most of her social interaction. Bottom line: my mother likes to stay busy and enjoys doing physical work at her age.

Compare this lifestyle to her sisters: neither was physically active, aside from going out to run errands when needed. They spent hours sitting on the couch and watching TV much of their day, for decades — a wholly passive behavior (I don’t want to say activity) both mentally and physically.

Neither of them worked a job: one aunt lived with her adult children, and the other was supported by her spouse’s death benefits. Neither toiled in their back yard. I doubt if they walked around the neighborhood for exercise, either. Neither had a hobby that kept them engaged in something. Today, their health is in steep decline.

The Lesson Here

So, based on this real-life study, if you desire to live a long, quality life (not a long life being infirm) learn from my mother: it starts with your mindset/attitude. Your mindset drives your actions. Your actions directly determine your mental and physical health – it’s that simple.

When you have love for yourself and your life, you naturally want it to last as long as possible and as a result, your subconscious mind guides you in doing things that maintain your health and extend your life—avoiding destructive thoughts (envy, hate, anger, resentment, regret); eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly.

When you don’t have love yourself and your life; OR you fail to take a moment to affirm it often, you take life for granted. You become undisciplined with your actions. You don’t have purpose. You take unhealthy, dangerous risks – spending too much time on the internet and social media; developing addictions; eating too much sweets and junk food and not enough whole, natural foods; consuming alcohol excessively, and avoiding exercise. Perhaps drugs and tobacco enter the picture, too. Then, this lifestyle becomes entrenched and harder to get out of because you become overweight, have low energy, and are in a negative mood. Exercise and socializing with others are the last thing on your mind, and you avoid both. You eat food that may taste good, but doesn’t nourish your body. These actions stress your body, and payback is imminent. Unless you have good longevity genes like my mother and aunts, you can expect your lifespan to be shorter than what it could be; and/or, you can expect to live with chronic illness, severely impacting your quality of life — not a great way to spend your golden years.

I will add to this that one can make change for the better at any age. Of course, the sooner in life, the better. As a person ages, it is more difficult to change adverse behavior, due to the thought patterns that take root in the mind, which are basically the habits and rituals that give one short-term satisfaction. But, it’s not impossible. It just requires digging in deep, and having that desire and determination to change. Loving life, and wanting to experience it for as long as you can. For many people, a wakeup call has to occur before they take action, like a friend dying unexpectedly from a heart attack. Don’t wait for that to happen, because if you do, it may very well be your sudden illness or death that shakes a friend into action.

Once you change your mindset, the next challenge before you is execution. Here are a few tips:

Make small, gradual changes that are easy to accomplish. This sends a positive signal to your subconsciousness, and lays the groundwork to build upon. Examples: buy healthy foods for the week every Sunday at 6:00 PM; walk 3x around your block Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; etc.
If you slip and revert to an old, unhealthy habit don’t be too hard on yourself. Definitely do not throw in the towel. Get up, and keep trying. It’s all about consistency in effort.
Create simple health routines. Routines are things you do the same time of the day, every day. Stay on a routine long enough, and you won’t have to remember to do it; it will come naturally.
For your physical activity, schedule it on your calendar. Hold yourself accountable. Better yet, recruit a close friend to be your accountability partner. He or she will have the role of encouraging you to stay on track.
20 minutes of exercise a day is better than an intense, 2 hour exercise every other week. Consistency is more important than intensity.
There are exercise options for every age and ability. Exercise doesn’t necessarily require sweating gobs of sweat; getting out of breath, or pounding your joints. You need to learn what’s right for you. Stay tuned for lots of examples of physical exercise for those over 40; those who are not physically fit; are overweight; or have some form of physical disability.

I cannot stress enough the importance of staying physically active to living a long, quality life. Humans, like all animals, are designed by nature to move frequently. When you don’t move enough, muscles atrophy and support to your spine and joints weakens, inviting injury and joint degeneration. Your heart, being a muscle, becomes weak so oxygen and nutrient delivery to your cells, including your brain cells, becomes sub-optimal. Your blood sugar rises because it isn’t being burned at a fast enough rate, leading to obesity and diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

Lack of physical activity even promotes gut disease, including constipation. Digestion benefits from physical activity, since your intestines are muscles themselves that require oxygen and nutrients delivered by your heart.

Bottom line, use it or lose it—being sedentary; failing to engage in consistent, moderate physical activity for years will cause a decline in your health that will be difficult if not impossible to reverse. Make it a priority in your life.

To complicate things, technological advancements have reduced our need to be physically active, and if it weren’t for advances in medicine and sanitation, human lifespan would probably be in the 40s especially with the abundance of and easy access to high-calorie, low nutrient processed food.

That’s it for now. It’s a new year, a time when people contemplate their lives and their future. If you are someone who needs to make a change, now is the best time. Stay tuned for more advice on staying healthy, vibrant, and out of pain and extending the lifespan of your body.

Three Simple Ideas to Plan and Keep Your Health Goals

by Pain Doc | Jun 26, 2021 | Lifestyle Modification, Nutrition

Photo by Pexels

By Jennifer McGregor

We use a lot of statistics to determine health, but being healthy isn’t just about numbers. Yes, some numbers matter, such as your weight and your blood pressure, but how you feel matters, too. And, truth be told, the numbers and the feelings are all interconnected; if those numbers are too high or too low, it’s likely you already feel out of sorts.

Many people struggle to make physical and mental health and wellness a priority. We often set ourselves up to achieve some pretty unrealistic health goals. Not only does that hurt us mentally, emotionally and physically, but it can also damage us financially, as well. How often do you spend loads of cash on crash diets, exercise equipment, and gym memberships that go unused for the majority of the year?

You shouldn’t feel ashamed of wanting to get healthier or when those goals go unrealized. However, you should feel motivated to pick up and try again. Check out these simple tips to help you start and stick to a head-to-toe health overhaul.

Be Confident in Who You Already Are

You have value just as you are. Working on becoming a healthier version of yourself isn’t a judgment call on your worth; it’s a sign of self-respect. Start by making little changes in confidence now. For example, you can stock up on makeup, skincare, and other beauty items. Consider going on Groupon to get deals on haircuts, facials, nails, and other beauty services to help boost your confidence in the ways you already radiate health and wellness.

Be Flexible in Mind and Body

A regular yoga and meditation practice can help you build strength in mind and body. Studies show that people who take up the practice can better manage stress, reduce the risk of injury, build lean muscle mass and improve flexibility. Being flexible isn’t just about being able to touch your toes (although that is a nice side effect). It’s about being compassionate with yourself when you do lose track. Feeling guilt or shame can keep you in unhealthy patterns.

Focus on Your Dental Health

Similar to the concept of a mind-body connection, your oral health is also linked to the rest of your body. Improper dental care can increase your chances of developing diabetes, for example. Maintaining good dental hygiene can help prevent health problems such as gum disease and heart attacks. In addition to regularly brushing and flossing, it’s crucial that you assess your teeth’s alignment. If they’re misaligned, you may have a harder time keeping your teeth clean, so it’s best to look into a treatment.

When it comes to alignment treatment options, clear aligners are a popular choice since they’re more discreet than traditional braces. However, keep in mind that not all clear aligners look exactly the same. Some aligners may be slightly more visible than others based on their texture. For example, Candid has a “frosted” surface, which can make your teeth look more natural. However, if you find that a “shinier” smile is more attractive, you can go with a smooth texture like the Byte aligners. Make sure you thoroughly research your options and choose the one that will best fit your needs.

Be Conscious of Not Only What You Eat, But Also Why and How

In American culture, we frequently rush through fast-food drive-thrus or pop a frozen entree in the microwave. While doing this from time to time isn’t a crime, you’ll want to make some major changes if those options make up the majority of your diet. It might seem like buying healthier foods will inflate your grocery bill, but you can maximize your finances by joining a meal delivery service. Many of them offer a deep discount on the first month, and even if you do continue the service, the cost per meal is actually often quite cheaper. While you gently shift away from eating fast food and processed meals, be sure to keep a food journal logging when you eat and how you feel. Connecting your eating habits to your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors can help you break some unhealthy associations you have with food.

All too often we try to make big changes happen overnight, and that’s why they are so hard to keep — we often take drastic measures too quickly. So, make progress with small, intentional steps to save time and sustain your success.

If you suffer from fibromyalgia, sciatica, or another type of musculoskeletal pain, you can seek out helpful articles that discuss pain relief strategies at The Pain & Injury Doctor.

Is There Anything Besides Drugs for Chronic Pain Treatment?

by Pain Doc | Mar 30, 2015 | Lifestyle Modification

Chronic pain is a complex, physiological process involving specialized sensory cells, nerves, your brain and spinal cord and a multitude of biochemical substances..

Chronic means the injury/damage/disease of the affected body region has gone through the normal stages of healing, but some degree of pain still remains. This can be due to incomplete healing, permanent physical damage to structures, continual re-injury/ aggravation of the area or even “imprinting” into the spinal cord where the central nervous system literally “memorizes” the pain signals, causing them to be ever-present.

Musculoskeletal conditions arising from trauma or gradual wear and tear dominate chronic pain cases (pain originating from bones, joints, muscles, soft tissues). Diseases affecting the nerves such as shingles, advanced diabetes, trigeminal neuralgia and other peripheral nerve diseases often become chronic in nature as well.

Research suggests that one’s conscious reaction to pain (how you respond to it) influences the severity of pain; that is, the perception of it. Someone who embraces his pain and defers to its presence out of excess fear or worry is less likely to improve than someone who resists giving in and “moves into” the pain by not focusing on it too much as he goes about doing what he desires. This strongly suggests that pain has both physiological (body) and psychological (mind) components to it, and therefore, treatment for it should incorporate methodologies that address both.

Options for Treating Chronic Pain

Treatment for chronic pain includes acetaminophen (Tylenol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (aspirin, ibuprofen), anti-depressant drugs used “off label” for pain (amitriptyline, Cymbalta), anti-convulsant drugs used off-label for pain (Lyrica), corticosteroids (Prednisone) and opiate drugs (morphine, codeine). They work in different ways to decrease pain; some not fully understood. And, they all come with side effects, which differ from person to person.

TENS units and spinal cord stimulators are instruments used to block or interfere with pain signals as they travel through the central nervous system.

So between strong drugs with unpleasant and often dangerous side effects and devices designed to block pain, the medical options for treatment are disappointing. These interventions are not intended to cure the problem at its source, but rather interfere with its manifestation via chemical and electrical means.

However, two instruments I have come across are in a “gray area” in that the mechanism of action involves stimulating actual, natural healing of injured cells. The first one is red light therapy, which works on human cells very much like how sunlight causes photosynthesis and energy production in plant cells. I recommend red light therapy for joint pain from osteoarthritis and sprains/strains. You can also use it to heal minor cuts and lacerations faster.

The second one is Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy, or PEMF. PEMF uses low frequency, low power magnetic fields in the range of frequencies that is naturally produced by the human body, to normalize cells whose membrane charge, or voltage, has been disrupted by disease processes and strong environmental electromagnetic fields such as those from power cables and electronics. When the cell membran charge is normalized, the cell’s metabolism and respiration is boosted which results in faster healing of disease; especially inflammatory disorders. Pulsed EMF can be used to treat many types of chronic disorders including chronic pain, fibromyalgia, pulmonary disease, heart disease and headaches. Watch the video below where I explain how PEMF works:

If you suffer from chronic pain, I suggest you direct your attention to creating conditions in your body that optimize health. This may not “cure” chronic pain entirely due to its complex nature, but a healthy body is in a much better position to heal and regenerate than one that is not.

Know that:

Your body is a community of interconnected, living cells that affect one another. For example, an intestinal cell and a muscle cell have a functional relationship. This cellular relationship can be influenced via lifestyle changes, primarily through your diet, activities and thoughts/attitudes to reduce pain.
Cells are the basic unit of the human body, and like the human body your cells consume food, breathe oxygen, perform work, burn energy stored in food and produce waste.
What enters your body via your mouth, lungs and skin gets into all of your cells (with the exception of those substances that cannot cross the blood-brain barrier).
Areas of chronic pain are where cells are in a state of distress. They may be producing inflammation, abnormally firing nerves, and/or not getting rid of their waste products properly.
You can greatly influence the functional state of all your cells by what you think, what you eat and drink, and what you do with your body.

When it comes to pain it is better to think in wholistic terms — the whole body, not just where it hurts. This is how your body is designed; how your body functions; and how it heals itself. Your starting point is your mindset and attitude. Use it the create health in your body by all means available to you; and there are many. Use Pulsed EMF for maintenance to enhance energy in your cells and enable efficient cell function and healing. This is your best bet for overcoming chronic pain.