“Someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds. There are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020. This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. Much of the increase will be in developing countries. Already 60% of people with dementia live in low and middle income countries, but by 2050 this will rise to 71%. The fastest growth in the elderly population is taking place in China, India, and their south Asian and western Pacific neighbors.

Demographic ageing is a worldwide process that shows the successes of improved health care over the last century. Many are now living longer and healthier lives and so the world population has a greater proportion of older people. Dementia mainly affects older people, although there is a growing awareness of cases that start before the age of 65.

There are over 10 million new cases of dementia each year worldwide, implying one new case every 3.2 seconds.”

Alzheimer’s Disease International (https://www.alzint.org/about/dementia-facts-figures/dementia-statistics/)

Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, the star of the Miracle Mets 1969 World Series championship team, was diagnosed with dementia at age 74.

His family made the announcement Thursday through the Hall and said Seaver has retired from public life. He will continue to work at Seaver Vineyards, founded by the retired player and wife Nancy in 2002 on 116 acres at Diamond Mountain in the Calistoga region of California.

Seaver was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 1991, and it reoccurred in 2012 and led to Bell’s Palsy and memory loss, the New York Daily News reported in 2013.

Know this,  Lyme disease also has the unique ability to bypass the body’s blood-brain barrier, a barrier which typically prevents foreign invaders from affecting the brain, allowing the disease to enter the nervous system accounting for Lyme’s many complex neurological symptoms. Antibiotic treatment protocols alone do not account for this invasion of the body’s nervous system through the blood-brain barrier and therefore are not likely to have lasting results. To effectively treat chronic Lyme disease, antibiotics need to also move past the blood-brain barrier.

Lyme related neurological symptoms are destructive and life-changing.

The struggle to find the right diagnosis is extremely draining for patients who are already facing depression, brain fog, memory loss, tremors, and other crippling symptoms.

Can this lead to Alzheimer’s disease or make it come quicker??

Art Shamsky, who hit .300 with 14 home runs that season for the Mets, details some of the health issues of other teammates as well, among other things, in “After the Miracle,” Newsday reported last week, March 6 on Fox News Channel.

Shamsky, 77, wrote that Seaver suffers from short-term memory loss that could stem from Lyme disease. Seaver, 74, apparently told Shamsky he contracted the disease in 1991 when he lived in Connecticut.

Bud Harrelson, another key player on the championship team, which defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, four games to one, had reportedly been making visits to Seaver regularly and told some members of the team to be prepared when they re-connected with the three-time Cy Young award winner.

“He can forget things that happened just a few minutes before,” Harrelson told Shamsky, according to Newsday. “And he repeats himself a lot. But when he gets his rest, he still has a lot of energy.”

Harrelson, 74, is having his own health struggles. The former Mets shortstop was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. He opened up to CBS New York after 2016 and told the station he immediately stopped driving.

Overview of Dementia and many people can get it anywhere!

Dementia isn’t a specific disease. Instead, dementia describes a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily functioning.

Though dementia generally involves memory loss, memory loss has different causes. So memory loss alone doesn’t mean you have dementia.  So seeing a specialist who is a MD in Dementia is the expert to go to.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of a progressive dementia in older adults, but there are a number of causes of dementia. Depending on the cause, some dementia symptoms can be reversed.

Symptoms

Dementia symptoms vary depending on the cause, but common signs and symptoms include:

Cognitive changes

• Memory loss, which is usually noticed by a spouse or someone else
• Difficulty communicating or finding words
• Difficulty reasoning or problem-solving
• Difficulty handling complex tasks
• Difficulty with planning and organizing
• Difficulty with coordination and motor functions
• Confusion and disorientation

Psychological changes

• Personality changes
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Inappropriate behavior
• Paranoia
• Agitation
• Hallucinations

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you or a loved one has memory problems or other dementia symptoms. Some treatable medical conditions can cause dementia symptoms, so it’s important to determine the underlying cause.

Causes

Dementia involves damage of nerve cells in the brain, which can occur in several areas of the brain. Dementia affects people differently, depending on the area of the brain affected.

Dementias are often grouped by what they have in common, such as the part of the brain that’s affected or whether they worsen over time (progressive dementias). Some dementias, such as those caused by a reaction to medications or vitamin deficiencies, might improve with treatment.

Progressive dementias

Types of dementias that progress and aren’t reversible include:

• Alzheimer’s disease. In people age 65 and older, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.Although the cause of Alzheimer’s disease isn’t known, plaques and tangles are often found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. Plaques are clumps of a protein called beta-amyloid, and tangles are fibrous tangles made up of tau protein.Certain genetic factors might make it more likely that people will develop Alzheimer’s.
• Vascular dementia. This second most common type of dementia occurs as a result of damage to the vessels that supply blood to your brain. Blood vessel problems can be caused by stroke or other blood vessel conditions.
• Lewy body dementia. Lewy bodies are abnormal clumps of protein that have been found in the brains of people with Lewy body dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. This is one of the more common types of progressive dementia.
• Frontotemporal dementia. This is a group of diseases characterized by the breakdown (degeneration) of nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, the areas generally associated with personality, behavior and language.As with other dementias, the cause isn’t known.
• Mixed dementia. Autopsy studies of the brains of people 80 and older who had dementia indicate that many had a combination of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia. Studies are ongoing to determine how having mixed dementia affects symptoms and treatments.

Other disorders linked to dementia

• Huntington’s disease. Caused by a genetic mutation, this disease causes certain nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord to waste away. Signs and symptoms, including a severe decline in thinking (cognitive) skills usually appear around age 30 or 40.
• Traumatic brain injury. This condition is caused by repetitive head trauma, such as experienced by boxers, football players or soldiers.Depending on the part of the brain that’s injured, this condition can cause dementia signs and symptoms, such as depression, explosiveness, memory loss, uncoordinated movement and impaired speech, as well as slow movement, tremors and rigidity (parkinsonism). Symptoms might not appear until years after the trauma.
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This rare brain disorder usually occurs in people without known risk factors. This condition might be due to an abnormal form of a protein. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can be inherited or caused by exposure to diseased brain or nervous system tissue.Signs and symptoms of this fatal condition usually appear around age 60.
• Parkinson’s disease. Many people with Parkinson’s disease eventually develop dementia symptoms (Parkinson’s disease dementia).

Dementia-like conditions that can be reversed

Some causes of dementia or dementia-like symptoms can be reversed with treatment. They include:

• Infections and immune disorders. Dementia-like symptoms can result from fever or other side effects of your body’s attempt to fight off an infection. Conditions such as multiple sclerosis that result from the body’s immune system attacking nerve cells also can cause dementia.
• Metabolic problems and endocrine abnormalities. People with thyroid problems, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), too little or too much sodium or calcium, or an impaired ability to absorb vitamin B-12 can develop dementia-like symptoms or other personality changes.
• Nutritional deficiencies. Not drinking enough liquids (dehydration); not getting enough thiamin (vitamin B-1), which is common in people with chronic alcoholism; and not getting enough vitamins B-6 and B-12 in your diet can cause dementia-like symptoms.
• Reactions to medications. A reaction to a medication or an interaction of several medications can cause dementia-like symptoms.
• Subdural hematomas. Bleeding between the surface of the brain and the covering over the brain, which is common in the elderly after a fall, can cause symptoms similar to dementia.
• Poisoning. Exposure to heavy metals, such as lead, and other poisons, such as pesticides, as well as alcohol abuse or recreational drug use can lead to symptoms of dementia. Symptoms might resolve with treatment.
• Brain tumors. Rarely, dementia can result from damage caused by a brain tumor.
• Anoxia. This condition, also called hypoxia, occurs when organ tissues aren’t getting enough oxygen. Anoxia can occur due to severe asthma, heart attack, carbon monoxide poisoning or other causes.
• Normal-pressure hydrocephalus. This condition, which is caused by enlarged ventricles in the brain, can cause walking problems, urinary difficulty and memory loss.

Risk factors

Many factors can eventually lead to dementia. Some factors, such as age, can’t be changed. Others can be addressed to reduce your risk.

Risk factors that can’t be changed

• Age. The risk rises as you age, especially after age 65. However, dementia isn’t a normal part of aging, and dementia can occur in younger people.
• Family history. Having a family history of dementia puts you at greater risk of developing the condition. However, many people with a family history never develop symptoms, and many people without a family history do. Tests to determine whether you have certain genetic mutations are available.
• Down syndrome. By middle age, many people with Down syndrome develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
• Mild cognitive impairment. This involves difficulties with memory but without loss of daily function. It puts people at higher risk of dementia.

Risk factors you can change

You might be able to control the following risk factors of dementia.

• Heavy alcohol use. If you drink large amounts of alcohol, you might have a higher risk of dementia. Some studies, however, have shown that moderate amounts of alcohol might have a protective effect.
• Cardiovascular risk factors. These include high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, buildup of fats in your artery walls (atherosclerosis) and obesity.
• Depression. Although not yet well-understood, late-life depression might indicate the development of dementia.
• Diabetes. If you have diabetes, you might have an increased risk of dementia, especially if it’s poorly controlled.
• Smoking. Smoking might increase your risk of developing dementia and blood vessel (vascular) diseases.
• Sleep apnea. People who snore and have episodes where they frequently stop breathing while asleep may have reversible memory loss.

Complications

Dementia can affect many body systems and, therefore, the ability to function. Dementia can lead to:

• Inadequate nutrition. Many people with dementia eventually reduce or stop their intake of nutrients. Ultimately, they may be unable to chew and swallow.
• Pneumonia. Difficulty swallowing increases the risk of choking or aspirating food into the lungs, which can block breathing and cause pneumonia.
• Inability to perform self-care tasks. As dementia progresses, it can interfere with bathing, dressing, brushing hair or teeth, using the toilet independently and taking medications accurately.
• Personal safety challenges. Some day-to-day situations can present safety issues for people with dementia, including driving, cooking and walking alone.
• Death. Late-stage dementia results in coma and death, often from infection.

Prevention

There’s no sure way to prevent dementia, but there are steps you can take that might help in slowing down the process of the disease. More research is needed, but it might be beneficial to do the following:

• Keep your mind active. Mentally stimulating activities, such as reading, solving puzzles and playing word games, and memory training might delay the onset of dementia and decrease its effects.
• Be physically and socially active. Physical activity and social interaction might delay the onset of dementia and reduce its symptoms. Move more and aim for 150 minutes of exercise a week.
• Quit smoking. Some studies have shown smoking in middle age and beyond may increase your risk of dementia and blood vessel (vascular) conditions. Quitting smoking might reduce your risk and will improve your health.
• Get enough vitamin D. Research suggests that people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. You can get vitamin D through certain foods, supplements and sun exposure.More study is needed before an increase in vitamin D intake is recommended for preventing dementia, but it’s a good idea to make sure you get adequate vitamin D.
• Lower your blood pressure. High blood pressure might lead to a higher risk of some types of dementia. More research is needed to determine whether treating high blood pressure may reduce the risk of dementia.
• Maintain a healthy diet. Eating a healthy diet is important for many reasons, but a diet such as the Mediterranean diet — rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in certain fish and nuts — might promote health and lower your risk of developing dementia.

“Tests and procedures used for colon/rectal cancer diagnosis include:

• Using a scope to examine the inside of the colon. Colonoscopy uses a long, flexible and slender tube attached to a video camera and monitor to view the whole colon and rectum. A doctor may pass surgical tools through the tube to take tissue samples and remove polyps.
• Removing a sample of tissue for testing. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. For colon cancer, the tissue sample is often collected during a colonoscopy. Sometimes surgery is needed to get the tissue sample. In the lab, tests can show whether the cells are cancerous and how quickly they’re growing. Other tests can give more information about the cancer cells. Your health care team uses the results to understand your prognosis and create a treatment plan.
• Blood tests. Blood tests aren’t used to diagnose colon cancer. But blood tests can give clues about overall health, such as how well the kidneys and liver are working. A blood test might be used to look for a low level of red blood cells. This result might indicate that a colon cancer is causing bleeding.

“It’s important to discuss all of your treatment options, including their goals and possible side effects, with your doctors to help make the decision that best fits your needs. It’s also very important to ask questions if there’s anything you’re not sure about.

If time permits, it is often a good idea to seek a second opinion. A second opinion can give you more information and help you feel more confident about the treatment plan you choose.

Based on your treatment options, you might have different types of doctors on your treatment team. These doctors could include:

• A gastroenterologist: a doctor who treats disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI or digestive) tract
• A surgical oncologist (oncologic surgeon): a doctor who uses surgery to treat cancer
• A colorectal surgeon: a doctor who uses surgery to treat diseases of the colon and rectum
• A radiation oncologist: a doctor who treats cancer with radiation therapy.”

American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/treating.html)

“In the United States in 2020—

This is held in March each year, offers healthcare providers who care for patients with diseases of the colon and rectum a valuable opportunity to educate their community about these diseases and promote awareness of the importance of colorectal cancer screening, prevention, and treatment. These efforts may also provide a window into the profession and encourage others to consider careers in the field of colon and rectal surgery.

Not counting some kinds of skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.

Colorectal cancer is now the fourth most common cancer in men and women.  It is the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States stated the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. Colorectal cancer affects people in all racial and ethnic groups and is most often found in people age 50 and older.

CDC states today counting some kinds of skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.

The good news? If everyone age 50 and older were screened regularly, 6 out of 10 deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to encourage people to get screened.

How can Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month make a difference?

We can use this month to raise awareness about colorectal cancer and take action toward prevention. Communities, organizations, families, and individuals can get involved and spread the word.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Encourage families to get active together – exercise may help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Talk to family, friends, and people in your community about the importance of getting screened for colorectal cancer starting at age 50.
• Encourage people over 50 to use this interactive tool to decide which colorectal cancer screening test they prefer.
• Ask doctors and nurses to talk to patients age 50 and older about the importance of getting screened

Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Every year, about 140,000 Americans get colorectal cancer, and more than 50,000 people die from it.

• Risk increases with age. More than 90% of colorectal cancers occur in people aged 50 and older.
• Precancerous polyps and colorectal cancer don’t always cause symptoms, especially at first. You could have polyps or colorectal cancer and not know it. That is why having a screening test is so important. If you have symptoms, they may include—
  • Blood in or on the stool (bowel movement).
  • Stomach pain, aches, or cramps that do not go away.
  • Losing weight and you don’t know why.

  These symptoms may be caused by something other than cancer. If you have any of them, see your doctor.

• There are several screening test options. Talk with your doctor about which is right for you.

“According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), traumatic brain injury is an acquired type of brain injury that takes place as a result of a sudden trauma that causes injury to the brain. For example, during skiing, if someone were to collide with a tree and hit their head at full-on impact that could certainly cause them to develop traumatic brain injury.

TBI is quite common and there are over 3.8 million TBIs in sports, in general, on a yearly basis within the United States alone. The NINDS has again reported that possibly half of the persons who are severely injured patients will need surgery to remove or repair ruptured blood vessels or bruised brain tissue. Sometimes, long-term effects, including disabilities may be a resulting issue.

Safety Precautions:

• Wear protective gear, such as a helmet.
• Be vigilant and avoid idling. This helps you to keep focused on what’s in your path ahead so you don’t collide with objects.
• Be mindful of the situation with the snow and ice. Is the ice super slippery or if there are hanging blankets of snow that may cause an avalanche?
• Ensure that wherever you take yourself or your family has a medical team on standby.”

Sioux Center Health – An Avera Partner

(https://www.siouxcenterhealth.org/latest-news-and-blog/national-winter-sports-traumatic-brain-injury-tbi-awareness-month/)

“Over the last 30 years, the risk of dying from cancer has steadily declined, sparing some 4 million lives in the United States. This downward trend can partially be explained by big wins in smoking cessation, early cancer detection, and treatment advancements.

The risk of developing 6 of the cancers on the rise is associated with excess body weight. Listed in order of strength of the association, those 6 cancers are endometrial, liver, kidney, pancreas, colorectal, and breast.”

The American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/facts-and-figures-2024.html)

Cancercenter.org states the following:

”One of the most common risk factors for cancer is something we can’t do anything about—age. Our cancer risk increases as we get older, with the average age at diagnosis hovering around 68.

But a new study in Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology says that over the last few decades, doctors have been seeing dramatic increases in cancer in adults younger than 50. The disturbing trend has scientists searching for:

• Reasons behind the sharp increase in early-onset cancer
• How best to screen for or detect cancers in young adults
• Whether the cancers are different types of common cancers in older adults
• Which treatments show promise for younger people

Cancers in the under-50 age group may foreshadow an “emerging pandemic,” says the study’s researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Cancer patients under 50 are at a different point in their lives than the typical, older patient: They may be students, parents of young children, family breadwinners or caregivers to aging parents. Their cancer treatments may mean a different financial burden, one that hits during their prime income-earning years. They may also face higher risks of other health issues, including infertility, heart disease and secondary cancers.

“Young adults often have a more challenging landscape than older adults diagnosed with cancer,” says Toufic Kachaamy, MD, Interventional Program Specialist and Chief of Medicine at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), Phoenix (he was not involved in the study). “When you’re 40 and get cancer, there’s a good chance that you’ve never been sick before. One day, you’re out to dinner or a party, the next thing you know, you’re on chemotherapy.”

Which cancer types were studied?

Researchers looked at 14 cancers being diagnosed with increased frequency in adults who haven’t turned 50 yet:

• Breast cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Extrahepatic bile duct cancer
• Gallbladder cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Liver cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Thyroid cancer

Colorectal cancer

Some of the highest increases in early-onset cancer are being seen in patients with colon cancer and rectal cancer. While colorectal incidence rates have dropped by almost 40 percent since 2000 among adults 50 and older, the rate is rising in those under 50. The latter trend may be linked to obesity levels that have exploded in the 18-25 age group, from 6.2 percent in 1976-80 to 32.7 percent in 2017-18.

Some researchers have thought that a higher body mass index (BMI)—or how much someone weighs compared to how tall he or she is—was a more significant risk factor for colon cancer than for rectal cancer. But that theory may not hold for early-onset cases, since researchers say rectal cancer is increasing in the United States at a faster rate than colon cancer.

Stomach cancer and esophageal cancer

Stomach cancer and esophageal cancer, like colorectal cancers, are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Eight of the 14 early-onset cancers studied are cancers of the digestive system.

The findings suggest someone’s microbiome—the microorganisms floating around in the digestive tract—impacts cancer risk, either because of changes caused by poor nutrition, lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking, or a significant increase in the use of antibiotics in recent decades.

Some risk factors for early-onset esophageal cancer include smoking, obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Heavy alcohol consumption is considered a risk factor for all stomach cancers, including early-onset cases.

Breast cancer

The study, instead of using the under-50 and over-50 groupings typical for breast cancer analyses, looked at premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Breast cancer is rising in both groups, but at a faster rate among younger, premenopausal adults.

Some studies have shown that a large number of female breast cancer patients under 50 were not considered at high risk for the disease. Now, the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging recommend women begin regular mammograms at age 40 instead of 50.

Some research on premenopausal breast cancer points to reproductive risk factors, obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and the prevalence of Western-style diets—ones high in red meats and processed foods—as contributors to early-onset breast cancer.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer was not included in the study because it’s been decreasing in both the under-50 and over-50 age groups. But the proportion of lung cancer cases among nonsmokers in the under-50 age group is rising.

Women also are making up an increasing proportion of lung cancers diagnosed in patients under 50, with men contributing to a steeper decline in those cases than women.

What caused cancer rates to rise in people under 50?

While increased screening may partially explain the rising number of early-onset diagnoses, researchers say that doesn’t tell the whole story.

“Evidence suggests that the earliest phase of carcinogenesis might start in early life or young adulthood, followed by intervals of up to several decades between initial cellular damage and clinical cancer detection,” the study’s authors wrote.

Since the mid-20th century, many unhealthy changes have affected diet, lifestyle, obesity, the environment and our microbiomes. Those changes may now be occurring earlier in life and may be making humans more susceptible to cancer at a younger age. Studies also suggest the increase in early-onset cancers may be part of the growing trend in chronic diseases affecting younger adults.

If you’re a parent or thinking about becoming one, your concern about early-onset cancer should extend to your children. The study says that a woman’s smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and obesity during pregnancy may play roles in her child’s future cancer risk. Providing your children with healthy meals, limiting processed and sugary foods in their diets, encouraging them to exercise, watching their weight and avoiding their exposure to second-hand smoke may help reduce their future cancer risk at a time when they’re too young to make good choices for themselves.

“We found that this risk is increasing with each generation,” says Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD, a professor and physician-scientist in the Department of Pathology at Brigham who was involved with the study. “For instance, people born in 1960 experienced higher cancer risk before they turn 50 than people born in 1950, and we predict that this risk level will continue to climb in successive generations.”

Which cancer risk factors affect young adults?

Some of the causes behind the increased cancer rates for adults under age 50 are thought to include:

• Drinking alcohol in excess
• Smoking tobacco
• Eating a Western diet
• Being obese or overweight
• Having type 2 diabetes
• Getting too little sleep, having abnormal sleep patterns and/or getting too little sleep during childhood
• Bearing children at a late age
• Having the first menstrual period at a young age
• Lower breast-feeding rates and increased formula consumption
• Using oral contraceptive
• Being exposed to environmental toxins

https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2023/01/why-are-cancer-rates-rising-in-adults-under-50

Through Harvard.ed they state the following:

“In an extensive review, the team found that the early life “exposome,” which encompasses an individual’s diet, lifestyle, weight, environmental exposures, and microbiome, has changed substantially in the last several decades. They hypothesize that factors like the Western diet and lifestyle may be contributing to the rise in early onset cancer. The team acknowledged that this increased incidence of certain cancer types is, in part, due to early detection through cancer screening programs. They couldn’t precisely measure what proportion of this growing prevalence could solely be attributed to screening and early detection. However, they noted that increased incidence of many of the 14 cancer types is unlikely due to enhanced screening alone.

Possible risk factors for early onset cancer included alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation, smoking, obesity, and eating highly processed foods. Surprisingly, researchers found that while adult sleep duration hasn’t drastically changed over the several decades, children are getting far less sleep today than they were decades ago. Risk factors such as highly processed foods, sugary beverages, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, and alcohol consumption have all significantly increased since the 1950s.

“Among the 14 cancer types on the rise that we studied, eight were related to the digestive system. The food we eat feeds the microorganisms in our gut,” said Ugai. “Diet directly affects microbiome composition and eventually these changes can influence disease risk and outcomes.”

“https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2022/09/researchers-report-dramatic-rise-in-early-onset-cancers/

Some of the causes behind the increased cancer rates for adults under age 50 are thought to include:

• Drinking alcohol in excess
• Smoking tobacco
• Eating a Western diet
• Being obese or overweight
• Having type 2 diabetes
• Getting too little sleep, having abnormal sleep patterns and/or getting too little sleep during childhood
• Bearing children at a late age
• Having the first menstrual period at a young age
• Lower breast-feeding rates and increased formula consumption
• Using oral contraceptive
• Being exposed to environmental toxins

“All living things depend on millions of chemical reactions that happen constantly. Chemical reactions that keep you alive happen fast! When you eat food, breathe, play, and grow, all of these are chemical reactions, and they must take place quickly.