Why bowel cancer cases are on the rise in people under 50 years- explained

Almost 2 million people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year. Also known as colorectal cancer, it’s the third most common cancer worldwide.

While the majority of people diagnosed with bowel cancer are over 50, recent years has seen an alarming increase in the number of young people being diagnosed with the condition.

In 2019, one study showed that in seven high income countries with historically high levels of bowel cancer, rates in the over-50s had begun to stabilise or even decline. This was attributed to the success of routine screening programmes that pick up pre-cancerous lesions before they have chance to develop into cancer.

But this same study also found that the disease was becoming more common in those under-50 in all countries analysed. For example, in Norway, the risk of developing rectal cancer (a type of bowel cancer) at an early age was five times greater for someone born in 1990 compared to someone born in 1920.

More recently, a larger study which looked at bowel cancer rates in 50 different countries has revealed similar trends are happening across the world. Increasing rates of bowel cancer diagnoses were observed in countries in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia – with many seeing the greatest increases in the under-50s.

While researchers aren’t entirely sure what’s fuelling this rise in young people specifically, it may be due to our increasingly unhealthy lifestyles.

What causes bowel cancer?

It’s been known for decades that the risk of developing bowel cancer is strongly influenced by a person’s lifestyle and environment.

For instance, a landmark study from 1968 showed that rates of bowel cancer were substantially higher in ethnically Japanese US citizens compared to the population in Japan – which, at that time, had comparatively low levels of the disease. This phenomenon, which has been backed up by many subsequent studies, strongly implicates a westernised lifestyle in promoting bowel cancer.

 In the years since, we’ve got a better idea of the factors that underpin this effect. Low physical activity levels, a diet low in fiber and high in fat or one that contains high amounts of red or processed meats, being overweight or obese, drinking alcohol and smoking are all linked with substantially higher risk of developing bowel cancer.

The impact these lifestyle factors have on the overall numbers of bowel cancer cases are significant. Cancer Research UK estimates that over half of UK bowel cancer cases are due to preventable causes.

Meanwhile Japan, where rapid economic development has driven the adoption of an increasingly westernised diet, now has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world.

Our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and the rising consumption of highly calorific, nutritionally poor foods probably plays a critical role in the generational changes in bowel cancer incidence we’re seeing. Such diets became increasingly commonplace through the US and parts of Europe in the 1970s – before spreading to other countries as a side-effect of economic development.

A worldwide obesity crisis

We’re also in the midst of a worldwide obesity crisis. It’s estimated that 2.2 billion people worldwide are overweight and 890 million of these are obese.

Worryingly, although rates of obesity are increasing among people of all ages, children and adolescents are disproportionately affected. Obesity is now ten times more common in children aged between five- and 14-years-old than in the mid-1970s.

This is significant, as many of the metabolic changes associated with obesity –such as dysregulated hormones and a chronic state of inflammation – are thought to help drive cancer development. Obesity is also associated with type 2 diabetes, which has been linked to increased risk of developing bowel cancer. Type 2 diabetes is also becoming increasingly common in younger people.

Our diet also has a big impact on the health of our gut microbiome – the population of trillions of bacteria and microbes that live inside us. Evidence suggests that a Western-style diet can promote a state of dysbiosis. This means the balance of the gut’s bacteria becomes disrupted – making it easier for harmful microbes to grow and reducing the growth of helpful bacteria.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the composition of our microbiome can have a big impact on how likely we are to develop bowel cancer. One study even showed that the effects of gut dysbiosis on bowel cancer incidence may play an even greater role in younger patients than older ones.

Unfortunately, bowel cancer in the under-50s is often diagnosed at a late stage. This is in part due to screening programmes being targeted to over-50s. However, a survey by Bowel Cancer UK also highlighted a lack of awareness of the disease in younger people and their doctors as a contributory factor.

Signs of bowel cancer

Early diagnosis is key to a better prognosis, so it’s important to be aware of the symptoms. Abdominal pain, bloody stools, changed bowel habits or unexplained weight loss can all be a sign of bowel cancer. Many of these can occur in the absence of cancer – but it’s important to get them checked out so cancer can be ruled out.

To reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer at any age, the message is very clear. Eat a healthy diet, limit your intake of ultra-processed foods and alcohol, don’t smoke and regularly exercise.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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5 Serious Mistakes That Can Lead to Dehydration in Seniors

Did you know that a third to half of all seniors are dehydrated? Scientific evidence points out that this is a serious and widespread problem, especially since dehydration in older adults can have dire consequences. In this article, we delve deeper into this issue and discuss 5 common misconceptions that cause dehydration in seniors.

How Common Is Dehydration Among Seniors?

According to the latest scientific estimates, up to 50% of all seniors are chronically dehydrated. With age, one’s ability to retain and hydrate all the cells in the body decreases, which means that older adults will be more susceptible to dehydration than younger adults.

Certain medications, such as diuretics and laxatives, as well as certain conditions, e.g. reduced kidney function, likewise make you lose water faster. All these factors increase the risk of dehydration in seniors and require them to pay closer attention to how much liquid they consume each day, especially since the health stakes of dehydration in older adults are much higher than those in younger people.

What Are the Dangers of Dehydration in Older Adults?
Not drinking enough can have serious repercussions on the health of seniors. Definitely, the most alarming issue is that of increased mortality and risk of serious impairment after stroke, with dehydrated patients being twice as likely not to survive and more than twice as likely to suffer impairment post-stroke than those who have adequate liquid intake.

Apart from that, dehydration can make you feel more tired, weak and dizzy, which increases one’s risk of falls, and affect your cognitive functioning, namely memory, attention, and ability to concentrate. Other common harmful effects of dehydration include:

    low blood pressure
    decreased kidney health
    constipation.

​Needless to say, the consequences of dehydration in older adults are quite adverse. Luckily, it is possible to avoid these harmful effects by keeping up balanced fluid intake. Let's learn how you can avoid dehydration by looking at 5 common mistakes seniors make that can result in dehydration.

Mistake 1. Not Knowing How Much to Drink
Sometimes, it's very difficult to keep up with the latest recommendations, as some studies suggest that the 8 glasses of water a day rule is arbitrary, and others suggest you should drink a whole gallon of water daily. This is further complicated by different recommended liquid intakes per weight and age, turning daily needs into a matter of heated scientific debate.

To make things simple, let's enunciate and stick to the most up-to-date medical recommendations: ​doctors currently advise senior women to drink 8 glasses of liquids per day, and elderly men should drink 10 glasses. You can also ask your health provider or family doctor if you have any health conditions or other factors that require a higher or lower daily liquid intake.

Mistake 2. Assuming Liquids and Food Other Than Water Don't Count
If water is your preferred drink, there's nothing wrong with exclusively consuming water, but do keep in mind that, contrary to popular misconceptions, all liquids and even most foods will contribute to your daily liquid intake. Juices, milk, yogurts, tea, and coffee all consist primarily of water, so these will be just as hydrating for you as water.
In one study, scientists compared hydration levels in participants who drank equal quantities of water and coffee and found that the group that drank only coffee was just as hydrated as those who only drank water.
When trying to reach your daily liquid intake, don't forget about fruit and vegetables either, as some of these, such as watermelons, cucumbers, and strawberries, just to name a few, consist more than 90% of water. 

Mistake 3. Believing One Can't Drink Enough Because of Certain Restrictions
Reaching a mature age can be accompanied by certain restrictions, some of which can limit your daily liquid intake, but they shouldn't. A recent study that interviewed people past the age of 75 about the issues they face in maintaining proper hydration levels found, for example, that seniors often worry about losing bladder control, even if they don't suffer from incontinence, and this fear makes them avoid liquids.

Patients suffering from chronic joint pain and swallowing difficulties likewise tend to drink less to avoid pain. While these issues may prompt patients to restrict their fluid intake, it's important to remember that avoiding dehydration is crucial for your health. You can work together with your doctor and family to make accommodations that would free you of the stigma surrounding incontinence and reduce the pain you experience. Making the bathroom easily accessible, for example, can minimize the pain you experience when moving around. 

Mistake 4. Only Drinking When Thirsty or Active
If you think you can only get dehydrated when it's hot outside, or when you spend time outdoors, think again. The truth is that you can even become dehydrated when you sleep or sit on the couch all day, as our body requires water to carry out all sorts of important chemical reactions and metabolic processes literally all the time.

What further complicates the issue is that, as we age, our sense of thirst becomes less reliable than it was when we were young. This is especially true in people who suffer from dementia, diabetes, or those who had a stroke since these conditions damage the nervous system and can dramatically worsen one's ability to experience thirst. That's why seniors or their caretakers should make a conscious decision to maintain an adequate liquid intake, even if it sometimes involves forcing yourself to drink.

Mistake 5. Drinking Water on an Empty Stomach
If hydration is your goal, drinking plain water on an empty stomach is not so useful. This is because our body mainly absorbs the water together with electrolytes and other micro-nutrients, and pure drinking water has very little of those.

According to a 2015 study, drinking milk or orange juice for breakfast was more hydrating than drinking plain water, for example. So, to maintain better fluid balance, it's best to jump start your day by eating a light breakfast with a glass of water on the side, or by enjoying a different drink, such as milk or juice, instead of just water.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Alcoholism is linked to brain pathways

A reccent scientific study states that alcoholism may be due to dysfunction in a specific brain pathway that normally helps keep drinking in check.

Difficulty saying no to alcohol, even when it could clearly lead to harm, is a defining feature of alcohol use disorders. This study takes us a step further in understanding the brain mechanisms underlying compulsive drinking, said a researcher.

Some complex human behaviours including emotion, anxiety and motivation are regulated by the outer layers of the brain-cortex that are primarily responsible brain processes like decision-making. Unlike other addictive substances like cocaine, alcohol has very broad effects on the brain.

Another researcher said, we want to understand how the brain normally regulates drinking, so we can answer questions about what happens when this regulation isn't happening as it should.

The researchers used mice as the subject of experimentation for conducting the research.

Current treatments just aren't effective enough, nearly half of all people treated for AUD ( Alcohol use disorder) relapse within a year of seeking treatment, he said.

For decision effective treatments for alcoholism, scientists first need to understand the difference in the wiring of a normal person's brain and an alcoholic's brain.

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Overdoing these 5 healthy habits can be harmful

Overdoing these 5 healthy habits can be harmful

Have you ever thought that your healthy habits can actually become unhealthy for you after a point? Habits like popping your daily vitamins, brushing your teeth or exercising can come under the list of unhealthy when overdone. Here is a list of five such healthy habits that can take a toll on your health, if you are not careful:

Taking a high dose of vitamins

High dose of vitamin supplements can backfire when it comes to your health. People having a high dose of vitamins (four times than the required amount) are more prone to getting cancer. This happens because the normal cellular growth can be knocked off when people take too many multivitamins for a long time. Keep in mind not to choose a brand that exceeds the 100 per cent of the daily value for any nutrient, unless your doctor specifically asks you to consume it. 

Drinking too much wine for good heart health

You must have read at numerous places that a glass of wine every day boosts your heart health. But it’s important to stick to one glass (4 ounces) a day. A study conducted by the American Journal of Cardiology found that people who drink wine for a healthy heart, drink 47 per cent more as compared to other people. Drinking too much wine can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain and increase your risk of stroke. 

Exfoliating

Exfoliating is a proven technique to remove dirt, oil and dead cells from your skin. It also helps the antioxidants and other ingredients penetrate more deeply into the skin. But too much scrubbing can make your skin dry and irritated. People with dry skin should stick to scrubbing only once a week and the ones with oily skin can do it twice a week. 

Too much brushing

Have you seen some people who stretch their brushing sessions up to half an hour by standing in the balcony or roaming in the house? We hope you are not one of them. This can wear down the enamel on your teeth and push your gums back. This can lead to dental problems, which might require some serious treatments. 10 to 20 per cent of adults damage their teeth as a result of over-brushing, say studies.
Use a brush with soft bristles and make short streaks while brushing. 

Exercising

We all know exercising daily is important for good health and long life. It protects your mood, boosts heart health and has uncountable other health benefits. A lot of us don’t get enough physical activity that ideally we should but a minority of us go overboard, which they shouldn't.

This is because your body needs time for recovery after a tough workout. That is why it is important to give yourself a break from long and high-intensity workout sessions. Exercising too much won’t give you any extra benefits and can even lead to injury.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Teenage anxiety leads to harmful drinking

Researchers at the University of Bristol have found evidence of an association between generalised anxiety disorder at age 18 and harmful drinking three years later.

The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence strengthens the evidence for a relationship between anxiety and later alcohol use as the researchers accounted for other factors such as adolescent smoking and cannabis use, and parental anxiety and alcohol use.

"Helping adolescents to develop positive strategies for coping with anxiety, instead of drinking alcohol, may reduce the risk of future harmful drinking. However, we cannot determine if the relationship is causal, because we used an observational study design," said Maddy Dyer.

Using questionnaire and clinical interview data from more than 2,000 participants, researchers found generalised anxiety disorder at age 18 was linked to frequent drinking, frequent bingeing, hazardous drinking, and harmful drinking at age 18.

Generalised anxiety disorder continued to be associated with harmful drinking at age 21.

Drinking to cope was also strongly associated with more harmful drinking, but it did not appear to influence associations between anxiety and alcohol use.

Harmful drinking was measured using a special test developed by the World Health Association.
On average, adolescents with anxiety drank at more harmful levels regardless of whether they tended to drink alcohol for coping reasons or not.

"Our own research has shown that links between mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders, and alcohol are common and complex," said Mark Leyshon, Senior Policy and Research Manager at Alcohol Change UK.

For example, anxiety can be both a result of stopping drinking and a risk factor in beginning to drink too much, as this new study suggests.

"We need more research to help us better understand the connections between alcohol and mental health, as well as high-quality, accessible, integrated support for substance misuse and mental health issues," Leyshon added.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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12 Common Habits That Affect the Skin and Hair

So many hair and skin issues, such as backne, split ends, hair loss, puffiness and others are common nowadays, affecting our confidence and discouraging us from using skin and hair care. But don't be discouraged, as all it takes is a bit more attention and knowledge and you'll be able to get rid of these problems.

Unfortunately, we are often to blame for these issues, as we unknowingly irritate and harm the skin and hair, stretching them to the limit. Are you guilty of these 10 bad habits? Even if you are, you can learn how to avoid them and treat your body the right way with this informative guide.

1. Old Makeup and Beauty Tools May Be the Hiding Place for Bacteria

Makeup brushes, hairbrushes, and sponges are all essential grooming tools, but if we don't take care of them and don't replace them regularly enough, they will start harboring bacteria, which then can cause dermatitis, acne and scalp issues. Even old makeup can become the breeding grounds for bacteria.

Some items need to be replaced regularly, such as your mascara, foundation and makeup sponges, whereas others, e.g. makeup brushes, simply require thorough and regular cleaning. Make sure to wash your makeup brushes and sponges with warm water and soap (or a dedicated brush cleanser) once a week and set out to dry on a clean towel.

2. Drinking Through a Straw All the Time Will Give You Wrinkles Around the Mouth

Yes, it's true, a simple thing like drinking from a straw can speed up skin aging.

Let us point out that we think that there's nothing wrong with wrinkles and fine lines, as beauty is ageless, but if you do want to prevent and decrease those vertical fine lines around your mouth, ditching the straw is a good start, plus it's good for the environment.

3. Your Shampoo Can Cause Breakouts

I myself have struggled with this problem, as I couldn't understand what's causing breakouts around my hairline and on my shoulders until I realized that it must be the hair care items I was using that irritated my skin. Little did I know that this problem is so widespread and so many people have the same problem. Luckily, there's a quick solution to it, too.

Certainly, you can't and shouldn't stop shampooing your hair, but what you can do is to change up your hair care products to more hypoallergenic ones. Apart from that, shampoo and condition your hair before washing your face and body to make sure you get all the remnants of the hair care products off your skin, especially the hairline.

4. You Wait for Hours After You Get Out of the Shower to Apply Your Skincare

If you find that your skin is dry and parched, this might be why. Many people fail to moisturize their skin right after they hop out of the shower, which makes their skin lose a lot of hydration. This, in turn, can accentuate your fine lines and wrinkles, even if you apply moisturizer later on. The best time to apply moisturizer and any other skin treatments is right after the shower, which will make sure you lock in all the moisture in your skin, both face and body included.

5. You Apply Your Skincare Products in the Wrong Order

If you're someone who has several steps in your skincare routine, you might be puzzled as to why they don't work as well as they should, despite you meticulously putting them on every evening. One very common reason why this may be the case is that you got their order wrong, as the ingredients with the products that are oil-soluble and those that are water-soluble don't mix well.

Even experienced skincare enthusiasts make this mistake sometimes, so don't worry and simply follow this general rule: apply your skincare products from thinnest to thickest.

For example, if you have a facial spray, a serum, an eye cream and a moisturizer in your routine, you start with the facial spray, then apply your serum, followed by your eye cream, and finally, the moisturizer. This application order ensures all the water-based products meant to penetrate deeply into your skin do so instead of idly sitting on top of your moisturizer.

6. You Overindulge With Salt

Despite popular belief, a diet that contains too much salt doesn't necessarily dry out your skin if you make sure you drink enough. However, what it can do is make the skin under your eyes and your face puffy, even if you drink enough, as high sodium intake makes your body worse at draining all the excess liquids from your body, i.e. causes water retention.

So, if you find that your eyes get puffy in the morning, your high salt diet may be why. T

7. You Apply Eye Cream the Wrong Way

Some people apply eye cream right under their eyes all the way up to their lashes, as well as the upper eyelid. That's not the best way to apply eye cream, as it may actually make your eye area puffier and irritate the gentle skin around your eyes, causing premature lines.

Instead, apply the eye cream on your orbital bone, roughly in the area we highlighted in the image above. The product will be absorbed into the skin and then travel up to your under eyes without causing excess puffiness. 

8. You Put Your Hair Up in a Ponytail or Bun While It's Wet

When you're having a bad hair day, it's just too tempting to just put the hair up in a ponytail or bun and forget the problem ever existed. But if you're doing that while your hair is still wet, you might be doing double damage. This is because your hair is a lot more fragile and elastic while it's wet, and by wearing it up you're actually encouraging hair breakage and split ends in the area of the hair tie, as well as increasing the likelihood of getting traction alopecia.

Traction alopecia is a type of sometimes permanent hair loss associated with constant hair pulling.

9. You're Not Looking After Your Diet

It turns out that a healthy diet shows, with both your hair and skin health suffering greatly from crash dieting, overeating and not drinking enough water. But even foods that are otherwise fine can cause your skin to act out, be it in the form of breakouts, increased skin dryness or oiliness and pore size. For one, dairy and foods that contain a lot of white flour, such as white bread and pastries, have been found to affect the skin.

Luckily, the opposite is also true, and you can boost your skin's health by consuming a lot of antioxidant-rich foods, such as fruit and vegetables. One great example of skin-boosting foods are tomatoes, which have been proven to help prevent skin aging and inflammation, among other things.

10. Your Pillowcase Is Affecting Your Skin and Hair

You read that right, your pillowcase may be the culprit behind some of your skin and hair issues, too. In fact, dermatologists suggest you replace your pillowcase with a clean one as often as possible, up to two times a week, if you're suffering from acne or any other skin conditions.

Estheticians and consumers, on the other hand, point out that the material of the pillowcase also matters, giving preference to satin and silk pillowcases that reportedly cause less hair breakage and don't leave crease marks on your face that can speed up the formation of wrinkles.

Finally, consider the detergent you're using, as that, too, may contain irritating ingredients that you might just be allergic to. If you feel like this is the case for you, opt for non-scented or hypoallergenic detergents, such as those meant for babies, which are generally less irritating.

11. You're Using a Moisturizer That's Too Heavy for Your Skin

If you're using a moisturizer that's too thick and emollient  (softening the skin) for your particular skin, you can develop milia, small white bumps on your skin. These typically appear around the eyes, like in the photo above, but they can also occur on any part of your face where you've been using a moisturizer that's too rich for you.

These spots are not acne and picking them will only make them worse, so don't do that. What you should do is switch to a more lightweight, possibly gel-based moisturizer and gently exfoliate the milia with a chemical exfoliator.

12. You're Heat Styling Hair That's Dripping Wet

Heat-styling is our final bad habit, as it promotes hair breakage and hair loss if done regularly, but it's especially harmful when you're applying heat to hair that's dripping wet because you'll have to use a lot more heat to dry it completely. It's fine to do in an emergency or during a trip to the hair salon, but doing so several times a week will really damage your hair.

Instead, towel-dry your hair or let it air-dry until it's at least 30% dry, and then proceed with the hairdryer. This way, you will be able to blow-dry your hair much quicker and inflict significantly less damage to your hair.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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