Tag: screening

Pick Up the Phone

I haven’t been writing much lately. There’s a slow and painful thing happening, and it feels wrong to write about it.

My sister-in-law is in hospice. She’s been fighting cancer for more than a dozen years. She’s done it all — surgeries, chemo, radiation, experimental drugs. She’s fought hard, dealt with debilitating side effects, and finally, her body is giving out.

It’s terrible.

What I want to say to you…

Ladies, pick up the phone and make an appointment for a mammogram and pap test.

Gentlemen, pick up the phone and get an appointment for a prostate exam. Do it.

Everyone over 45, get that colonoscopy booked. Put it on your calendar.

Everyone, no matter your age, book an appointment with a dermatologist. Get checked scalp to toes. Your skin is your largest organ! Don’t overlook it!

No matter your age, get a full blood workup. See if anything is out of normal ranges. Check your fasting glucose (and plan to actually fast before getting the test). Ask for the hemoglobin A1C test and check that level — it’s so important to get a feel for your metabolic health. See my blog Are You Metabolically Healthy? to help understand the findings.

If you smoke or did in the past, talk to your provider about the low-dose CT scan for lung cancer. More info in my blog Stamp Out Lung Cancer.

Many cancers are treatable if caught early. If you have medical insurance, these screenings will be fully or mostly covered.

Finally, check yourself. Are there any lumps? Check your neck, throat, etc. Are there any spots on your skin? A weird mole, perhaps? Are you feeling easily winded or tired after light exercise? Does your sweat smell different? Are you shaky when you miss a meal? Unexplained headaches? Notice these little signals and discuss with your doctor.

Please don’t delay. ❤️ Your health and life are precious.

Are You Metabolically Healthy?

Dr. Casey Means uses these five key biomarkers to determine if a person is metabolically healthy. Do you make the cut?

  • An HDL level above 50 for women or above 40 for men. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein.
  • A fasting glucose level of under 100 milligrams per deciliter.
  • A triglyceride level of less than 150 milligrams per deciliter.
  • Blood pressure under 120/85.
  • A waist circumference of less than 35 inches for women and less than 40 inches for men.

Dr. Means cites research that indicates that approximately 93% of adults are not metabolically healthy, which lays the groundwork for a variety of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and cancer.

Strangely, according to these markers, I’m actually in a healthy range … cancer and all. 🤔

Stamp Out Lung Cancer

In my professional life, I build online learning. Over the past year, I’ve worked on two projects concerning lung cancer.

It was hard (and also stragely helpful) to dive into lung-cancer-related content for work while also diving into a ton of content about leukemia for my own reasons.

I wanted to share some of it with YOU. Please read and share!

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Did you know that lung cancer is the DEADLIEST kind of cancer in the US? It’s true! More people die annually from it than from breast, prostate, and colon cancer COMBINED! There are two reasons this is so.

First, the lungs have very few nerve endings, and so lung cancer can grow without causing pain or symptoms.

Q. HOW CAN THIS BE SOLVED?

A. BY GETTING SCREENED!

Think of a lung screening just as you would an annual mammogram, colonoscopy, or trip to the dermatologist.

Low-dose CT scans are available for those who smoked or have other risk factors. Click here to check your eligibility and learn more:

https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/saved-by-the-scan

🫁

The second reason why lung cancer is so deadly is because of the STIGMA surrounding it. People simply don’t talk about it, seek second opinions, or get support when diagnosed. By trying to avoid the perceived shame of their illness, many will suffer and not find quality treatment.

Q: HOW CAN THIS BE SOLVED?

A: BY TALKING ABOUT IT!


We can ALL reduce the stigma by normalizing the subject, showing support and caring! Which is what I’m doing right now.

If you want to learn more about lung cancer, or you just want to check out some of the important work being done by the American Lung Association (and me), visit lung.training.