Colon cancer in young moms is on the rise

TOP OF MIND

Colon cancer continues to rise in young adults
No one wants to talk about cancer, but it's better to talk about it now, before you're forced to talk about it later.

Colorectal cancer is on the rise in young adults, particularly those in their 20s, 30s and 40s. In fact, while colon and rectal cancer rates have dropped in older adults, they've actually skyrocketed in young adults.

New research shows people born around 1990 are at almost twice the risk of colon cancer compared with people born in the 1950s. Some health experts believe the "Western diet" is to blame, particularly the lack of fiber in many diets these days. Women are encouraged to get at least 25 grams of fiber, while men need closer to 40 grams.

Here's why new moms should pay close attention...

The important bits
Colorectal cancer is rising in both men and women, but experts are especially worried about young moms. Post-childbirth symptoms are very similar to those of colorectal cancer, and because of this, doctors are sometimes quick to write the symptoms off.

39-year-old mother Marisa Peters experienced blood in her stool for years after giving birth, and many medical professionals assured her she was simply still having post-childbirth symptoms. A couple years later, she finally convinced doctors to give her a colonoscopy and they discovered a lime-sized tumor.

Peters notes that colorectal cancer is on track to be the top killer of young moms by 2030 and is currently the second cause of cancer-related deaths in women today.

She started the "Be Seen" movement, which aims to support women in getting the medical care they need and deserve. They also have a comprehensive list of signs and symptoms to watch out for.

What's it all mean?
Being informed is the best thing you can do. Colorectal cancer is preventable with early detection and screening. As noted by Cancer.org, "it usually takes about 10 to 15 years for polyps to develop into colorectal cancer." If you have regular screenings, most polyps can be found and removed before they become a problem.

In addition to regular screenings, doctors recommend increasing your physical activity, and cleaning up your diet. Add in more fiber, which usually means more veggies, fruits and whole grains. And do your best to avoid red and highly processed meats.

More info here.

DID YOU HEAR

😈 Speaking of terrible twos
If you're a new parent, chances are you've had older parents warn you of the terrible twos. They make it sound like the second your kid hits the age of two, they turn into a literal devil. You should be happy to know that the "terrible twos" is really just an umbrella term. Your child's rebellious streak can actually start as early as 18 months, and can last until the age of four. The good news is that there are ways to fight it, like distracting your kid during a tantrum and using the "two choices" technique. Read about it here.

🎧 What's with all the noise?
The world around us is getting louder, and that's bad news for our kids' ears. There's new research showing how traffic noise is "hurting" our children's brains. Researchers found that sudden fluctuations of noise from traffic outside the classroom were more likely to distract students and cause them to miss important information. And it's not just traffic noise causing problems. You know those white noise machines that help us sleep? They're producing "alarmingly loud" sounds.

👀 The unintended consequences of strict parenting
According to this teen, super strict parents are actually creating super rebellious teenagers. She writes about how she had this one friend who wasn't allowed to have a phone or use social media. She was also rarely allowed to hang out with friends, but when she did? Yiiikes. Beyond this anecdotal evidence, there is actual research backing up this theory. Here's how you can find the perfect level of strictness.

🫂 Why so little is known about miscarriages
Each year in the U.S., approximately 1 million pregnancies result in miscarriage, and in up to half of these cases, doctors aren't able to determine the cause. Why is that? Well, some experts believe stigma and shame are to blame.

🍟 I'm too stressed to eat... healthy foods!
The 19th annual Food and Health Survey from IFIC was released this month, and they determined that 64% of Americans are feeling stressed. How does this impact our nutrition? Well, according to the study, 51% of those stressed individuals admitted to eating less healthy food and more snacks. The good news for you is that our resident nutrition expert, Kiyah, has some amazing tips in our "Bites with Kiyah" section.

🛩️ Flying with kids this summer?
Here are some airplane activities you can do to make sure they don't end up on the no fly list. 

A DOSE OF GOOD

@spillagebeatbox

What's your childs favourite meal? 🍛 #toddlers #toddlermeals #toddlermom #toddlersoftiktok #toddler #mealtime #capcut #meme #viral #fyp #f... See more

BITES WITH KIYAH

As noted in the "Did You Hear" section above, 64% of Americans are feeling stressed, primarily due to financial concerns. As a result, these individuals ate fewer healthy foods and beverages despite making conscientious choices to try to improve their health. Recently I talked about the role that stress plays in shaping your kids' relationship with food.

This week on my blog I'll be giving concrete evidence-based tips for what you can do instead of indulging stress and worry to help your kids develop healthy relationships with food.

Kiyah is the co-founder of Kizingo Kids and an expert in nutrition. Follow her on Instagram.

SOME REALLY GOOD AMAZON DEALS

We all love a good deal, but we don't love trying to find them. Good news for you? We did the dirty work for you.

Here are some of the best Amazon deals going on this week...

This 54 piece magnetic building block set is nearly 50% off right now. You can get it for just $24.99, which is a pretty amazing deal. Perfect for kids 3+

You can always use a new heating pad, and this one is just $9.99 on Amazon. It has six heat settings, auto shut-off, perfect for cramps, and it's machine washable! (typically goes for $20)

Have you jumped on the snail mucin craze yet? The miracle skincare ingredient has been popular for a couple years now, and it appears to be a mainstay in the beauty world. It helps moisturize the skin, promotes collagen production, and aids in skin healing. Oh, and it's currently over 60% off on Amazon.

Finally, this super useful 10-pack fridge organizer is 35% off, and let's be honest, you probably need it.

HERE’S A QUESTION

Last week, we asked you if your child is named after anyone, and there was a tie for first place! "Yes, but it's after a relative" and "no" came out on top.

RECALLS

Over 500,000 battery chargers sold at Costco
If you purchased a myCharge POWER HUB All-In-One 10,000mAh portable charger from Costco, you should probably pay attention to this recall.

Around 560,000 of the charges have been recalled after 120 reports of the product overheating while charging, and according to the reports, two of those incidents resulted in house fires.

Click here to view all the information you need on the exact model impacted by this recall and how to get a refund.