Happiness is a goal for so many of us — but how do we actually achieve it? I recently had a chance to speak with Dr. Sonja Lyumbomirsky, a professor who studies happiness, and she shared with me how we can all pursue that goal. But first, some of this week's headlines ... — Sanjay |
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Nearly half of adult cancer deaths in the US could be prevented by making lifestyle changes, study finds |
About 40% of new cancer cases among adults ages 30 and older in the United States — and nearly half of deaths — could be attributed to preventable risk factors, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society. "These are things that people can practically change how they live every single day to reduce their risk of cancer," said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer with the American Cancer Society. Smoking was the leading risk factor by far, the study found, contributing to nearly 1 in 5 cancer cases and nearly a third of cancer deaths. Other key risk factors included excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet and infections such as HPV. Cancer grows because of DNA damage or because it has a fuel source, Kamal said. Other things — such as genetics or environmental factors — can also create these biological conditions, but modifiable risks explain a significantly larger share of cancer cases and deaths than any other known factors. Exposure to sunlight can damage DNA and lead to skin cancer, for example, while fat cells produce hormones that can feed certain cancers. Intervening on a set of "core behavioral risk factors" — quitting smoking, eating well and exercising, for example — can make a "dramatic difference in the rates and outcomes of chronic diseases," said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. And cancer is one of those chronic diseases, just like heart disease or diabetes. |
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Secondhand e-cigarette aerosols expose kids to less nicotine than cigarettes, study finds, but can still be risky |
Children who live in homes where adults use e-cigarettes are exposed to significantly less nicotine through secondhand aerosols than children in homes where adults use traditional cigarettes, a new study shows. But vaping still exposes kids to nicotine and may present other risks, too. To keep children completely nicotine-free, according to the researchers, people shouldn't smoke or vape around kids at all. Vaping has been promoted to adults as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes and as a potential smoking cessation device, although experts say more research is needed. One reason some doctors prefer that their patients use e-cigarettes is because they expose users to fewer toxic chemicals such as those found in tobacco and the dozens of other carcinogens found in cigarettes, like N-nitrosamines and aldehydes, that can cause cancer and other serious health problems. But what the new study shows, experts say, is that harm reduction for the user is not necessarily the same as harm removal for everyone around them — and this could be a significant issue for children, whose lungs are still developing. |
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Tampons contain lead, arsenic and potentially toxic chemicals, studies say. Here's what to know |
The average menstruating person will spend about five years of their total reproductive lifespan using an estimated 11,000 tampons, sanitary pads, panty liners and other menstrual products, experts say. Research has found that tampons and other menstrual products may contain chemicals such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS; plasticizers, also known as phthalates; and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, emitted as gas or fragrances from many consumer products. All these chemical groups have been shown to disrupt the body's endocrine system, which regulates sexual development, metabolism, blood sugar, mood, sleep and more. Recently, a small pilot study found arsenic and lead in organic and nonorganic tampons — and although the levels were small, there is no safe level of exposure to lead, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Vaginal tissue is more permeable than other parts of the body, so if studies were to find that heavy metals — or worrisome chemicals — do leach from menstrual products into the body, it could be a significant problem, said Anna Pollack, associate professor of global and community health at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. "However, there is no reason for people to be afraid to use menstrual products at this time," she said. "I would just be aware of the issue and monitor any research that develops." |
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What a geriatric doctor wants you to know now for healthy aging |
Longevity isn't just about living a long life but also about living well. Fortunately, there are things you can do at any age to ensure that you will maintain your health as the years go on, according to Dr. John Batsis, a geriatrician at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "There are a number of factors that have been shown time and time again to lead to healthy aging, but really you can kind of drill it down to kind of a couple," he said. Those are proper nutrition, regular physical activity and social connections. "We often think about these independently as silos, and really you need to be thinking about these jointly and together and synergistically." Healthy aging can happen at any age, Batsis says. "It's not only as a young adult or middle-aged adult, not only around retirement age. It still can occur well into one's 80s and 90s. "The definition of what constitutes healthy aging may differ, and it's really about asking, what does it mean to you? What's important to you at this stage of life? How can we achieve what is important to you? And then coming up with a plan and strategies to help our individual patient achieve that. That is the key, and it shouldn't be a top-down approach. It really needs to be engaging the patient, figuring out from within what is important to them, and helping them and giving them strategies to help them achieve what's important to them. It comes from within." |
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| Summer can feel like the season of bodies on display. Experts share what's behind all the self-consciousness and what we can do about it. |
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Chasing Life From Dr. Sanjay Gupta — |
The headlines have been stressful and trying for many of us recently. I got a brief reprieve when I spoke with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, for my podcast "Chasing Life." She is a happiness researcher who studies "The How of Happiness," and she said there are some fairly universal ways we can all increase our happiness, but how we practice them may not be the same way for all of us. The basics of happiness are practices you've probably heard of: Be grateful, be kind, practice being social. Many of us learn these ideas as young children. But on top of trying to bring these practices into our lives, it's important to make sure they fit in our lives, fit our resources and fit who we are. For example, our family likes to have a gratitude circle around dinner, where we say what we are thankful for that day. But it sometimes feels like pulling teeth from my three teenage daughters. When I mentioned this to Dr. Lyubomirsky, she noted that some people may feel more comfortable saying thanks by texting a friend or a teacher instead of sharing with everyone at the dinner table. It's about finding the right way to communicate gratitude for each person. And for those of you who may shy away from the thought of "being more social," keep in mind that doesn't mean you have to try to be the life of the party. It's about finding deeper personal connections. For some people, that's connecting with others at a party, but for others, it may just be connecting with a friend over lunch. Maybe those connections can be found through a pet or through God. What's key is finding the ones that work best for us individually. These are all small practices that can pay off in a big way for our own well-being and help us all chase life. |
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| Have you ever wondered why some people seem naturally happier than others? Or if there are any universal keys to happiness? There are. Listen here to find out what are the keys. |
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