Wellness Unmasked: Hope Through Cancer: Elizabeth Price’s Inspiring Story & the Book Helping Families Cope

Summary

Podcast Summary:
Wellness Unmasked: Hope Through Cancer — Elizabeth Price’s Inspiring Story & the Book Helping Families Cope
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show (iHeartPodcasts)
March 10, 2026
Host: Dr. Nicole Saphier

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Episode Overview

This emotionally powerful episode of "Wellness Unmasked" centers on the increasing prevalence of colon cancer in younger adults and the remarkable story of Elizabeth Price, a mother, illustrator, and chiropractor living with stage 4 metastatic colon cancer. Through heartfelt conversation, host Dr. Nicole Saphire and Elizabeth tackle topics including the emotional and practical realities of a late-stage cancer diagnosis, the importance of early detection and self-advocacy, and Elizabeth’s journey to create a children’s book designed to help families navigate parental illness. The episode also provides practical advice for risk reduction and is punctuated by moments of inspiration, vulnerability, and hope.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rising Colon Cancer Rates in Younger Adults

[00:32–03:09]

• Colorectal cancer (colon and rectal) is increasingly diagnosed in adults ages 20-49, with rates rising by about 3% per year.
• Improvements for older adults stem from increased colonoscopy screenings, removing precancerous polyps.
• People born around 1990 have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to those born in 1950.
• Key takeaway: younger adults shouldn’t ignore symptoms like rectal bleeding, anemia, persistent bowel changes, or unexplained weight loss.

Elizabeth Price’s Diagnosis & Journey

[03:11–05:53]

• Elizabeth, a chiropractor and mother with no family history, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at age 50 (in 2017). The cancer had already spread to her lungs.
• Initial prognosis: 2–5 years survival.
• “On paper I may not look great, but mentally and on my everyday and to my family and friends, I’m no different.” — Elizabeth Price [04:10]
• Her treatments have included 144 rounds of chemotherapy, 12 major surgeries, 10 rounds of radiation, and she is awaiting a liver resection.
• Acceptance: “I've almost accepted that this is my journey. I have to grieve my old life and I just have to go on living this life.” [04:41]
• Emphasis on strong support from family, faith, and friends.

The Emotional Impact of Diagnosis & Living With Cancer

[05:53–07:35]

• Elizabeth’s children were 5 and 10 at diagnosis.
• The terror and panic of searching for information online and not hearing “remission” over eight years weighs heavily.
• “Only God determines when you’re terminal.” — Advice Elizabeth received early on [06:49]
• She leans on faith, friends, and positive stories from others who have defied the odds.

The Evolution of Treatment & Medical Support

[08:09–09:25]

• Chemotherapy gets increasingly difficult: “It gets harder as you do it. So every time, it’s a little bit harder.” — Elizabeth [08:22]
• Acknowledgment of the emotional toll and the importance of doctors/nurses’ honesty and realism.

The Importance of Community

[09:45–11:22]

• Support from her children’s school community, especially a dedicated prayer/rosary group of mothers, has been sustained for over 8 years.
• These relationships have provided practical, emotional, and spiritual support, including during critical family milestones and hospitalizations.
• “We're like a pack that I don't think we'll ever be separated. And I think that's so important... it’s been an unbelievable gift.” [10:21]

Creating the Book: "Mom, I Know What You Have"

[11:22–14:16]

• The book was inspired by the challenge of discussing cancer with young children.
• Initially, the word "cancer" was avoided in their home to shield her kids from distressing media portrayals.
• Pivotal moment: Elizabeth’s son, after seeing “Cancer Center” at the hospital, stood in the hallway and said, “Mom, I know what you have.” — causing Elizabeth heartbreak but also motivation.
• The book aims to help other families normalize cancer as an experience and maintain joy and hope amid adversity.
• Coping through milestones: Elizabeth finds meaning in being present for her children's graduations, proms, and looks forward to future events — continually striving to provide her kids with normalcy and love.

Family Life and Coping

[17:48–18:47]

• The family refused to let illness isolate Elizabeth; her children created tents in her bedroom, keeping her included in daily life.
• “We didn’t put me in a room and shut the door.” — Elizabeth [17:54]
• Book illustrations were created during treatments and were supported and brought to publication by her prayer group.
• All proceeds and donated copies help families in cancer centers.

Current Health & Advocacy

[20:39–21:51]

• Elizabeth has extensive cancer spread (24 masses in her lungs, major activity in her liver); upcoming surgery is hopeful.
• She continues to seek holistic healing, works with an oncologist, and is motivated to “make it to the next treatment advancement.”

Screening Recommendations and Self-Advocacy

[21:51–24:33]

• American Cancer Society moved recommended screening age from 50 to 45.
• Early detection could have altered Elizabeth’s outcome; she urges listeners to be proactive, especially if symptomatic, regardless of age.
• “Go get your colonoscopy, and if you think there’s a problem and you’re not 45, go there and demand it anyway.” [22:41]

Recognizing and Not Dismissing Symptoms

[23:52–25:46]

• Elizabeth reflects on missed warning signs being attributed to postpartum issues rather than properly investigated.
• She urges people, especially women, not to let symptoms like rectal bleeding or bowel difficulty be dismissed as “hemorrhoids” or a “prolapsed rectum” without proper examination.

Advice for Others on the Journey

[27:36–29:22]

• On bad days, Elizabeth finds inspiration through podcasts and stories of others in similar situations.
• Acceptance of her reality and open communication with her children brings her peace.
• “Once I got to the point of acceptance...and have faith in that, it makes life a little bit easier.” [28:35]
• Advice: include children in the process so their fears don’t overwhelm them.

Diet, Prevention and Final Thoughts

[29:43–34:28]

• Colon cancer in younger adults is on the rise due to factors like poor diet, gut flora disruption, excessive antibiotic use, environmental factors, and processed foods.
• Practical prevention: Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, limit processed foods, increase fiber, take probiotics, avoid unnecessary antibiotics.
• New screening guidelines: Colonoscopy at 45 (earlier with family history or symptoms).
• Quote from Dr. Saphire: “Awareness can literally change outcomes, and it can save your life.” [29:43]
• Empowering listeners to advocate for themselves; not to dismiss symptoms, and to prioritize their health screenings.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Elizabeth Price on Diagnosis:
  “I more consider myself living with cancer than fighting it.” [04:10]

• On Facing the Emotional Impact:
  “The first thing you do is you...Google stage 4 cancer and you don’t see anything you want to hear. It’s terrifying. And I still have days where I’m terrified.” [06:21]

• On Community Support:
  “It’s been an unbelievable gift. They’re a blessing. It’s really been an amazing gift.” [11:15]

• On the Book’s Inspiration:
  “Mom, I know what you have.” — Elizabeth’s son [12:24]

• On Early Screening:
  “If you have even the slightest hint that something might be wrong, don’t let anyone tell you...there’s nothing wrong with you. Just have it checked.” [22:41]

• On Self-Advocacy:
  “Don’t let anyone tell you it’s hemorrhoids until they’ve gone in...to see whether or not it’s hemorrhoids. Most of the time those are due to tumors.” [24:43]

• On Parenting with Illness:
  “We didn’t put me in a room and shut the door...if I can put these in a book and help one other family make light of some of the trauma, that it wouldn’t be so traumatizing.” [17:56]

• On Acceptance & Faith:
  “Once I got to the point of acceptance...and have faith in that, it makes life a little bit easier.” [28:35]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:32 – Introduction to colorectal cancer trends in young adults
• 03:25 – Elizabeth’s cancer diagnosis and initial reaction
• 04:41 – Treatment journey and daily living with cancer
• 06:00 – Processing diagnosis with young children
• 08:09 – Surprises and challenges of chemotherapy
• 09:45 – The role of community and friends
• 11:38 – Why and how the children’s book was created
• 17:54 – Family adaptation and maintaining joy
• 20:39 – Current health update and surgery plans
• 21:51 – Screening recommendations and advocating for earlier screenings
• 23:52 – Recognizing symptoms and self-advocacy
• 27:48 – Day-to-day resilience and advice to others
• 29:43 – Dr. Saphire’s practical prevention advice and final call to action

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Additional Resources

• Elizabeth Price’s Book:
  Mom, I Know What You Have: Parenting With Joy Through a Journey With Cancer — Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major retailers.
  • Donations and distributions support families at cancer centers.

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Takeaway for Listeners

This episode is a poignant reminder to listen to our bodies, advocate for thorough investigation of symptoms, and not to delay potentially lifesaving screenings. Elizabeth Price’s journey exemplifies courage, community, and the power of sharing one’s story to help others persevere through profound challenges. The episode concludes with practical advice for risk reduction, a strong endorsement of the importance of early detection, and a heartfelt appeal to parents and caregivers navigating cancer to find hope, acceptance, and joy in each day.

Transcript

[A]

Hi, this is Dr. Nicole Safire from Wellness on Mass. Are you struggling to see up close? Make it visible with viz. VIZ is a once daily prescription eye drop to treat blurry near vision for up to 10 hours. The most common side effects that may be experienced while using VIZ include eye irritation, temporary dim or dark vision, headaches and eye redness. Talk to an eye doctor to learn if VIZ is right for you. Learn [e-mail] that's V I Z Z.com

[B]

welcome back to Wellness on Mass. I'm Dr. Nicole Safire. Well, today's episode is a tough one, but it's a very important one because I'm going to be sitting down with a mom who is living with stage 4 colon cancer, metastatic colon cancer, meaning the cancer has gone beyond the colon and it has spread to distant parts of the body. And she's sharing her story with the kind of honesty that can really change how people pay attention to symptoms. Advocating for yourself when you go to the doctor and potentially risk factors, but more importantly, what it's like living with a cancer diagnosis. Here's the reality. Colorectal cancer, meaning colon cancers and rectal cancers, it's absolutely rising in adults, especially younger adults. In the United States, the incidence is increasing about 3% per year for those ages 20 to 49. Even as rates are dropping in older adults, they're actually rising in younger adults. The reason they're dropping in the older adults is because older adults are getting colonoscopies and they're finding those precancerous polyps and having them removed. So the rates of polyps turning into colon cancer in older adults going down because they're getting those precancerous lesions removed. But unfortunately, younger people who are not getting screen and colonoscopies are being diagnosed with colon cancer at an increased rate. So people born around 1990 have about double the risk of colon cancer and about quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to those born around 1950. Now, yes, colonoscopies have a part in it, but it's also due to some other things. Today we're going to unpack a little bit about why, what to watch for and what you can do, including risk factors, screening recommendations, and some practical things that you can do. So if you've ever brushed off, I don't, I know you don't want to hear about this, but rectal bleeding, you know, bright red blood in the toilet, persistent changes in your bowel habits, or you've been told that you have anemia, but no one knows why? Or you're losing weight. This is your sign right now to stop ignoring it. Joining us now is Elizabeth Price. She has put together a beautiful children's book which I have spent time going over. Not only did she write it, but she was also the illustrator, which I was incredibly impressed by. And so I think everyone will be inspired by her and will learn something just by hearing her story. So I would love to dive right in. Elizabeth, thank you so much for joining.

[C]

Thank you so much for having me.

[B]

So I want to just start first, let's introduce you. You were a chiropractor for over a couple of decades. You're a mother, but you were also given a pretty tough diagnosis many years ago. Tell us about that.

[C]

Yes, so when I turned 50 and decided to do all the right things and go had my mammogram and went and had my colonoscopy without any family history, I came out of the colonoscopy with doctors waiting to tell me that I had colon cancer. That following shortly after that, I had found out that it had already spread to my lungs and that I was stage four. And at that time the diagnosis was a two to five year survival rate.

[B]

And how long ago was that? When was that?

[C]

That was in 2017. So that was eight and a half years ago.

[B]

You've already defined that.

[C]

Yes, I'm, on paper I may not look great, but in mentally and on my everyday and to my family and friends, I'm no different. You know, I don't feel any different than anyone else most days. And I just, I'm more, I more consider myself living with it with, living with cancer than, and fighting it.

[B]

But you were given the diagnosis, you're told it was advanced and what, pursued surgery, chemotherapy, what was your treatment like?

[C]

So for the first thing that they did was they found out that it was stage four and that I did have spread to my lungs. And then I started on a chemotherapy path and radiation and surgery. And at this moment Today, I've had 144 rounds of chemotherapy. I have had 12 major surgeries. I've had 10 rounds of radiation. I have been under anesthesia about 22 to 25 times. I've lost count. I am awaiting a liver resection in three days and I still have significant disease and I'm okay with that. I'm, it's, you know, it's, I've almost accepted that this is my journey. I have to grieve my old life and I just have to go on living this life. And I have a family and kids and I have a very strong faith, an incredible group of friends and I move forward day by day.

[B]

So tell, tell us what it's like hearing the words I have cancer. When you have kids at home, you know, how old were they? How did you.

[C]

So, so when I was first diagnosed, my children were 5 and 10. And it was, it was devastating. It was almost, it was almost unreal. Like I, because I didn't have any family history, because I was going to the gym and I was walking and I was very active and very big social life, very big family life, traveling. And it just seemed very unreal. And the first thing you do is you look up and You Google stage 4 cancer and you don't see anything that you want to hear. It's terrifying. And then it was terrifying. It was terrifying. And I still have days where I'm terrified. I still, I have not, in the eight and a half years, I have never heard that I'm in remission. I've never heard that there's no sign of disease now. So it's something that. It takes a long time to come to terms with it. I am years and years. But when I do get down, I, I turn to my faith, I talk to my friends and I listen to other people in my situation who have defied the odds. And that reminds me that it's not up to the doctors, it's not up to statistics. And I, I had a woman once tell me, you know, only God determines when you're terminal. So these things keep me going.

[B]

Yeah, I mean a lot of our day to day is so much of our mental and emotional health, just as much as it is our physical health. And how you wake up and you know, kind of the intention you set for the day certainly helps with how the day turns out. Tell us when you were given the diagnosis and kind of through the course of all of this treatment, what was the biggest thing that you found that you didn't expect? You know what, everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Everyone has heard, you know, one story from another. But what are, what's something that kind of surprised you?

[C]

When I first started chemotherapy and I made it through the first, at that time, my chemotherapy was a seven hour drip one day and eight hour drip the next day. I went home with it attached and I came back two days later and I thought after the first time I'm like, wow, I can do this. Like I can do this. And then I went the next time and it was a little less of a wow, I can do this. And I think what surprised me is that chemotherapy gets harder as you do it. So every time that you do it, it's a little bit harder. It stays in your body, it's a little bit harder. I think that that was more of the surprise than I was thinking. All right, I have this because I did it once. I think also there's a lot of. There's so much good in doctors and nurses that treat you, and there are some that are just so realistic about the disease. And you have to really know yourself and trust in yourself and trust in what other people are saying to. To make it through the hard days.

[B]

What was, you know, for. For your friends surrounding you and once you kind of shared your diagnosis with them, what were some of the things that they did that, you know, looking back and are still doing for you? I mean, this is an ongoing process for you. Like, what is, like, the best thing that they have done for you that has really helped you through all of this?

[C]

From day one, when I was first diagnosed, my children go to parochial school, and the mothers of my children, the class mothers, a bunch of them got together and started a prayer group, started rosary group for me. And eight and a half years later, we are all still together. And they were actually. They were the force behind this book even. I brought them my ideas and I brought them some of the paintings that I did while watching tv. And they've just rallied behind my entire family, and they rallied behind my kids. And they're. Because it's scary. I mean, I had phone calls from moms saying, oh, my son heard something really bad happen to you. And, you know, with everything on TV and the. The mom just. Just really took me in and we just became a family. And we're still a family. Like, it's just. We're like a pack that I don't think we'll ever be separated. And I think that's so important to have people around you that are. Are going to keep you feeling safe and know that I'll be in the hospital this coming weekend, and my daughter's birthday is this coming weekend. And I'm not at all, you know, worried about how that's going to go down, because I know that I have this pack of women who are going to make sure that my daughter has, like, the best birthday ever. And. And that my. Everyone has food and people are. That everyone's taken care of. It's been an unbelievable gift. Like, they're a blessing. It's really been an amazing gift.

[B]

So you brought up the Book. Tell us about this book that you created. I have it sitting right in front of me. I mean, it's absolutely stunning. It's called Mom, I Know what yout Parenting With Joy Through a Journey With Cancer. Tell us about how you came up with the idea, the process, and what it means to you.

[C]

Yeah, so one of the big things. We did not know how to talk to our children about cancer at the time. We didn't use the word in the house. Mostly because television, the commercials, they show people dying or, you know, in horrible situations, and we didn't want them to think that I was going to die, and we just didn't use the word. My son one time saw on the hospital wall, it said Cancer center. And he asked my husband about it. My husband played it off. Well, that's part of the hospital here. That's not part of here. And then one day, I'm in my room.

[B]

We didn't tell them you had cancer. You kind of.

[C]

No, we did. In the beginning, we did not. In the beginning, we did not. It was. It was a little while in. And I was upstairs laying in bed, and my son was downstairs. And he started yelling, mom, mom, come here. And I came out of my room, and we have a second doorway that overlooks down to the front hallway. And I started. He was standing with his back against the front door, and I started to go downstairs, and he put up his hand and he said, mom, stop. I said, okay. And he motioned for me to go back upstairs. So I'm standing up at the railing and I'm looking down on him. I'm like, what's up, kiddo? And he. A long silence. And he was just looking at me and was very serious. And he said, mom, I know what you have. And it broke me. It just was that. It was the moment that it hit. I have cancer. And my children are so young. And I don't want them to not have a mother. I don't want them. I have a lot of faith. I. I walk through life knowing that when I leave this earth, that I am going to feel so good. And I will have my old body back and I will be at peace and I will be with God, and I won't be in pain. And I won't have trouble walking and I won't have trouble sitting, and I won't have to say to my kids, I'm too tired. But I want them to have that mom that I had. I want them to have the mom that has the over the top birthday parties, and that will still go on the roller coaster. And everything I do is so that they will have the life that I really grew up with. Great parents and a great mom. So I'm okay with the pain. I'm okay with the 144 rounds of chemo, as long as it keeps me here long enough to just be a mom and make sure that they have a mom.

[B]

So.

[C]

So I just. With every little milestone that they hit in life and that they have hit, graduations, other things, I'm just so glad that I get to be there. And I think, okay, I made it to high school graduation, and I made it to town. My son's prom pictures, and now I look forward to the weddings. And I just keep thinking I'm going to be there to dance with my son. And it definitely is something when you have cancer and you're diagnosed with how I'm diagnosed. I went to a wedding, and when they had the mother sun dance, I had to run into the bathroom and it, like, hit me like a ton of bricks. So I have to fight those moments and just remember. I keep telling myself, it's okay. I'm gonna be there for that. I'm gonna be there for that.

[A]

You're listening to Wellness Unmass.

[B]

We'll be right back with more.

[A]

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[A]

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[D]

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[B]

so you're taking your experience and channeling a lot of that emotion to try and help others. And, and that is.

[C]

Yes. Yes. So that, because there were things that we did to stay, like I didn't, we didn't put me in a room and shut the door. One of the things which I show in the book is my kids put tents in the bedroom and they slept in my bedroom for years. I mean they really just, and if they weren't sleeping there, they would come after home after school and read their books in their tents while I was sleeping. So it's just some fun activities that we did. And my husband and I would always make sure that, you know, they saw me as not this is my sick mom in bed. And so we did fun things. And I thought if I can put these in a book and help one other family make light of some of the trauma, that it wouldn't be so traumatizing.

[B]

These illustrations. Were you an artist before you made this? Because it's beautiful.

[C]

Thank you. I, I've never, I've, I did not go to art school. I have my, I mean my mother was artistic, her father was artistic. So maybe it's just something that came down the line. But I've, I, I do get cravings to paint and I get cravings to draw. And so I did them while watching TV and Watching the news and, And. And then I brought the pictures and my phone, which I had, like, just talked to the book, into my phone to the rosary group. I said, I kind of had this idea, but I know I'll just put it in a corner of the room and it'll end up there. And the women just took it and were like, can we do this? Because we need to do this. And they had it published in, like, a month. And, and we've taken. We had a. They had a GoFundMe set up, and we had a bunch of books printed, and now we've donated them to cancer centers. If anyone's listening, they can reach out. I'm happy to donate from the books that we have been able to buy with the donations to anyone who needs it.

[B]

Yeah, where can people actually find it? If they wanted to go and find

[C]

it, they can find it. Barnes and Noble, Amazon, any major book platform. They're called.

[B]

Mom, I Know what yout have by Elizabeth Price for people who are watching. And we will put a link when I post this on social media, everyone. So for those of you who follow me on social media, you will find it. So now that the book is out, and I'm sure you're getting some feedback, you know, tell us a little bit about, you know, where. Where are you at? You just. You kind of alluded that you have an upcoming surgery coming, but how are

[C]

you doing right now? So right now I have a significant amount of spread on my liver, and I have about 24 masses in my lungs. Biggest, bigger ones are the size of about golf balls. And because of previous lung surgeries, I only have, oh, probably like 1 1/2, 11 3/4 long left anyway. So surgery to take those out is not something that's going to happen. But they're going to try to take the cancer off my liver within the next week, and we're hopeful about that. And then I'll just continue on whatever the next steps are. I'm trying to do as best as I can holistically. And I have a great oncologist who, you know, he just keeps telling me all you gotta do is make it till the next chemo comes out. And, you know, we just keep switching that up. And I'll get there. I'll get there. I'm. I'm determined, so.

[B]

You sound strong. You look strong. Did it. I mean, I'm sure you noticed this, but since your diagnosis, the American Cancer Society has changed their screening recommendations from age 50, when you got yours, to age 45.

[C]

Yes, how did that make you feel? Well, considering that they really determined that I've had this long, you know, that I had it since I was at least 45. I mean, there was no reason for me to think at 45 that I should go get a colonoscopy. And I'm so thankful that they have changed it now because I know that my outcome would be completely different. I mean, if they catch it early. I mean, it's somewhat curable in most people if you can catch it early. So I'm a huge advocate for, go get your colonoscopy, and if you think there's a problem and you're not 45, go there and demand it anyway. I mean, you don't have to wait for a doctor to tell you you're not 45 yet. If you have even, like, the slightest hint that something might be wrong, don't let anyone tell you that you're just being, you know, hypochondriac. There's nothing wrong with you. Just have it checked.

[B]

Unfortunately, that happens a good amount, especially in women. We kind of get told that our belly pains are just belly pains and we can just deal with them.

[C]

It's so true. I mean, everyone needs to listen to their inner self when it comes to their health. And I've seen a lot of doctors along the way. I've gone through a lot of doctors. When I see a doctor who may want to give me an expiration date, I thank him very much. And then I move on and I get some other opinions. And I think that, you know, the age being moved back to 45 is excellent, but I don't think that people should be like, well, I don't have to do it till I'm 45, because look at me. I waited because I thought, oh, I don't have to do it until I'm 50.

[B]

And do you have any symptoms? Looking back?

[C]

Looking back, there were some signs that were there the problem, or I shouldn't say it was a problem, but I had my daughter at 45, and I had preeclampsia. They had to take her a little bit early. And so some of the symptoms I had afterwards were attributed to that rather than being checked out. So some things that I complained about, they were, oh, you know, it's. It's because you had this difficult birth. In hindsight, I should have gone and acted on the symptoms that I was

[B]

having because just so I can educate other people. Are you talking about possibly some, like, blood in the rectum or blood in your stool?

[C]

Some Blood?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Don't let anyone tell you it's hemorrhoids until they've gone in and looked to see whether or not it's hemorrhoids. I had difficulty sometimes passing stool and going to the bathroom. My tumor was 3 millimeters inside the rectum and that's why I was having difficulty. Um, don't let anyone tell you you have a prolapsed spectrum without doing a exam and actually going in and seeing, because most of the time those are not prolapsed rectums. Most of the times those are due to tumors. So there was a looking back on it. Yes. There was a long list of things that I just put full trust into, you know, my medical doctors, who I do, you know, I put full trust into my medical doctors now, but I, I take accountability for myself and I, you know, you have to not let anyone say, oh, it's okay, we don't have to check that it's not the norm.

[B]

Yeah. As, you know, doctor, obviously, being a doctor myself, you know, we definitely have a balance of, you know, chasing the zebras or just assuming the, you know, the hoof steps that we're hearing in the park or a horse, it's probably, they're probably not a zebra. And so when a woman who had a difficult pregnancy, you know, the internal hemorrhoids, extremely common. And so to have, you know, bright red blood per rectum, you know, in the toilet, common things being common, it is a bleeding internal hemorrhoid because you don't really feel them. But you're absolutely right. I mean, and significantly less common, it's colon cancer. Unfortunately, it's becoming more common these days, especially in younger people. But the reality is, you know, you can tip the scale either way. Every person who shows up with a little bit of blood, we can't send everyone for a colonoscopy. That probably doesn't make sense. However, the reality is, you know, people know their bodies better than anyone else and if they're telling you there's something wrong, you should probably do your due diligence to look into it. And I think as colon cancer is becoming more and more common, I really do hope that women are dismissed less than historically we have been.

[C]

It would be wonderful if that ends up being the case. If we talk loud enough, it will.

[B]

More coming up on Wellness unmasked with Dr. Nicole Safire.

[D]

Hey, it's Kavin on Rich. Struggling to see up close. Make it visible with viz. Viz is a once daily prescription eye drop to treat blurry near vision. For up to 10 hours. The most common side effects that may be experienced while using VIZ include eye irritation, temporary dim or dark vision, headaches, and eye redness. Talk to an eye doctor to learn if Viz is right for you. Learn [e-mail]

[B]

Are there any takeaways that you have been finding just on a day to day? Like, things that you do that make you feel good, whether physically or mentally, you know, kind of despite everything that's going on?

[C]

Honestly, I mean, if anyone is in my position right now, and there's. There are going to be bad days and there are going to be, you know, good days, and on my bad days, sometimes it helps for me to listen to podcasts and listen to others in my position who have beat the odds. And it's so encouraging to hear people who have stage four and are living life and who have stage four and have beat it and are not stage four anymore and have no signs of disease. There's going to be bad days. I mean, I definitely. There is a physical toll of having cancer, but you just have to. You have to just. I think once I got to the point of acceptance and this is who I am, and. And you have faith in that. It's. It's what it's supposed to be. I think it makes life a little bit easier. And. And if you have children, they. They know more and they see more than you think they do, and it's better to talk to them when you can and include them in as much as you can so that they're not scared, so they don't go to bed at night thinking, oh, my mom's gonna die, because that's the last thing you want them to think. If anything, you want them just to know, okay, my mom's sick, but she's gonna get better. And have faith. Have faith.

[B]

Absolutely. Have faith. Well, thank you so much for creating this beautiful children's book. Mom. I know what you have. I think. I think it was cathartic for you, and it was wonderful that your friends all helped you, but this book will obviously help so many others who are potentially going through the same journey as you are.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.

[B]

All right, well, if today's conversation, you know, hit you in the gut like it did mine, and you got a little emotional, all I can say is good, because this is one of those moments where awareness can literally change outcomes, and it can save your life. Colorectal cancer. It's not an older person's disease anymore. Like I said, rates are rising in Younger adults and deaths have been creeping up in people under 50. As I mentioned when I was talking to Elizabeth, when Elizabeth was 50, the recommendation was to get your first colonoscopy if you don't have family history at the age of 50. So that's what she did. She was following the rules. She was doing everything right. She had her colonoscopy at 50, but she already had advanced colon cancer. Well, we've gotten smart to the fact that these rates are rising, which is why in the last few years, the new recommendations are even without family history of colon cancer, you should be getting a colonoscopy at the age of 45. I have a feeling that's going to go a little bit lower. If you have a family history of colon cancer at all, you will definitely should be getting your colonoscopy before 45. Really, it should be about 10 years younger than when your family member was diagnosed. So if your parent was diagnosed with colon cancer at 50, you should be getting a colonoscopy at 40. And if you have any symptoms, whether you have risk factors like family history or not, those symptoms, rectal bleeding, bowel changes like constipation, unexplained anemia, unexplained weight loss, not because you're on a GLP1, but all of a sudden you're just losing weight. Do not let anyone dismiss you. You have to advocate for yourself. Yes, we all need to be increasing our fiber. We all need to be increasing our hydration. These can affect your bowel habits, too. But if you've already tried to increase your fiber and increase hydration and you're still having issues, you absolutely need to go to a doctor. Why are more young people getting colon cancer? That's a really good question, and they're certainly not an easy answer. It's going to be multifactorial. We have some ideas. We know that our gut flora is completely disrupted. We've taken far too many antibiotics. We ingest far too many microplastics. We're not eating enough fermented food, and we eat way too much processed sugary foods. All of this is disrupting our gut and that natural flora, those good bacteria in our gut that keeps it healthy. The first thing you can do to try and lower your risk of colon cancer is absolutely, absolutely get a better diet. If the majority of what you're consuming is sitting in your pantry and it has an expiration date of like 2028, that's probably not a good thing. Fresh fruits and vegetables, decreasing smoked meats and increasing more lean proteins. And like white fish, salmon, all these things can actually decrease your risk of colon cancer. Taking probiotics, prebiotics, and increasing the amount of fermented foods like kimchi and pickles and sauerkraut, all these things can help restore that gut flora. And do not take antibiotics every time you have the sniffles. You don't need a Z pack all the time, I promise you. Not only does it create antibiotic resistance in the bacteria and everything else and your body not being able to fight off these infections and take normal antibiotics, but it's also destroying your gut flora and that is increasing your risk of colon cancer. So only take antibiotics when they're truly necessary, when your doctor absolutely recommends them. Don't just take a Z Pak or whatever it is because you have an upper respiratory infection. The reality is the far majority of them are viruses and you don't need the antibiotics. Even if you think, oh, I got better after taking a Z pack, well, you probably would have gotten better anyway because it's just the normal course of the disease of the virus. So now I will get off my soapbox. You have heard me. I just want to again say I'm so grateful that Elizabeth Price joined us. She shared her story. I have a copy of her book Mom I Know what yout have. Parenting with Joy Through A Journey with Cancer. As she said, it's available Barnes and Noble, Amazon, everywhere you get books. It's a beautifully illustrated book that talks about what she has done with her children to somewhat normalize cancer and and make it a part of their life. I think that this book will help so many people, so I recommend getting your copy, giving it as a gift to someone, just having it on your shelf, whatever you want to do. It's a Beautiful book. I'm Dr. Nicole Safire and this is Wellness Unmass. Please share this episode with someone you love and if this story reminded you to stop postponing your health, let today be the day that you make the appointment. Thank you.

[A]

Thank you so much for listening.

[B]

Be sure to listen to Wellness unmasked with Dr. Nicole Safire on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you get your podcasts. And I'll see you next time.

[D]

Hey, it's Covino and Rich struggling to see up close. Make it visible with viz. VIZ is a once daily prescription eye drop to treat blurry near vision for up to 10 hours. The most common side effects that may be experienced while using VIZ include eye irritation, temporary dim or dark vision, headaches and eye redness Talk to an eye doctor to learn if viz is right for you. Learn more at viz. Com.