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  • Scientists claim they’ve found the cause of mystery colon cancers in young people – and the lifestyle factors that are to blame

    Scientists claim they’ve found the cause of mystery colon cancers in young people – and the lifestyle factors that are to blame

    Colon cancers may be surging in under 50s because some young people’s bodies are ageing faster than they should be, experts have claimed.

    Researchers at the University of Miami have discovered the phenomenon — dubbed accelerated ageing — may increase the risk of developing the disease.

    Accelerated ageing is said to have occurred when a person’s biological age is greater than their actual — or chronological — age.

    While chronological age refers to years lived, biological age is based on physiological markers that reflect the impact of genetics, lifestyle choices and environmental factors on the body.

    It can be determined through sophisticated DNA analysis saliva or blood tests.

    In the latest series of The Kardashians, Kim, mum Kris and sister Khloe, all took biological ageing tests. 

    They discovered Khloe’s biological age was 28 — 11 years younger than her actual age, 39.

    Kim, 43, meanwhile, was given a biological age of 34, with Kris six years younger than her actual age. 

    If a person is 50, but their biological age is 55, their ageing has accelerated by five years, said Dr Shria Kumar, a colorectal cancer specialist behind the new research

    If a person is 50, but their biological age is 55, their ageing has accelerated by five years, said Dr Shria Kumar, a colorectal cancer specialist behind the new research

    If a person is 50, but their biological age is 55, their ageing has accelerated by five years, said Dr Shria Kumar, a colorectal cancer specialist behind the new research.

    ‘That might be reflected in overall body functioning,’ she added. 

    ‘It sounds pretty theoretical, but actually accelerated aging has been shown to be predictive of time to death and even of multiple cancers.

    Colorectal cancer rates in people under 50, called early-onset colorectal cancer, are on the rise.

    The finding comes amid a worldwide explosion of colon cancers in younger patients that has baffled doctors.

    While it is most common in over-50s, the disease has surged by 50 per cent in the younger age-groups over the past three decades, recent data suggests.

    For this reason in the US, health chiefs now recommended colon cancer screening — also known as bowel cancer screening — starts at 45.

    Some doctors now say this needs to be moved even younger, because half of early-onset colorectal cancers occur in people under 45, according to the latest statistics from the National Cancer Institute. 

    In the latest series of The Kardashians, Kim, mum Kris and sister Khloe, all took biological ageing tests

    In the latest series of The Kardashians, Kim, mum Kris and sister Khloe, all took biological ageing tests 

    While chronological age refers to years lived, biological age is based on physiological markers that reflect the impact of genetics, lifestyle choices and environmental factors on the body. It can be determined through sophisticated DNA analysis saliva or blood tests

    While chronological age refers to years lived, biological age is based on physiological markers that reflect the impact of genetics, lifestyle choices and environmental factors on the body. It can be determined through sophisticated DNA analysis saliva or blood tests

    In the UK, however, NHS screening is only available to those aged 54 to 74.

    The exact reason for the link between accelerated ageing and colon cancer isn’t fully understood. 

    However, some factors that raise a person’s risk of early-onset colorectal cancer also elevate biological age. 

    These include poor diets — including diets high in ultra-processed foods — obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and other lifestyle habits.

    Other key factors in accelerated ageing are pollution and stress. 

    Earlier this year, separate research found young people diagnosed with certain types of cancer – especially lung, gastrointestinal and uterine cancers – were more likely to suffer accelerated ageing.

    Intriguingly, the US researchers involved in the study said there was ‘strong evidence’ that the risk of accelerated ageing, and therefore of developing cancer, increased with each successive generation born after 1965.

    And that may mean Gen Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 who are becoming young adults today – are at a far greater risk of developing potentially deadly diseases such as cancer at a much earlier stage than their parents or grandparents.

    Professor Ilaria Bellantuono, co-director of the Healthy Lifespan Institute at the University of Sheffield, told MailOnline: ‘We don’t know enough to say for certain that younger generations are ageing faster or why,’ she says. 

    ‘That research hasn’t been done. But it’s not impossible. We are seeing more disease in younger people, the kinds of diseases we might normally expect to be developing in older adults.

    ‘And biological ageing is a risk factor for those diseases. In the same way that smokers increase their risk of lung cancer, does accelerated ageing increase the risk of developing more multiple long-term chronic conditions?’

    Dr Kumar suggested that testing for accelerated ageing could help flag up younger individuals who need to be offered regular screening and colonoscopies. 

    Colon cancer screening comes in the form of convenient stool-sample tests carried out at home. 

    It is offered as early detection of the disease has been shown to improve both treatment options and outcomes for this disease.

    A positive screening test result is typically followed by a colonoscopy, during which any polyps found can be removed. 

    ‘It sounds pretty theoretical, but accelerated aging has been shown to be predictive of time to death and even of multiple cancers,’ Dr Kumar continued. 

    ‘What’s really exciting about the opportunity in colorectal cancer is that we have a clear prevention tactic. 

    ‘Colonoscopy is not only early detection, but also cancer prevention.’

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  • Mexico study’s surprising finding: Killer heat hit harder for the young than the elderly

    Mexico study’s surprising finding: Killer heat hit harder for the young than the elderly

    A surprising study of temperature-related deaths in Mexico upends conventional thinking about what age group is hit hardest by heat. Researchers found at higher temperatures and humidity, the heat kills far more young people under 35 than those older than 50.

    For decades, health and weather experts have warned that the elderly and the youngest children were most vulnerable in heat waves. But this study looking at all deaths in Mexico from 1998 to 2019 shows that when the combination of humidity and temperature reach uncomfortable levels, such as the mid to upper 80s Fahrenheit (around 30 degrees Celsius) and 50% relative humidity, there were nearly 32 temperature-related deaths of people 35 years old for every temperature-related death of someone 50 and older.

    The study in Friday’s journal Science Advances shows an especially surprising spike of heat-related deaths in an age group thought to be young and robust: People between 18 and 35. That age group alone had nine times as many temperature-related deaths as those older than 50.

    Study authors and outside experts are scrambling to figure out why. Demographics alone don’t explain why more young adult Mexicans are dying in high heat than their elders. Two theories: Outdoor workers who can’t escape the heat, and young people who don’t know their limits.

    The trend is likely to widen as the world warms from human-caused climate change, according to computer simulations run by the study team.

    “We found that younger people are especially vulnerable to humid heat,” study co-author Jeffrey Shrader, a climate economist at Columbia University, said. “As the climate warms, we’re really going to be shifting the burden of temperature-related mortality towards younger individuals and away from older individuals who tend to be more vulnerable to cold temperatures.”

    Data from cold weather shows more than 300 deaths of Mexican residents 50 and older for every young person dying from cold temperatures, according to the study.

    “People of all ages are increasingly at risk from the rising temperatures, and this study shows that those that we might have considered relatively safe from heat-related adverse health outcomes might not be so much so,” said Marina Romanello, executive director of the Lancet Countdown that monitors health effects of climate change. She was not part of the study team.

    “Heat is a much more dangerous silent killer than most people acknowledge it to be, and that heat is increasingly putting our health and survival at risk,” Romanello said in an email.

    Study authors decided to examine weather-related deaths in Mexico because that country not only has detailed mortality data, but it has a variety of different climates making it an ideal place to study in depth, Shrader said.

    Researchers also want to figure out whether this is just a situation in Mexico or other warmer sections of the globe have similar spikes in young adult deaths in high heat and humidity.

    Initially the team just wanted to look at deaths and what scientists call wet-bulb globe temperatures, but when they looked at age differences, they were surprised and looked in more detail, Shrader said. Wet-bulb temperature, which is intended to mirror how the body cools itself, is derived using a complicated measurement system that factors in humidity and solar radiation. A wet-bulb globe temperature of 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) is thought to be the limit for human survivability. Most places don’t reach that level.

    Researchers determined temperature-related mortality by complex statistical analysis that compares numerous factors in the number of deaths and removes everything they can except temperature fluctuations, said study co-author Andrew Wilson, a Columbia climate economics researcher.

    Researchers also calculated the ideal temperature for when there are the fewest excess deaths at each age group. Younger adults’ sweet temperature spot is about nine degrees Fahrenheit (five degrees Celsius) cooler than it is for older people, Shrader and Wilson said.

    Some outside health and climate experts were initially puzzled at the higher youth mortality seen in the study. Co-author Patrick Kinney, a professor of urban health and sustainability at Boston University, said it was likely the study included a higher proportion of outdoor workers exposed to heat than prior studies did.

    Study co-author Tereza Cavazos, a climate scientist at the Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education in Mexico, said she remembers her father’s generations taking siestas in the high heat of the day and that was healthy. That doesn’t happen so much now, she said.

    “There is a lot of population that is vulnerable in the future. Not even in the future, right now,” Cavazos said. She mentioned three Mexican heat waves this year that hit in the middle of the country and kept the deadly heat going overnight so people had little relief. Usually cool nights allow a body to recover.

    Younger people often have a sense of invulnerability to weather extremes and do things that increase their risk, such as play sports in high heat, Cavazos said.

    “High humidity makes it a lot harder for the body to cool itself through sweating – which is how our body primarily stays cool,” said Dr. Renee Salas, an emergency medicine physician and climate change expert at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She was not part of the study team. “So someone young and healthy working outside in heat and high humidity can reach a point where the body can no longer cool itself safely – causing a deadly form of heat injury called heat stroke.”

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    Follow Seth Borenstein on X at @borenbears

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    Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment

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    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.



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  • Young WHS girls hockey team seeks continued experience and growth – The Globe

    Young WHS girls hockey team seeks continued experience and growth – The Globe

    WORTHINGTON — The Worthington High School girls hockey team was young last year and it is more of the same this season.

    This year’s Trojans squad may be even younger than last year with only two seniors on the roster. But head coach Chad Nickel’s team is not one completely lacking in varsity experience, as many of the younger girls got plenty of playing time as eighth graders last year.

    “So far, we’re picking up on our speed,” said the coach. “A little more communication on the ice between the girls has been a lot better this year already. But we’re still yet a young team, but you can see the progression even from the eighth graders to ninth grade this year already.”

    WHS is four games into the season and still in search of its first win.

    The season opened Nov. 12 with a 10-0 loss to Mankato West and then a narrow 1-0 loss to Austin followed two days later. After that came a 7-0 shutout defeat to Marshall Nov. 21 and the latest loss came 3-1 to South Central Nov. 23.

    Continued growth and development is key if the Trojans want to be a competitive team this year and Nickel has already seen that, especially from his younger players.

    The standout youngsters include a nice group of freshmen with that varsity experience as eighth graders. Forwards Breeta Johnson, Sydnie Van Briesen and Maddie Cummings, along with defenders Tayler Nickel and Leah Nelson all saw playing time last year.

    There’s also fellow freshman Macie Mahlberg at the goalie position, with playing time there last year and is improving with every match.

    112624 N DG Trojans Girls Hockey preview 3.jpg
    A Worthington Trojans assistant hockey coach fires pucks at goalie Macie Mahlberg (1) during a recent afternoon practice at the Worthington Ice Arena.

    Tim Middagh / The Globe

    The group is all back with all of them gaining valuable experience in their first varsity seasons a year ago.

    “Oh, that’s huge as far as the maturity level, and, like said, more ice time and the play going from a youth to a varsity level, the speed is a lot faster,” Nickel said.

    Leading the way on the ice are the lone two seniors Sadie and Peyton Nickel. Sadie is back at her primary position on defense and Peyton, herself normally a defender, has moved up to forward this year.

    The position change has been a big adjustment for Peyton, but she’s already getting used to playing at the forward spot.

    “Forward is definitely a lot more work, a lot more skating,” she said. “So it’s taking a lot more, having to put in a lot more work and get more in shape. But I like forward more than defense. I feel like I’ve improved a lot over just the past couple games as a forward.”

    Being one of only two seniors on the roster, Peyton is also stepping up into a bigger leadership role along with Sadie. She said the time on varsity last year from the freshmen has paid off in terms of team chemistry and that the team is connecting well with each other.

    112624 N DG Trojans Girls Hockey preview 1.jpg
    The lone two seniors on the Worthington High School girls hockey team are Sadie Nickel (left) and Peyton Nickel.

    Tim Middagh / The Globe

    On the ice, the Trojans still have a lot to learn, but the head coach is seeing his team working together well and getting better defensively at cutting down opposing shots on goal. He still wants to see improvement on offense.

    “We’re going to continue to try to work on gaining their speed with some stick handling and being able to forecheck a little bit more in the offensive zone to try to create more pressure down there in the offensive zone,” said Chad.

    WHS still has plenty of its schedule left to go in the regular season and up next is a game Dec. 6 at Prairie Centre. Two more road games are after that, including one at a Luverne team that went to state last year, before returning to the Worthington Ice Arena Dec. 12 against Windom Area.

    112624 N DG Trojans Girls Hockey preview 2.jpg
    The Worthington High School girls hockey team warms up with high speed lap during a recent afternoon practice at the Worthington Ice Arena.

    Tim Middagh / The Globe

    As the season progresses, the Trojans will look to keep their early momentum going in terms of having solid chemistry and being competitive.

    “For myself, I want to see a lot of improvement,” said Peyton. “As a team I think that we need to work together better and I think after a while, after a couple more games, we’re going to get that connection. We’re finally going to get it and get it going.”

    “I’d like to see them continue to grow and be a more competitive team,” said Chad. “And that’s always been my goal is to create a competitive team.”

    Skyler Jackson

    Skyler Jackson joined the Globe in July 2023 as a reporter covering both news and sports. Born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, Skyler attended South Dakota State University and graduated in 2023 with a degree in journalism. After graduating college, he decided on settling in Worthington for his current job at the Globe.



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  • Australian father of teen sextortion victim backs banning young children from social media

    Australian father of teen sextortion victim backs banning young children from social media

    MELBOURNE, Australia — Wayne Holdsworth became an advocate for banning Australian children younger than 16 from social media because his son took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam.

    Mac Holdsworth died last year at his Melbourne family home at the age of 17 after a 47-year-old Sydney man who purported to be an 18-year-old woman demanded money for an intimate image the boy had shared.

    Since then, the grieving father has taken his tragic story to around 20 schools to warn students of the risks of social media.

    “I saw firsthand the damage that social media could do. I saw Mac, my son, get sexually extorted on social media,” Holdsworth said. “His mental health deteriorated at a rapid rate.”

    Online predators began approaching the teenager before his 16th birthday and his father believes such a ban could have saved his life.

    Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday voted for such a ban and the Senate is expected to make it law soon.

    Holdsworth said most of the 3,000 students he’s spoken to, from age 12 to 17, agree with a ban on children under the age of 16.

    “They come up to me and they say, ‘I’m so glad that this is going to be implemented,’” Holdsworth said. “Even the kids see it now that they’re going to be protected from those predators outside that are preying on them.”

    He said three girls approached him after a school address on Monday to tell him that they were being subjected to sextortion. One had already handed over 2,500 Australian dollars ($1,600) of her parents’ money to a blackmailer.

    Holdsworth said he was the first adult they had confided in.

    “The parent won’t know until the credit card statement comes out,” he said.

    “So it’s prevalent. It happened last night and it’ll happen tonight,” he added.

    Holdsworth described the government plan to ban children younger than 16 from social media as “absolutely essential for the safety of our children.”

    But not all parents are convinced that banning young children from social media is the answer.

    Critics say the legislation was rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children.

    They also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encounter, and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer.

    Independent Sydney lawmaker Kylea Tink on Tuesday became the first member of the House of Representatives to speak publicly against the bill, which would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.

    “As a mom of three young adults … I’m very aware of the negative impacts of social media and the challenges of parenting in this digital world,” Tink told Parliament. “I also recognize, however, that my children are digital natives and are very literate about how these platforms work. For this reason, I encourage everyone involved in this debate to ensure they are listening to the voices of young Australians when it comes to this decision-making process rather than assuming that the grownups in the room know best.”

    Tink was among 13 lawmakers who voted against the bill in the House on Wednesday. They were overwhelmed by 102 legislators who voted for it.

    The platforms have urged a Senate committee that examined the legislation on Monday to delay a vote until after a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies is completed next June.

    The four-hour committee meeting on Monday attracted 15,000 written submissions.

    X Corp. told the committee that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s platform had “serious concerns as to the lawfulness of the bill,” including its compatibility with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

    “There is no evidence that banning young people from social media will work and to make it law in the form proposed is highly problematic,” X said.

    Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the legislation was “inconsistent with what Australian parents have told us that they want, which is a simple and effective way for them to set controls and manage their teens’ online experience.”

    Under the bill, parental consent for children to use social media does not override the ban.

    Lizzie O’Shea, chair of the Digital Rights Watch charity, which aims to uphold the digital rights of Australians, said she was appalled by the process and limited timeframe the government used to pass such significant and contentious legislation.

    She said she was very aware of the serious risks posed by social media platforms, “but I do not support a ban personally because I understand both the limits of that particular policy and the expert evidence that is coming out from people who work in this space about the problems for young people being excluded from those spaces,” O’Shea said.

    Her concerns centered on privacy, negative mental health impacts on excluded children and the possibility that young children would find ways to access social media spaces that would become even less child friendly as a result of the ban.

    “I’m profoundly aware of the dangers of large social media platforms running a certain kind of business model that prioritizes data extraction and exploitation of vulnerability over the public interest or the building of community and the protection of democracy,” she said.

    Swinburne University digital media expert Belinda Barnet, who supports the ban, feels she is part of a minority among professionals in the digital field.

    “I like it mainly because I think many of the social media platforms as they exist right now are not suitable environments for young children,” she said.

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  • Australia’s House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media

    Australia’s House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media

    MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law.

    The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.

    The legislation passed 102 votes in favor to 13 against. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.

    Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses. The platforms also could not demand digital identification through a government system.

    “Will it be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it’s not. But if it helps, even if it helps in just the smallest of ways, it will make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Tehan told Parliament.

    Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the Senate would debate the bill later Wednesday. The major parties’ support all but guarantees the legislation will pass in the Senate, where no party holds a majority of seats.

    Lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation during debate on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    Criticisms include that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children.

    Critics also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encountered and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer.

    Independent lawmaker Zoe Daniel said the legislation would “make zero difference to the harms that are inherent to social media.”

    “The true object of this legislation is not to make social media safe by design, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” Daniel told Parliament.

    “There is a reason why the government parades this legislation as world-leading, that’s because no other country wants to do it,” she added.

    T he platforms had asked for the vote on legislation to be delayed until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how the ban could been enforced.

    Melbourne resident Wayne Holdsworth, whose 17-year-old son Mac took his own life last year after falling victim to an online sextortion scam, described the bill as “absolutely essential for the safety of our children.”

    “It’s not the only thing that we need to do to protect them because education is the key, but to provide some immediate support for our children and parents to be able to manage this, it’s a great step,” the 65-year-old online safety campaigner told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

    “And in my opinion, it’s the greatest time in our country’s history,” he added, referring to the pending legal reform.

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  • Lifestyle content creator inspires young girls through Asian American identity – The Daily Campus

    Lifestyle content creator inspires young girls through Asian American identity – The Daily Campus

    Early in the morning, before the lively daytime sounds of NorthPark Center settle in, a still ambiance fills the air. As the new Glossier store opens its floor-to-ceiling glass doors to welcome select guests, other shoppers slow their pace, curiously peeking at the freshly stocked and intricately arranged makeup in a store that resembles a woman’s dream. The smell of earthy iris and sparkling bright pepper, Glossier’s signature scent, carries throughout the mall, lacing with the smell of fresh coffee. Trimmed in pink, white and glass, the feminine interior is balanced with light wood accents, creating a modern yet warm environment for shoppers. After speaking with the Glossier marketing director for creative advice, Michelle Tran places her tripod down carefully, ensuring the perfect angle for her next shot.
    She strategically picks up Glossier’s newest perfume out of a line of scents and smells it, with a delicate smile across her face.

    “That should be the perfect shot,” she said, retrieving her phone and scrolling through her album of videos and photos.

    Tran attends the opening of the Glossier store in NorthPark Center. She’s invited to events like this one to create video content for her followers. (Jamie Lam)

    Tran looks at her phone, brows furrowing in concentration as she scrolls through the latest trends for inspiration. She pulls up her camera roll, reviewing clips from her last shoot and mentally pieces together transitions and scenes. Quickly switching to her calendar, she checks her packed schedule, from her anatomy class to an influencer event that night at an up-and-coming restaurant in Dallas. Filming content for Glossier is just the beginning of what Tran has allocated time for throughout the week.
    Tran plays many roles beyond her social media platforms, from pursuing goals in the medical field to attending exclusive influencer events. Content creation has become a creative outlet for Tran, combining her love for beauty and meaningful connections with her life in medicine. Her desire to inspire young Asian American girls through her personal brand and platform motivates her to continue her social media work alongside other endeavors.
    “I want to continue to be able to use my experiences to influence other young Asian American girls through showing how I am still struggling and navigating through my own identity through this time and space,” Tran said.
    Tran’s mission to encourage young girls and students to balance all areas of their interests has reached Chinese American economics student Anna Keefer at Southern Methodist University. Keefer emphasized that representation on social media is especially important on campuses in the South. She believes the rise of Asian American content creators like Tran, whose content encourages young girls to embrace their heritage and balance creativity with careers in medicine, has the potential to directly impact college students navigating similar paths and challenges.
    “Growing up there wasn’t a lot of Asian representation around me,” Keefer said. “I think it’s great that Michelle is trying to inspire young girls because if they can have someone to relate to and aspire to be in the future, that would change so much.”
    Tran, a 26-year-old Dallas-based influencer, specializes in lifestyle, beauty, and food content while balancing aspirations in both the medical field and content creation. She holds a master’s degree in biomedical sciences and health equity from Baylor College of Medicine. After graduating, she spent two years researching cholesterol metabolism at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She began creating content more seriously during a transitional period in her life, documenting and blending her lifestyle as an influencer and a graduate student while moving to Houston.
    Before Tran became interested in medicine, she said her passion for media and creativity was evident early in childhood. She showed an interest in content by editing and filming short YouTube videos and dreamed of becoming a fashion designer or news anchor.
    “I dabbled in iMovie and made vlogs when I was really young, and even started a photography club in middle school and high school, which really allowed me to use my creativity,” Tran said.
    Tran uses her experiences as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrant parents in her content creation. Her testimony and platform helps encourage young girls to see beauty in the uniqueness of their heritage and to embrace the struggles she faced in a predominantly white environment in Frisco.
    Although she is passionate about leading the younger generation toward acceptance, Tran is transparent about her ongoing struggles with cultural pressure to choose between medicine and social media, personal identity, and a lack of support for her social media career within her traditional Vietnamese household. She is actively working to break those molds and believes time has the ability to change mindsets.
    “My mom doesn’t understand because influencer marketing itself is a very new field, and she doesn’t see being a creator as a standalone career,” Tran said. “To her, a traditional career means being a doctor, lawyer, engineer or having a corporate job, so if you’re not one of those, it’s like, ‘What are you doing?’”
    Outside of familial support, Tran advocates for the importance of a stable support system, especially one outside of the influencer circle. She believes support is detrimental to overcoming fears and anxieties.
    “I think my support system is everything,” she said,“The fear of being perceived really scared me from actually posting, and I think it helps that none of my close friends are in the field since it provides that distant support for me.”
    Tran credits her long-term boyfriend for much of this support and spoke with gleaming eyes of his efforts. She believes that without his encouragement, she would not have continued to kick-start her social media career.
    “I’m happy Michelle’s found a way to express herself creatively and also support herself financially,” said Bryan Ho, Tran’s boyfriend. “It’s been a fun and crazy ride.”
    Tran said she has been able to manage her content and stress well because she is on a management team that helps guide her on the organization of scheduled social media posts. She attributes much of her success in content planning to supportive marketing directors who set clear expectations.
    “Being friendly and guiding influencers to gear their content toward our branding is fun to me,” said Parker Damato, influencer marketing director at Glossier. “I love seeing Michelle and other influencers talk about our company through the lens of themselves.”
    Along with navigating cultural career-path stereotypes enforced by her parents, Tran also struggled to accept her heritage while growing up in the South. She said in college she felt pressured to immerse herself in white culture to fit in, which prevented her from embracing her unique traits, and left her without a strong sense of personal identity.
    “I was in a sorority and wanted that culture to be my identity so badly, but obviously our features and culture are so different,” Tran said. “I didn’t accept my Asian features and background until my junior or senior year of college, when I found friends who looked like me and had similar backgrounds.”
    The lack of Asian representation in sororities and on campus is also evident at SMU and the experience of feeling alienated as a minority often pressures college women to conform to fit in. Michelle’s content serves as a guide for college women, validating their experiences as they navigate their heritage.
    “It is difficult navigating the worlds of being Asian and embracing my culture, but also embracing my American culture,” Annie Liu, a student at SMU, said. “Having influencers like Michelle who’s navigating similar worlds really inspires me by showcasing that it is possible to live a fulfilling life in between worlds.”
    Since her undergraduate years, Tran has undergone significant personal growth, especially in her mindset toward her heritage, she said. She has come to recognize the value of uniqueness and the importance of embracing cultural differences. Now, Tran proudly celebrates her heritage by sharing her lifestyle and experiences, honoring her roots with confidence and openness.
    “I’m embracing my Vietnamese American heritage more deeply than ever, weaving it into my everyday life and sharing it openly through my content,” she said. “It’s been a journey of reconnection and pride, celebrating my culture in a way I didn’t see growing up.”
    With her personal growth and deepened understanding of Asian American struggles, Tran emphasizes the importance of empowering young Asian American girls through authentic representation. She is committed to helping them navigate similar challenges with confidence and resilience and hopes to pave the way for future generations by sharing her heritage and celebrating her roots in her work. Through her content, she aims to create a platform that honors diversity, fosters pride and encourages young girls to see themselves as capable of achieving their dreams.
    “I want Asian American girls to know they deserve to see themselves represented and celebrated in every space, including those that feel out of reach,” she said. “My hope is to inspire them to embrace their uniqueness and pursue their dreams unapologetically, even if the path hasn’t been paved yet.”
    Tran also plans on continuing to combine her cultural background and professional ambitions by creating content that documents her journey navigating a career in medicine. She aims to prove that beauty and brains can coexist —and that it should be encouraged to excel in both. For Tran, choosing one path would mean sacrificing the part of herself that thrives on writing, editing, and creative expression, while choosing the other would mean giving up her fascination with science. She can not imagine choosing only one, and has come to terms with making space for both, and hopes to promote this mindset to her young female audience.
    “I struggled with the idea of this all the time, where I have to choose between medicine and influencing,” she said. “Maybe I don’t have to pick and choose; humans are so multifaceted, and I feel like you can do both.”
    As she scrolls through her camera roll in the middle of Glossier, admiring fragments of curated content ready to be stitched together, a sense of familiarity and nostalgia for her passion for media washes over her. She reflects on her childhood.
    “If younger me knew what I was doing now, she would be so proud,” she said.

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  • Lifestyle content creator inspires young girls through Asian American identity – The Daily Campus

    Lifestyle content creator inspires young girls through Asian American identity – The Daily Campus

    Early in the morning, before the lively daytime sounds of NorthPark Center settle in, a still ambiance fills the air. As the new Glossier store opens its floor-to-ceiling glass doors to welcome select guests, other shoppers slow their pace, curiously peeking at the freshly stocked and intricately arranged makeup in a store that resembles a woman’s dream. The smell of earthy iris and sparkling bright pepper, Glossier’s signature scent, carries throughout the mall, lacing with the smell of fresh coffee. Trimmed in pink, white and glass, the feminine interior is balanced with light wood accents, creating a modern yet warm environment for shoppers. After speaking with the Glossier marketing director for creative advice, Michelle Tran places her tripod down carefully, ensuring the perfect angle for her next shot.
    She strategically picks up Glossier’s newest perfume out of a line of scents and smells it, with a delicate smile across her face.

    “That should be the perfect shot,” she said, retrieving her phone and scrolling through her album of videos and photos.

    Tran attends the opening of the Glossier store in NorthPark Center. She’s invited to events like this one to create video content for her followers. (Jamie Lam)

    Tran looks at her phone, brows furrowing in concentration as she scrolls through the latest trends for inspiration. She pulls up her camera roll, reviewing clips from her last shoot and mentally pieces together transitions and scenes. Quickly switching to her calendar, she checks her packed schedule, from her anatomy class to an influencer event that night at an up-and-coming restaurant in Dallas. Filming content for Glossier is just the beginning of what Tran has allocated time for throughout the week.
    Tran plays many roles beyond her social media platforms, from pursuing goals in the medical field to attending exclusive influencer events. Content creation has become a creative outlet for Tran, combining her love for beauty and meaningful connections with her life in medicine. Her desire to inspire young Asian American girls through her personal brand and platform motivates her to continue her social media work alongside other endeavors.
    “I want to continue to be able to use my experiences to influence other young Asian American girls through showing how I am still struggling and navigating through my own identity through this time and space,” Tran said.
    Tran’s mission to encourage young girls and students to balance all areas of their interests has reached Chinese American economics student Anna Keefer at Southern Methodist University. Keefer emphasized that representation on social media is especially important on campuses in the South. She believes the rise of Asian American content creators like Tran, whose content encourages young girls to embrace their heritage and balance creativity with careers in medicine, has the potential to directly impact college students navigating similar paths and challenges.
    “Growing up there wasn’t a lot of Asian representation around me,” Keefer said. “I think it’s great that Michelle is trying to inspire young girls because if they can have someone to relate to and aspire to be in the future, that would change so much.”
    Tran, a 26-year-old Dallas-based influencer, specializes in lifestyle, beauty, and food content while balancing aspirations in both the medical field and content creation. She holds a master’s degree in biomedical sciences and health equity from Baylor College of Medicine. After graduating, she spent two years researching cholesterol metabolism at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She began creating content more seriously during a transitional period in her life, documenting and blending her lifestyle as an influencer and a graduate student while moving to Houston.
    Before Tran became interested in medicine, she said her passion for media and creativity was evident early in childhood. She showed an interest in content by editing and filming short YouTube videos and dreamed of becoming a fashion designer or news anchor.
    “I dabbled in iMovie and made vlogs when I was really young, and even started a photography club in middle school and high school, which really allowed me to use my creativity,” Tran said.
    Tran uses her experiences as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrant parents in her content creation. Her testimony and platform helps encourage young girls to see beauty in the uniqueness of their heritage and to embrace the struggles she faced in a predominantly white environment in Frisco.
    Although she is passionate about leading the younger generation toward acceptance, Tran is transparent about her ongoing struggles with cultural pressure to choose between medicine and social media, personal identity, and a lack of support for her social media career within her traditional Vietnamese household. She is actively working to break those molds and believes time has the ability to change mindsets.
    “My mom doesn’t understand because influencer marketing itself is a very new field, and she doesn’t see being a creator as a standalone career,” Tran said. “To her, a traditional career means being a doctor, lawyer, engineer or having a corporate job, so if you’re not one of those, it’s like, ‘What are you doing?’”
    Outside of familial support, Tran advocates for the importance of a stable support system, especially one outside of the influencer circle. She believes support is detrimental to overcoming fears and anxieties.
    “I think my support system is everything,” she said,“The fear of being perceived really scared me from actually posting, and I think it helps that none of my close friends are in the field since it provides that distant support for me.”
    Tran credits her long-term boyfriend for much of this support and spoke with gleaming eyes of his efforts. She believes that without his encouragement, she would not have continued to kick-start her social media career.
    “I’m happy Michelle’s found a way to express herself creatively and also support herself financially,” said Bryan Ho, Tran’s boyfriend. “It’s been a fun and crazy ride.”
    Tran said she has been able to manage her content and stress well because she is on a management team that helps guide her on the organization of scheduled social media posts. She attributes much of her success in content planning to supportive marketing directors who set clear expectations.
    “Being friendly and guiding influencers to gear their content toward our branding is fun to me,” said Parker Damato, influencer marketing director at Glossier. “I love seeing Michelle and other influencers talk about our company through the lens of themselves.”
    Along with navigating cultural career-path stereotypes enforced by her parents, Tran also struggled to accept her heritage while growing up in the South. She said in college she felt pressured to immerse herself in white culture to fit in, which prevented her from embracing her unique traits, and left her without a strong sense of personal identity.
    “I was in a sorority and wanted that culture to be my identity so badly, but obviously our features and culture are so different,” Tran said. “I didn’t accept my Asian features and background until my junior or senior year of college, when I found friends who looked like me and had similar backgrounds.”
    The lack of Asian representation in sororities and on campus is also evident at SMU and the experience of feeling alienated as a minority often pressures college women to conform to fit in. Michelle’s content serves as a guide for college women, validating their experiences as they navigate their heritage.
    “It is difficult navigating the worlds of being Asian and embracing my culture, but also embracing my American culture,” Annie Liu, a student at SMU, said. “Having influencers like Michelle who’s navigating similar worlds really inspires me by showcasing that it is possible to live a fulfilling life in between worlds.”
    Since her undergraduate years, Tran has undergone significant personal growth, especially in her mindset toward her heritage, she said. She has come to recognize the value of uniqueness and the importance of embracing cultural differences. Now, Tran proudly celebrates her heritage by sharing her lifestyle and experiences, honoring her roots with confidence and openness.
    “I’m embracing my Vietnamese American heritage more deeply than ever, weaving it into my everyday life and sharing it openly through my content,” she said. “It’s been a journey of reconnection and pride, celebrating my culture in a way I didn’t see growing up.”
    With her personal growth and deepened understanding of Asian American struggles, Tran emphasizes the importance of empowering young Asian American girls through authentic representation. She is committed to helping them navigate similar challenges with confidence and resilience and hopes to pave the way for future generations by sharing her heritage and celebrating her roots in her work. Through her content, she aims to create a platform that honors diversity, fosters pride and encourages young girls to see themselves as capable of achieving their dreams.
    “I want Asian American girls to know they deserve to see themselves represented and celebrated in every space, including those that feel out of reach,” she said. “My hope is to inspire them to embrace their uniqueness and pursue their dreams unapologetically, even if the path hasn’t been paved yet.”
    Tran also plans on continuing to combine her cultural background and professional ambitions by creating content that documents her journey navigating a career in medicine. She aims to prove that beauty and brains can coexist —and that it should be encouraged to excel in both. For Tran, choosing one path would mean sacrificing the part of herself that thrives on writing, editing, and creative expression, while choosing the other would mean giving up her fascination with science. She can not imagine choosing only one, and has come to terms with making space for both, and hopes to promote this mindset to her young female audience.
    “I struggled with the idea of this all the time, where I have to choose between medicine and influencing,” she said. “Maybe I don’t have to pick and choose; humans are so multifaceted, and I feel like you can do both.”
    As she scrolls through her camera roll in the middle of Glossier, admiring fragments of curated content ready to be stitched together, a sense of familiarity and nostalgia for her passion for media washes over her. She reflects on her childhood.
    “If younger me knew what I was doing now, she would be so proud,” she said.

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  • Singaporean says, “It’s not just about the money but the lifestyle struggles in SG that’s making young couples think twice before having kids”

    Singaporean says, “It’s not just about the money but the lifestyle struggles in SG that’s making young couples think twice before having kids”

    SINGAPORE: A Singaporean took to social media to express why he thinks the birth rate in the country has been declining.

    In an anonymous post on the NUSWhispers Facebook page, the individual mentioned that while many people cite financial concerns as the main reason for not having children, he believes the issue goes beyond money.

    “Realistically, I feel that it’s not just about the money but the lifestyle in SG that’s making young couples think twice before having kids,” he said.

    He explained that while it is possible to have children on a modest budget, with a combined salary of around $4,000, it would require many sacrifices.

    Couples in this situation would struggle to provide their kids with a comfortable life, and managing everything without extra help would be a massive challenge, especially if both parents are working.

    “It is just logistically impossible or very challenging if both parents are working and do not have any external help, like no helper, not all have grandparents around to help or grandparents still working because retirement age has increased.”

    He also described the daily grind parents face nowadays: rushing to drop their kids off at childcare, working long hours, and then coming home to handle parenting duties, all while being sleep-deprived—especially with a baby who wakes up at night.

    He also pointed out how tough it is from the kid’s perspective.

    “Bringing them into the world only to spend 2-3 waking hours with parents on weekdays and then being left at infant care or childcare all day, especially when the child is not even 7 years old, [seems wrong] when they should be spending more time with family,” he opined.

    While he acknowledged the troubling decline in the birth rate, he expressed that it was even more disheartening to think about the lifestyle parents and children endure today.

    He also recognized that financial stability could make things easier—families with higher incomes can afford domestic help or a car—but he noted that most young couples don’t have such luxuries.

    “Some young couples may even have to delay childbirth because BTO takes 4+ years, or they have already drained their savings to buy resale flats and need to save before having kids,” he said.

    “Well, please try to convince me that I should have kids; I really need some reasons to,” he wrote, unconvinced that anyone even could.

    “Throughout human history, having kids has never been an economic decision.”

    In the comments section, many netizens weighed in with their thoughts, some agreeing with the Singaporean’s concerns and others offering different perspectives.

    One netizen, a father of four, said, “In my opinion, if you are not ready, then don’t. If you are ready, then do. I have seen people with all the right scores finding 1000 excuses not to.

    On the flip side, I have seen people seemingly not having the right score finding 1000 reasons to have children. To me, it is a matter of commitment.”

    Another commented, “Ultimately, it’s all about personal choice. Kids are just part of our life. Whatever reasons a person has to or does not have kids are personal. Others have no right to criticize their choice.

    So you be you, why bother about others? Just live your own life. Cheers.”

    A third said, “The excuse that there is not enough money to raise kids is untrue. Throughout human history, having kids has never been an economic decision.

    Otherwise, we would see that couples are more likely to have kids when income increases; this is not the case, and the trend is in fact the opposite.”

    Singapore’s fertility rate

    Singapore’s fertility rate has dropped below 1.0, and despite the government’s efforts to reverse this trend with a range of attractive incentives—including the Baby Bonus Cash worth up to S$13,000 and extended paternity leave—many locals are still on the fence or outright rejecting the idea of having kids.

    In an online forum, some locals have been vocal about why. Commonly cited factors include a lack of parental instinct, concerns about unstable career prospects, and the high cost of living.

    Read more: High cost of living listed as one of the reasons some Singaporeans don’t plan to have kids

    Featured image by Freepik (for illustration purposes only)







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  • Singaporean says, “It’s not just about the money but the lifestyle struggles in SG that’s making young couples think twice before having kids”

    Singaporean says, “It’s not just about the money but the lifestyle struggles in SG that’s making young couples think twice before having kids”

    SINGAPORE: A Singaporean took to social media to express why he thinks the birth rate in the country has been declining.

    In an anonymous post on the NUSWhispers Facebook page, the individual mentioned that while many people cite financial concerns as the main reason for not having children, he believes the issue goes beyond money.

    “Realistically, I feel that it’s not just about the money but the lifestyle in SG that’s making young couples think twice before having kids,” he said.

    He explained that while it is possible to have children on a modest budget, with a combined salary of around $4,000, it would require many sacrifices.

    Couples in this situation would struggle to provide their kids with a comfortable life, and managing everything without extra help would be a massive challenge, especially if both parents are working.

    “It is just logistically impossible or very challenging if both parents are working and do not have any external help, like no helper, not all have grandparents around to help or grandparents still working because retirement age has increased.”

    He also described the daily grind parents face nowadays: rushing to drop their kids off at childcare, working long hours, and then coming home to handle parenting duties, all while being sleep-deprived—especially with a baby who wakes up at night.

    He also pointed out how tough it is from the kid’s perspective.

    “Bringing them into the world only to spend 2-3 waking hours with parents on weekdays and then being left at infant care or childcare all day, especially when the child is not even 7 years old, [seems wrong] when they should be spending more time with family,” he opined.

    While he acknowledged the troubling decline in the birth rate, he expressed that it was even more disheartening to think about the lifestyle parents and children endure today.

    He also recognized that financial stability could make things easier—families with higher incomes can afford domestic help or a car—but he noted that most young couples don’t have such luxuries.

    “Some young couples may even have to delay childbirth because BTO takes 4+ years, or they have already drained their savings to buy resale flats and need to save before having kids,” he said.

    “Well, please try to convince me that I should have kids; I really need some reasons to,” he wrote, unconvinced that anyone even could.

    “Throughout human history, having kids has never been an economic decision.”

    In the comments section, many netizens weighed in with their thoughts, some agreeing with the Singaporean’s concerns and others offering different perspectives.

    One netizen, a father of four, said, “In my opinion, if you are not ready, then don’t. If you are ready, then do. I have seen people with all the right scores finding 1000 excuses not to.

    On the flip side, I have seen people seemingly not having the right score finding 1000 reasons to have children. To me, it is a matter of commitment.”

    Another commented, “Ultimately, it’s all about personal choice. Kids are just part of our life. Whatever reasons a person has to or does not have kids are personal. Others have no right to criticize their choice.

    So you be you, why bother about others? Just live your own life. Cheers.”

    A third said, “The excuse that there is not enough money to raise kids is untrue. Throughout human history, having kids has never been an economic decision.

    Otherwise, we would see that couples are more likely to have kids when income increases; this is not the case, and the trend is in fact the opposite.”

    Singapore’s fertility rate

    Singapore’s fertility rate has dropped below 1.0, and despite the government’s efforts to reverse this trend with a range of attractive incentives—including the Baby Bonus Cash worth up to S$13,000 and extended paternity leave—many locals are still on the fence or outright rejecting the idea of having kids.

    In an online forum, some locals have been vocal about why. Commonly cited factors include a lack of parental instinct, concerns about unstable career prospects, and the high cost of living.

    Read more: High cost of living listed as one of the reasons some Singaporeans don’t plan to have kids

    Featured image by Freepik (for illustration purposes only)







    Source link

  • Lifestyle and stress blamed for surge in young stroke patients

    Lifestyle and stress blamed for surge in young stroke patients

    Once thought to be a problem of the elderly, stroke is affecting more and more young and healthy individuals. Hospitals report a surprisingly sharp increase in young stroke patients. This trend was virtually nonexistent just a few years ago. Doctors attribute this to a combination of lifestyle choices, increased stress and a rise in chronic health conditions, the Times of India reported.

    Dr Raghuram G, additional director of neurosurgery at Fortis Hospital said:

    “We are now seeing two cases of youngsters experiencing stroke every week. The rise in cases of people in their 30s experiencing stroke every week is alarming, probably influenced by modern lifestyles. Diets rich in junk food and unhealthy fats, accompanied by demanding work schedules and lack of sleep, are key factors. Since the Covid pandemic, we have seen an increase in the number of strokes due to the increased tendency for blood to clot, which can lead to clots forming in the brain vessels.”

    Just five years ago, young stroke patients were rare and often associated with certain conditions such as lupus or genetic disorders.

    Dr Santosh NS, consultant neurologist at Manipal Hospitals, noted that stroke in persons under 40, defined as stroke at an early age, now accounts for 10-15% of all stroke cases. “One common cause is arterial dissection, in which blood vessels in the neck rupture due to abnormal postures or movements, such as turning the head when visiting a hairdresser,” he explained.

    These young stroke patients face a variety of risk factors that require different approaches to treatment and prevention. Risks that can be altered, such as smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke, can significantly increase the likelihood of stroke. “Avoiding exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke is key,” emphasized Dr. Santosh. Manipal hospitals have an average of 2-3 cases of young stroke patients per week.

    Dr Amit Kulkarni, senior consultant and head of the neurology and stroke department at Sakra World Hospital, explains the alarming trends:

    “We are now seeing strokes in patients in their late 20s and early 30s. Factors such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol are prevalent, often due to sedentary lifestyles. Lifestyle choices and obesity contribute to conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, which can exacerbate hypertension and lead to stroke.”

    According to Sakra World, one in four stroke patients comes from younger age groups.

    Achieving a healthy balance

    29 October is World Stroke Day. Here are some precautions you can take to stay healthy:

    Exercise regularly (30 minutes a day)

    Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.

    Prioritize 7-8 hours of sleep per day

    Stay hydrated

    Limit time in front of screens

    Practice stress reduction techniques

    Schedule regular health checkups

    Don’t skip meals, don’t eat too much sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, don’t neglect physical activity, don’t smoke, don’t consume excessive amounts of alcohol, don’t compromise on sleep and don’t ignore your mental health. | BGNES

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