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"Oh, this back hurts, it's really not covered, my old waist, motionless, how can it still hurt like this?" Li Dashan muttered to himself, slowly getting up from the park bench. He is 60 years old and a retired geography teacher.
Li Dashan had low back pain for a while, and at first he thought it was an old problem with a herniated lumbar disc, and he didn't take it too seriously. But recently, the feeling of this low back pain is different from the past, it seems that every time it hurts, it makes him drop a few drops of cold sweat, a stinging sensation from the inside out, which makes him have to pay attention to it.
Li Dashan decided to go to the hospital for a check-up, but the doctor told him that it was one of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Hearing the words "pancreatic cancer", Li Dashan felt that the whole world was darkened, his eyes were dark, and he almost fell. He covered his face, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Pancreatic cancer" is a word that makes people shudder. The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is extremely low, at only 9%, mainly because pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. Li Dashan recalled that he had been suffering from discomfort in his lower back for several months, but he had always ignored it, thinking that it was just ordinary low back pain.
During Li Dashan's treatment, he was exposed to subtle changes in his life that could be an early sign of a change in his health. For example, small changes in a person's sleep patterns, weight, mental state, can all be early signs of certain underlying health problems.
The therapist explained to Li Dashan that many people are not sensitive enough to the details of their lives, and often wait until their symptoms become obvious before seeking medical help. Pancreatic cancer, for example, may only have vague discomfort in the lower back or abdomen in the early stages, and these signals are often overlooked. The five-year survival rate of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer can be improved to more than 20%, which is much higher than that of patients diagnosed at an advanced stage.
He began to seriously review and record his daily body changes, and even began to use some smart devices to help monitor his physical status, such as a smart watch to monitor heart rate and sleep quality. Li Dashan found that with these devices, he was able to notice abnormalities earlier, such as a slight increase in heart rate for several days in a row, or frequent sleep interruptions.
After a few months of treatment, Li Dashan's condition has improved significantly. Under the guidance of the doctor, he adjusted his life and diet, tried to maintain a relaxed attitude, and actively cooperated with the treatment. In this process, Li Dashan felt more and more that health is really an experience from the inside out, and paying attention to the small changes in life is caring for one's own life.
In the struggle against the disease, Li Dashan gradually realized that the complexity of health management was far more complex than he had previously realized. He began to focus on a lesser-known but data-supported view of health – the impact of environmental factors on cancer development.
Li Dashan's city is an industrial town, and the air quality is poor all year round, which made him wonder if such environmental conditions were also a factor that could not be ignored in his illness.
Long-term exposure to heavy metal pollution, especially in the air containing arsenic and lead, significantly increases the risk of pancreatic cancer. These heavy metals can accumulate in the human body through the food chain, interfere with the normal metabolism of cells, and increase the probability of cancer.
In response, Li Dashan began to change his lifestyle, trying to reduce the impact of these invisible risks. He installed an air purifier and started buying organic food to reduce his exposure to pollution when he went out. He even joined a local environmental organization and became actively involved in improving the quality of the environment as another way to fight disease.
In the process, he found that some of his chronic symptoms also lessened as his living environment improved. This convinced him that the importance of environmental factors in health management is often underestimated. He shared these findings and his own changes with doctors, who also appreciated his actions and encouraged him to continue doing so.
During his last regular check-up, Li Dashan expressed a question to the doctor that he had been asking for a long time: "Doctor, I know that my current lifestyle has changed a lot, and the air purifier and organic food seem to have helped a lot. I wondered, are these changes any other benefit to my overall health than helping me manage my cancer?"
"Actually, improving the living environment is not only helpful in controlling cancer, but more broadly, it also has a significant effect on preventing many other chronic diseases," the doctor replied. For example, air purification can reduce the occurrence of respiratory diseases, and the use of organic food can reduce the accumulation of harmful chemicals in the body, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even obesity. ”
"So, these changes that you make are well worth it, and they're helping you maintain a healthier system. Continue to maintain this lifestyle, check up regularly, and believe that your health will get better and better. ”
After hearing this, Li Dashan felt very happy. Not only did he make a difference for himself, but he also set a good example for his family and friends. Through small changes to his environment, he actually earns a greater return on his health.
What do you think about pancreatic cancer?