Latest news with #BetterYet
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
James Van Der Beek reveals what colorectal cancer taught him about self-love
James Van Der Beek has just woken up from a nap as he hops on a Microsoft Teams call. About nine months after sharing his colorectal cancer diagnosis with the world, the 48-year-old actor's face looks thinner. He isn't shy talking about the toll his illness has taken on him. He admits he doesn't have as much energy as he used to. He has good days and bad days. But, while he wouldn't wish his illness on anyone, the actor adds it's also given him something else, something he didn't expect: a deeper sense of self-love. "Cancer's a wild thing," he says. "It really does force you to look at your own mortality and decide what's important and decide really what you want to live the rest of your life without. And so, one of the big things for me was recognizing how negative my self-talk was." He continues: "When I was getting treatment and away from the beautiful cacophony of six kids and 36 acres and five dogs and a bearded dragon and the beautiful chaos that is my life, in the quiet I realized how negatively I was talking to myself. And so, that started a whole journey of just recognizing how important self-love is and how necessary and how simple it is." James Van Der Beek and how cancer has changed him Van Der Beek first revealed he had colorectal cancer in a November interview with People, sharing he was diagnosed in August 2023. He says his cancer was detected via colonoscopy. Now, he's partnering with Guardant Health to encourage people to get screened for cancer regardless of if they have symptoms or not. Doing so, he says, is often life-saving. It was for him. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Better Yet newsletter "To me, the biggest misunderstanding is that you need to have symptoms to get screened," he says. "I was very healthy, in amazing cardiovascular shape, and had full-blown stage three cancer, and I didn't know it." The actor says cancer has forced him to take a good, hard look at his life. It's made him rethink what matters and let go of what doesn't. It's also made him reexamine who he really is, versus what he's come to identify himself as. "I was forced to look at myself and say, 'Well, what am I, if I'm just a too skinny guy alone in a room with cancer?' And the conclusion that I came to, after some meditation, was I'm still worthy of love. I'm still worthy of God's love, but I'm still worthy of self-love, just for existing," he says. "My conclusion is that I do believe we're here to experience love − to connect to and to give and to receive love. But, in order to receive love, I think you have to have it for yourself first." Why he wants to work now more than ever Van Der Beek has refused to let cancer stop him from acting. In fact, he says, it's actually fueled him to act − and do other things he loves − even more. Van Der Beek recently appeared in Amazon's "Overcompensating" and is set to also appear in the upcoming "Legally Blonde" spin-off series "Elle." Before cancer, Van Der Beek says, he was on the verge of taking a step back from acting. Since his diagnosis, however, he's recommitted himself to it. "For a minute I thought, 'You know what? I don't need acting. I don't need it in the way that I did before,' " he says. "I'm very, very happy just doing this here with my family. And then, when I got cancer, I realized I love to tell stories. Acting is actually a real passion. Writing is a real passion, and I need to feed that. So, I joke that I'm the only guy I know who got cancer and realized I need to work more." More: James Van Der Beek chokes up discussing his wife's support after cancer diagnosis One of the best parts about acting, he says, is that, when the camera's rolling, nothing else matters. You're in the moment, not thinking about anything else − including cancer. As for family life, Van Der Beek says his kids have all processed his illness differently. The actor and his wife Kimberly Brook share six children, whose ages span 3 to 14. When it comes to parenting with an illness, Van Der Beek has made honesty his policy. Being transparent, he says, has "really allowed for some lovely moments of connection" with his kids. James Van Der Beek, Jenna Fischer and the rise of young people getting cancer "We made the choice to just be as honest as we can with them," he says. "They all handle it differently. They all hide it differently. Their concern manifests differently in each of them. But again, telling them what I'm going through, it actually allows them to show up for me in a way that's just been so beautiful. 'Dad, can I get you tea?' 'No, dad, I'll get that for you.' 'How are you feeling today?' They know when I'm having a bad day. I mean, kids, they pick up on everything." Though he's grateful for the new perspective cancer's given him, he obviously wishes we lived in a world where no one had to go through it. That's why he's "shouting from the rooftops: Get screened. Talk to your doctor." "I'm feeling good," he says. "I've learned a lot. But, if I could save people from having to go through this journey, I definitely will. I would still give colorectal cancer zero stars." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Van Der Beek gives update on colorectal cancer
USA Today
3 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
James Van Der Beek reveals what colorectal cancer taught him about self-love
James Van Der Beek has just woken up from a nap as he hops on a Microsoft Teams call. About nine months after sharing his colorectal cancer diagnosis with the world, the 48-year-old actor's face looks thinner. He isn't shy talking about the toll his illness has taken on him. He admits he doesn't have as much energy as he used to. He has good days and bad days. But, while he wouldn't wish his illness on anyone, the actor adds it's also given him something else, something he didn't expect: a deeper sense of self-love. "Cancer's a wild thing," he says. "It really does force you to look at your own mortality and decide what's important and decide really what you want to live the rest of your life without. And so, one of the big things for me was recognizing how negative my self-talk was." He continues: "When I was getting treatment and away from the beautiful cacophony of six kids and 36 acres and five dogs and a bearded dragon and the beautiful chaos that is my life, in the quiet I realized how negatively I was talking to myself. And so, that started a whole journey of just recognizing how important self-love is and how necessary and how simple it is." James Van Der Beek and how cancer has changed him Van Der Beek first revealed he had colorectal cancer in a November interview with People, sharing he was diagnosed in August 2023. He says his cancer was detected via colonoscopy. Now, he's partnering with Guardant Health to encourage people to get screened for cancer regardless of if they have symptoms or not. Doing so, he says, is often life-saving. It was for him. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Better Yet newsletter "To me, the biggest misunderstanding is that you need to have symptoms to get screened," he says. "I was very healthy, in amazing cardiovascular shape, and had full-blown stage three cancer, and I didn't know it." The actor says cancer has forced him to take a good, hard look at his life. It's made him rethink what matters and let go of what doesn't. It's also made him reexamine who he really is, versus what he's come to identify himself as. "I was forced to look at myself and say, 'Well, what am I, if I'm just a too skinny guy alone in a room with cancer?' And the conclusion that I came to, after some meditation, was I'm still worthy of love. I'm still worthy of God's love, but I'm still worthy of self-love, just for existing," he says. "My conclusion is that I do believe we're here to experience love − to connect to and to give and to receive love. But, in order to receive love, I think you have to have it for yourself first." Why he wants to work now more than ever Van Der Beek has refused to let cancer stop him from acting. In fact, he says, it's actually fueled him to act − and do other things he loves − even more. Van Der Beek recently appeared in Amazon's "Overcompensating" and is set to also appear in the upcoming "Legally Blonde" spin-off series "Elle." Before cancer, Van Der Beek says, he was on the verge of taking a step back from acting. Since his diagnosis, however, he's recommitted himself to it. "For a minute I thought, 'You know what? I don't need acting. I don't need it in the way that I did before,' " he says. "I'm very, very happy just doing this here with my family. And then, when I got cancer, I realized I love to tell stories. Acting is actually a real passion. Writing is a real passion, and I need to feed that. So, I joke that I'm the only guy I know who got cancer and realized I need to work more." More: James Van Der Beek chokes up discussing his wife's support after cancer diagnosis One of the best parts about acting, he says, is that, when the camera's rolling, nothing else matters. You're in the moment, not thinking about anything else − including cancer. As for family life, Van Der Beek says his kids have all processed his illness differently. The actor and his wife Kimberly Brook share six children, whose ages span 3 to 14. When it comes to parenting with an illness, Van Der Beek has made honesty his policy. Being transparent, he says, has "really allowed for some lovely moments of connection" with his kids. James Van Der Beek, Jenna Fischer and the rise of young people getting cancer "We made the choice to just be as honest as we can with them," he says. "They all handle it differently. They all hide it differently. Their concern manifests differently in each of them. But again, telling them what I'm going through, it actually allows them to show up for me in a way that's just been so beautiful. 'Dad, can I get you tea?' 'No, dad, I'll get that for you.' 'How are you feeling today?' They know when I'm having a bad day. I mean, kids, they pick up on everything." Though he's grateful for the new perspective cancer's given him, he obviously wishes we lived in a world where no one had to go through it. That's why he's "shouting from the rooftops: Get screened. Talk to your doctor." "I'm feeling good," he says. "I've learned a lot. But, if I could save people from having to go through this journey, I definitely will. I would still give colorectal cancer zero stars."
USA Today
4 days ago
- Health
- USA Today
RFK Jr. is cracking down on 7-OH. What is kratom – and how addictive is it?
After a viral video on TikTok and a stern press conference with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., kratom is in the spotlight. But what is it? Products containing the plant ingredient kratom are sold across the country at gas stations, liquor stores and smoke shops. They come in drinks, capsules and powders. Some have bright, colorful packaging. But kratom is no run-of-the mill caffeine drink. Medical experts say it can be highly addictive, producing effects similar to those of opioids and opiates. USA TODAY spoke with over 20 people who say they became severely addicted to kratom − to devastating consequences. Here's what to know about the ingredient, often marketed as a wellness supplement. What is kratom? Kratom is a plant ingredient that comes from Southeast Asia. It's often marketed as an herbal supplement that promotes relaxation and boosts energy. Dr. Timothy Fong, a UCLA addiction psychiatrist, says the ability of companies to put large amounts of kratom into otherwise innocuous-looking products has made it more susceptible to abuse. "At its core, this is a plant that's been around thousands of years," Fong says. "It has been used in Southeast Asia, chewing on the leaf as a stimulant, as a way of pain relief. And now, through vast modern technology, we've created the ability to have, what I call, fast-food kratom, if you will. Different formulations. Capsules. Powders. Teas. Gummies. Smokable versions. All sorts of different things." What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Better Yet newsletter What is the difference between kratom and 7-OH? Kratom is the name for the entire plant ingredient, while 7-OH, which stands for 7-Hydroxymitragynine, is a chemical byproduct of kratom. Some products are made with the whole kratom plant, while others are formulated specifically with high concentrations of 7-OH. Products marketed with 7-OH tend to be stronger and have recently drawn scrutiny from the FDA. What has RFK Jr., the FDA said about kratom, 7-OH? During a July 29 press conference, Food and Drug Administration commissioner Martin Makary announced the organization's intention to crackdown on products containing 7-OH; however, Makary also made clear during that press conference that the organization's focus is on 7-OH, not kratom overall. Makary spoke alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy while announcing their plan to initiate the process to have 7-OH scheduled as an illicit substance. That will happen if the Drug Enforcement Administration approves the FDA's sanction after review. More: Products with opioid-like effects sold at gas stations may be banned as illicit substances "I spent 14 years a heroin addict, and I've been 43 years in recovery," Kennedy said during the press conference. "I've had iron willpower for most of my life. ... This compulsion was absolutely impervious to my will, and part of the problem was just the availability." Is kratom addictive? Medical experts tell USA TODAY that, though kratom and 7-OH in general remain understudied topics, all kratom products carry risk for addiction, not just ones marketed with 7-OH. Some of the people who spoke to USA TODAY said their addiction was just to products with kratom, and they never tried ones with synthetic 7-OH. For others, using products with kratom became a gateway to using products with synthetic 7-OH. Dr. Lief Fenno, chair of the American Psychiatric Association Council on Addiction Psychiatry, believes kratom has escaped scrutiny because it does not bind to receptors in the brain the same way that drugs like heroin and morphine do. "The shapes of these molecules from kratom are very different than the shapes of things like morphine or fentanyl," Fenno says. "And so, the argument can be made that they're not opioids, because they don't have a specific shape like opioids. And that's despite the fact that they work in a very similar way." Why are people talking about kratom now? There are many kratom products on the market, but one particular drink has gone viral in recent weeks. On July 25, a TikToker under the name @yourbestimisha posted a video that now has over 19 million views, in which he described how a teenage boy tried stealing his wallet outside a gas station after he refused to go inside to buy the boy a Feel Free tonic containing kratom. A representative for Botanic Tonics, the company behind Feel Free, told USA TODAY its Feel Free Classic tonic contains only natural leaf kratom, with nearly undetectable levels of 7-OH. The Botanic Tonics representative told USA TODAY the company takes its 21-and-over restriction very seriously and has reached out to this TikToker for further details. The company's CEO Cameron Korehbandi has also released a statement applauding the FDA for going after 7-OH. "We've been advocating for exactly this type of regulatory approach — one that protects consumers from synthetic derivatives while preserving access to traditional botanical ingredients with centuries of safe use," Korehbandi said. 'Gas station heroin' nearly killed her. How tianeptine became a 'dark secret' for many. Earlier this year, Botanic Tonics settled an $8.75 million class-action lawsuit filed in March 2023 that alleged the company falsely marketed its kratom tonic as a healthy alternative to alcohol. In January 2024, the company announced it would add a warning to the label for its Feel Free Classic tonic saying the product can become "habit forming and harmful to your health if consumed irresponsibly," and, in May 2024, it announced the addition of a 21-and-over restriction to its products. For resources or support with substance use disorder, you can visit the website or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
