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Find Your Root
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Jul 10, 2025

A colorful smoothie bowl topped with almonds, coconut, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and mango, surrounded by fresh fruits and greenery.

We tend to think of illness and aging as predictable—things that follow a straight line, affecting mostly the old, the genetically predisposed, or the overtly unhealthy. But what happens when the trends start shifting in unexpected ways? When young people begin to face diseases once thought distant? When diets touted as healthy don’t work for everyone? When wandering minds may actually be doing critical work?

Let’s take a closer look at what’s rising beneath the surface.

Young Bodies, Old Battles: The Rise of GI Cancers

Colorectal and other gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are increasing at alarming rates in people under 50. These cancers were once mostly seen in older adults—but now, early-onset colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in young men and the second in young women in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society (2024).

A recent review published in the British Journal of Surgery found a 14.8% increase in early-onset colorectal cancer between 2010 and 2019. The causes remain unclear, but obesity, processed foods, environmental toxins, and stress are all under the microscope.

“While the increase in obesity is associated with a major increase in early-onset colorectal cancer, the majority of patients are not obese, do not have a family history or any other obvious risk factors.”
— Dr. Anton Bilchik, Chief of Medicine, Providence Saint John’s Cancer Institute

This suggests a more complex web of causes—many rooted in the gut. The trillions of bacteria in our bodies, known as the microbiome, may be impacted by poor diet, chronic stress, and pollutants, contributing to a pro-inflammatory state linked to cancer risk.

Meanwhile, a 2024 study in Nature Medicine projects 15.6 million new cases of gastric cancer in the coming decades—largely attributed to Helicobacter pylori, a common but often undetected bacterial infection.

“These increases may reflect shifts in early life exposures and the gut microbiome, which could differ significantly from those of older generations.”
— M.N. Huda, 2025

Not One Size Fits All: Rethinking “Healthy” Diets

The Mediterranean diet is often called the gold standard for health—linked to reduced heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s. But new research suggests its effects may not be universal.

A 2025 study published in Preventive Medicine Reports found that a long-term Mediterranean diet intervention did not improve cognitive function in African American participants, despite improved adherence and weight loss outcomes.

“The results highlight the need to recognize racial and cultural diversity when studying diet-related health outcomes.”
— Lead researcher, Preventive Medicine Reports, 2025

What works for one group may not automatically benefit another. Cultural context, food accessibility, stress, and social determinants of health all shape how diet impacts our bodies. The takeaway? Nutrition science must evolve beyond a “one-size-fits-all” model—and center equity.

Wandering Minds & Hidden Strengths

Ever been told to stop daydreaming? Turns out, letting your mind drift might be good for you.

A 2025 study published in The Journal of Neuroscience found that mind wandering during simple tasks actually enhanced learning—and participants performed just as well as those who stayed hyper-focused.

“Mind wandering poses an unresolved puzzle for cognitive neuroscience: It is associated with poor performance in various cognitive domains, yet humans spend 30–50% of their waking time mind wandering.”
— Simor et al., The Journal of Neuroscience, 2025

The implication? Our brains may use daydreaming as a tool to integrate ideas, solve problems, and imagine new futures. In a world driven by nonstop productivity, giving our minds room to roam might just be a radical form of wellness.

So, What Now?

Whether it’s the rise of hidden cancers, the reality of diet inequity, or the underestimated power of daydreaming, one truth echoes loud and clear:

What’s happening beneath the surface matters.

It matters in our bodies. In our health systems. In our food. In our minds. And in the assumptions, we make about what’s good, safe, or “normal.”

At The WellGrown Collective, we’re cultivating a community where curiosity meets care, where new science becomes shared knowledge, and where wellness isn’t something prescribed from the outside—but grown together, from within.

Let’s keep this conversation growing.
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