Nutrition and functional medicine expert Dr. Liu Bor-Ren recently shared a cautionary story on the program Health Late Night, highlighting how lifestyle choices can drastically impact health—even for relatively young adults. He discussed the case of a 35-year-old office worker who regularly ate pork rib bento meals, rarely consumed vegetables or fruit, and led a largely sedentary lifestyle with minimal exercise. Occasionally, he would join friends for barbecues or social meals, but his overall diet remained unbalanced.
The man first noticed blood in his stool and initially dismissed it as hemorrhoids. However, two months later, friends observed his increasingly pale complexion, prompting him to visit a hospital. Tests revealed a devastating diagnosis: colorectal cancer, with metastasis to the liver, placing him in a late-stage condition.
The man wondered why, despite having similar eating habits to his friends, only he developed cancer. Dr. Liu explained that even unhealthy habits may not immediately trigger disease, but if immune function is low, cancer cells can develop into tumors.
Dr. Liu also cited an Australian study showing that sitting for one hour has effects comparable to smoking a cigarette. Prolonged sitting slows blood circulation in the lower body, expands abdominal veins, and allows lactic acid to accumulate. Additionally, extended periods of inactivity increase free radical production and inflammation—both linked to cancer development.
The Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare notes that Canadian research in 2020 found long periods of sedentary behavior increase risks for cognitive decline, depression, reduced physical function, disability, insufficient physical activity, and poorer overall health. Sedentary lifestyles were also associated with higher risks of heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes, with those sitting over nine hours daily showing a 22% higher risk of death compared to those sitting less than seven hours.
The Ministry recommends following the 2020 World Health Organization guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior: adults aged 18–64 should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week. Activities can be accumulated in segments—such as 30 minutes per day split into two 15-minute sessions or three 10-minute sessions—achieving the same health benefits as a single continuous workout.
This case underscores the hidden dangers of sedentary lifestyles and poor dietary habits, emphasizing the importance of balanced nutrition and regular physical activity for cancer prevention and overall health.
