Joey Wahler (Host): June is Men's Health Month, so we're discussing having a good gastrointestinal system. Our guest is Dr. Ali Haider. He's a gastroenterologist with Sinai Chicago. This is the Sinai Chicago Health and Hope podcast, caregivers from Sinai Chicago share insights, updates, and important advice on the health topics impacting our communities. From the latest in medical research to practical tips for improving wellness, doctors, nurses and health professionals are here to help you and your families take control of your health. Thanks for joining us. I am Joey Wahler. Hi there, Dr. Haider. Welcome.

Ali Haider, MD: Nice to meet you Joey. Thanks for having me on the show.

Host: Same. Great to have you board and appreciate the time. So first, from your experience, why do you think it is that so many men tend to avoid or delay medical care in general, especially when it comes to the ever-important preventative screenings nowadays?

Ali Haider, MD: A lot of the men, they tend to keep sidecar-ing some of their health. A busy schedule, altering lifestyle to facilitate office appointments, work schedules, home schedules; for many men, workout schedules, right? And it's taking the time out to actively pursue preventative care is a major stumbling block. A lot of people also have fear of the unknown. Ask pertinent questions, take the time to research things, things like that, and just really making their healthcare a priority. Sometimes personal health can be sidelined by taking priority for themselves. So, these are one of several reasons why sometimes men can lag behind a little bit in their own preventative health. And hopefully, today we can answer and tackle some of those reasons why people should and need to get their preventative healthcare as a priority.

Host: Absolutely. That's the goal or one of them right here. So that being said, what are some of the most common digestive or colorectal issues men face, and why is that early detection we alluded to so important?

Ali Haider, MD: Early detection is critically important. Some of the common things that we see in general, in GI are very simple symptoms. Bloating, dyspepsia, indigestion, food intolerances, right? Sometimes the common commercial that we may see on television ads is irritable bowel syndrome, right? That can have its own special subcategories. So, hemorrhoids, rectal bleeding, things like that. For a lot of patients, these are very near and dear topics, very private topics. So, it's something people hold and internalize. These are some common GI symptoms that we can have. And then, of course, the big topic is colorectal screening, right? And that's one of the major preventative topics that are not only affecting our general population, but our individual patients.

These are all preventable and manageable clinical scenarios that we really like to focus on. And colorectal screening being one of our top priorities, other than a slew of other comorbidities that we often treat on the inpatient side and also on the outpatient side for routine management. So, these are all some of the major things that we like to focus on.

Host: Gotcha. So to follow up on that, colon cancer is of course a major concern in men's health. So, what are the current screening guidelines? I know they've changed in recent years because of a rise in cases. And why should men take these seriously, even if they feel fine because if there's something brewing regarding potential colon cancer, often it's symptom-free as far as the patient can tell, right?

Ali Haider, MD: Yes, I absolutely agree with you. So, our current guidelines from the American College of Gastroenterology and the United States Preventative Services Task Force, they recommend getting screening for healthy men at age 45. So, those are the current guidelines, and it's very important because colon cancer is preventable and treatable. So if we catch it early and we can stay ahead of it, we can really be on top of it. And that's kind of our mantra coming along, is making sure that we get our screenings, especially our colon cancer screening, because it is preventable and treatable. That's probably one of the few things that we like to really harp on is that, if we take the time and invest in ourselves and we can prevent something from occurring, that's where our focus should be. And that's just across all screening modalities for men's health.

What we can also find is that clinical symptoms, sometimes it could be silent, like you said. So, remaining on top of our screening recommendations, which is age 45, that would really help us stay on top of it.

Host: Now, unfortunately, as you well know, there's often a stigma or an embarrassment around certain screenings like colonoscopies in particular. So, how do you help patients get past that hesitation? I know from personal experience, having had it done multiple times, it's probably-- is it not, Doctor, as simple and easy and quick a procedure as you can have, isn't it?

Ali Haider, MD: Absolutely. Twenty-five to 30 minutes oftentimes the process of getting a colonoscopy. You feel no pain for the most part, depending on the type of sedation there is. You're asleep, and you wake up, and the procedure's done. I think the best way to tackle it or that stigma of embarrassment or anxiety is by information and being informed and understanding the process of the day before you're going to drink a bowel prep that's going to help evacuate your stool. It's going to allow us for optimal visualization at time of colonoscopy. It'll be a busy night, the night before your colonoscopy. The morning of, just don't eat or drink. And we give clear, detailed, directions on how to take your medications. You come into our endoscopy center. And what we do is we take care of you and we make you feel comfortable, and we walk you through along every single step. You get your procedure done. Twenty-five to 30 minutes in general, we can get them completed. And you go home. And when you go home, we can also oftentimes tell you what the next colonoscopy's due, and we give you a summary of everything that we found or saw or what we didn't see. And the next procedure and the next date. So, it's a very informative time. It's detailed. And I think that's the general experience that people have. And oftentimes, people say that i'm happy I went through it. It was a busy day, but I'm happy I'm done with it.

Host: And that bowel prep that you alluded to where you drink a solution the night before and the morning before in order to clean out your system, that's really more challenging for the patient than the procedure itself, right? Once that's over, they're pretty much home free, right?

Ali Haider, MD: When people show up for their colonoscopies, I tell them, "You already did the tough part. Now, we'll take care of you," because yeah, that could be the challenging part. There are some specific directions with respect to what you can drink the day before, and consistency of it and the color of it. But as long as you can follow the directions of drinking that bowel prep, you've done the majority of the work that we need. And then, when you show up for the procedure, we handle everything from there.

Host: So, switching gears a little bit, Doctor, what are some signs or symptoms men should never ignore in general, when it comes to digestive health? What is it that they might see or feel that really should have them considering going to a doctor?

Ali Haider, MD: So, there are some alarm symptoms that we'd like to focus on. And rectal bleeding, unintentional weight loss, abdominal pain, significant amount of bloating or what we call dyspepsia; change in bowel function if you all of a sudden experience constipation or diarrhea, these are very important and unexplained; fatigue, right? Like you come home, you're just constantly tired and not just tired from a long day of work, like actually tired, like you can't get up, you're getting short of breath, you're having a hard time walking around. That type of fatigue. These are some of the main red flags that we like to really focus on when getting a good history.

Host: How about lifestyle factors, which play such a big role in just about any medical scenario, right? Diet, stress, alcohol use. Generally speaking, how do these things affect gastrointestinal health in men? And what are some small changes you can recommend that'll make a big difference?

Ali Haider, MD: Absolutely everything that you said can certainly affect your gut health by overconsumption. I am a firm believer in moderation is key. And a high fiber diet, rich in antioxidants, minimizing your alcohol intake, limiting your smoking. If you smoke, try to completely stop, ask for help. These are some of the simple things that we can do to really improve our gut health.

Host: And when you talk about exercise, that's key too, is it not? Because oftentimes people that aren't exercising at all or enough, they wonder, "How do I start? What do I do? I don't really know what to do." Simply put, it's better to do anything, something, as opposed to nothing, right?

Ali Haider, MD: Absolutely. Even a short walk and starting with low intensity, five to ten minutes a day of just maybe a short walk, and then increase the time intervals, then increase the frequency of the amount that you walk. Simple steps like that will really help improve your quality of life. Absolutely, and I agree with you.

Host: In summary here, Doctor, considering what we were discussing earlier, what's your message to those men we talked about who are joining us right now, maybe putting off that doctor's visits for a screening or what have you? Maybe they feel, "I feel fine. I've got other things to worry about. I'll go to the doctor another time." What should they keep in mind and how do they take that first step?

Ali Haider, MD: I tell all them that your health is your foundation. If you take care of yourself, then you can take care of your family, your job, and your future. And the first step is just making a phone call. Talk to your primary care doctor. Ask them what screening modalities, what is next in your line of optimization for your own healthcare.

A lot of our primary care doctors and our specialists can help guide everyone along their healthcare journey. And taking the first step and picking up that phone or reaching out to your primary care doctor is the most important step. And that'll help pave the way for a long, healthy future so you can be there for your work, your family, and your responsibilities.

Host: Well, folks, we trust you are now more familiar with addressing gastro issues. Dr. Haider, valuable information indeed. Thanks so much again.

Ali Haider, MD: Thank you very much.

Host: And for more information, please visit sinaichicago.org. Now, if you found this podcast helpful, please do share it on your social media. I am Joey Wahler. And thanks so much again for being part of the Sinai Chicago Health and Hope Podcast.