Health Archives - Honolulu Magazine

How Healthy Are We, Really?

Mary Vorsino — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 10:02:41 +0000

IN RANKINGS OF THE HEALTHIEST STATES…

…Hawai‘i often comes out on top, or close to it. Year after year, surveys and reports suggest that our state’s residents are more active than their counterparts on the continent, breathe cleaner air, are happier and live longer.

But that’s far from the full story.

Tucked behind those rosy statistics, doctors say, are rising rates of cancer among patients under 50, genetic links to cancer that affect many Island residents, worrisome increases in obesity and such chronic diseases as diabetes, and persistent gaps in health care for communities that need the most help.

Dr. Jennifer Carney, Hawai‘i Permanente Medical Group’s Chief of Hematology and Oncology. Photo: Courtesy of Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i

Younger Cancer Patients

The state’s medical community is scrambling to understand what’s driving the rise in cancer rates among younger, preretirement-age people. From 2000 to 2021, breast cancer among Asian and Pacific Islander women under 50 soared, from 36 to 55 cases per 100,000 patients, according to the National Cancer Institute. Oncologists also are seeing more people under 50 with colon, pancreatic and lung cancers, and it’s not clear why.

It’s “really very worrisome,” Dr. Jennifer Carney, Hawai‘i Permanente Medical Group’s chief of hematology and oncology, says of the rise in early onset cancers. “Some of these patients aren’t even in the screening age groups yet.”

In fact, screening recommendations have changed to address the situation. Colonoscopies are now recommended for people starting at age 45, rather than 50. A woman with an average breast cancer risk should get a mammogram every other year starting at 40, also earlier than previous guidelines.

Patients in their 30s and 40s who are grappling with serious cancers often have different concerns than those in their 60s and 70s, Carney says. Younger patients, she says, might have school-age children or be concerned about fertility, and they’re probably still working, whereas older patients are more likely to be retired.

Oncologists also are seeing more people under 50 with colon, pancreatic and lung cancers, and it’s not clear why.

Dr. Ayman Abdul-Ghani, thoracic surgeon. Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Genetic Links

Along with younger oncology patients, doctors say genetic factors are increasingly being linked to malignant growths. For example, liver and gastric cancers tend to be more prevalent among Asians, while Native Hawaiians are at higher risk for several cancers and are more likely to present with more progressed disease. “Part of this is the social determinants of health,” Carney says. “There is also something biological.”

The leading cause of cancer deaths nationwide is lung cancer, and in the Islands, Dr. Ayman Abdul-Ghani says he and other doctors see more of it among nonsmokers than the national average, typically among Asian women. Lung cancer rates are also higher among Native Hawaiian women.

“Often, the cancer is found when patients go in for something else,” says Abdul-Ghani, a thoracic surgeon at Hawai‘i Pacific Health. “I’ve seen patients who go for shoulder X-rays or computerized tomography scans for their neck or abdomen, and the doctors find lung cancer in the part of the chest covered in the scan.”

Dr. Jared Acoba, oncologist. Photo: Courtesy of The Queen’s Health Systems

Native Hawaiians also have a 60% higher chance of developing pancreatic cancer than others, says Queen’s Health Systems oncologist Dr. Jared Acoba. “If you have a Native Hawaiian male who has two risk factors, say who smokes and has one family member with pancreatic cancer, his risk of pancreatic cancer is five times the population.”

While genetics can’t always accurately predict the future, genetic counseling can encourage patients to seek regular screenings to catch cancers earlier.

Rebecca Yee Bassett, Kaiser Permanente Genetic Counseling Section Chief. Photo: Courtesy of Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i

Trying to Outsmart Cancer

Fortunately, the medical community’s arsenal to fight cancers is growing. In addition to traditional treatments, doctors are using targeted therapy to go after the DNA mutations fueling malignant growths and deploying immunotherapy drugs to stimulate a patient’s own immune system. They’re also using genetic counseling to target higher risk patients. At Kaiser Permanente, for example, some cancer survivors and patients with family histories of certain variations of the disease qualify for genetic testing to assess their risk.

While genetics can’t always accurately predict the future, genetic counseling can encourage patients to seek regular screenings to catch cancers earlier, says Rebecca Yee Bassett, Kaiser Permanente Genetic Counseling section chief. “Family history can be really critical for people to be aware of,” she says, noting that genetic counseling likely will be more readily available in the near-term. “This is precision medicine, where we use our genetic information to help guide doctors and treatments. It’s the ultimate in individualized health care.”

Nearly six years ago, Olena Heu, a former local TV news anchor who now runs her own marketing firm, underwent a preventive double mastectomy after genetic testing predicted an increased breast cancer risk. Heu’s grandmother had breast cancer, and her mother and aunt both died of the disease.

In 2019, a year after her mother’s passing, the 44-year-old decided to remove both breasts to reduce her risks, and opted out of reconstructive surgery because implants pose risks of their own and would have required additional recuperation.

“I think it might have been one of the best medical decisions in my life,” says Heu, who documented her journey via YouTube videos that reached people around the globe.

“It really empowers me to go forward and do all the things I want to do and not have to be worried. Because of science and preventative care, we can make these decisions that will essentially help prolong our lives. We live in a time where we’re given those opportunities.”

Photo: Courtesy of Olena Heu

Addressing Inequalities in Care Is Key

While advances in screening and cutting-edge treatments are giving doctors new tools in fighting disease and giving patients better long-term prognoses, socioeconomic inequalities continue to drive health disparities among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. In many rural and remote areas of the state, for instance, there’s a lack of health care providers, and it’s these residents often hit hardest by Hawai‘i’s rising cost of living.

“Multiple family members are working two or three jobs to afford the high cost of making ends meet. It’s really hard to exercise, be healthy if you’re always busy and stressed,” says Dr. Jennifer Loh, chief of endocrinology at Hawai‘i Permanente Medical Group. “It’s a lot more expensive to eat healthy as well.”

To address inequalities in cancer care, including preventive screenings, the John A. Burns School of Medicine recently partnered with the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center and Hawai‘i Cancer Consortium members, who represent several top medical groups. The effort, called Ka ‘Umeke Lama, or “Bowl of Enlightenment,” aims to “erase disparities in cancer outcomes” in the Islands by advancing cancer education, deploying oncology providers and early cancer detection units to rural and underserved communities, launching targeted clinical research trials and developing telehealth systems.

The group has its work cut out. Across the state, Native Hawaiians have historically had the highest mortality rates for all types of cancers compared to white residents. Pacific Islanders are also far more likely to be diagnosed with some cancers.

Ka ‘Umeke Lama is aimed at developing a “strong and integrated oncology infrastructure” in Hawai‘i and the Pacific, says Dr. Naoto Ueno, director of the UH Cancer Center. He believes cancer care should be equitable and rooted in both innovation and cultural understanding. “Everyone should have access to high-quality cancer care,” he says.

Dr. Jennifer Loh, chief of endocrinology. Photo: Courtesy of Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i

Over the past decade, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Hawai‘i has increased by more than 50%.

Type 2 Diabetes on the Rise in Hawai‘i

When it comes to health disparities, though, cancer isn’t the only concern.

Over the past decade, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Hawai‘i has increased by more than 50%. Today, more than 11% of the population—or about 150,000 people—have Type 2 diabetes and 40% are living with pre-diabetes. The most common causes of Type 2 diabetes in adults are a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle and high stress.

When diabetes is untreated or poorly treated, it can lead to a host of other chronic conditions, including heart and kidney disease, nerve damage, mobility problems, and even depression and dementia. Like with other chronic conditions, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are at higher risk of developing diabetes—2.5 times higher compared to the overall population—the Office of Minority Health reports.

They’re also at greater risk of dying from heart disease, the state’s top killer. New research from the American Heart Association shows Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have far higher death rates from heart disease than Asian Americans, and the second highest among all ethnicities, races and other groups behind only Blacks.

Dr. Nadine Tenn Salle, chief of pediatrics. Photo: Courtesy of The Queen’s Health systems

Obesity in Local Children a “Significant” Problem

Alarmingly, Hawai‘i doctors are also seeing rising rates of obesity among children—and more cases of Type 2 diabetes, too. The National Institutes of Health has called childhood obesity in Hawai‘i a “significant” problem, with some communities seeing rates of 40% or more. Overall, a third of all Hawai‘i keiki are overweight or obese.

“Before, we would rarely see Type 2 diabetes in children,” Loh says. Now, doctors nationally are finding about 18 cases per 100,000 children, the latest federal data shows, with the highest rates among Blacks, Latinos and Pacific Islanders.

Dr. Nadine Tenn Salle, chief of pediatrics for The Queen’s Health Systems, says chronic conditions in childhood must be dealt with holistically. Kids aren’t put on diets, she says, but are encouraged to try healthier foods and activities.

Dr. Leimomi Kanagusuku, president of the Hawai‘i Academy of Family Physicians. Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Pacific Health

Cultural competency is key, too.

Dr. Leimomi Kanagusuku, president of the Hawai‘i Academy of Family Physicians, grew up in Wai‘anae and is part Native Hawaiian. She thinks of health as an “intricate web” of factors and tells her patients so. Genes aren’t the only thing that determine health outcomes— daily habits and environment count too, she says. As a family medicine physician with Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Kanagusuku says her patients want to be healthier but need resources and guidance. “Instead of telling patients to eat healthy, you ask them about their day and who cooks.”

By tapping into specifics, she offers actionable advice. “So much of health has to do with our surroundings. Native Hawaiians have lower socioeconomic status, more asthma, more cancer, more alcohol use, higher rates of mental health issues.”

Untangling it all to help patients is both daunting and rewarding. She recalls one of her younger patients with diabetes and extremely high blood sugar. He didn’t want to go on medication, so Kanagusuku had “some very real conversations” with him about turning his life around. He did, even getting his blood sugar levels below the goal.

What About So-Called Wonder Drugs?

For Loh, the endocrinologist, “game-changer” drugs like Ozempic are powerful but not the only answer. “It has certainly been impressive” to see the success of Ozempic and similar drugs, she says. “But we don’t know the long-term effects.”

The class of drugs that includes Ozempic works by mimicking a hormone to make you feel full faster and likely requires long-term usage. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” she says. “But it can play a part in your weight-loss journey.”

Another part might be monitoring your blood sugar if you have prediabetes. Over-the-counter blood glucose monitors can quickly show patients how food choices, like sweets or rice, impact their blood sugar and how they feel throughout the day. “Some people find it very enlightening,” she says. “That can be empowering.”

All in the Family: Dr. Christina Marzo Advocates for Her Patients

Diane Seo — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 10:01:54 +0000

As a young girl, Dr. Christina Marzo’s diabetic grandmother suffered a series of strokes that eventually left her wheelchair-bound and unable to communicate. No one in her family knew much about health care, and it frustrated her to see her grandfather, who immigrated from the Philippines, unable to navigate a complicated medical maze.

Now as a family physician at The Queen’s Medical Center, the 39-year-old helps others struggling to advocate for sick loved ones. “I see this exact scenario with many of my patients, and my philosophy with medicine is to be that person for my patients,” she says. “People don’t always understand their disease and how to make the right decisions.”

Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

“People don’t always understand their disease and how to make the right decisions.”

Hawai‘i’s reputation as one of the healthiest states is deceiving, Marzo says. So many people are battling diseases and issues—battles that can be exacerbated by Hawai‘i’s high cost of living. “They need housing and groceries, and there are lots of strains on our health care system,” she says. “I don’t necessarily have the means to address all of these things, but I’m trying to do what I can.”

Family medicine is the ideal practice for the Punahou grad, because she says, more than with other medical specialties, she can get to know her patients and their families well. She often treats multiple generations of families and knows how family dynamics impact their health. “It’s a field of medicine where you’re part of your community and need to understand community issues to provide the best care,” she says.

She also loves having medical students shadow her. She learned so much from her own mentors, recalling how they went out of their way to give her valuable learning experiences. Now, she does the same, motivated to help shape the next generation of Hawai‘i’s family physicians.

While family medicine sometimes is cast as less academically rigorous or prestigious than other medical fields, Marzo tells students they don’t need to be specialized surgeons to make positive impacts on people’s lives. “In fact, you can probably have a bigger impact on people’s lives if you are a super solid primary care doctor,” she says.

No Pain, A Lot to Gain: Dr. Jerald Garcia Leads in Chronic Pain Management

Diane Seo — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 10:01:37 +0000

Dr. Jerald Garcia appeared destined for a career in medicine as a 5-year-old, when his favorite activity was playing with his doctor toys. Fast-forward a few decades, and Garcia’s childhood pastime has resulted in a successful career leading a rapidly growing chronic pain management operation.

It’s been 15 years since he first started his practice, a small O‘ahu office where he was the doctor and his wife was his assistant. Today, he operates the Hawai‘i Institute for Pain at three locations—two on O‘ahu and one on Maui—with a team of doctors and medical staff. Garcia’s core work is interventional chronic pain management, which includes high-tech, minimally invasive procedures, including implanting spinal cord stimulators.

Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

“Right now in Hawai‘i, the treatment in this area is very disjointed. You see this doctor to get your injection, then go to another place for therapy, and another place for rehab or behavioral therapy. My goal is to consolidate all those services.”

This year, Garcia is expanding his Hale Pāwa‘a practice to become a “one-stop,” comprehensive center, with cutting-edge surgical, rehab and wellness divisions, along with a new regenerative unit that offers stem cell treatments. As more patients become aware of new treatments, the whole area of medicine will continue to grow and advance—and Garcia wants to be on the cusp of that in Hawai‘i.

“This comprehensive approach is the gold standard of treating patients suffering from chronic pain,” he says. “Right now in Hawai‘i, the treatment in this area is very disjointed. You see this doctor to get your injection, then go to another place for therapy, and another place for rehab or behavioral therapy. My goal is to consolidate all those services.”

Although trained in anesthesiology, Garcia decided early in his career to devote himself to his sub-specialty of chronic pain management, fueled by the often immediate, dramatic results he was seeing. “You’re using your hands a lot, doing injections, microsurgeries, and you almost immediately see the effect of your interventions—and I love that,” he says.

He says patients sometimes come to him in wheelchairs because they’re in such severe distress they can’t walk. After being treated, he says, they walk out the door themselves. He adds that he once implanted a spinal cord stimulator in a debilitated Maui paddleboarder, who was overjoyed to be able to return to the water. “Things like that make it a very gratifying and satisfying specialty,” Garcia says.

2025 Top Doctors

HONOLULU Magazine Team — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 10:00:30 +0000

We’ve partnered with Castle Connolly to bring you a list of the 913 top doctors in the state.

The Best Dentists in Hawai‘i

HONOLULU Magazine Team — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:12 +0000

HONOLULU Magazine helps you find the dentist you need, whether it’s for a routine checkup or more specialized work. Everyone on this list comes highly recommended by other dentists, who know the work of fellow professionals.

Health Is Wealth

HONOLULU Magazine Team — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:01:11 +0000

How the latest findings about four pillars of health—the gut, brain, sleep and movement—can boost wellness in Hawai‘i.

One Step at a Time

Katrina Valcourt — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:28 +0000

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It might sound too good to be true, but a walk a day can save your life. Along with helping you maintain a healthy weight, exercise can lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and cancers, according to recent studies.

National Cancer Institute studies, for example, show that physical activity is linked to a 23% reduced risk of kidney (renal cell) cancer, one of the 10 most common cancers in Hawai‘i.

“Exercise is not just to burn calories,” says Dr. Jenny Satterberg, a family medicine physician and chief of the Straub Benioff Medical Center Mililani Town Center Clinic. When you exercise, “there’s a reduction in the risk of breast and colon cancer—that’s been well validated. But there’s also more evidence now that there’s a reduction of bladder cancer; endometrial cancer; esophageal cancer; and kidney, lung and stomach cancer. It’s pretty dramatic.”

For older adults especially, even small amounts of regular exercise can help prevent falls, the leading cause of injury and injury death among those over age 65.

A Little Goes A Long Way

Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘i Pacific Health

“Going from zero to 10 minutes a week is still beneficial for your health.”

— Dr. Jenny Satterberg

It’s recommended for adults to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent combination of both, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidelines. Muscle-strengthening activities should also be performed at least two days a week. Yet in 2019, only about a quarter of Hawai‘i’s adults were active to that extent, with 55-to-64-year-olds exercising the least. (Only 22% of people in that age group exercised to that extent.)

For those not exercising enough, “there’s no step that’s too small,” says Satterberg, who is also certified in obesity medicine. Even 10 minutes of exercise a day is enough to make a noticeable difference, especially if you use the time strategically. For instance, if you take a short walk after dinner, it can help regulate blood sugar levels, which along with lowering blood pressure are two of the biggest benefits that Satterberg says she’s seen among patients who start exercising. She also points to increases in energy and decreases in pain.

“Going from zero to 10 minutes a week is still beneficial for your health. I usually mention the recommendation of 150 minutes, but then meet the patient where they are because if they’re not exercising at all, it can seem really overwhelming to go from nothing to 150 minutes.”

A lot of people may not know where to start, which is why personal training can be a boon—especially as a preventive health measure. Jon Nakasone, who co-founded Aloha Personal Training in 2018 with his wife, Candace, likens what they do to being swim coaches rather than lifeguards. “If you’re in the water and you’re drowning, obviously, you need a lifeguard. But if you take swim lessons and you learn how to swim, then the chances of you drowning are a lot less,” he says.

The folks at Aloha Personal Training’s Hawai‘i Kai studio usually see clients once or twice a week for 50-minute sessions, coaching them on not just physical fitness, but proper nutrition and sleep habits. Clients range from age 9 to 95, and many of them have been able to reduce medications that control blood pressure, bone density, blood sugar and cholesterol.

One client who was on seven different medications saw her health improve within days. Eventually, her doctors were able to eliminate five medications that she was taking for weight loss and the dosages on the other two were reduced, Nakasone says. “Pharmaceuticals are a powerful way to save your life. But as far as curing and preventing, I think holistic means of using natural foods and exercise and looking at your vitamin D through sun exposure and circadian rhythms—all the little intangibles—are far more effective than Western medicine counterparts.”

To achieve their health goals, Nakasone and Satterberg say that people should do things that make them happy. “I try to talk about it in the sense of just moving your body in a way that feels good to you and is enjoyable and fun for you,” Satterberg says.

The Mind-Body Connection

Making exercise fun can be motivating, and you’ll receive science-backed benefits thanks to the neurotransmitters and hormones that are released, research shows. Experts suggest 20 minutes of moderate activity to activate your endocannabinoid system, which works as a mood booster. Once you’ve established a consistent workout routine over a few weeks, exercise will feel rewarding, they say, thanks to dopamine. And if you exercise with others, you’ll get a boost of oxytocin, which promotes positive feelings, according to a Harvard Health review.

At Aloha Personal Training, Nakasone utilizes an app called Dōse Fitness, which stands for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins and suggests activities you can do daily to reap rewards. “When clients hit those four happy hormones, they just feel better. And when you feel better, you’re less stressed,” he says. “When we focus on that, then everything else kind of falls into place.” Clients who are happier also are more confident and have an easier time sticking to the program, he adds.

Satterberg sees the connection between movement and mood, too. “There’s really clear evidence that it decreases anxiety and depression,” she says. And certain types of movement can alter your brain in other ways: A recent UCLA Health study focused on postmenopausal women found that Kundalini yoga, which incorporates poses, breathwork and meditation, can help those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by restoring neural pathways, preventing brain matter decline, and reversing aging and inflammation-associated biomarkers.

“There’s really strong evidence that a greater amount of physical activity reduces the risk of cognitive issues like dementia,” Satterberg says, adding that even if you don’t have dementia, exercise can improve your overall cognitive function.

A Personal Journey

Satterberg says it’s important for people to embrace physical activity not just as a necessary task or to lose weight. “I think if they adopt it as just a nonnegotiable kind of part of their life … it’s easier to incorporate.”

She herself participated in sports growing up, but after medical school, she says she didn’t feel like doing anything. She says she tried CrossFit, but it wasn’t right for her. In the past five years or so, she started doing yoga. “I really started appreciating it more because my body just feels so much better, and then I feel mentally so much better. Just the overall [aspect of] wellness is just like night and day; it’s so much better with exercise.” Now, she’s training for a marathon.

Resources

Kundalini O‘ahu opened on the second floor of Puck’s Alley in February, offering yoga, meditation, sound healing and ecstatic dance classes. kundalinioahu.com, @kundalinioahu

You can also find classes taught by the Kundalini Collective at Blue Lotus Kailua.

bluelotuskailua.com, @bluelotuskailua

There are plenty of free or low-cost ways to change up your fitness journey:

The City and County of Honolulu offers classes and activities such as pickleball, archery, volleyball, walking clubs and more. pros4.hnl.info

Most gyms have free trial periods. Try something new, like a Pilates Reformer class at Body Balance Hawai‘i, with no commitment (other than purchasing grippy socks). bodybalancehi.com, @bodybalancehawaii

Find out if your employer offers discounted fitness memberships such as through Active & Fit, where you pay one monthly price to get access to multiple gyms. activeandfit.com

Join a run club! Low-barrier ones like the Kaka‘ako Run Club (@kakaakorunclub) and O‘ahu Run Club (@oahu.runclub) are free to join, and they post updates on Instagram.

Download the Dōse Fitness app.

Truly anything goes:

Gardening outside
Playing with your kids
Cleaning and housework
Parking farther away or taking the stairs
TikTok dances or just dancing to your favorite song
The New York Times published an eight-minute “Joy Workout” video that incorporates movements inspired by joy that have also been shown to elicit joy in return, such as swaying and jumping, like at a concert.

Health Is Wealth Profile: Gut Instincts

Diane Seo — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:21 +0000

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Poni Askew and her family went vegan seven years ago, after her son saw a documentary touting its merits. She was 360 pounds at the time, running the successful, yet draining, event company Street Grindz, organizer of Eat the Street. After shedding 50 pounds, Askew decided to undergo bariatric surgery to help further her weight loss. However, while undergoing pre-surgery screenings, she learned she’s severely anemic, so much so she needs monthly iron infusions that continue today. She also went back to eating meat. “Becoming vegan was an important shift, but if I look back and make any changes, it would be to just do it for a short period,” she says.

Photo: Olivier Koning

That unexpected diagnosis led Askew to lean into functional medicine and functional nutrition. In both areas, nutritious eating to improve the microbiome is seen as a key component of enhanced health. And Askew says she’s now “signed, sealed and delivered” on the importance of it. “For me, my red flag is my mental health, and my gut really affects it,” she says.

SEE ALSO: The Marvelous Microbiome

Askew and her husband, Brandon, now run the Wahiawā-based Hawaiian Vinegar Co., which sells locally produced vinegars and shrubs. Ironically, the couple didn’t start the business because of the benefits of consuming fermented foods. Rather, they wanted to help reduce local food waste and assist farmers. But as their business ramped up since the pandemic, the focus on gut health exploded globally. It’s now widely known that fermented foods can improve the gut microbiome, adding so-called good bacteria that’s necessary for well-being.

“For me, my red flag is my mental health, and my gut really affects it.”

“I’m not just promoting it because we’re a vinegar company—it’s really an important component to digestion,” Askew says. “We’ve benefited from the fact that more people are paying attention to the foods they eat and how it impacts their health and community.”

Along with eating probiotic foods like yogurt, kim chee and sauerkraut, the Askews eat locally sourced, grass-fed meats and high fiber whole foods. Weight loss is no longer Poni Askew’s concern. “It’s much more important to have clarity and the ability to move and function your body, regardless of what the number on the scale is,” she says.

Since COVID, she’s noticed more people in Hawai‘i educating themselves on gut health—a trend she believes is being driven by millennials and Gen Zers. “Back when Street Grindz first started, the thinking was the more crap and sauces you could pile on french fries, the better,” Askew says. “I don’t think that that’s the value system anymore. Millennials and Gen Z are looking for more than just indulgences. They feel more responsibility to buy local and they also care about their health. There’s so much more emphasis and focus on gut health these days, and it’s easier to find information. I love this integration of functional nutrition and functional medicine into everyday practices.”

Health Is Wealth Profile: A Reset and Resync

Mary Vorsino — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:19 +0000

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Former TV news anchor Angela Keen was accustomed to sharing stories about other people. Then COVID-19 hit and Keen, always passionate about medical reporting, started talking on social media about her own early case of the virus. Then came her long COVID saga.

Photo: Monica Lau Photography

After suffering her first bout of the virus in March 2020, shortly before the state’s first COVID lockdown, she became the public face of a group calling for tougher COVID regulations—and calling out those residents and tourists who broke them.

“I had this awakening.”

In the months after, she didn’t know anything about long COVID—it wasn’t even part of the national conversation at the time. Yet, for eight weeks, she had trouble breathing, trying various medications with no relief. Then something else took its place: depression.

“I couldn’t leave my bed. I didn’t bathe for days at a time,” she says, adding that she would hastily apply makeup for TV interviews outside her apartment and then drop into bed when they were done. In an Instagram post, she shared a past video of herself looking depleted; along with it, she messaged her mom, telling her that she was worried she wouldn’t make it through the night.

Eventually, she reached out to her therapist, who said she had major depressive disorder. In the months that followed, Keen was prescribed a long list of medications, but the symptoms persisted. At one point, she told her psychiatrist she thought she might have Alzheimer’s disease because of her brain fog, memory problems and other cognitive issues. Her brain was out of sync. Turns out, Keen was on to something.

SEE ALSO: No Brainer

After research and conversations with doctors, she sought help from Brain Health Hawai‘i and the transcranial magnetic stimulation procedure offered there. On her first visit, she says, she saw a constructed “map” of her brain that displayed how long COVID appeared to have “smashed” her frontal lobe just like a brain injury or disorder. “It looked like I had been in a car accident,” she says.

She then went on social media to detail the treatment, a noninvasive procedure that works by stimulating neurons in the brain to “wake up.” Keen continued the treatments and says that after about two weeks, “It was kind of like being in a block of ice and the water drips had been melting away.” She was seeing the world in a new way, her depressive symptoms had eased and she felt like her old self. “I had this awakening,” she says.

Keen says she underwent 40 treatments, the standard protocol that her health insurance covered. She had to get additional treatments after a second bout with COVID, but says she was able to do so before experiencing major depression. Keen became such a strong proponent of transcranial magnetic stimulation that she went on to work as Brain Health Hawai‘i’s director of communications.

While she acknowledges that everyone’s journey is unique, and that not everyone will benefit from the same treatment, her goal is simple: “I just want to help.”

Health Is Wealth

Site Staff — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:14 +0000

Health IS Wealth

How the latest findings about four pillars of health—the gut, brain, sleep and movement—
can boost wellness in Hawai‘i.

By Diane Seo, Katrina Valcourt and Mary Vorsino
Illustrations and animations by James Nakamura

The Marvelous Microbiome  |  No Brainer  |  Sleep On It  |  One Step at a Time

PROFILES:  Poni Askew: Gut Instincts | Angela Keen: A Reset and Resync | Cory Kubota: A Turnaround

It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t want to be healthier. While we aim for it in different ways, and to different degrees, wellness is clearly a desired outcome in Hawai‘i and beyond. Ask anyone young or old whether they’re actively doing things to be healthier, and you’re likely to see how universal the prioritization of it has become.

Wellness isn’t just a buzzword. While by some measures Hawai‘i is deemed among the healthiest states in the country, that distinction has not shielded us from countless issues that jeopardize it. We have higher than average incidences of some diseases, especially among certain populations. And while it may be easy to take health for granted when you’re well, you recognize the magnitude of what’s at stake as soon as it’s threatened. More than ever, we’re learning it’s critical to take care of ourselves with both medical guidance and on our own, from how we move and sleep to how we support our brains and microbiome.

The latest findings give us hope. After talking with local doctors, specialists and those on personal wellness journeys, we’ve discovered that significant research continues to take place to better address some of our most concerning health issues, reduce the risk of illness and improve our overall quality of life.

The Four Pillars of Health

1
The Marvelous Microbiome
By Diane Seo

2
No Brainer
By Mary Vorsino

3
Sleep On It
By Diane Seo

4
One Step at a Time
By Katrina Valcourt

Personal Stories

Poni Askew: Gut Instincts
By Diane Seo

Angela Keen: A Reset and Resync
By Mary Vorsino

Cory Kubota: A Turnaround
By Katrina Valcourt

Here’s to Our Health

How this issue’s cover stories came about.

By Diane Seo

I’m a regular reader of The New York Times and The Washington Post, and it’s clear health is a hot topic, a primary pillar of their coverage. While the Times has “Well,” the Post offers an equally robust “Well+Being” section, both of which are updated daily with new stories. It’s normal to see this content high on their homepages, especially when it involves a big health finding, but sometimes even quirky pieces get prominent billing. (“How Healthy Are Apples?” for instance, recently made the top of the Times’ homepage.)

I personally gravitate to this coverage, lured to learn of the latest medical discoveries or to gain practical advice about how to be healthier. I’m certainly not alone. As a curious editor, I follow The New York Times’ rankings of most-read and emailed pieces, revealing the day’s most popular stories; those rankings routinely include health-related articles.

Perhaps COVID-19 spiked interest in medical matters, as the world continues to try to dodge the latest coronavirus variant. Or maybe it became trendy with the deluge of wellness Instagram, TikTok and YouTube influencers. Even some of the country’s top doctors have gotten in on it, posting IGs like @drjeremylondon’s “what does a heart surgeon buy from the grocery store,” which drew thousands of likes. For whatever reason, people now are eager to know everything from how to stave off dementia to the best fitness routines for those who hate exercising.

This was partly the inspiration for this issue’s “Health Is Wealth” cover feature. It makes sense for HONOLULU, a city magazine, to provide people in Hawai‘i insights on how to be healthy. Our stories delve into medical discoveries and how they are impacting us locally. We are, after all, considered to be among the fittest states in the country; by some measures, we are the fittest.

It’s difficult to find people here who don’t care about their fitness. Take a drive any Sunday morning along Diamond Head Road, and you’ll see hundreds, maybe thousands, of runners, bikers, walkers and surfers doing their thing. Meanwhile, thousands of other residents are playing pickleball, hiking, swimming, and going to yoga, the gym and CrossFit.

Many of us know that without health, our quality of life diminishes exponentially. And as we get older, we have to work harder to maintain that health. Although some may disagree, wellness does overshadow wealth in the long run. I’ve personally made health one of my top life priorities. By being well, I can take care of the people in my life, do my job, enjoy myself, so many things.

It’s not always easy. While I’ve been athletic and active my entire life, I wasn’t a conscientious eater until I reached my mid-50s. I love fries, chips, candy and more, but as I get older, my body increasingly rejects such indulgences. It became worrisome (bloating, indigestion, rising blood pressure), so I made radical changes in my diet. I wrote about my quest to heal my gut as part of a story on the gut microbiome.

The challenge in tackling such a broad topic as health is that there are literally thousands of things to cover. Because the Times and the Post provide daily health content, they can be very specific and micro on topics they explore.

For our part, in doing a cover feature, we decided to focus on four main pillars of health: the gut, brain, sleep and movement. There are so many new discoveries in these areas, and one thing national media aren’t doing is localizing their coverage for specific places like Hawai‘i. That’s our niche, to cover health and wellness with a local lens by interviewing our doctors, health practitioners and residents. By doing so, we can learn about how wellness is unfolding in Hawai‘i and of all the new offerings and specific issues we face.

Our overall goal with this issue is to help people here achieve a higher state of wellness. So, even if there’s just one takeaway for you from our stories, we hope it has a positive impact and that it contributes to a longer, healthier life.

Health Archives - Honolulu Magazine

How Healthy Are We, Really?

IN RANKINGS OF THE HEALTHIEST STATES…

Younger Cancer Patients

Oncologists also are seeing more people under 50 with colon, pancreatic and lung cancers, and it’s not clear why.

Genetic Links

While genetics can’t always accurately predict the future, genetic counseling can encourage patients to seek regular screenings to catch cancers earlier.

Trying to Outsmart Cancer

Addressing Inequalities in Care Is Key

Over the past decade, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Hawai‘i has increased by more than 50%.

Type 2 Diabetes on the Rise in Hawai‘i

Obesity in Local Children a “Significant” Problem

What About So-Called Wonder Drugs?

All in the Family: Dr. Christina Marzo Advocates for Her Patients

“People don’t always understand their disease and how to make the right decisions.”

No Pain, A Lot to Gain: Dr. Jerald Garcia Leads in Chronic Pain Management

“Right now in Hawai‘i, the treatment in this area is very disjointed. You see this doctor to get your injection, then go to another place for therapy, and another place for rehab or behavioral therapy. My goal is to consolidate all those services.”

2025 Top Doctors

The Best Dentists in Hawai‘i

Health Is Wealth

One Step at a Time

See more of Health Is Wealth

A Little Goes A Long Way

“Going from zero to 10 minutes a week is still beneficial for your health.”

The Mind-Body Connection

A Personal Journey

Health Is Wealth Profile: Gut Instincts

See more of Health Is Wealth

“For me, my red flag is my mental health, and my gut really affects it.”

Health Is Wealth Profile: A Reset and Resync

See more of Health Is Wealth

“I had this awakening.”

Health Is Wealth

Health IS Wealth

How the latest findings about four pillars of health—the gut, brain, sleep and movement— can boost wellness in Hawai‘i.

By Diane Seo, Katrina Valcourt and Mary Vorsino Illustrations and animations by James Nakamura

The Four Pillars of Health

Personal Stories

Here’s to Our Health

By Diane Seo

How the latest findings about four pillars of health—the gut, brain, sleep and movement—
can boost wellness in Hawai‘i.

By Diane Seo, Katrina Valcourt and Mary Vorsino
Illustrations and animations by James Nakamura