Cortisol Isn't the Enemy — Staying Stuck in Stress Mode Is (Here's How to Fix It)

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• A new way to help prevent colon cancer

• Are you waiting too long to see a doctor?

• How to recover from stress faster

• Dad brain is real (but it’s not what you think)

On Our Radar 
The Easiest Way to Screen for Colon Cancer Just Got FDA Approval

Let’s be honest: nobody looks forward to colonoscopy prep. But colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., and early detection can prevent up to 90 percent of cases. Now, there’s a new option that could make screening a lot less intimidating.

A new FDA-approved blood test called Shield can detect colorectal cancers with a simple blood draw — no stool samples or scopes required.

In a landmark study of nearly 8,000 adults, researchers compared the Shield blood test to colonoscopy, the gold standard for detection. The results were encouraging: the blood test identified 83 percent of cancers and correctly gave a negative result to 90 percent of people without cancer or advanced polyps. It also performed well for early-stage disease, catching nearly 90 percent of stage I and II cancers, when treatment success rates are highest.

But there’s a catch: the Shield test detected only 13 percent of advanced precancerous polyps, the growths that colonoscopy can find and remove before they become cancerous. That means it’s great at detecting existing cancer, but not as effective at preventing it.

Researchers believe this difference comes down to what each test measures. Colonoscopy directly visualizes and removes polyps, while Shield looks for fragments of DNA that tumors shed into the bloodstream. So, if a polyp hasn’t turned cancerous yet, there’s often no DNA signal to detect.

Still, this could be a game-changer for the 30 percent of people who skip screening altogether. For those who refuse colonoscopy or stool-based tests, a simple blood draw during a routine doctor visit might be enough to save lives.

If you’re overdue for screening, talk to your doctor. The best test is the one you’ll actually do, and now, there’s no excuse not to take that step.

Colonoscopy remains the gold standard, especially for high-risk individuals. But for average-risk adults ages 45 to 75, Shield offers a promising new path toward prevention — one simple blood test at a time.

Together With Prenuvo
Are You Waiting Too Long to See a Doctor?

You notice a new ache, a strange mole, or unusual fatigue. Most people shrug it off, wait for it to pass, or tell themselves it’s nothing. But research shows this “wait and see” mindset is the single biggest reason health problems become harder to treat.

More than 60 percent of diagnostic delays happen because people don’t recognize early warning signs in their own bodies.

A review of 29 different studies looked at strategies to help people notice changes sooner. The consistent finding? We delay seeking medical help not because we don’t care, but because we don’t recognize what’s “normal” versus what’s concerning. Interventions that worked best combined education with practice: teaching people what to look for, giving examples of concerning versus harmless symptoms, and encouraging self-checks like skin exams or tracking energy and sleep patterns.

Researchers believe awareness is powerful because your body often whispers before it shouts. Early signals—like subtle shifts in pain, energy, or function—are easier to treat than later, obvious symptoms. When people had both knowledge and action triggers (“If X happens, call a doctor”), they acted sooner and had better outcomes.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need medical training to get better at this. 

Start small: Do monthly self-checks (such as breast or testicular exams), and pay attention to patterns in sleep, energy, or pain that persist for more than a couple of weeks.

If you don’t trust yourself to do the work, consider a simpler solution that provides a comprehensive health assessment, so you don’t have to worry about being blindsided. 

Prenuvo offers a proactive, whole-body MRI scan that can help detect early-stage cancers, aneurysms, and hundreds of other conditions, including neurological, musculoskeletal, and metabolic diseases— often before symptoms present — without radiation, contrast, or invasive procedures. Diagnostic quality imaging for the whole body at a fraction of the time and the cost of conventional MRIs. 

The comprehensive full-body scan assesses your head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and legs. It’s safe, fast, and non-invasive, with insights built from the largest dataset of normative whole body imaging. For many diseases such as cancer, there can be no symptoms in the early stages. And that’s why the test exists. It might very well give you the one thing you need: awareness and recognition before the warning signs come.

The number that really hit home for us: on average, 1 out of every 20 Prenuvo patients is alerted to a potentially life-saving finding.

There’s no need to assume everything will be ok. See what Prenuvo can help reveal — and why awareness might be the strongest choice you ever make. 

As an APC reader, you can take control of your health with $300 off your Prenuvo Whole Body Scan. Explore your scan options today.

Instant Health Boost
The Mindset That Helps You Recover From Stress Faster

Everyone feels stress, but some people bounce back stronger while others feel drained for hours or even days. Scientists are starting to have a better understanding of why.

Research suggests that believing you have control over your life may make your body physically better at handling stress.

Scientists used a lab protocol that reliably triggers stress through public speaking and mental math to examine how people’s beliefs about control shape their stress response. Seventy-three adults were monitored for changes in cortisol, the hormone that helps mobilize energy during stressful situations.

The results might change how you understand cortisol, including why it’s not as bad as many people make it seem.

People with a strong internal locus of control — meaning they believe their actions influence outcomes — had higher cortisol spikes when stressed and faster recovery afterward. In contrast, those with a more external locus of control — believing life happens to them — had smaller stress responses and slower recovery.

That may sound backward since cortisol gets a bad reputation. But the researchers emphasize that a strong, quick cortisol spike followed by a rapid return to baseline is actually the sign of a healthy and adaptive stress system. It means your body mobilizes resources efficiently, deals with the challenge, and then powers down — instead of staying stuck in fight-or-flight mode.

Why does mindset matter so much? Believing you can influence outcomes likely triggers active coping, where your brain engages, problem-solves, and helps your body recover once the threat passes. It’s motivation biology in action.

If you need a place to start, here are a few ways to build a more resilient mindset:

• Focus on what you can control (your effort, attitude, and preparation).

• Break goals into small, winnable steps that prove your influence.

• Track progress to strengthen the “I can handle this” belief.

• Practice reframing stress as a challenge, not a threat.

Stress isn’t the enemy — staying stuck in it is. Believing you can shape your circumstances might just be the most powerful recovery tool you have.

Health
“Dad Brain” Is Real (But It’s Not What You Think)

Becoming a parent changes everything: your schedule, your priorities, your sleep. And for years, research has found that it changes a mother’s brain. But moms are not alone. 

Becoming a father reshapes your brain in ways that help you better understand and respond to your child’s needs.

Researchers scanned the brains of first-time fathers before their partners gave birth and again several months afterward. The results revealed a 1 to 2 percent reduction in gray matter volume in regions linked to empathy, emotion, and social understanding. These areas, known as the “default mode” and “theory of mind” networks, help you recognize what others are feeling and anticipate their needs.

While “dad brain” is often used to describe forgetfulness or mental fog, the science tells a very different story. The brain changes aren’t signs of decline; they’re a sign of specialization. 

Much like pruning a tree to help it grow stronger, a dad’s brain trims unnecessary connections so it can focus more efficiently on what matters most — the new baby. This same pattern of neural adaptation has been seen in new mothers, suggesting both parents’ brains evolve to meet the emotional and cognitive demands of caregiving.

The researchers believe these adaptations may help fathers become more attuned and responsive, though more studies are needed to confirm how they influence real-world parenting behavior.

If you’re a new or expecting dad, remember: feeling “different” doesn’t mean you’re losing it — it means your brain is stepping up. The late nights and new emotions are part of a rewiring process designed to make you a better parent. 

Treat yourself with patience and trust that your brain is doing what nature intended: preparing you for the most meaningful job in the world.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell