Web searches for 'diabetes neck ring' spike by 3,000% plus more health questions Canadians are asking this week

The internet is often the first stop for many Canadians when they have questions about their health. While we love using the web to follow our favourite sports teams or keep an eye on the latest news about the royal family, the internet has become a go-to to seek answers for our most troubling or pressing health questions.

Is a black ring around your neck a sign of diabetes?

Diabetes is a game changer when it comes to your lifestyle. A diabetes diagnosis requires you to diligently monitor your blood sugars and drastically overhaul your diet. This week, Canadians were on the lookout for warning signs of diabetes and webs searches for "diabetes neck ring" were up 3,000 per cent.

You can tell a lot about your health from your skin. Aside from wounds that won't heal, dark patches are a telltale sign that you may be pre-diabetic or diabetic. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, many people with diabetes will develop a dark patch or ring of dark skin that feels like velvet, called acanthosis nigricans. Acanthosis nigricans can occur wherever there are folds of skin, including the armpits, groin and neck.

Skin may be itchy or develop an odour, and is usually caused a sign that you have too much insulin. It can also be caused by some medications or certain types of cancers. Visit your doctor if you notice any discolouration of your skin, spots on your shins, skin tags, hard patches of skin or an outbreak of red bumps, which can also be signs that you’re pre-diabetic or have diabetes.

What are the warning signs of mouth cancer?

This week there was a 2,900 per cent increase in web searches for "the warning signs of oral cancer."

Mouth cancer (otherwise known as oral cancer, or oral cavity cancer) is part of a group of cancers of the head and neck that tend to impact men more than women. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, approximately 7,900 Canadians were diagnosed with some form of head or neck cancer in 2023, 5,800 of those are believed to have been men.

Symptoms of oral cancer can include white or red patches in the lips and mouth, a growth, lump, ulcer or sore on the lips, tongue or inside the mouth, loose teeth, slurred speech, swollen lymph nodes and a persistent earache. Oral cancer can also cause bleeding in the mouth, swelling of the jaw, numbness in the tongue or lips, voice changes, difficulty or pain when swallowing and unintentional weight loss. Your dentist may notice symptoms during an appointment but you should visit your family doctor if you are worried to rule out anything potentially serious.

People who consume alcohol and tobacco have an increased risk of oral cancers as do people with certain HPV infections, poor oral hygiene and a family history of squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that can occur in the mouth.

What is the pink ribbon diet?

Canadians are always on the lookout for ways to improve their diet and stay healthy. This week, web searches for the Pink Ribbon Diet were up 3,600 per cent.

The "Pink Ribbon Diet" is a book published in 2010 that dubs itself as "a revolutionary new weight loss plan to lower your breast cancer risk." The book was written by Mary Flynn, a nutritionist who conducted a study into the effects of a plant-based diet to help women who had previously been treated for invasive breast cancer lose weight.

The study was funded by Susan G. Koman For the Cure Foundation and led Flynn to create the Pink Ribbon Diet with Nancy Verde Barr. Together the women compiled 150 Mediterranean—inspired meals that reportedly lowers cancer biomarkers (risk indicators) and lower breast cancer risk.

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