Forty years ago, I was told I had Stage 4 melanoma—and a short time of survival. Doctors said there wasn’t much hope. But I didn’t listen. Something deep inside me said keep fighting. I chose a different path—a natural path—and by the grace of God and a lot of grit, I’m still here. That’s why I created The Templeton Wellness Foundation. Because no one should ever be left in the dark when it comes to their health—or their future.
And today, there’s a new warning light flashing. It’s called colibactin—and if you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone. But it just may be one of the missing pieces in the mystery of why young people are suddenly being diagnosed with colon cancer in record numbers.
A Hidden Danger in the Gut
Colibactin is produced by a sneaky strain of E. coli—not the kind that sends you running to the bathroom, but one that lurks quietly in your gut. And what makes it so dangerous is this: colibactin doesn’t just mess with digestion—it attacks your DNA. That’s right. It causes double-strand breaks, the kind that can open the door to cancer.
Researchers are now sounding the alarm, especially in people with no family history, no obvious risk factors—just a bad roll of the microbial dice.
When Young Adults Are Told, “You’re Too Young for This…”
I’ve lost count of how many folks I’ve talked to who were told they were “too young” to be sick. Brushed off. Misdiagnosed. Ignored. I’ve been there myself. When I got sick at just 32, nobody saw it coming—not even me. I looked the picture of health. I was running, working, living life. But deep down, something was off—way off.
And let me tell you, being dismissed because of your age? That’s not just frustrating—it can be deadly. I know how fast things can go downhill when the warning signs are overlooked. You’ve got to trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, it probably is. And you deserve to be taken seriously—at any age.
This isn’t about fear—it’s about awareness. The gut isn’t just your digestion system—it’s your immune system, your second brain, your first line of defense. If it’s under attack, so are you.
What Nobody’s Saying About Antibiotics
I’m not here to demonize modern medicine. Antibiotics can save lives—but they’ve also been handed out like candy for decades. And every time you take them, they don’t just kill off bad bugs. They carpet-bomb your gut, wiping out the good guys right along with the troublemakers.
Guess who survives that assault? The strongest, most resilient bugs—including the ones that make colibactin.
Here’s What I Do—And What I Recommend
You don’t have to wait for another double-blind study to start protecting your gut. These are a few things I’ve done in my own healing journey—simple, powerful steps you can take right now:
1. Starve the Bad Guys
Sugar was one of the first things I kicked to the curb. It feeds the wrong bacteria. I swapped it for fiber-rich foods like flax, chia, and berries—foods that nourish the good microbes. Read more in my article, “Cancer’s Achilles Heel and How to Treat It”.
2. Fermented Foods Changed My Life
I talk about this in my book I Used to Have Cancer. Fermented veggies aren’t just old-school—they’re frontline medicine for the gut. Check out “Fermented Foods: Tasty, Cancer-Fighting Medicine” for recipes that are as healing as they are delicious.
3. Clean Up Your Environment
Your gut reacts to more than food. I use a solid water filter, steer clear of plastics, and shut off my Wi-Fi at night. Less noise, less chaos—for your body and your mind. See “Faster Speeds, Higher Risk? 5G and Cancer”.
4. Get Tested
If something feels off, don’t guess. A good stool test can uncover colibactin-producing bacteria and give you a plan of action. Read “Too Young for Cancer? When Doctors Wouldn’t Listen” for a real-life example.
Final Thoughts from Someone Who’s Been There
If I’ve learned anything from my cancer journey, it’s this: listen to your gut. Literally and figuratively. That tired feeling, the bloating, the changes in the bathroom—don’t brush it off. Your body is trying to tell you something.
Colibactin may be invisible to the naked eye, but its effects are real. The good news? You’re not powerless. You can take back control. Just like I did—one decision, one step at a time.
And if you ever feel like you’re in this fight alone—don’t. Visit our growing library of Survivor Stories and see for yourself. Real people, real healing. There’s hope—and it starts with you.
Related Articles:
Bowel Cancer Rates Rising Among Young Adults
Scientific American Reports: Colon Cancer Linked to Mouth Bacteria
Airborne Microplastics Linked to Lung and Colon Cancer
Resources:
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/02/study-examines-how-colibactin-causes-cancer/
Dalmasso G, Cougnoux A, Delmas J, Darfeuille-Michaud A, Bonnet R. The bacterial genotoxin colibactin promotes colon tumor growth by modifying the tumor microenvironment. Gut Microbes. 2014;5(5):675-80. doi: 10.4161/19490976.2014.969989. PMID: 25483338; PMCID: PMC4615906.
Tripathi P, Bruner SD. Structural Basis for the Interactions of the Colibactin Resistance Gene Product ClbS with DNA. Biochemistry. 2021 May 25;60(20):1619-1625. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00201. Epub 2021 May 4. PMID: 33945270.
Dziubańska-Kusibab PJ, Berger H, Battistini F, Bouwman BAM, Iftekhar A, Katainen R, Cajuso T, Crosetto N, Orozco M, Aaltonen LA, Meyer TF. Colibactin DNA-damage signature indicates mutational impact in colorectal cancer. Nat Med. 2020 Jul;26(7):1063-1069. doi: 10.1038/s41591-020-0908-2. Epub 2020 Jun 1. PMID: 32483361.
de Souza JB, de Almeida Campos LA, Palácio SB, Brelaz-de-Castro MCA, Cavalcanti IMF. Prevalence and implications of pKs-positive Escherichia coli in colorectal cancer. Life Sci. 2024 Mar 15;341:122462. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122462. Epub 2024 Jan 27. PMID: 38281542.
Lowry E, Mitchell A. Colibactin-induced damage in bacteria is cell contact independent. mBio. 2025 Jan 8;16(1):e0187524. doi: 10.1128/mbio.01875-24. Epub 2024 Nov 22. PMID: 39576109; PMCID: PMC11708049.
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