5 Ways to Prevent Colon Cancer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWednesday, September 23, 2026 – Focus: Physical Well-being<\/em><\/strong> & Cancer Prevention<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Colon cancer rates are rising, particularly among younger adults, making prevention and early detection more important than ever. Join WHAM for our first lunch and learn of the semester with Registered Dietitian Ashley Oswald as she explores current colon cancer trends, recommended screening options, and five evidence-based nutrition + lifestyle strategies that may help reduce risk. Attendees will leave with practical, actionable steps to support long-term colon and digestive health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Register to join us<\/a><\/strong> for lunch at 11:45 in the Leonard Center\u2019s Hall of Fame room, catered by Bon Appetit. The presentation will be from 12:00 to 12:50 p.m.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nBio:<\/strong> Ashley Oswald is a holistic and functional medicine dietitian. She trained at a Harvard teaching hospital, serves on the teaching faculty at the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy, and is the founder and CEO of Oswald Digestive Clinic. She brings 15 years of experience across diverse areas of healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs a teenager, Ashley was put on and off of antibiotics for 10 years for acne, which led to gut issues. Due to this experience, she became a leading expert in gut health, and thus decided to specialize and open Oswald Digestive Clinic in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/wham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/425\/2026\/08\/Ashley-Oswald-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAshley and her team at Oswald Digestive Clinic have on average 7 years of formal schooling in nutrition science, and have helped thousands of client improve + eliminate bothersome gut issues, from simple problems, to medical mysteries that have stumped their doctors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They take a science-based, root cause\/holistic\/functional nutrition approach, and can help with IBS, Crohn’s, UC, SIBO, food sensitivities, autoimmune issues, GERD, histamine intolerance, brain fog, chronic fatigue, skin conditions like acne + eczema, anxiety or mood concerns related to gut-brain axis, & more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ashley holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota\u2013Twin Cities and completed her post-graduate training at Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital in Boston. She also has an advanced training credential in functional medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Outside of her work in the US medical system, Ashley enjoys exploring ancient healing modalities from around the world, and has begun to study filmmaking as a way to share about these modalities in an engaging format. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nPast Lunch & Learns<\/h2>\n\n\n\nInviting Insight: Cultivating Wisdom and Well-being in Troubling Times<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWednesday, April 22, 2026 – Focus: Mental and Spiritual Well-being<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDrawing from the work of social, psychological and educational theorists, philosophers, practitioners and activists; and spanning both eastern and western spiritual traditions; insight<\/strong> is defined as the capacity to suspend habits of thought and emotion, thereby enhancing receptivity and heightening awareness, that leads to deeper understanding, personal well-being and enriched relationships<\/em>. It is, in effect, a \u2018way of knowing\u2019 that can be developed by all people. In times of crisis, insight serves as a critical personal and societal resource. During this session, we will explore practical strategies shown to assist individuals in cultivating insight to enrich their own lives and the lives of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRuthanne Kurth-Schai has recently completed nearly 40 years of teaching, scholarship and service at Macalester College, including 30 years as chair of the Educational Studies Department. Throughout her time at Macalester, her work on campus, in the community, across the U.S and abroad, has been enriched by intensive study and teaching of tai chi and qigong through the Tilopa Tai Chi\/Qigong Center in Minneapolis, in addition to study and practice of Buddhist approaches to insight meditation both locally and in Thailand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Colon cancer rates are rising, particularly among younger adults, making prevention and early detection more important than ever. Join WHAM for our first lunch and learn of the semester with Registered Dietitian Ashley Oswald as she explores current colon cancer trends, recommended screening options, and five evidence-based nutrition + lifestyle strategies that may help reduce risk. Attendees will leave with practical, actionable steps to support long-term colon and digestive health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Register to join us<\/a><\/strong> for lunch at 11:45 in the Leonard Center\u2019s Hall of Fame room, catered by Bon Appetit. The presentation will be from 12:00 to 12:50 p.m. Bio:<\/strong> Ashley Oswald is a holistic and functional medicine dietitian. She trained at a Harvard teaching hospital, serves on the teaching faculty at the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy, and is the founder and CEO of Oswald Digestive Clinic. She brings 15 years of experience across diverse areas of healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a teenager, Ashley was put on and off of antibiotics for 10 years for acne, which led to gut issues. Due to this experience, she became a leading expert in gut health, and thus decided to specialize and open Oswald Digestive Clinic in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ashley and her team at Oswald Digestive Clinic have on average 7 years of formal schooling in nutrition science, and have helped thousands of client improve + eliminate bothersome gut issues, from simple problems, to medical mysteries that have stumped their doctors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They take a science-based, root cause\/holistic\/functional nutrition approach, and can help with IBS, Crohn’s, UC, SIBO, food sensitivities, autoimmune issues, GERD, histamine intolerance, brain fog, chronic fatigue, skin conditions like acne + eczema, anxiety or mood concerns related to gut-brain axis, & more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ashley holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota\u2013Twin Cities and completed her post-graduate training at Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital in Boston. She also has an advanced training credential in functional medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outside of her work in the US medical system, Ashley enjoys exploring ancient healing modalities from around the world, and has begun to study filmmaking as a way to share about these modalities in an engaging format. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wednesday, April 22, 2026 – Focus: Mental and Spiritual Well-being<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Drawing from the work of social, psychological and educational theorists, philosophers, practitioners and activists; and spanning both eastern and western spiritual traditions; insight<\/strong> is defined as the capacity to suspend habits of thought and emotion, thereby enhancing receptivity and heightening awareness, that leads to deeper understanding, personal well-being and enriched relationships<\/em>. It is, in effect, a \u2018way of knowing\u2019 that can be developed by all people. In times of crisis, insight serves as a critical personal and societal resource. During this session, we will explore practical strategies shown to assist individuals in cultivating insight to enrich their own lives and the lives of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruthanne Kurth-Schai has recently completed nearly 40 years of teaching, scholarship and service at Macalester College, including 30 years as chair of the Educational Studies Department. Throughout her time at Macalester, her work on campus, in the community, across the U.S and abroad, has been enriched by intensive study and teaching of tai chi and qigong through the Tilopa Tai Chi\/Qigong Center in Minneapolis, in addition to study and practice of Buddhist approaches to insight meditation both locally and in Thailand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nPast Lunch & Learns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Inviting Insight: Cultivating Wisdom and Well-being in Troubling Times<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/wham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/425\/2025\/11\/anderson-paul-7132-240x240-103101.png\")
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