Anton Bilchik, MD, PhD, surgical oncologist and division chair of general surgery at Providence Saint John’s Health Center and chief of medicine and director of the Gastrointestinal Research Program at Saint John’s Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, CA shares, “There are many possible reasons but there is a clear relationship between a more sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking and processed food. All of these factors are considered pro-inflammatory, leading to a disruption of the microbiome (bacteria in our body) and the immune system.