We are all aware that osteoporosis is common in older people. However, not many know that there has been a considerable rise in the number of young people being affected by it, including premenopausal women in their 20s, 30s and 40s. The term premenopausal refers to women who are still having regular menstrual periods and have not yet reached menopause. Even though it sounds highly unlikely, there have been cases with young women having low bone density, thereby increasing their chances of osteoporosis later in life. Dr Abhijit Kale, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, S.L Raheja Hospital, Mumbai explains about the risk of osteoporosis in young mothers. Read about are you at risk of osteoporosis?

Why the risk of osteoporosis in young women?

Younger women who tend to restrict what they eat to lose weight are at a higher risk of osteoporosis and fractures. This also includes a pregnant woman as the baby growing in its mother’s womb needs plenty of calcium for bone health and development, especially in the first three months. In some cases, women do develop osteoporosis during pregnancy or breastfeeding, although it is rare. Also, in many of these cases, mothers who’ve lost bone mass recover the same after they stop breastfeeding. It is however ambiguous whether young mothers can recover lost bone mass and go on to optimize their bone mass.

Following are a few symptoms to keep in mind.

Here are few tips you must follow to keep the bones healthy during pregnancy, breastfeeding and pre-menopause.

Calcium: The body’s demand for calcium during pregnancy increases immensely. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should consume 1,000mg (milligrams) of calcium each day. For young mothers, the recommended intake is even higher: 1,300mg of calcium a day. Food rich in calcium such as low-fat dairy products, dark green, leafy vegetables, canned fish, tofu, almonds and foods fortified with calcium should often be consumed.

Exercise: Almost all doctors recommend exercising during pregnancy; however, it should be done under expert guidance. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, being active during pregnancy can help reduce backache, constipation, bloating, and swelling and prevent or treat gestational diabetes (a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy). It also increases energy, improves mood, improves posture and helps you sleep better. It also promotes muscle tone, strength and endurance and helps you get back in shape after your baby is born. Here are 5 easy yoga poses to delay the onset of osteoporosis.

Healthy lifestyle: Smoking is stated to be bad for your health as well as your baby; it is also proven to be bad for heart, lungs and the bones. Alcohol also is bad for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies, and excess alcohol is bad for bones. So make sure you lead a healthy life to lower your risk of bone loss and osteoporosis during premenopausal years.

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Not many women are aware of blocked tubes although it is quite common. According to statistics, it is seen that around 28% women suffering from infertility issues fall under this category. If you are still wondering what are blocked tubes, then let me tell you it is a condition that causes blockage of the fallopian tubes thereby affecting the meeting of egg and sperm and preventing pregnancy. Here’s more on what is blocked tubes and its causes.

What are the symptoms of blocked tubes?

Dr Anagha Karkhanis, Gynecologist, Co-founder of Cocoon Fertility, Thane says, ‘Unlike anovulation, a condition that causes irregular menstrual cycle indicating something is wrong, blocked tubes rarely cause any symptoms. In most cases, people suffering from blocked tubes do not show any symptoms other than infertility. This is usually diagnosed when the couple is trying to conceive but fail to do so.’

Also, a woman with this condition has regular periods, which makes it difficult to know about blockage in the tubes. Unless a woman suffers from endometriosis, which is causing blocked tubes, then there might be a symptom. In such a case, the woman might experience pain in the lower abdomen, which is due to an endometriosis. Hence, pain in abdomen is a symptom of blocked tubes caused due to endometriosis.

Although symptoms such as painful menstruation and painful sexual intercourse might indicate endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to blocked tubes, it doesn’t necessarily signify blocked tubes. As the condition is mostly diagnosed when a woman tries and faces difficulty while conceiving, unfortunately, it is left undiagnosed for a long time. To determine if you suffer from blocked tubes or not, your gynaecologist might suggest a saline salpingosonography (SSG), hysterosalpingography (HSG) and laparoscopy. Also read about things your gynaecologist wants you to know.

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Food has developed from a basic necessity to an object of desire. And in the recent times, it has become a substance of abuse. Junk foods are considered something useless, extra or something that is not needed. Not only are those foods extremely unhealthy, but they also impact various aspects of your life.

Junk food addiction – What is it?

Do you crave for junk food and eat it on a regular basis? Do you want to quit it, but you can’t? It’s time to retrospect. You are addicted to junk food, and you may not be aware of it. Junk food addiction is compulsive eating of junk food which is out of control and causing problems for you and your near ones

The tell-tale signs

Is your relationship with food healthy? You may be hooked on to high-fat, high-sugar foods even without you realizing it! So when one refers to you as an ‘addict’, it sure is difficult to accept.

There are no tests to diagnose food addiction. Wondering whether you are addicted to junk food? Look for the tell-tale signs. If you can relate to most of the below-mentioned symptoms, then you are most likely a junk food addict.

1. Marked increase in food consumption

When you retrospect, you may find yourself consuming food way more than you used to. Your portion size and eating frequency may be increased over time.

2. Preoccupation with food

Your life revolves around food. You spend a lot of time/activity to purchase or obtain that junk food.

3. Intentional overeating even when full

Did you just have a filling meal, but still crave for some sweet? Wanting food when hungry is normal. Yearning for some treat after a healthy meal once-a-while is ok too. But if this becomes a habit, it is a sign to watch out for. What more, you may have your own excuses for doing so.

4. Not sticking to moderation

So, you did give in to the craving. But you reason that it will be just a bite or two. Moderation is good. A small bite won’t do you harm. But did you end up binge eating? And does this happen often? You sure can’t stick to ‘moderation’.

5. The guilt trip and back

You start feeling remorseful that your intended one bite turned into a whole meal. You feel sorry that you lost the willpower to refrain from eating junk. If only that translated into action the next time! You go back to square one next time you eat junk food, and the vicious cycle continues.

6. Eating when upset or depressed

When faced with an emotional turmoil in life you may reach out for junk food to make yourself feel better. You eat to fill your emotional needs, instead of eating to fill your stomach.

7. Having withdrawal symptoms

When food is not available, you may show physiological or psychological withdrawal symptoms similar to those seen in drug withdrawal.

8. Persistent unsuccessful attempts at cutting down and quitting

You do want with all your heart to quit junk eating. You even set rules. But more often than not, you end up failing every time. You fail to curb your cravings even after trying everything. You are unsuccessful at controlling your urge even when you know that junk foods cause health issues like obesity, heart disease, type II diabetes, etc. in the long run. Now, that’s some serious concern.

9. Hiding the addiction from others

You set rules but are not able to stick to them. That would show you in a bad light with your family and friends. So what do you do? No points for guessing. Yes, you invariably hide your addiction from them. You will even go the extra mile to erase all proofs of your indulgence. Not guilty until proven, isn’t it!

What’s causing your addiction?

Is your junk food addiction just a lack of willpower? Not really. Your longing for a specific food could correspond to a specific need in the body or a particular mood! Craving for junk food could be due to stress!

Research has found parallels between too much junk food intake and drug addiction1. Eating junk food changes your responses to signals associated with food rewards. Just like addiction drugs, junk foods over stimulate the reward center of the brain to release dopamine, a chemical which gives you a sense of pleasure. They boost the release of dopamine in much more quantities than would be stimulated by eating healthy food. They hijack your brain pathways and show effects of tolerance, withdrawal, loss of control, etc. The feel-good signals may override the signals of satiety, and you end up eating food even when you are full or not hungry, resulting in over-eating. You lose control over your junk food consumption, repeatedly fail in attempts to reduce its intake, and are unable to abstain from them or reduce consumption even in the face of harmful consequences2. The dominance of junk food advertisements, the lure of convenience, easy availability and good taste only add to the existing addiction3.

Did you know that your junk food cravings are inherited from your mother? According to a study, the intensity of cravings for junk food depends much on mother’s diet during late pregnancy. Also, eating a healthy diet during adolescence could reverse the cravings in males but not females.

Getting rid of the addiction

Any addiction doesn’t resolve on its own. Not even your junk food addiction. On the contrary, it will only get worse with time.

So, how do you de-addict yourself? Just avoid it. Simple, but certainly not easy! You need to completely avoid it at all times. No cheating allowed. But before you start, make up your mind to stick to it. Think of all the negative things your addiction will do to you. Stay motivated by trying to focus on the benefits you will be gaining. Make up your mind to not give in to your cravings. Identify the patterns to your cravings and avoid the triggers.

Eliminate junk foods slowly from your diet over a period. Start by curbing your cravings once in a while. Make some easy food switches that help cut down your intake of junk food and make your diet healthier. Then, you can proceed to avoid them altogether. There are healthy ways to cut down on eating processed foods. Attend to your nutrient deficiencies as they can make your cravings worse. Avoid unnecessary social get-togethers where junk foods are being served. Often junk foods are comfort food and a way of dealing with your emotional issue. So, try working through that emotion. Dieting while seeking to de-addict will only make it harder for you. Focus on one issue at a time. Your weight loss program can wait. Once you curb your junk food addiction, losing weight will be easier!

If you are unsuccessful in curbing the addiction on your own, seek help from a trained nutritionist and therapist/counselor. A nutritionist can help you understand the basics of a good and balanced diet and enable you to eliminate all the junk foods from your diet. A therapist/counselor can help you find ways to cope with the cravings when feeling bored, lonely or upset and help recover with meditation, yoga or other forms of exercise.

Quitting junk food – what it does to your body

Like any addiction, an abrupt end to junk food can initially cause withdrawal symptoms. You may feel lethargic and have headaches. You may be highly irritable.

But over the long term, you gain by quitting junk food. Your health improves drastically. The risks of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease are reduced. Junk food slows down the brain. Quitting the addiction can help halt the effect and improve your brain function. High-fat, high-sugar junk food are responsible for acne breakouts. You will have fewer acne problems by kicking the habit. You may be spared trips to the dentist too! Processed soft foods high in sugar create havoc with oral health. Shifting to unprocessed coarse foods low in sugar reduces the problems with your teeth. There is so much to gain by abstinence from junk food. But you do have one thing to lose – your weight. And, you surely wouldn’t mind that.

References

1. Gold MS. From bedside to bench and back again: a 30-year saga. Physiol Behav. 2011 Jul 25;104(1):157-61. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.04.027. Epub 2011 Apr 28. Review. PubMed PMID: 21530563.

2. Gearhardt AN, Corbin WR, Brownell KD. Food addiction: an examination of the diagnostic criteria for dependence. J Addict Med. 2009 Mar;3(1):1-7. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0b013e318193c993. PubMed PMID: 21768996.

3. Kaur M, M Hegde A. Are we Aware of what we are, we are what we Eat- An Epidemiological Survey. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2008 Sep;1(1):13-6. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10005-1003. Epub 2008 Dec 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 25206083; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4086540.

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According to Google spokesperson Susan Cadrecha, the feature is being rolled out on mobile in the US soon and it is not meant to subvert a medical evaluation.  “The results of the PHQ-9 can help you have a more informed conversation with your doctor,” according to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which partnered with Google on the questionnaire. According to NAMI, clinical depression is fairly common condition with almost one in five Americans experiencing an episode in their lifetime. But only about 50 per cent of people who have depression get treated for it. Recently there was another study that that proves that an individual suffering from depression may be at an increased risk of developing changes in the structure of the brain associated with communication and thinking skills, researchers say. The findings showed that alterations were found in parts of the brain known as white matter, which contains fibre tracts that enable brain cells to communicate with one another by electrical signals.

Love to eat salted wafers, nuts, french fries and other processed foods? Beware, according to a study, high salt intake is associated with a doubled risk of heart failure. The findings showed that people who consume more than 13.7 grams of salt daily may be at two times higher risk of heart failure compared to those consuming less than 6.8 grams. This salt-related increase in heart failure risk was independent of blood pressure level — increased level of which is also a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the researchers said. The optimal daily salt intake is probably even lower than 6.8 grams. The World Health Organisation recommends a maximum of 5 grams per day and the physiological need is two-three grams per day.

“The heart does not like salt…High salt (sodium chloride) intake is one of the major causes of high blood pressure and an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke,” said Pekka Jousilahti, professor at the National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland.  The results were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona. For the study, the team followed 4,630 women and men aged 25 to 64 in Finland over 12 years.  Samples of their urine were tested to gauge their salt intake. The researchers divided the participants into five groups based on their salt intake; the low-salt group consumed less than 6.8 grams a day and the highest had more than 13.7 grams a day. Over the course of the study, 121 men and women developed new heart failure.  The results showed that the group consuming the most salt were 2.1 times more likely to develop heart failure and the group who ate the second highest amount of salt — between 10.96 and 13.7 grams — were 1.7 times more likely.