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What’s calcium deficiency disease?

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Calcium is a vital mineral. Your body uses it to build strong bones and teeth. Calcium is also needed for your heart and other muscles to function properly. When you don’t get enough calcium, you increase your risk of developing disorders like:

osteoporosis
osteopenia
calcium deficiency disease (hypocalcemia)
Children who don’t get enough calcium may not grow to their full potential height as adults.

You should consume the recommended amount of calcium per day through the food you eat, supplements, or vitamins.

What causes hypocalcemia?
Many people are at an increased risk for calcium deficiency as they age. This deficiency may be due to a variety of factors, including:

poor calcium intake over a long period of time, especially in childhood
medications that may decrease calcium absorption
dietary intolerance to foods rich in calcium
hormonal changes, especially in women
certain genetic factors
It’s important to ensure proper calcium intake at all ages.

For children and teenagers, the recommended daily allowances for calcium are the same for both sexes. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the daily allowances are
Age group Daily recommended
Children, 9-18 years 1,300 mg
Children, 4-8 years 1,000 mg
Children, 1-3 years 700 mg
Children, 7-12 months 260 mg
Children, 0-6 months 200 mg

Women need to increase their calcium intake earlier in life than men, starting in middle age. Meeting the necessary calcium requirement is particularly important as a woman approaches menopause.

During menopause, women should also increase their calcium intake to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and calcium deficiency disease. The decline in the hormone estrogen during menopause causes a woman’s bones to thin faster.

The hormone disorder hypoparathyroidism may also cause calcium deficiency disease. People with this condition don’t produce enough parathyroid hormone, which controls calcium levels in the blood.

Other causes of hypocalcemia include malnutrition and malabsorption. Malnutrition is when you’re not getting enough nutrients, while malabsorption is when your body can’t absorb the vitamins and minerals you need from the food you eat. Additional causes include:

low levels of vitamin D, which makes it harder to absorb calcium
medications, such phenytoin, phenobarbital, rifampin, corticosteroids, and drugs used to treat elevated calcium levels
pancreatitis
hypermagnesemia and hypomagnesemia
hyperphosphatemia
septic shock
massive blood transfusions
renal failure
certain chemotherapy drugs
“Hungry bone syndrome,” which may occur after surgery for hyperparathyroidism
removal of parathyroid gland tissue as part of surgery to remove the thyroid gland
If you miss your daily dose of calcium, you won’t become calcium deficient overnight. But it’s still important to make an effort to get enough calcium every day, since the body uses it quickly. Vegans are more likely to become calcium deficient quickly because they don’t eat calcium-rich dairy products.

Calcium deficiency won’t produce short-term symptoms because the body maintains calcium levels by taking it directly from the bones. But long-term low levels of calcium can have serious effects.

What are the symptoms of hypocalcemia?
Early stage calcium deficiency may not cause any symptoms. However, symptoms will develop as the condition progresses.

Severe symptoms of hypocalcemia include:

confusion or memory loss
muscle spasms
numbness and tingling in the hands, feet, and face
depression
hallucinations
muscle cramps
weak and brittle nails
easy fracturing of the bones
Calcium deficiencies can affect all parts of the body, resulting in weak nails, slower hair growth, and fragile, thin skin.

Calcium also plays an important role in both neurotransmitter release and muscle contractions. So, calcium deficiencies can bring on seizures in otherwise healthy people.

If you start experiencing neurological symptoms like memory loss, numbness and tingling, hallucinations, or seizures, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible.

What are the possible complications of hypocalcemia?
Complications from calcium deficiency disease include eye damage, an abnormal heartbeat, and osteoporosis.

Complications from osteoporosis include:

disability
spinal fractures or other bone fractures
difficulty walking
If left untreated, calcium deficiency disease could eventually be fatal.

How can hypocalcemia be prevented?
You can prevent calcium deficiency disease by including calcium in your diet every day.

Be aware that foods high in calcium, such as dairy products, can also be high in saturated fat and trans fat. Choose low-fat or fat-free options to reduce your risk of developing high cholesterol and heart disease.

You can get 1/4 to 1/3 of your RDA of calcium in a single serving of some milks and yogurts. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), other calcium-rich foods include:


Food Approximate serving size Amount of calcium per serving
Sardines (in oil) 3.75 oz. 351 mg
Salmon (pink, canned, with bones) 3 oz. 183 mg
Fortified tofu (regular, not firm) 1/3 cup 434 mg
Edamame (frozen) 1 cup 71-98 mg
White beans 1 cup 161 mg
Collard greens (cooked) 1 cup 268 mg
Broccoli (cooked) 1 cup 62 mg
Figs (dried) 5 figs 68 mg
Fortified orange juice 1 cup 364 mg
Wheat bread 1 slice 36 mg

and MILK

While meeting your calcium requirement is very important, you also want to make sure you’re not getting too much. According to the Mayo Clinic, upper limits of calcium intake in milligrams (mg) for adults are:

2,000 mg per day for men and women 51 years of age and up
2,500 mg per day for men and women 19 to 50 years of age
You might want to supplement your diet by taking a multivitamin. Or your doctor may recommend supplements if you’re at high risk for developing a calcium deficiency.

Multivitamins may not contain all of the calcium you need, so be sure to eat a well-rounded diet. If you’re pregnant, take a prenatal vitamin.

Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/calcium-deficiency-disease

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Colon Cancer

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Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), which is the final part of your digestive tract. Most cases of colon cancer begin as small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps. Over time some of these polyps can become colon cancers.

Polyps may be small and produce few, if any, symptoms. For this reason, doctors recommend regular screening tests to help prevent colon cancer by identifying and removing polyps before they turn into cancer.

Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of colon cancer include:

A change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool, that lasts longer than four weeks
Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool
Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain
A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely
Weakness or fatigue
Unexplained weight loss
Many people with colon cancer experience no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. When symptoms appear, they’ll likely vary, depending on the cancer’s size and location in your large intestine.

When to see a doctor
If you notice any symptoms of colon cancer, such as blood in your stool or an ongoing change in bowel habits, do not hesitate to make an appointment with your doctor. Talk to your doctor about when you should begin screening for colon cancer. Guidelines generally recommend that colon cancer screenings begin at age 50. Your doctor may recommend more frequent or earlier screening if you have other risk factors, such as a family history of the disease.
Causes
In most cases, it’s not clear what causes colon cancer. Doctors know that colon cancer occurs when healthy cells in the colon develop errors in their genetic blueprint, the DNA. Healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way to keep your body functioning normally. But when a cell’s DNA is damaged and becomes cancerous, cells continue to divide — even when new cells aren’t needed. As the cells accumulate, they form a tumor.

With time, the cancer cells can grow to invade and destroy normal tissue nearby. And cancerous cells can travel to other parts of the body to form deposits there (metastasis).

Inherited gene mutations that increase the risk of colon cancer
Inherited gene mutations that increase the risk of colon cancer can be passed through families, but these inherited genes are linked to only a small percentage of colon cancers. Inherited gene mutations don’t make cancer inevitable, but they can increase an individual’s risk of cancer significantly.

The most common forms of inherited colon cancer syndromes are:

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). HNPCC, also called Lynch syndrome, increases the risk of colon cancer and other cancers. People with HNPCC tend to develop colon cancer before age 50.
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). FAP is a rare disorder that causes you to develop thousands of polyps in the lining of your colon and rectum. People with untreated FAP have a greatly increased risk of developing colon cancer before age 40.
FAP, HNPCC and other, rarer inherited colon cancer syndromes can be detected through genetic testing. If you’re concerned about your family’s history of colon cancer, talk to your doctor about whether your family history suggests you have a risk of these conditions.

Association between diet and increased colon cancer risk
Studies of large groups of people have shown an association between a typical Western diet and an increased risk of colon cancer. A typical Western diet is high in fat and low in fiber.

When people move from areas where the typical diet is low in fat and high in fiber to areas where the typical Western diet is most common, the risk of colon cancer in these people increases significantly. It’s not clear why this occurs, but researchers are studying whether a high-fat, low-fiber diet affects the microbes that live in the colon or causes underlying inflammation that may contribute to cancer risk. This is an area of active investigation and research is ongoing.

Get screened for colon cancer
People with an average risk of colon cancer can consider screening beginning at age 50. But people with an increased risk, such as those with a family history of colon cancer, should consider screening sooner.

Several screening options exist — each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Talk about your options with your doctor, and together you can decide which tests are appropriate for you.

Make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk
You can take steps to reduce your risk of colon cancer by making changes in your everyday life. Take steps to:

Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, which may play a role in cancer prevention. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables so that you get an array of vitamins and nutrients.
Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day for women and two for men.
Stop smoking. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit that may work for you.
Exercise most days of the week. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days. If you’ve been inactive, start slowly and build up gradually to 30 minutes. Also, talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Maintain a healthy weight. If you are at a healthy weight, work to maintain your weight by combining a healthy diet with daily exercise. If you need to lose weight, ask your doctor about healthy ways to achieve your goal. Aim to lose weight slowly by increasing the amount of exercise you get and reducing the number of calories you eat.

Source https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colon-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353669

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Know the Symptoms of Lung Diseases and Consume these Important Nutrients for Better Health

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Lung diseases need no introduction considering the air we breathe in. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a condition that damages the lung airways causes an array of symptoms like chest tightness, breathlessness, persistent cough and wheezing. It has become one of the leading causes of mortality in the country.

Lung diseases have certain symptoms that should be taken care of, especially at night. Considering our breathing changes during sleep due to general muscle relaxation increasing airway resistance, it is imperative to recognize the symptoms of possible consequences.Immediate effects of night-time symptoms may include fatigue and low productivity, while the long term consequences may involve lung function changes, increased exacerbation frequency, cognitive effects, depression, impaired quality of life and worsening of cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have suggested that night time-symptoms may be the marker for the emergence of severe condition with more risk for an exacerbation.

Your diet plays an important role in maintaining your health, especially respiratory system. Eat foods that will help strengthen your lungs and prevent any possible diseases. We list down some foods that may help strengthen your respiratory system-

1. Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps create a defense mechanism against injury to human tissues and further help in building a stronger immunity. Vitamin E may include dry fruits like almonds, fish and herbs including oregano, basil, parsley and cloves.

2. Beta-Carotene

Beta carotene is full of antioxidants and plays a key role in controlling inflammation. Foods like green leafy vegetables, pumpkins, spinach, carrots, radish, broccoli and coriander are rich in Beta-carotene.

3. Magnesium Rich Foods

Magnesium helps boost the natural defenses and relaxes your lungs from the excessive pressure. Some of the magnesium rich foods are nuts, seeds, legumes, spinach, yogurt, figs, avocado and figs among others.

4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants that have the ability to repair and promote tissue growth. This vitamin is present throughout the body and eradicates the effects of free radicals. Foods like dark leafy vegetables, berries, bell peppers and tomatoes are rich in vitamin C.


Source: http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/know-the-symptoms-of-lung-diseases-and-consume-these-important-nutrients-for-respiratory-health-1740648

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When brain stroke strikes early before you turn 40

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Stroke is no longer an old-age disease; an unhealthy lifestyle means 15-25 per cent of all strokes now hit those below 40.
After 39-year-old IT professional Vinod Sharma suffered from a brain stroke a few months ago. He joined work after recovery, but lost his coveted job a few weeks ago. The multi-national company in which Sharma was a programmer told him that his cognitive skills had suffered.

Strokes are no longer an old-age disease. An estimated 15 to 25% of all strokes now occur in those younger than 40.

Long hours at work, no leaves and extreme amount of stress in the software industry had made Sharma a serial smoker and dependent on alcohol. “Few months ago, when I woke up one morning, I felt numbness in my right hand. After close to three to four hours, the stroke struck,” Vinod told DNA.

Vinod’s clinician, Dr Bhushan Joshi, from Columbia Asia Hospital in Pune said that the patient had come after a delay of close to 12 hours. “It is very important to treat stroke within four hours of the attack,” Dr Joshi said.

While Vinod was on leave for three months and joined back with verve, he was suddenly asked to leave the company. They cited him as a ‘bad performer.’ He has ended up spending close to Rs 3lakh for his treatment and rehabilitation.

“Stroke is not so common in young age,” says Dr Joshi, adding that Vinod suffered from Hyperhomocystenemia, where there is an increased tendency of clot formation in blood. The occluded blood vessels lead to a stroke. While we do not know how the condition is caused, alcohol and smoking tend to aggravate it.

“Vinod had a tough time recovering,” said Dr Joshi, “He was not able to use his hands. He was unable to walk. He was not able to understand what we were speaking. He started forming sentences but they were grammatically incorrect. He had difficulty identifying symbols or letters. The concepts were preserved in his brain, but he was not able to express them. Language is controlled by left side of the brain, and that part was affected.”

Doctors say that lifestyle aggravated neurological illnesses in those below 40 years of age are epilepsy, headache, nutritional deficiencies of Vitamin B12 and D3, stroke and migraine. They are aggravated due to stress, sleep deprivation, alcohol consumption and other addictions.

Lifestyle is the culprit

In another case, a 24-year-old engineer suddenly suffered from stroke a few months ago. He was slightly obese and his stress levels were high. He lost identification ability, speech and has been under therapy for nine months.

“Now he has retained his walking ability and has retained his alphabet recognizing skills,” says Dr Ruchi Varshney, a practicing Delhi-based physiotherapist.

Most neurological problems in youngsters are due to diet, lifestyle and stress. “They have sitting jobs where they work for 16-18 hours. They suffer from nerve compression which leads to numbness, vertigo, dizziness, vision problems and fluctuation of blood pressure,” said Dr Varshney.

Of hundred stroke patients, 11 to 12 are between 15 to 30 years of age. Sometimes, even exercise or sports is to blame is to blame. “Youngsters may have a gym-injury. Otherwise, lifestyle and stress are precipitating factors,” she added.

Common neurological ailments caused by lifestyle
Epilepsy: Convulsions are common among the youth. Though causes of epilepsy are not directly related to lifestyle but lifestyle can precipitate convulsions in case of epilepsy. Stress, sleep deprivation, alcohol and addictions are to blame.
Headaches: An estimated 16% of the youth suffers from migraines, and they are more common in women. Irregular lifestyle, stress at the personal level and work place, irregular daily schedule, unhealthy eating habits are all responsible.
Nutritional deficiency: Insufficient Vitamins B12 and D3 is a common cause for neuropathy. Symptoms are tingling, numbness and parasthesia.
Stroke: It is no longer a disease of those past their middle age. Medical practitioners say 15% – 25% of all strokes now occur in those less than 40 years of age. The incidence is even higher among Indians because of our genetic make-up. The factors are aggravated by lifestyle choices of the youth.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-when-brain-stroke-strikes-early-2552877

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Nearly 40% People Ignore Spine Related Diseases

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Nearly 20% of the young population in the age group of 16-34 age group are treated for back and spine conditions, according to a report by QI Spine Clinic, which is specialized in spinal diagnosis. The most affected age-groups and common problems faced by people are in these four cities – New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune.

While Delhi’s young population treated for back pain problems is the highest at 25% followed by Bengaluru at 23%. However, the age-group that is most affected by back and spine problems is 35-54. With 46% of Bengaluru’s population in this age-group reporting of spinal issues makes it the highest amongst the four cities. Bengaluru is followed by Delhi at 43%, Mumbai at 41% and Pune at 38%.

‘Back or neck pain should not be neglected. Early treatment can solve the pain and the root cause of the problem within a short span of time providing complete recovery.’
In India, 45% of the people in these four cities neglect their pain for more than 7 weeks which leads to delayed treatment& increases the risk of surgery. Pune accounts for the highest number of negligence at 53% followed by New Delhi (49%), Bangalore (46%) and Mumbai (40%) respectively.

The treatment rate for women is 8% lower as compared to men but men delay their treatment more than women. The ratio between women and men is 46:54.

Through X-rays and MRIs (Magnetic resonance imaging) you can diagnose your spinal problems. However, often MRIs fail to detect how severe the condition is and in such cases, digital spine analysis is preferred. After it is detected, doctors will give medications or suggest a surgery depending on the condition.

Source: http://www.medindia.net/news/nearly-40-people-ignore-spine-related-diseases-173824-1.htm

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Cancer cells destroyed in just 3 days with new technique

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Cancer cells are relentless, possessing the vexatious ability to develop resistance to current therapies and making the disease hugely challenging to treat. However, an exciting new study may have identified cancer’s weak spot; the discovery has already led to the near-eradication of the disease in cell cultures.
The study — which was recently published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering — reveals how altering the structure of chromatin in cancer cells could make them easier to destroy.

In the cell nucleus, DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones. Together they form chromatin.

Chromatin’s job is to package the genetic code neatly into the cell’s nucleus. Chromatin can also regulate which genes are switched on and off. In cancer cells, however, chromatin helps them to evolve and adapt to cancer therapies, thereby allowing them to survive.

“If you think of genetics as hardware,” explains study co-author Vadim Backman, of the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, “then chromatin is the software.”

“Complex diseases such as cancer,” he adds, “do not depend on the behavior of individual genes, but on the complex interplay among tens of thousands of genes.”

So, Backman and his colleagues set their sights on chromatin as the key to combating cancer drug resistance, and an imaging technique they developed last year helped them to learn more about this intricate set of macromolecules.

Predicting cancer cell death with chromatin

The new technique is called Partial Wave Spectroscopic (PWS) microscopy, and it enables real-time monitoring of chromatin in living cells.

Additionally, the researchers explain that PWS allows them to assess chromatin at a length scale of 20–200 nanometers, which they say is the precise point at which cancer formation influences chromatin.

They used PWS to monitor chromatin in cultured cancer cells. They found that chromatin has a specific “packing density” associated with gene expression that helps cancer cells to evade treatments.
The analysis revealed that a more heterogeneous and disordered chromatin packing density was related to greater cancer cell survival in response to chemotherapy. A more conservative and ordered packing density, however, was linked to greater cancer cell death in response to chemotherapy.

“Just by looking at the cell’s chromatin structure, we could predict whether or not it would survive,” says Backman. “Cells with normal chromatin structures die because they can’t respond; they can’t explore their genome in search of resistance. They can’t develop resistance.”

Targeting chromatin to kill cancer

Based on their discovery, the researchers hypothesized that altering the structure of chromatin to make it more orderly could be one way of boosting cancer cells’ vulnerability to treatment.

On further investigation, the team found that they could modify chromatin’s structure by altering electrolytes in the nucleus of cancer cells.

The team tested this strategy using two drugs that are already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Celecoxib and Digoxin.

Celecoxib is currently used for pain relief, while Digoxin is used to treat atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Both drugs, however, are also able to change the packing density of chromatin.

The researchers combined these drugs — which they refer to as chromatin protection therapeutics (CPTs) — with chemotherapy and tested them on cancer cells in the laboratory. According to Backman, they witnessed “something remarkable.”
Within 2 or 3 days, nearly every single cancer cell died because they could not respond. The CPT compounds don’t kill the cells; they restructure the chromatin. If you block the cells’ ability to evolve and to adapt, that’s their Achilles’ heel.”
Vadim Backman
While the researchers are excited by their findings, they caution that animal and human studies are needed before any firm conclusions can be made.

“There is a big difference between cell cultures and humans,” says Backman. “You never know how the environment inside the human body will affect cancer’s behavior or if there will be unforeseen side effects.”

That said, the researchers note that they have replicated their findings in seven different cancer types so far, which Backman says is “very promising.”

Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320003.php

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