Have you been associating osteoporosis only with women, here is a shocker for you!! The fact is that men are also equally prone for osteoporosis issues in their later stages of their lives. Men who are more than the age of 50 are at risk of this bone based issue in them without even knowing it. It is said that low levels of testosterone in men after the age of 50 could lead to osteoporosis problems. It was brought out by a famous Dr. Vineesh Mathur, director of Orthopaedics, Medanta, Gurugram that bone loss occurs in a silent way in men. He mentioned that fracture would be the first indication for osteoporosis in men. Not many know that recovering from bone fractures takes a longer time for men when compared to women. Ageing is associated with the decrease in the testosterone levels in men and this causes fractures in them. Link between testosterone levels and bone strength: Not only for muscle strength or libido etc, testosterone levels are important but it is important for bone health too. What testosterone does is that it would promote new bone development and slow down the breaking of existing bones. Bone loss in men would be accelerated by reduced testosterone levels and there could be increased risk of hip, wrists and spine fractures in them. Hypogonadism or low testosterone levels can be due to many reasons such as performance enhancing drugs, gradual age related decline, chronic health issues, certain medications like steroids, diseases like diabetes etc. Majority of men tend to overlook signs like fatigue, loss of muscle strength, decreased libido, fracture from minor fall etc. These signs are mostly attributed to normal ageing. Men mustn`t ignore these warning signs: There are certain warning signs in men that would indicate the osteoporosis issue in them. These are persistent back pain, gradual loss of height, poor posture, unexplained fractures etc. The men must not ignore these signs and they must discuss with the doctor or an orthopaedician. How to prevent or manage osteoporosis in men? It is superb to note that osteoporosis could be prevented effectively or managed well in males. Men would be able to avoid osteoporosis issues in them by means of regular physical activity, especially weight bearing exercises. Men must consume a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D etc to avoid this bone issue. Finally, by quitting smoking and alcohol, men could avoid or manage osteoporosis in them If the bone loss is due to low testosterone levels, then hormone therapy could provide a suitable solution for them. It is noteworthy that hormone therapy is not suitable for everyone and must be pursued only under medical supervision. The stereotype regarding osteoporosis can only occur in females must be changed first. Even males are equally at risk of getting this bone issue in them and the outcomes can be just as severe. Point is that men must not wait for the fall to realise that something is not right with them.  

How will you feel if you come to know that carbohydrates that you consume in excess could cause havoc on the body? Shocked right!! It is true that carbohydrates form about 40 percent to 60 percent of energy intake. Not many of us would know that excess intake of carbohydrates could cause many health issues in us. According to their degree of polymerisation, carbohydrates are classified into simple sugars or monosaccharides/disaccharides, longer chains of sugars or oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Various signs of consuming too much of carbohydrates Feeling sluggish/ fatigued always: It must be noted that consuming excess amounts of carbohydrates would spike the blood sugar levels causing the body to have short energy bursts and then crash or feeling of exhaustion or fatigue. Feeling thirsty always: Even after drinking lots of water if you still feel thirsty then it can be due to the intake of too much carbohydrates also. It is worthy to note that after eating high carbohydrates food our blood sugar levels would spike and would make us feel thirstier and result in frequent urination. Point is that water would rehydrate our blood stream and would remove excess sugar through urine. Headaches: If we eat excess carbohydrates, we can get headaches and migraines etc. It is true that eating high carb foods like white bread etc can cause headaches and migraines etc in us. Digestive problems: Consuming excessive carbohydrates can cause digestive problems in us. It must be taken into account that we can get constipation by consuming too much carbs. Not many would be aware that eating white rice in excess can also lead to constipation etc. The reason is white rice doesn`t have dietary fibres in them. It is superb to consume foods like tempeh, sauerkraut etc as they would be good for gut health. Mood swings: Point is that consuming too much carbohydrates can make you feel cranky or get mood swings etc. So, please take care. Feel hungry again: When foods take a longer time to digest then we could feel full. Examples of such foods are foods rich in h healthy fats and proteins etc. In the same way, if we consume foods rich in carbohydrates then we would feel hungry. It is learnt that white bread etc metabolise faster into glucose and promote faster digestion process. This would not allow the body to feel full. High blood sugar levels: Eating excess carbohydrate foods would spike the blood sugar levels in us. It is believed that processed foods like white bread etc would enter our bloodstream faster than whole grains etc. This would spike the blood sugar levels. Increased triglycerides level: Be careful regarding increased cholesterol levels if you consume excess of added sugars and those that are added to foods before consumption. It was brought out by research that foods rich in glucose, fructose and sucrose etc would result in high triglycerides levels. It is known that triglycerides are a form of cholesterol that can lead to formation of plaques in the arteries leading to heart attack or stroke etc.                      Formation of cavities etc: Saliva in the mouth would break carbohydrates especially starchy kinds like pastas, chips etc into simple sugars. It is noteworthy that bacteria present in the mouth would feed on these sugars and produce acids that would affect plaque Ph, result in cavities, tooth decay etc.

The bodies of teens (age 11 to age 19) are in an important stage of growth and development and they must try to avoid having irregular eating patterns. It must be noted that irregular eating patterns disrupt physical, emotional and mental well being. When a teen eats irregularly then he or she can have poor energy levels coupled with metabolic issues and hormonal imbalances etc. It is worthy to note that food eaten during the adolescent stage plays a huge role in long term health. Not eating or irregular eating can negatively affect digestion, immunity, mood, academic performances etc. They teens could put on weight also due to irregular eating patterns. Various reasons why teens must not have irregular eating pattern are Hinders physical growth & development: In the teens rapid physical changes would take place and they would need a steady supply of nutrients to support their physical changes. By irregular eating patterns, the teens could get deficiencies in proteins, calcium and iron etc impacting bone density, muscle function etc. Energy level fluctuations: There would be spikes and crashes in the blood sugar levels by irregular eating patterns. This would make the teenage boys and girls feel dull, sluggish etc throughout the day. Point is that stable energy is required for academic performances, concentration etc Impairs cognitive performances: Memory, focus and problem solving abilities would get affected by skipping meals or breakfast especially. It is true that teens who have irregular eating patterns would find it tough to focus when compared to teens with regular eating patterns. More chances of eating disorders: Disordered relationships with foods would be triggered due to irregular eating patterns. As a result, teens would do binge eating or extreme dieting etc. It is shocking to mention here that over time it can lead to eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia etc. Affect mood and mental health: Mood would get destabilised due to lack of regular meals as intake of nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium and B vitamins etc are reduced. This could lead to anxiousness, irritation etc in the teens. Leads to unhealthy weight gain or loss: It is noteworthy that erratic eating patterns would lead to unhealthy weight gain or loss. By skipping meals, metabolism would slow down and it might prompt excess or over eating later on. Weakens immune system: It is known that zinc, vitamin C and antioxidants etc are immune boosting nutrients. Teens with irregular eating patterns or who skip meals would lack these nutrients in tem leading to poor immunity levels.  They are more prone to illnesses, slow recovery and fatigue etc. Disrupts hormonal balance: Irregular or erratic eating patterns in teens could disrupt their hormonal balance leading to issues like acne, irregular periods and excess mood swings etc Affects digestive health: When teens eat irregularly, then their digestion would get affected. They could get issues like acid reflux, bloating etc. Truth is that a regular eating pattern would lead to better gut health, nutrients absorption and better bowel movements etc.