Low carb diets are diets that restrict the consumption of food that has lots of carbohydrates in them. Pasta, white bread, rice, and potatoes are good examples of food that contain a high amount of carbohydrates in them. If you want to lose weight, then you can go for a low carb diet.

Do be advised that before doing any exercise or maintaining a diet, always ask your doctors first if youre able to safely do your health routines. Here are some benefits and disadvantages of a low carb diet to help you learn more:

A low carb diet is excellent for people to lose weight. Excess carbs in the body get turned into fatty acids which then become adipose tissue. Low carb diets also lead to appetite loss, which means you dont eat as much.

Since youre cutting out carbs, a high protein diet is needed to meet your daily needs. Eating the best protein bars for low carb diet is ideal to keep you full, while at the same time, helping your body build muscle.

Not only do carbs turn into fat, but they also become glucose for the bodys energy needs. However, too much glucose can be bad for you. Too much of it can lead to metabolic disorders such as diabetes. A low carb diet ensures that you only get the daily amount of carbs needed by your body.

As mentioned earlier, a high protein diet best goes with a low carb diet. However, overconsumption of proteins can make the kidneys work harder to excrete the waste products from protein. Prolonged stress on the kidneys can lead to renal failure.

Low Carb diets often cause constipation. Most of the food that has high carbs also have fiber in them. Cutting out these foods also leave out fiber. Fiber is an important nutrient in the body that helps excrete waste. Fluid imbalances due to low carb dieting also contribute to constipation.

Most of the time, a lot of people fail to maintain a low carb diet. This diet is often bland because it also leaves out sodium. Its also stressful for some people to plan out a low carb diet as they have to get the right amount of food right.

More:
Benefits And Disadvantages Of A Low Carb Diet - Kagay An

I have written a book titled Maximise Potential which has everything I have learned on leadership, management, success, happiness, personal development, life, time management and few book reviews. You can download it for free here. Maximise Potential. It is a collection in one place of all the blog posts across topics over the last few years. Below is one of the chapters on goals.

The first step to understand about success is that it is not a destination but a wonderful journey that never ends. The best definition of success I have come across is by Earl Nightingale Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal/goal. It is the process thats actually exciting. Most of the times once we reach goals like getting the promotion or losing the weight we cant keep up momentum but it is the process that actually keeps us energized. Once we achieve our goals we feel good for that moment but in order to keep that feeling ongoing we need to keep setting new goals. The important thing to remember is that goal setting is a lifelong activity and it does energize our lives. People talk a lot about dreams but there has to be a distinction between outrageous dreams and dreams that ignite. I can have a dream to be the greatest tennis player that ever lived but that dream is surely not going to be realized and it is very much outrageous. I think when we speak about dreams the first step we should clarify is whether it is aligned with our abilities and has a timeline associated with it. Running a marathon could be a worthwhile dream for me and something within my capability though it would require tons of training and will be a BIG stretch for me.

Jim Collins coined the term BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) in his blockbuster book Built to Last 20 years back and he said a lot of the visionary companies set BHAGs that energized the organization. I think goals for personal life can do the same for us energizing our lives and increase passion. The starting point of the success journey is to craft a personal mission statement and back that up with a powerful vision supported by purposeful action.The best example of a BHAG is this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earthby John F Kennedy. He made that statement on May 25th1961 and it was still a valid BHAG even after his untimely death. It is over 50 years old but the beauty lies in its simplicity and clarity. BHAGs cannot be vague..This just goes to show the power of a BHAG. It doesnt matter what the BHAG is but that you have a BHAG. There is also a lot of merit in having a personal mission statement. My personal mission statement is to maximize my potential and help others maximize theirs. The action I take towards this mission is to read continuously on leadership, management, business and then share insights on what I have learned through blogs. This gets me excited to read books that are tough and that I may not read normally. Another thing that is important to set is have a core set of values that you can live by. Values could be dedication, integrity, honesty, passion,.Again writing down a personal mission statement and clarifying our values will surely add purpose to our lives.

It is important to remember that goals are not resolutions. Once a new year starts most people start setting resolutions like Iam going to stop eating sugar, Iam going to lose weight, etc. Personally I dont set resolutions as I feel having goals with a burning desire is more effective. Research has proven that most people break their resolutions within a month of setting it. This is because we keep mentioning the things we wont do rather than the benefits it would provide. A better resolution could be I want to be super fit so that I can be at my best all day long and feel energized throughout ultimately leading to a longer life full of energy, contribution and happiness. As you can see this is a much more energizing message and probably can help us be on track more than resolutions. Finally with respect to maintaining our proper weight it is useful to remember that there is no quick fix. It is only daily action performed consistently over a long period of time that will produce desirable results. We have to be in it for the long haul.

Finally goals have to be in writing. As it is mentioned often Goals not written down are merely wishes. A wish is a goal without any energy. As Harvey Mackay says A goal is a dream with adeadline. Setting short term goals in bursts of 90 days really sets our life on track. Backing that up with long term goals like 5 years from now and 10 years from now will set us on the path towards the journey of success with the purpose and vision required to keep us spirited throughout. I have read that all top achievers write their goals down, read/review their goals on a daily/weekly basis so that it is always in the front and center of their lives. There are two theories on sharing goals. One says that keep your goals confidential and another says sharing them will put the necessary pressure to complete them. I think financial goals, personal goals related to family should be confidential but if you have goals like I want to exercise 5 times a week it may be best to make that public in which case it puts more onus on you to follow through. The example of Thomas Edison is often sighted where he would call a press conference to talk about his new invention/innovative breakthrough long before it was ready and then go to work to make that a reality..This puts pressure on him to deliver and he did deliver BIG TIME indeed.

We can feel satisfied once we reach our goals but the only way we can truly stay happy/excited is to keep setting more goals that stretch us and the process of setting goals and proceeding on the journey of success provides the real meaning to life. Finally we will encounter problems along the way on our journey. The way to overcome that is to go back to our mission, vision and values. Another trick I came across recently is to ask the10/10/10 question. Will this matter 10 minutes from now, Will this matter 10 months from now, Will this matter 10 years from now? This really clarifies what is truly important to us. Think BIG, Burn your boats, Set BHAGS, take action and go forward confidently in the direction of your dreams. I wish you a fun filled, happy, excitinggoal oriented success journey that never ends.

Thanks for reading this post. Here is the link and you can download it for free here. Maximise Potential. I would love to hear your feedback.

The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.

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Maximise Potential by Shyam Ramanathan Get the Most out of yourself - Thrive Global

Sophia and David talk about microwave meals, intermittent fasting and the best stir fry order at Plex East. Content warning: mentions of calorie counting. We recommend talking with a doctor before making any major changes to your diet.

Sophia: Hello, hello, and welcome to Solved by Science, the show where we answer all the questions that keep you up at night. I'm your host, Sophia, and today I have my friend David with me.

David: Hi, I'm David. I am a sophomore studying journalism at Northwestern. I'm an assistant managing editor for North by Northwestern with Sophia, and I'm very excited to have some questions answered. We also co-host another podcast together. It's called Second GenerAsian. It's really cool. You should check it out.

Sophia: It's really great. Listen to us, and also our friend HJY. Anyway, so I'm here to answer one of David's questions.

David: Freshman year, I would eat a lot of microwave meals because you know, I was lazy. I didn't really want to leave the dorm. One thing I noticed is microwave meals and other very cheap food items never really filled me up. I would eat a lot, and it would just feel like my stomach was still empty. I don't know much about how food or science or anything works, but to me, it's like if I'm eating calories, shouldnt I have the same amount of energy from those calories? I mean, obviously, like you're not getting nutrients, which I might have just answered my own question there. But yeah, I was wondering why don't microwave meals fill me up?

Sophia: Well, we can talk about that more. You did touch a little bit on it. So we can talk about some empty calories and sugars versus complex carbs, that kind of thing. But first, I'm going to talk a little bit about hunger. So, when you feel hungry, that's usually when your blood sugar and insulin levels are dropping. And then that releases ghrelin, which signals hunger. You feel full when you eat, and then your fat cells release leptin to let your body know that you're feeling full. And a lot of this communication happens with the hypothalamus, which is a structure in your brain, and it plays a big role in releasing hormones. Back to your question, why don't microwave meals or ramen, I guess fill you up? I'm more of a ramen fan than the microwave meal.

David: Yeah, I mean, they're all in the same wider category to me.

Sophia: They're all the same college student is too lazy

David: Yeah, exactly.

Sophia: Only has a microwave in their sad CRC dorm room.

David: Right.

Sophia: Let's start by talking about empty calories. You mentioned that you weren't getting any nutrients. So a lot of these foods, like microwave meals, don't have too much nutritional value, at least the ones I'm eating. I was eating a lot of ramen and mac and cheese last year. What were you eating?

David: Literally the same thing.

Sophia: Yeah, some things like, I don't know, Trader Joes, might have a little bit more.

David: Doubtful, honestly.

Sophia: But Kraft Mac and Cheese, not it. So these don't have any nutritional value or vitamins, and they're usually full of fat and sugar. So none of that is really great for you. And there's also a difference between sugar and simple carbs versus complex carbs. So simple sugars don't take a lot of time to digest. So things like ramen, mac and cheese. I know you were eating other microwave meals from H Mart.

David: Yeah, I would eat a lot of the Korean like porridge type meals like congee. It was all very similar to me, like in terms of how I would feel afterwards. It's just like not great.

Sophia: So they don't take a ton of time to digest. So what happens is your glucose levels rise super fast, and then when you crash, it makes you feel irritable. So you should eat other things that keep you full for longer because it slows down the absorption of glucose into your bloodstream. So things that keep you full longer: fiber, I'm sure you've heard that before.

David: Yes.

Sophia: And then things like ramen or mac and cheese have a ton of sodium in them. And your body retains more water when you're eating a lot of salty things, and you feel bloated. So that might also be part of why you feel really gross afterwards.

David: Right. Yeah, I mean, after I would eat like a microwave meal, or you know, some kind of cheap, quick meal that I don't have to leave the dorm for, I felt so bad that it's like I might as well have just left the dorm and gone to a dining hall and gotten real food.

Sophia: See when I eat microwave meals or ramen, what I usually do is like if I do it for dinner, I'll bring back veggies from the salad bar, so I feel less bad about it.

David: Yeah, to me, that defeats the purpose. You know, it's if I'm already there. If I'm going to bring home like veggies, or ingredients to supplement a microwave meal, I might as well just bring home leftover food and eat that.

Sophia: That's true, but sometimes you just want some ramen.

David: It's like a snack to me. It's not like food food.

Sophia: Anyway, something else I'm interested in with you and food is intermittent fasting.

David: So over the summer, I started intermittent fasting because I was on a pretty busy schedule, and I didn't have time to eat breakfast. And so basically, I would not eat before noon. And so once I got back from a study abroad program, I still kept it up because I found myself not getting hungry before 12 as long as I kept up the fast. If I kept it up for a couple of weeks, eventually Id get to a point where I literally just don't get hungry at a certain point. I only eat between 12 and 8pm. The only time I find myself getting getting hungry is if I like break the fast or I kind of have a cheat day, then I'll get more hungry the next day. My logic behind it is that if I'm not hungry, or like my body doesn't tell me that I need food, what's the point of eating?

Sophia: Are you doing it to like lose weight or be healthier or...

David: Yeah

Sophia: Was it just a you realized you didn't get hungry type of thing?

David: A lot of it was weight loss. I've just heard it's good for you. I'm eating like plenty of food. It's not like I'm starving myself. I haven't gotten out of shape, really, at least not the way that I did last year, freshman year when I would just gorge myself all the time. I'm being a lot more reasonable about the food that I eat. Because I think intermittent fasting and only eating two meals a day kind of gives me a lot more flexibility within those meals. I can eat whatever I want.

Sophia: So I know at the beginning of the year, you were also calorie counting a little bit. Did you notice that you were eating less calories because you're eating two meals or are you eating more during those meals?

David: I think it's just like it's easier for me to hit my target, which I mean, I still kind of do, I just I'm not as diligent about tracking it. I found that the meals that I would be eating anyway are just the right size to get me to my calorie target. If I eat them twice a day, obviously like the thing that I've been eating a lot of lately is Plex East stir fry, which is about 900 calories and if my targets 1800 calories that I just need that twice a day and I'm right on target. That's very convenient portion size wise.

Sophia: Do you usually go to Plex twice a day? Because Im always at Allison. I do want to get stir fry sometime.

David: You should.

Sophia: So let's do that.

David: I got literally get Plex stir fry twice a day.

Sophia: What's your recommendation for Plex stir fry?

David: They just added sweet chili sauce, and it slaps. It's so good. My go-to at the start of the quarter was chicken and brown rice. Lately, I've been getting like pork and noodles. You gotta like be a bit creative with the sauces, because they have the sweet chili sauce. But if you had a little bit of the soy sauce or like the Szechuan sauce, it's pretty good. You can have some versatility. You know, I put a lot of scallions, a lot of onions, a little bit of bell peppers. Gotta heap the garlic on because I'm Filipino. We love garlic. With that, it's just because it's pre-portioned, I don't get out of control with getting too much food because I feel like I have bad impulse control.

Sophia: I should probably start doing that because I also have bad impulse control. So you said that part of the reason you were intermittent fasting was to lose weight. So that's a big reason why people do that. And the reason why I asked about your calorie counting is that one thing that it does is that just because you're restricting your eating hours, you are cutting calories by eating less of the time. Or at least some people do that. Some people might just end up eating the same amount in a smaller period of time. What you're doing is called a restricted eating window. This is where you have a limited time where you can eat, you might eat just one meal a day or two or three times. You're doing eight hours. I think that's pretty common for intermittent fasting.

David: Its a pretty standard starting point. Sometimes I won't eat exactly at 12, like Ill eat at one or two, and I won't eat at 8, I'll eat at 6 or 7. So it sometimes does get restricted tighter than that.

Sophia: And the other type of intermittent fasting is called alternate day fasting. So some days you would eat more and some days you would eat less. So this is also called calorie cycling. And you can fast every other day, two days a week, stuff like that. Kind of whatever works for you. I feel like intermittent fasting is pretty flexible and depends on the person. So another reason why this might promote weight loss is because it reduces your insulin levels and your fat cells are also burning more, and I think that's also the premise of the keto diet, but I don't really know much about the keto diet.

David: Keto is just like very high fat, very, very low carb, medium protein. It's good in theory, it's just I couldn't do that, because I think with the options available at dining halls, it's not super conducive to maintain keto on a dining plan. I feel like calorie counting is probably your best bet; you can eat a lot of different things within your window of calories. It's just as long as you don't overeat.

Sophia: Intermittent fasting might also increase the hormone norepinephrine, which boosts your metabolism. So more calories burn, and I need to start burning calories because I don't exercise here.

David: I tried to do that. But you know, we all get lazy as time goes on.

Sophia: So don't intermittent fast if you have conditions like diabetes, if you're pregnant, if you have an eating disorder. I feel like I say this every episode: I'm not a doctor. Don't ask me for medical advice. If you're trying a new diet, maybe talk to a medical professional. So there you have it. Some stuff about food, my favorite topic in the world and intermittent fasting. Do it safely. Talk to a doctor. So that wraps it up for today. If you want more information, check out the transcript down below for sources and other fun links and subscribe to this podcast for more Weird Science things, our intro and our true music is Eve by Dee Yan-Key which we use under Creative Commons Attribution license. I'm Sophia.

David: I'm David.

Sophia: Thanks so much for listening. This is NBN audio.

David: I want to emphasize I'm not starving myself. You shouldve seen me at all-you-can-eat KBBQ last Saturday. Holy shit. I was going at it.

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Solved by Science #5: Why don't microwave meals fill you up? - North by Northwestern

Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness, believed Joseph Pilates,creator of the worldwide popular exercise system known as pilates.This holds true even more so today as our lifestyles increasingly includeexperiential activities and adventures that challenge our physical and fitness levels.

So how does pilates fit into our lives?Outdoor activities such as hiking, trekking, biking, and various sports have becomepopular alternatives or add-ons to indoor workouts for many fitness enthusiasts.Holidays based on activities such as water-sports, safaris and more have gainedmuch popularity, too.All these require a person to have a certain level of fitness that is not just based onconventional definitions of size or speed of muscle. To enjoy these activities safelywith minimal stress, requires our bodies to have a strength based on good control,strong core, balance and stability.And, that is where an integrated total body exercise system like pilates comes in.Because all of the above, and more, are the focus of a well-programmed pilatesworkout.

What is pilates about?

Joseph Pilates is believed to have been way ahead of his time in his understanding ofmovement and exercise, as applied to our bodies.This, over 100-years-old, exercise system was called Contrology by Joseph Pilates,during his lifetime. A very apt name as the essence of pilates is controlled, precisemovement.

In recent years there has been an alarming increase in the number of cases reported due to workout-relatedstress and injuries to the body resulting from the many workout programmes beingoffered for strength, weight-loss, mind-body focus, flexibility, sports etc. Theprevailing trend of creating a competitive environment, re-enforced by peer pressureand group psychology has people attempting to push limits of strength, endurance,and speed beyond their capabilities or with lack of professional guidance.

Pilates as a stand-alone fitness programme creates a balance of strengthwith mobility while integrating endurance, muscle toning, and impacting injury-prevention. As a whole, resulting in better posture, stronger core, and awell-balanced muscular system.

The mind-body focus through these workouts builds a body awarenessthat enables a person to move better and stronger whether you arerunning, playing a sport, or doing daily-living activities.

Thats what makes pilates a total body integrated workout programme that bringstogether varied fitness and workout goals.

More than just fitness

The scope of pilates goes beyond being just a fitness workout.Pilates, as part of the training regimes of professional athletes andsportspersons, helps enhance performance and has a significant impact on injury prevention.

The springs-based resistance training pilates equipment is used in rehab andsports injury clinics across the world.When adapted for special populations, pilates addresses many concerns suchas osteoarthritis, hypertension, diabetes, breast cancer survivors, disc-relatedspine issues, and shoulder, hip, knee problems.Pilates workouts for pregnant and postpartum women are effective andbeneficial for addressing their unique needs.

What is a pilates workout?

The pilates system of exercise is broadly described asmat work with bodyweight exercises, andsprings-based resistance training done on equipment designed by JosephPilates (that he referred to as apparatus).

Mat pilates classes are popular offerings in fitness centres that format larger groupclasses.The huge popularity of pilates workouts, overseas and in India, is due tothe resistance training workouts done on varied pilates machines, the most popularof which is the reformer.

The resistance training on pilates machines contributes to the versatility andadaptability of pilates workouts.

Workouts can be specifically programmed forindividual goals, fitness levels and needs, making the machines an integral part of the pilates workouts.

Pilates workouts using the resistance of springs are especially effective forachieving goals of strength, balance, mobility, and flexibility.

Along with a strongcore, lengthened spine, and good posture is what pilates is well known for.Pilates is most effective when taught in a personal training session. Individual-basedsessions are preferred as customised pilates sessions as they are amazing in the quality ofresults that can be seen within just a few sessions.

Often perceived to be a workout that involves stretching, pilates is actually a strengthand conditioning workout for the mind and body.

Its benefits apply to both men and women, as the goal of these workouts is creating abalanced body, strong from the inside and outside.

After all, most of the elitesportspersons and athletes worldwide have pilates as part of their fitness andtraining regime.

(The author isco-owner The Zone Mind & Body Studio)

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Put your mind to it - Deccan Herald

HAPPY VALLEY, OR / ACCESSWIRE / November 18, 2019 / Founder of the weight loss program, Committed 100, explains how you can go out to eat and still lose weight.

Chad Tackett understands that many people are terrified to go out to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Even going out for coffee can sometimes be a scary notion.

If wanting to look and feel more healthy, restaurants and coffee shops become places where unwanted temptations occur. Everyone wants to try to avoid morning-after regrets.

Yet, meal plans and routine-like eating can become dull over time. The feeling of being deprived of food and relationships will not last long.

Watching friends and family members indulge in every forbidden food will ruin the evening. Having to look at the delicious appetizers, entrees, and desserts will cause you to wish you stayed at home.

OR... you decide that you only live once and eat everything you've been missing out on. You take the term "eat, drink, and be merry" just a little too far as you indulge in the exact things you've been avoiding. In excess.

Losing weight does not need to be a punishment.

Committed 100's Chad Tackett says, "The truth is, you CAN eat the filling and fulfilling food when you go out to eat. It will actually help you lose weight."

Staying home does not have to be the only option when trying to shed the pounds.

"It's simply a matter of combining the right foods, at the right times, and in the right amounts. A strategy that's proven to force your body to burn fat, quickly and effectively," says Chad Tackett.

Going out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner does not have to be scary or a temptation to eat in excess. You can continue to enjoy your relationships and still lose weight.

If you are curious about how you can lose weight (permanently) WHILE eating out with friends, learn about the online weight loss program, Committed 100, visit: https://www.committed100.com/

CONTACT:

Caroline HunterWeb Presence, LLC+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/567164/The-Founder-Of-Committed-100-Chad-Tackett-Explains-How-You-Can-Go-Out-To-Eat-And-Still-Lose-Weight

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The Founder Of Committed 100 Chad Tackett Explains How You Can Go Out To Eat And Still Lose Weight - Yahoo Finance

Parineeti Chopra the Meri Pyaari Bindu actor made her debut in Bollywood industry with Ladies vs Ricky Behl. She received critical praise for her performance as a Punjabi girl. Her next movie, Ishaqzaade,in 2012, became a super hit in which she played the role of a Muslim girl from a conservative political family. Apart from acting, the actor is well known for being a good dancer and in the year 2017made her debut in singing. She has sung the song Maana Ke Hum Yaar Nahi for the film, Meri Pyaari Bindu. The song was well received by the audience and critics.

Also Read |Parineeti Chopra Shares Day 1 Video Of Her Recovery After Injury On Set

Also Read |Parineeti Chopra: Kesari Actor Is Seen Vacationing In Goa With Friends

The actor has often said in interviews with leading media portals that even before entering the industry, she was dealing with weight issues. She was often told by people to lose more weight and was criticised for her fashion sense. For many reasons, she tooka short breakfrom acting and started her weight loss journey. Here are some quotes from the actor to inspire her fans and motivate them.

Also Read |Parineeti Chopra Shares Candid Picture With Badminton Star Saina Nehwal

Currently, the actor is working on a biopic of Saina Nehwal, who is a former world no. 1 professional badminton singles player from India. She has won over 24 international titles, which includes eleven Superseries titles. During the shooting of the film, Parineeti met with an accident resulting in injuries on her neck. The actor shared the news on her Instagram handle.

Also Read |Parineeti Chopra Shares Candid Picture With Badminton Star Saina Nehwal

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.

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Parineeti Chopra: Inspirational and empowering quotes by the actor - Republic World - Republic World

Osteoporosis is often referred to as the silent disease because there are usually no obvious symptoms until a fracture occurs, which can be potentially life-threatening.

[Around] 50 per cent of people who have a hip fracture will end up in a nursing home, Mansberg warns. [Meanwhile], 15 per cent will die within four months of the fracture.

Thats why a bone density test is super important. A Medicare rebate is available for people 70 years or over, who have an overactive thyroid, coeliac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, liver or kidney disease, previously diagnosed with osteoporosis and women with early menopause, she explains.

if anyone reads this and thinks I dont know if I should be having a bone density scan go [and] talk to your doctor [about it].

And while there are no symptoms of the condition, Mansberg explains that a loss of height is a sign of a spine fracture, which may be caused by osteoporosis.

There are many risk factors that may increase your chances of developing osteoporosis, and age is one of them. The older you are, the greater your risk of osteoporosis.

Statistically,osteoporosis is more common in women, according to Mansberg, because oestrogen levels which protect against bone loss rapidly decline during menopause. Studies suggest that one in three women will suffer a bone fracture due to osteoporosis.

[For some women], the vast majority of bone loss happens in the first four years after menopause, she explains.

A family history of osteoporosis may also make you more susceptible to the condition, as can inadequate amounts of dietary calcium, low vitamin D levels, lack of physical exercise and early menopause. People who drink heavily or smoke are also more likely to develop osteoporosis.

The good news is osteoporosis is largely preventable. Eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of calcium, getting adequate vitamin D and performing regular, weight-bearing exercises are all important for healthy bones.

Dont know where to start? Some examples of moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking, water aerobics, ballroom dancing and gardening. Its also important to incorporate weight training into your weekly fitness routine.

Mansberg also recommends hazard-proofing your home to prevent the risk of falling. Secure loose rugs or bathmats with doubled-sided tape, repair loose floorboards and carpeting or add a hand rail in the shower.

If you feel like youre not steady on your feet or mum isnt steady on her feet, I would strongly suggest getting someone to walk through your house and look for trigger points, she advises.

While theres no cure for osteoporosis, the same lifestyle changes used to prevent it may help to slow down its progression. Its a good idea to consult a doctor who can prescribe medications to help treat osteoporosis and reduce the risk of fractures.

Important information: The information provided on this website is of a general nature and information purposes only. It does not take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. It is not personalised health advice and must not be relied upon as such. Before making any decisions about your health or changes to medication, diet and exercise routines you should determine whether the information is appropriate in terms of your particular circumstances and seek advice from a medical professional.

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Preventing osteoporosis: What you need to know about the 'silent disease' - Starts at 60

One of the reasons why pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of all major cancers is a lack of awareness

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and its World Pancreatic Cancer Day on 21 November, to highlight the need for greater awareness, funding and research for pancreatic cancer.2

Pancreatic cancer occurs when abnormal cells develop and grow out of control, causing tumours, says Prof Jose Ramos,Head of HPB Surgery, Wits University Donald Gordon Medical Centre.

Most people know very little about this cancer, which has the lowest survival rate of all major cancers, with just two to nine percent of those diagnosed surviving five years. Its important to know the symptoms and risks of this disease and to spread the word to help educate your family, friends, and colleagues about the symptoms and risks, and what to do to support earlier diagnosis and treatment.

One of the major challenges associated with pancreatic cancer is that the condition often goes undetected for a long period of time because signs and symptoms seldom occur until advanced stages.3a By the time symptoms occur, cancer cells are likely to have spread (metastasised) to other parts of the body, often preventing surgical removal of tumours.3

This increases your liver cancer risk

The exact cause of pancreatic cancer is yet to be determined.3However, genetics appears to play a large role, as they do with other cancers.3

People with family members who have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are at a greater risk of developing it themselves.3

A far greater number of cases develop as a result of environmental and lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, excessive drinking and chemical exposure.3A personal history of chronic pancreatitis is associated with an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.3

Pancreatic cancer is often called a silent disease because its hard to spot early, at the stage when its most treatable. The spread of cancer occurs early which contributes to the poor outcome, says Prof Ramos. Besides knowing the symptoms, knowing the risk factors for pancreatic cancer is your best protection against this disease.

Risksfor pancreatic cancer include:

Being overweight before 40 increases your cancer risk

Many symptoms of pancreatic cancer are mild at first, so patients may often be unaware of the potential seriousness of them.4

Due in large part to the position of the pancreas deep in the abdomen, a pancreatic tumour can grow for years before causing pressure, pain, or other signs of illness.4This can make it difficult for a patient or doctor to recognise a problem.4In many cases, there are no symptoms in pancreatic cancer until its late stages.4

Symptoms include the following:

Digestive difficulties Digestive difficulties including indigestion, nausea, weight loss, a poor appetite, and diarrhoea, can arise as a result of pressure from a pancreatic cyst or tumour on the stomach or the small intestine, in some cases causing a block in the digestive tract.4

When a tumour grows, it can wrap around the far end of the stomach or duodenum, causing a partial block.4This can cause nausea, vomiting, and pain which may worsen after eating.4

Diarrhoea results when the nutrients in food are not absorbed properly.4When this occurs, stools can become loose, watery, oily and foul-smelling.4

Pancreatic enzymes are responsible for digesting fatty foods.4If a tumour blocks the pancreatic duct, insufficient pancreatic juices in the intestines can lead to poor absorption and diarrhoea, as the undigested food passes quickly through the digestive tract.4 If this happens, stools may float due to the higher fat content, appear bulky, greasy, and unusually pale.4

Unexplained weight loss This is a common symptom in many cancers and is often accompanied by general loss of appetite and fatigue.4

The weight loss can be caused by cancerous cells that deprive healthy cells of required nutrients.4

Prof Ramos says: Weight loss due to pancreatic cancer can be caused by a lack of functional pancreatic enzymes with consequent malabsorption of food.Eating may aggravate pain in patients with pancreas cancer leading to inadequate intake of calories.

Jaundice Jaundice is identified primarily by the skin and the whites of the eyes becoming yellow or greenish yellow.4However, Prof Ramos says that dark urine and light or clay-coloured stools are usually the first symptoms of this type of jaundice occurring before the skin and eye changes are noted.

Jaundice occurs when bilirubin, a component of bile, builds up in your blood.4It typically occurs in pancreatic cancer when a tumour in the head of the pancreas first narrows, then obstructs the common bile duct, blocking the flow of bile into the duodenum.4The presence of jaundice can be easily determined with simple blood tests, says Prof Ramos.

Upper abdominal pain Abdominal pain is a common symptom of pancreatic cancer, says Prof Ramos. It is usually felt in the upper central or upper left abdomen and often radiates to the middle or upper back and worsens after eating or when lying down.Abdominal pain commonly occurs with advanced pancreatic cancer and can be difficult to control.

Pain can occur when a tumour, typically originating in the body or the tail of the pancreas, grows to put pressure on surrounding abdominal organs or invades surrounding nerves.4

New onset oiabetes Sudden onset of diabetes in people with normal body mass index is often a warning sign of pancreatic abnormalities and can be a symptom of pancreatic cancer.4

Additionally, when well-controlled diabetes suddenly becomes brittle or poorly controlled, this change can also be a warning sign for pancreatic cancer.4

Options for treating pancreatic cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and palliative care, depending on the specific characteristics of the cancer.4

Unfortunately, pancreas cancer tends to spread to surrounding structures and lymph glands quite early and the majority of patients diagnosed with this disease are no longer candidates for surgical removal. Surgery is thus reserved only for early cases which constitute fewer than 10-15% of all patients with this cancer, says Prof Ramos. The natural evolution of the cancer is progressive spread to the liver, lungs, abdominal cavity and other areas of the body. The majority of patients with this cancer will survive less than one year from the time of diagnosis.

Ideally, patients with pancreatic cancer should be treated in units with the necessary experience and expertise in dealing with this complex disease. These units will utilise a multidisciplinary team consisting of surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, radiotherapists, physicians, pain specialists, dieticians and others in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. Even if a cure is not possible, modern chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be able to prolong life and maintain quality of life, says Prof Ramos.

Why people with diabetes have an increased risk of cancer

Pancreatic cancer leads to permanent damage of the pancreas, eventually impairing the persons ability to digest food and make pancreatic hormones, says Prof Ramos.

Malnutrition can be avoided with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), which involves taking the digestive enzymes you need in the form of a capsule to assist the digestion of fat, carbohydrates and proteins. PERT can also help to stop diarrhoea, which contributes significantly to poor quality of life for patients. Diabetes is common due to damage to the pancreas and must be properly controlled to maintain health and wellbeing.

Consult your physician as soon as possible if you are experiencing these symptoms. If you are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, discuss your treatment options carefully and thoroughly with your physician.

References

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One of the most life-threatening cancers: Pancreatic cancer - All4Women