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Diseases caused due to lifestyle
Lifestyle has changed a lot from the past. It is still changing. Physical stress is reduced, but mental stress is increasing. Eating and drinking habits have changed, just as sleep patterns. As a result, chronic diseases are striking at an early age. See what these diseases due to lifestyle are...
Contagious diseases like malaria, cholera and polio have been overcome due to advancement in medical science. At the same time lifestyle diseases are on the rise. These are the adverse affects of changing lifestyles. Because, they occur mostly in developed and developing nations. They are spreading fast. At least 1.4 cr. persons within the age group of 30 years to 69 years are dying worldwide due to these. The number of people dying due to lifestyle diseases is more than that of the same due to hereditary diseases or infections.
Unhealthy Food HabitsThat healthy food is essential to keep the body fit, is a known fact. Eating more of one kind of food, junk food, processed food, fatty food or sweets, are all harmful to life. Also, eating stored or stale food instead of fresh food, is also dangerous.
No Physical Stress
Lifestyle in cities and towns is hectic. Once you step out, you need not walk. You have various transport and other facilities. If you wish, things will be delivered at your doorstep. These add to a comfortable lifestyle, with less physical stress or strain. You know you can be rid of this through physical exercise, but many are not interested or focussed. Because of this, you are facing high blood sugar or high cholesterol. In the long term, due to increase in these two, heart diseases, diabetes, and stroke will damage the system.
Along with these, smoking, chewing paan, boozing, drinking cool drinks, or too much tea or coffee, eating at midnight or sleeping later, lack of sleep, working constantly at the computer and pollution too are reasons for lifestyle diseases. Common lifestyle diseases are: Obesity, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cirrhosis, nephritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergies, deafness, stress, anxieties and spinal problems. Characteristic habits, behaviour and actions of a person will say whether he or she will suffer lifestyle diseases. However, there are certain habits that can be controlled and others that cannot be controlled by individuals. Smoking, eating habits, exercise and when to sleep, can be controlled. Age, children, gender and genetic disorders are not under an individual's control.
ObesityUnhealthy food habits, heavy meals, reduced physical activity, lead to obesity. People who are overweight, face difficulty in breathing, high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes. In India, at present, there are 15.5 cr. people, who are obese. India ranks no.2 in this. There is an annual 30 per cent increase in the number of obese people in the country, which is dangerous.
Stress and anxiety are increasing due to modern lifestyle. These are leading to high blood pressure, heart diseases, diabetes, Asthma, Alzheimer's and such other conditions. Work load, not taking right kind of meals and lack of sleep, lead to stress and anxiety. Ultimately, even school and college students are stressed out due to increased stress.
Type II DiabetesInsulin is produced by pancreas. It plays a vital role in breaking down glucose that has reached the blood, through the food that is consumed, and transforming it to energy to cells. In those with Type II diabetes, pancreas produces insulin, but this cannot be used by the cells. This condition is called Insulin Resistant. Insulin production is irregular in some. Insulin normally maintains the glucose levels in the liver. Because of the irregularity in insulin production, release of glucose too will be affected.
Also, in some because of deficiency in insulin, sugar levels in the blood increase. The result is diabetes. The functioning of insulin and failure of beta cells in the pancreas to produce insulin, is specific to each individual. Primarily in some, the functioning of insulin is erratic, but the production is adequate, while in others it is vice versa. According to statistics by International Diabetes Foundation, nearly six crore people in India suffer from Type II Diabetes. Overweight, erratic metabolism, and eating excess of sweet foodstuffs are also causing diabetes.
Arteriosceloris
The walls of arteries, which carry blood, nutrients and oxygen to the organs, from the heart, thicken and lose their elasticity. Due to the collection of fat on the walls of the arteries, blood circulation is hampered, leading to this condition. As such heart diseases occur. Even blood pressure is affected. There is pain in the chest and heart attacks occur. Normally, arteries are elastic. But in this condition, the inner walls of the arteries harden.
Heart diseasesProblems that occur in the heart muscle and in the blood vessels, leads to heart attack and other complications. In heart attack, it is seen that primarily it occurs because the blood and oxygen do not reach the heart. This problem occurs even due to damage to heart and blood vessels. Heart diseases are caused due to smoking, boozing, diabetes, high cholesterol and lack of exercise. At least 30 per cent of the deaths occurring due to heart diseases, every year, is among the age group of 34-64 years. India is no. 1 in the number of people suffering from heart diseases, in the world. At least five crore people in the country, are suffering from heart diseases.
High Blood PressureEach and every one of us have a balanced level of blood pressure. If blood supply has to be smooth to all parts of the body, this is essential. But due to many reasons there is imbalance. In the long-term, this causes risk to life. Normal blood pressure is rated as 120/80. If it is higher at 140/90 or more, it is considered as Hypertension. Stress, obesity, genetic disorders or taking more salt in diet, old age, etc., have become reasons for high blood pressure. At least 10 crore people in the country are suffering from Hypertension.
CancerOver five lakh people are dying annually in India, due to cancer. There are crores of cells in the body. However, any unusual growth in these cells is called cancer. There are a 100 varieties of cancer. Breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma, are common in the country. Several studies show that nine out of 10 cases that are detected, are due to environmental issues. Smoking, boozing and air pollution are said to be the main reasons. Moreover, use of plastic has increased. The result is that more number of cases are being detected in India, where no one knew much about the disease earlier.
Stroke
This occurs when the supply of oxygenated blood does not reach the brain, because the blood vessels are blocked due to clots. Some 15 per cent of the afflicted are below 40 years of age. It is because of the effects of lifestyle, it is learnt.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseIn this there is difficulty in breathing. It will also damage the lungs in the long run. The main reasons for this is smoking and air pollution. These issues lead to further suffering for those who are afflicted. Inhaling fumes from paints and dust also leads to this problem.
Cirrhosis
Excessive consumption of alcohol (boozing) leads to Hepatitis cirrhosis. Annually in India, at least 36,149 persons are losing their lives because of this. Damage to healthy cells in the liver for long, leads to this disease. In patients suffering from Cirrhosis, the normal living cells in the liver are replaced by scar tissue. As such, the liver hardens. The scar tissue blocks blood supply to the liver. The only remedy for Cirrhosis is liver transplant.
