Important indications of leukaemia you are ignoring

Introduction:

            Leukaemia is one of the 10% of new cancers diagnosed every year. Leukaemia is a blood cancer commonly occurring in teens and children which represents 1 out of 3 new cases every year.

            Now, 5-year old survival rates have increased since the 1960s up to 63.7%. It is important to know the signs of these diseases which might help you or your loved ones or your friends and family.

            Leukaemia is asymptomatic in early stages like any type of cancer. As blood flows throughout the body, this cancer can spread throughout the body quickly. It is important to let your kids know about these symptoms when they feel the same.

            Prevention is always better than to never know it in the first place. Learn these indications and acknowledge yourselves about leukaemia.

Anaemia:

            There are many types of leukaemia of which most of them are asymptomatic in the early stages. It is good to find out whether you have these signs in the early months.

            When our blood lacks needed red blood cells (RBCs), it is known as anaemia. RBCs help in carrying the oxygen in our body. This will result in the starvation of the cells. Symptoms include pale skin, fatigue flush feeling.

Bleeding / Bruising easily:

            Blood cancers can affect how much you bleed. If you have tiny bumps or leaves bruises that appear under the skin then you should be worried. This might also cause blood or stool in the urine. It might cause bleeding in the gums while eating or brushing and increase nose bleeding.

Thrombocytopenia is the condition where the blood platelets count is less than the normal count. Platelets help in blood clotting. When these counts are low in your body and you have a cut or bleeding you won’t heal as normal.

Susceptible to Infections:

            If you are more sick than healthy even when you don't have any seasonal infections, leukaemia might be the cause. It causes sore throat, bronchial pneumonia, low fever, skin rash, mouth soreness, headache and infections that hold onto the body when you have cancer.

Swollen Lymph Node:

            During leukaemia, you will have lymph nodes swollen in the neck, armpit and groin. Lymph nodes also swell due to stress and other common infections. We can’t simply point out to leukaemia when you have swollen lymph. Take it important when you are experiencing more than one symptom.

Lose weight and appetite:

The cancer cells associated with leukaemia chances the food metabolism of our body. They are not directly related to the digestive tract but still affect them. This causes a lack of appetite and loses weight.

Pain in the lower left limb:

            Certain cancers can irritate and an enlarged spleen. This causes pain in the lower rib particularly the left side as of the spleen. This also makes you feel full even when you don't eat much which apparently leads to weight loss mentioned above.

Bone Pain:

            Leukaemia starts from the bone marrow. It obviously affects the bone. This causes pain in the bone and weakens it. It also causes tenderness of the bone.

Red spots on Skin:

            If you have red spots on your skin including the indications from the above then you are more likely to have leukaemia. This causes spots in the skin known as petechia.

Night Sweats:

            Night sweats happen when your temperature rises at night. You sweat to cool down the temperature. You won't know when the temperature rises but might wake up due to the sweat and chill. Night sweats not only are caused due to leukaemia. In leukaemia, night sweats occur due to infection or fever.

Classification of Leukemia:

            The type of leukaemia is determined from the type of white blood cells it attacks. When these cells attack the lymphocytes it is called lymphocytic leukaemia. Lymphocytes are present in the bone marrow. Cancerous cells attacking other cells than lymphocytes also even RBCs and platelets are known as Myeloid leukaemia.

            Leukaemia is also classified by the growth rate of the cells. When it grows quickly and does not spread it is known as acute and when it grows rapidly and keeps spreading it is known as chronic.

            These are the most common types of leukaemia been diagnosed.

1.Acute Myeloid Leukemia:

            Acute Myeloid is the most common type of leukaemia. The bone marrow produces blasts which are immature cells. Normal healthy bone marrow mature blasts into white blood cells. When you have acute myeloid leukaemia blasts don’t mature and can't fight infections.

            The marrow also produces cancerous RBCs and platelets which grows rapidly and outnumbering the normal RBCs and platelets and its normal function.

2.Chronic Myeloid Leukemia:

            Chronic Myeloid Leukemia is chronic leukaemia. Initial stages are abnormalities in the formation of blood cells. These cells can spread through the bloodstream.  It might spread slowly into organs making it an acute infection. It is different because it is associated with the chromosome, Philadelphia. About 10-15% of this leukaemia affects people who are old. The average age is around 65 years old.

3.Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia:

            Acute lymphocytic leukaemia produces abnormal WBCs which cannot mature in the bone marrow and there will be no proper functioning of the lymphocytes.

            These cells move through the bloodstream and infect organs like liver, testes, lymph nodes and brain. This type of leukaemia can occur to people of any age. It is common with people under age 15 or above age 45.

4.Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia:

            Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is slow-growing cancer and it is asymptomatic for many years to show symptoms. It obviously begins in the lymphocytes in the bone marrow as the name suggests thereby destroying the healthy lymphocytes. Our body becomes less immune. It can spread from the marrow to lymph nodes, liver and spleen.

Conclusion:

            The symptoms mentioned above are very mild and chronic symptoms including vision ailments, stroke, significant changes in your mental health and ringing in the ears.

            Visit the doctor when you experience any of these symptoms and patterns. Do not worry not all symptoms can lead to leukaemia but it is wise to always check with the doctor. The medication is most successful with early exposure of disease.

 

      Know the symptoms of Osteoporosis which are mostly ignored by people today

Introduction:

            Osteoporosis makes our bones weak and brittle. The bone in our body weakens and deteriorates. There will also be bone tissue loss. It affects women more than men and especially above 65 years and over. It is almost asymptomatic until the chronic stage. People often don’t realize this as the basic symptoms are fractures. Osteoporosis leads to bone density which can be caused with a minute bump or a minor fracture. The break can be very slight in your arms or spine but it will bear more painful end.

            A study at 2016 in East Virginia Medical School showed that fractured caused due to osteoporosis need more medical attention than the regular fractures which is also more costly. One should know about this when they come of age. No one will know it occurring and leave it to be a regular fracture.

            Here are a few symptoms to which you can confirm that you are more likely to have osteoporosis.

Age:

            Once you reach the age of 60 should be aware of this and consult a doctor. One must know about the factors and symptoms of osteoporosis and prevent them in near future. I would suggest including more calcium in your diet. Women above 60s and men above 70s should do a general checking. On t that people above the age of 50 happens to have a fracture need to also test for osteoporosis periodically.

Medications:

            Not only age but also our lifestyle habits can lead to osteoporosis. intake of steroids, cancer treatment and also injectable contraceptives can lead to it. Often medication for heartburn or depression can also lead to the risk. It doesn't mean one shouldn’t take these medications, in situations where it becomes necessary. Consult your doctor or nearby. He/she will suggest supplements to prevent bone deterioration and prevent the occurrence of it or at least delay the effects.

Curved Spine:

            People tend to lean forward by age but it can also be signalling osteoporosis. People will have a stooped posture. It will be an obvious bend of the spine and can be easily found out. This means that it has infected the spine. It is also best to check your height when you cross your 50s.

Deficiency in Vitamin:

            Vitamin D is an essential substance in bone health. It helps the body in absorbing calcium. New research recently shows the importance of Vitamin D. It helps in preventing cognitive impairment, cancer and even cardiovascular ailments. If you are deficient to Vitamin D you will have bone, joint pain and weakness in the muscle. These symptoms are often mild.

            Vitamin D is synthesized by our body naturally when we are exposed in the sun. Often people experience deficiency during the winter and people in the northern latitudes. There are many foods which are rich in Vitamin D like egg yolks, fish and fish oils, milk, beef liver and fortified meals. So, take these in your daily diet. But if you are a vegan then the risk of deficient to Vitamin D is much higher.

High level of vitamins in blood Serum:

            This test ensures that when you are exposed to bone loss or not. You can visit your doctor and test. If you are deficient to Vitamin D you must take this test. If it affects your bones or it can also be bone cancer. The test includes the levels of serum calcium and alkaline phosphate. This also helps in finding out when you have Paget's disease which endangers the bone growth. This test is also commonly done to confirm any signs of liver disorders.

Muscle or joint pain:

            The initial stages of osteoporosis are asymptomatic and people won't feel pain until the chronic stage. There are few side effects of it which is unpleasant. Small cracks in the bones and stress are some of them. It might cause an itchy feeling.

            Once you start having the spine bend you will experience soreness in the back. There are chances of airline cracks in the ribs which may press the nerve against the ribs. One will also have weakness of muscles as the bones are weak the bone muscles also become weak. One will experience difficulty in getting up after sitting without any support.

Fracture:

            The first sign of osteoporosis is a mild fracture. Fracture is the most common symptom in osteoporosis. It is because the bones have become brittle and the density has reduced. As the injury would be very minute people often tend to neglect it unless the pain is severe.

            If you have pain and inflammation after a bump or fall then it can be a fragile fracture. If you have the bones out of alignment is also an indication. If you have pain in your back for more than 2 weeks visit a doctor nearby and find out what it is.

Others:

If your an Asian or white you are more vulnerable to osteoporosis.

If you are underweight and lean your bones have less density which means you have a high risk of developing the disease.

Check your family history. If your siblings or parents had or have osteoporosis then it is more likely for you to have it.

Women who have reached their menopause are also vulnerable to osteoporosis as the estrogen level decreases.

Conclusion:

            Pain and fractures occur to all people. Only people above 50s should be more considered. It is best when you consult your doctor after your 50s. A study reveals that out of 47,000 women only 1 out of every 5 knew they had osteoporosis with the mild air-line fracture and also very few women went to prevent it from occurring.

            Whatever your age is, in order to prevent yourself from osteoporosis you can take a good amount of Vitamin D and Calcium. Completely avoid smoking and drinking. You should consider these from when you are in your 30s but its never late because something is better than nothing.

             

 

                           Foods recommended for people with Osteoporosis

Introduction:

            Foods rich in Vitamin D and Calcium, boost bone density. Calcium is the first substance when we think of bone health but there are several other substances also which play a vital role. Some of them can be Vitamin C, Magnesium and Potassium. It is because of this reason you are asked to take fresh fruits and vegetables when you have any bone issues.

            Some may be tastier than others. Here are a few which is good to take during osteoporosis. It is wise to take this disorder serious as the symptoms are painless and the fractures caused to take a long time to heal which makes you prone to infections.

 Greens:

            One will think of dairy products when asked for the source of Calcium. Calcium is also found in many vegetables. Green leafy vegetables like Chinese cabbage, kale, bok choy, turnip green and collard greens have a rich amount of calcium in it. Besides they also contain Vitamin K which is also known to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Potatoes:

            Besides Calcium and Vitamin D, Magnesium and Potassium also plays a major role in bone health. All these minerals and vitamins bind together and enhance bone health. Magnesium deficiency can lead to unbalance in Vitamin D. Whereas, Potassium neutralizes the excess acid in our body which will leach calcium from our bones. Both white and sweet potatoes contain potassium and magnesium.  Boil or bake them instead of frying them which preserves the nutrients in it.

Citrus Fruits:

            As we know that citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C. What we need to know is that Vitamin C plays a vital role in preventing bone loss. Vitamin C is essential in the development of collagen, a fibre vital for bones and cartilage.

            However, studies show that Vitamin C helps in preserving bone health more in men than women. That doesn’t mean women needn’t take citrus fruit. It also has several other benefits related to skin texture and tone. one orange or grapefruit delivers nutrients needed for 1 day.

Ragi:

            Include ragi in your diet. It contains a high amount of calcium bout 330 - 350 mg per 100 gm. It also improves your bone health.

Dates:

            Dates are rich in manganese, calcium and copper. One can take dates to improve bone density. It improves overall bone health.

Fish:

            Many fat-rich fishes have a good amount of Vitamin D. Vitamin D  helps to build calcium in our bones. Fish also contain omega-3-fatty acids which besides bone health also benefits in joints and cardiovascular issues.

            Salmon has a rich source of potassium and canned salmon has calcium in it too. Calcium is present in the soft bones in the mean. This is same with sardines. The bones are too small that it won’t disturb while eating. It is good to eat salmon fillets, fresh or canned tuna or mackerel

Almonds:

            Almonds serve several purposes. It is rich in calcium potassium and can be included in our diet easily. It can be eaten as a snack. It can be chopped and roasted as a crunchy topping in your salad. You can also crush it with salt butter on whole-grain bread. Almonds also have a large amount of fat which will not be an issue when you take not more than needed to ain the benefits.

Figs:

            If you are searching for foods which strengthen your bone then fig is the best one .four to five medium-sized figs contain about 90 mg of calcium and other nutrients like potassium and magnesium. Fresh figs are found in California but you can have dried fig all the year. Half a cup of dried figs contains nearly 121 mg of calcium.

Eggs:

            Eggs contain essential nutrients and high protein including Vitamin D. Have 3 - 4 eggs a week. It improves bone health.

Pulses:

            Pulses have a high amount of calcium. 100 gm of black gram dal provides 200 gm of calcium. You can also take lima beans, soya bean and horse gram for daily calcium intake and other nutrients.

Molasses:

            It is always better to choose refined white sugar than artificial sweeteners. Sugar is becoming a major threat in today's environment due to various reasons. In osteoporosis, sucrose can weaken the bones.

            However, molasses is a natural sweetener which also contains calcium. Use molasses in baking, stirring it in smoothie, yoghurt or oatmeal.

Milk:

            It is no wonder that milk is rich in calcium and Vitamin D. It strengthens the bone. Calcium is a vital nutrient to have healthy bones. It is advised to take low-fat milk. Other forms of them one can take are yoghurt and cheese. Take 3 servings a day.

Fortified foods:

            Orange juice, cereals, plant-based milk and bread are fortified with more calcium and Vitamin D. If you are a vegan or don’t like dairy, you can still have the same amount of vitamins. This will be the initial stage for building and maintaining bone density.

            It is advised to take fortified food during the winter. It is because we won’t have much exposure to the sun during winters to get enough Vitamin D. We get abundant Vitamin D from the sunrays. We don't spend much time during winter outdoors, besides the days are also short. One can also depend on leafy vegetable for calcium which will be available during the winter season.

Conclusion:

            Our skeletal system holds all parts of our body together, all organs intact in their places. Osteoporosis weakens the bones and causes deadly pain. It is a dangerous condition as it disrupts the foundation of our body. This will cause loss of bone mass and density even with a tiny bruise or mild bump.

            A good diet can help in preserving bone density. It is better to visit the doctor when you have crossed your 50s and check for osteoporosis. It is better to take these foods whatever age you are and add them to your diet. Keeping your bones healthy and prevent osteoporosis is a mandatory work to be checked after your 50s.