You are young and healthy. In your 20s. You think of yourself as invincible. Health problems are not your concern right now. You will worry about them when the time comes, you know when you are old and frail.
However, this sort of casual attitude towards our health combined with living in the moment does determine our longevity.
The sort of lifestyle and dietary choices that we make in our 20s and 30s determines the trajectory of our life, as your Internal Medicine Specialist in Karachi will also tell so.
There are plenty of problems that start percolating in your youth. When you are uncritical of your choices then, you are bound to pay a price later. Some health problems that you should start worrying about include:
Bone problems and osteoporosis
Our bones will gain a certain mass only. After our 20s end, bones start to lose out on mass. If there is too much loss of bone density, they can then become weak. This not only makes them ache a lot, but they also become more fragile. They are also more prone to breaking them as well.
Hence, you must make better choices for the sake of your bones. Take amply calcium, drink enough milk, and eat green leafy vegetables.
Moreover, exercise also helps in making our bones stronger. The best form of exercise is resistance training, so try to lift weights, jog, and cycle for the sake of healthier bones.
Heart disease
Your cardiovascular health is affected by various factors. Eating too many fatty and saturated foods can cause plaque to start building up in the blood vessels. This impairs the blood flow then and can also promote the formation of blood clots as well.
These can then increase the risk of heart disease, promoting complications like stroke and heart attack. The entire process starts earlier than we think, hence, we need to start making better choices in our 20s.
It is vital that the amount of fat, especially saturated fat, be regulated in the food. Cut back on sugar and empty calories since obesity also increases the risk for heart disease. Similarly, try to eat at the right time. Exercise is also great for heart health.
Type II diabetes
You might attribute diabetes to people who are old, but even young people are not immune to it. In this state, either body does not produce enough insulin, or none at all, so the blood sugar levels are not moderated.
Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause a lot of damage around the body, including nerve, kidney, eye, sexual, and heart health problems. People who are obese are more at risk of developing this condition.
For to lower the risk, it is pertinent that people make a correct dietary choice, always, rather than deferring it to old age. Exercise and watching weight are also important.
Hypertension
Also known as high blood pressure, the dangers of hypertension are not understood in their entirety. This condition results when the heart is forced to pump blood with greater pressure and this pressure is then exerted on the walls of the arteries.
Hypertension can cause much damage around the body, including problems with sexual health, kidneys, eyes, heart, and brain. The risk of stroke is higher in patients with hypertension.
Perhaps the most dangerous thing about hypertension is that it is a silent killer; it does not show symptoms always, and it is often when the situation becomes dire that the issue manifests.
People in their 20s and 30s can start getting this problem, and often it can be ignored, paving then the way for heart disease and problems otherwise in their old age.
Hence, you must always be considerate of your sodium intake. Moderate caffeine. Try to maintain a healthy weight as well. Visit your doctor regularly at Saifee Hospital.
