Why junk food is harmful to your body?

Many of us are very fond of fast foods such as pizza, burgers and other junk food. Although food is fuel for your body excessive calories are not good for your health.Fast food is said to harm your health because it is highly processed and most of them contains large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt. High calori in junk food leads to obesity and overweight which is a risk factor life threatening health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Junk food has very poor nutritional value.

Junk foods make you prone to diabetes

If you consume high amounts of carbs,it result in a spike in your blood sugar.That will modulate the normal insulin response.These frequent spikes in blood sugar can act as contributing factor in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. 

Junk foods increases your bad cholesterol

Added sugar and fat in junk foods increases your LDL cholesterol and decreases your good cholesterol.

Effect of excessive sodium on your body

Excessive sodium increases water retension on your body and you appear edematous.It increases your blood pressure .Sodium also causes increased chance for renal stone and osteoporosis.

Effect on lungs

As junk food leads to obesity there is increased chance of shortness of breath.

Junk foods may result in depression.

Carbohydrate rich foods can increase the chance of acne 

When you consume food rich in carbohydrate the bacteria in your mouth produces acid which will destroy your tooth enamel and result in dental cavities.

Read More

Significance of involuntary weight loss and its causes

Weight loss may be voluntary or involuntary.Voluntary weight loss occur due to dieting,exercise, starvation or decreased intake in older people.If the weightloss is involuntary particular attention should be given since it may be an indicator of underlying serious disease.Weight loss can be identified from the hospital or general practice weight record.In some patients weight loss occur without an underlying cause,which is regained and stabilise over time.

What is significant weight loss?

Loss of weight more than 4.5 kg or more than 5% of one’s body weight over a period of 6–12 months is called significant weight loss

Important causes of weight loss are the following.

They belong to four main groups 

1.Cancer

2.Chronic infection and inflammation

3.Metabolic disorder such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism

4.Psychiatric disorders

Cancer

It is the cause of involuntary weight loss in upto 25% of cases. Following are the malignancies which are frequently associated with weight loss.

Gastrointestinal, liver, blood, lung, breast, genitourinary, ovarian and prostate.20% of cancer death is due to severe weight loss and cachexia.

Gut problems(gastrointestinal)

Almost any disease of gut can result in weight loss.

Inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis cause loss of appetite, fear of eating,loss of protein and nutrients from body. Malabsorption, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis Obstruction/constipation, pernicious anemia are the most common gut problems leading to weight loss.

Infections

Tuberculosis, parasites, fungal diseases, subacute bacterial endocarditis, and HIV are common treatable causes.

Endocrine and metabolic

Hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, pheochromocytoma, adrenal insufficiency

Chronic heart and lung disease

Causes weight loss due to increased metabolic demand, decreased food intake due to disease and decreased appetite

Psychiatric causes

Significant weight loss is seen associated with depression and isolation so that patient fail to take care of nutritional needs. Bereavement is also a well known cause of weight loss.Alcoholism is an important cause of weight loss due to  malnutrition and self neglect .Other psychiatric disease causing weight loss are anxiety and paranoia, anorexia nervosa, bulimia

Neurologic disease

Stroke, parkinson’s disease, neuromuscular disorders and dementia

Old age

Decreased taste and smell, functional disabilities, age related change in body all result in poor nutrition

Drugs

Cause loss of weight due to decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach ulceration, diarrhea, dry mouth, altered taste all these are more common in elderly who are on 5 or more drugs .Examples are sedatives, antibiotics, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, serotonin reuptake inhibitors, metformin levodopa ,angiotensin-converting enzyme Inhibitors.

Read More