This is a type of cancer that is becoming very common and affects a lot of people. The causes are many. It’s when the healthy cells of the stomach start changing and then grow out of control that you get affected by gastric cancer. It progresses slowly and gets worse over time. It can start in any part of the stomach and then spreads to other areas of the stomach and the body. This cancer can spread to organs like the liver, lungs and even the bones.

There are various types of gastric cancer and some are given below.

ADENO CARCINOMA

This is the most widespread type of gastric cancer and 95% of the cases are affected by this type of carcinoma. The tissue that line the stomach are affected, actually the cells that make mucus and other fluids are the ones that develop the cancer.

OTHER TYPES

The less common gastric cancer is the one that develops in the digestive tract called the carcinoid tumours and gastric sarcoma or lymphomas. These cancers affect the part of immune system or the lymph nodes and thus develop further complications and infections which required immediate medical attention.

WHO CAN GET GASTRIC CANCER?

About 60% of people who get diagnosed with Gastric Cancer are over the age of 65 years. Among this risk age group men are more prone to get this cancer than women. It is also one of the most common type of cancer. In the past gastric cancer was a major one and caused many deaths. With the advent of the refrigerators people started using less of salted and smoked foods which were supposed to cause this cancer.

WHAT CAUSES GASTRIC CANCER?

There are may causes for getting affected with gastric cancer including those mentioned below.

Helicobacter Pylori

Helicobacter Pylori is a kind of bacteria that is known to cause gastric cancer. This bacteria causes ulcers and inflammation in the stomach paving the way for development of cancer cells. There are various strains of these bacteria and they can be treated with antibiotics and that is why it is less common in the present times.

Medical History

There is more chance of contacting gastric cancer if someone in the family has already undergone a surgery for it. Certain medical conditions like serious anemia, stomach polyps and lack of a certain kind of digestive fluid in the stomach cause gastric cancer. You need to have a through medical examination in you suspect any of these conditions.

Certain Lifestyle

The food you take and certain daily habits makes you more prone to get gastric cancer. When you are in the habit of eating lot of smoked foods, salted fish and meat or pickles and picked vegetables you have the risk of developing this cancer. This is more so if you are not eating enough of fresh fruits and vegetables. You are also like to get this caner when you smoke or drink alcohol habitually and when your diet is uncontrolled and you are overweight.

What are the symptoms of Gastric Cancer?

The symptoms of gastric cancer or stomach cancer include:

• Chronic tiredness
• Feeling bloated even after eating little bit
• Heartburns and indigestion
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Frequent stomach pain
• Weight loss without reason
• Blood in the stools
• Vomiting
• Black Stools
• Ball rolling movements

How often have you heard mothers telling their kids to drink milk and get strong? You must have felt that they are kidding, but mothers are always right. Dairy is high in calcium but vegetables like cabbage, greens and broccoli are also good sources of calcium. Another food rich in calcium is fish like sardines and salmon. If you don’t get enough of calcium then there is a risk of osteoporosis, a disease that makes your bones weaker.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy the baby needs a lot of calcium to grow its bones and develop into a healthy baby. So it is really important to supply the baby enough calcium atleast during the important last 3 months of pregnancy. If you don’t take enough calcium yourself, then the baby will get its supply from your bones, making you weak. So, eat calcium rich food during pregnancy or ask your doctor for calcium supplements.

Kidney Stones & Calcium

It is well known that kidney stone are mostly made of a mineral called calcium oxalate. But it has never been established that cutting out calcium from your diet will prevent kidney stone formation. Actually taking too little nutrients and having too much of fluids can form kidney stones. It is always better to get enough of calcium and not too much or too little.

Calcium Foods

Yogurt wins over other dairy products like low-fat milk when it comes to amount of calcium in it. An 8 ounce cup of yogurt will give meet a third of your daily calcium need easily. Orange juice and milk made of almonds, rice and soy with nutrients added to them are excellent source of calcium. Always shake the container before pouring your drink, because calcium has a tendency to settle at the bottom of your glass or container.

Who need more calcium?

For that matter everyone needs a certain amount of calcium. We may think that babies and young children need more calcium but the truth is that children and teens in the age group of 9 – 18 years need most of the calcium. Preteens and teenagers have fast growth and so their bones also grow faster and hence they need at least 1300 milligrams a day. If they have 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of orange juice and 1 cup of yogurt then they will receive the required amount of calcium. Adults on the other hand need a little less at around 1000 milligrams per day.

Losing Calcium Everyday

Calcium is mostly concentrated in your bones and teeth. But daily there is a loss of calcium through our skin, sweat, hair and more. Since your body cannot make calcium on its own it is upto us to have a diet rich in calcium  or if you feel it is difficult to get the calcium you need through diet alone then you can always ask your doctor to prescribe some calcium supplements.

Calcium for our Body

Body requires certain minerals to keep it intact and calcium keeps the bones healthy. You need to move your muscles and help nerves carry messages between the brain and the body parts. Calcium also helps in moving blood through blood vessels to different parts of the body. Calcium also helps in releasing hormones as well as proteins in the body.

Calcium Absorption

You need to have enough of Vitamin D in your body to enable calcium absorption, since the two nutrients are partners. Your body cannot absorb calcium without vitamin D, which you can get from exposure to sunlight and from food supplements. Foods like fatty fish – tuna and salmon are good sources of vitamin D.

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There is a misconception that heart failure means like any other machinery a complete breakdown and stopping of your heart. Whereas heart failure means your heart is not working as well as it should. Heart failure occurs when the heart muscles get weaker and are unable to pump enough blood and oxygen to your body. The heart is so versatile that it will try to compensate for a while but finally shows signs of its failure and you’ll have to rush for medical assistance which may sometimes be too late.

CAUSES OF HEART FAILURE

The heart functions constantly day and night and throughout your life, naturally after many years of tireless work the heart tends to slow down as you age. But if the same slowing down occurs at a age when it is not supposed to happen then it is a cause for serious worry. The causes that can bring about this condition include blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart attack, birth defect of heart, blood sugar or a disease that debilitates the blood-pumping muscle. Lung disease can also lead to heart failure along with obesity, diabetes and sleep apnea.

MAIN SYMPTOMS OF HEART FAILURE

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

Shortness of breath on doing some activity is the first sign of something wrong. It can also happen when you are at rest and this happens usually when heart failure has worsened. Shortness of breath occurs when we are lying down or sleeping, because the heart is not able to keep up the blood flow back towards it from the lungs. When this happens there is a possibility of fluids leaking into the lungs making it harder to breath.

CONSTANT FATIGUE

When the heart is not pumping at its best the brain takes the blood it needs from less important areas of the body like the muscles in the limbs. The same is done by other vital organs to keep them functioning. This makes the arms and legs to feel weak. You will have symptoms of tiredness and listlessness. Everyday things like climbing stairs or walking across a hallway will become tedious. You may also feel light-headed and sleepy.

TROUBLING COUGH & WHEEZ

Another sign of weak heart is the constant cough and wheezing problem you may experience. This is because of the blood returning to the heart from the lungs is backing up and fluids get into the lungs. At times the cough may bring out white or pinkish mucus. Consult your doctor immediately on observing such symptoms.

FEET SWELLING AND WEIGHT GAIN

Many times you must have observed feet swelling and feeling a bit overweight but this goes away. If you have persistent feet swelling and you measure and see that you have quickly gained weight then it needs further observation. The fluids can back up into body tissues due to a weak heart and cause this or the kidney with less of blood to work with may not be able to get rid of sodium causing more fluids to stay in the tissues. These are dangerous symptoms and you need medical help immediately.

FEELING NAUSEA

You may feel like throwing up or you just feel all filled up and have no appetite. This happens because the digestive system is not getting enough of blood and oxygen to function at its normal best.

RACING HEART

When the heart is not functioning properly the body has certain mechanism to correct this including  adding muscle to the heart, expanding the heart so that it can stretch and snap back or by making the heart beat faster.

To prevent heart failures the best way is to control the diet, lose weight and exercise properly. If you are in the habit of smoking then first thing is to quit smoking. On consul ting your doctor if required you may be given medicines to prevent further damage to your heart and ensure its proper functioning.