10 SCARY CONDITIONS AND DISEASES YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IN YOUR 20s AND 30s.

Understanding the diseases you are susceptible to in your 20s could mean the difference between a healthy old age or an old age filled with terminal illnesses. Not to scare you, but imagine these scenarios.

• Mr. A is a 20-year-old man who eats mostly cooked and healthy cultural foods, barely eats junk, exercises his mind, not hesitant to pay for gym memberships, and takes mineral supplements to stay healthy.

• Mrs. B, contrarily, is a 25-year-old lady who drinks lots of caffeinated drinks, barely eats cooked food, worries a lot, and has little to no friends.

Between Mr. A and Mrs. B, who is more likely to live a long healthy life? Of course, you guessed right!

WHAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE DISEASES?

Susceptible diseases are diseases that an individual or group of persons are more likely or liable to have. Being susceptible to a certain disease implies an increased chance of having that disease because of certain factors or conditions, either age, genetics, nutrition, environment, etc.

It also implies that when faced with the disease one is susceptible to, there is a low-resisting ability or none at all.

WHY AM I SUSCEPTIBLE?

Apart from being a young adult in your 20s and 30s, there are several reasons why you can be susceptible to certain diseases. These include but are not restricted to the following;

• GENETICS

Based on your genetic makeup, there can be increased susceptibility to certain diseases because of variations in the gene acquired from the two parents. These variations exist only as a possibility, and that it is present in the gene doesn’t mean you must have the disease. Instead, other factors such as lifestyle and environment will determine if the disease will manifest.

Most times, genetic disorders manifest between the period of puberty and the thirties. If an individual can go through these life stages without displaying the disease, there is a reduced possibility that it won’t manifest, although this depends on the disease.

• LIFESTYLE

This is one of the primary reasons young adults are susceptible to certain diseases. Drug intake, unsafe sexual habits, starvation dieting, and other unhealthy lifestyle habits have made many young adults develop susceptibility to certain diseases such as anorexia, peptic ulcer, and hyperglycemia.

Some genetic factors causing susceptibility are inactive but become activated when combined with some of these lifestyle habits.

• POVERTY

Poverty is an environmental factor that can increase susceptibility to certain diseases due to ignorance, lack of proper health care, and lack of access to vaccines and immunization.

Being susceptible can be a combination of more than one susceptibility factor. Susceptibility caused by over one factor is referred to as Multifactorial, although it is mainly used to refer to two or more genetic factors.

DISEASES YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IN YOUR 20S AND 30S.

• PEPTIC ULCER

According to a research article published in the International Journal of Surgery, the incidence of peptic ulcer perforation has increased in young adults in the past few decades.

CAUSES: This may be due to the association with Helicobacter pylori infection, stress related to work in this competitive era, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) abuse, increased smoking, or alcoholism.

Peptic/Stomach ulcers are ulcerations or perforations in the stomach and the upper part of the intestine (duodenum). Symptoms of peptic ulcer include nausea, vomiting, burning pain between the sternum and belly button. Sometimes, the pain also extends to the back and usually occurs a few hours after eating or late in the night.

A peptic ulcer, if not diagnosed and treated, can be fatal. Depending on the severity of the ulceration, some ulcers can heal on their own even without treatment, while in other cases, they won’t heal even with treatment.

Young adults susceptible to this disease are at increased risk because of their ability to manage pain and indulgence in self-medication without proper diagnosis. The condition will then become more severe and, in the end, untreatable.

• DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG ABUSE

CAUSES: The use of Illegal drugs, alcohol, addictive drugs like opioid, cigarettes, etc.

Due to the inclination of the younger generation to explore activities and habits that, even though they are unhealthy but commonly practiced, they are exposed to drugs, smoking, alcohol, and substance abuse.

The major diseases associated with drug abuse are drug addiction, kidney diseases, liver diseases, and cancer.

• DEPRESSION

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses globally, and it is prevalent more in young adults than in older adults. It is a feeling of extreme sadness to the point of inhibiting normal daily activities. According to research, one out of every ten young adults has either gone through or is going through depression.

Recently in Nigeria, there was an increase in suicide incidents, especially among undergraduates. Suicide which was once considered a taboo, became something that happened almost daily.

Symptoms of depression include overeating, under-eating, short temper, sadness, loss of appetite, and suicidal thoughts.

CAUSES: There is no specific cause for depression, but factors can contribute to it, such as low self-esteem, a bad breakup, unhealthy comparisons, loss, etc.

• DIABETES

This wasn’t a concern for young adults until a few years back when cases of teenagers and young adults being diagnosed with diabetes surfaced. In young adults and teenagers, susceptibility to Type 1 diabetes is more prevalent and caused by an autoimmune disorder.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes in older adults, but according to a 2012 study published in the ADA, Journal Diabetes Care considered the potential increase in diabetic cases of young adults. The study revealed that considering the current rise of diabetic cases in young adults, by 2050, cases might’ve increased by 49%. If the rates of incidence increase, the number of type 2 cases in youth could quadruple.

CAUSES: The most common causes of people with diabetes generally include obesity, genetics, high blood pressure, inactivity/lack of exercise, gender (pregnant females are more at risk).

Specifically, Type 2 diabetes is linked to being overweight, but not everyone with type 2 diabetes is overweight. Whereas Type 1 diabetes is caused by the inability of the immune system to protect but rather destroy the beta cells of the pancreas (where insulin is secreted).

The distinction between the two types of diabetes is that for type 1, the body cannot produce sufficient insulin for breaking down glucose. In contrast, for type 2, the body cells build insulin resistance, causing an insulin deficiency. 

Genetic factors and unhealthy lifestyle habits can largely influence diabetes. And symptoms can include dizziness, frequent urination, fatigue, tiredness, and slow healing ability.

• HERNIA

According to a nursing student,

“When you see a young guy coming to the hospital to see a doctor, it’s either for ulcer or hernia.”

A hernia occurs when an internal organ of the body pushes against the muscles or tissues holding them in place. This can be a result of weakened tissues or pressure. Likewise, it presents as mild to acute pain in the groin or inguinal region and is treatable only with surgery.

CAUSES: Hernia is caused mainly by two thing;

1. Muscle weakness which can be hereditary or as a result of aging.
2. Excessive strain on the abdominal or groin area. These strains can be from constant coughing, pregnancy, straining as a result of severe constipation, physical labour or even obesity.

Hernia occurs in women, but it’s more prevalent in men.

• HIV AND OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES/INFECTIONS (STD/STIs).

People in their 20s and 30s are most times sexually active and adventurous that they explore the sexual world, and in the process, get involved with several diseases. Some microbial infections can be transmitted through sodomizing but not through normal sexual activities.

Young adults who engage in these practices develop an increased susceptibility to these STDs.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common STDs/STIs among the twenties and thirties in 2018 are.

• Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Genital Herpes
  • Candidiasis

Aside from drug addiction, drug abusers become more likely to have diseases such as liver cirrhosis, lung cancer, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, kidney failure, etc.

We wrote an entire blog post on Hepatitis. Read here.

HOW TO PREVENT THE ABOVE DISEASES

• PEPTIC ULCER
  • Maintain a healthy eating habit.
  • Stay away from foods that irritate your stomach lining.
  • Maintain proper hygiene to avoid consuming germs.
  • Reduce alcohol intake.
  • Avoid exposure to infections.
• DEPRESSION
  • Talk your feelings out and avoid the urge to bottle it all in.
  • Dark chocolate is your best friend.
  • Exercise often.
  • Reduce stress levels.
  • Avoid enclosed spaces.

N.B.: It’s often hard to prevent depression, but it is manageable using the above strategies.

• DIABETES
  • Eat a healthy and balanced diet.
  • Moderate starch/refined carbs consumption.
  • Exercise often.
  • Do not smoke.
  • Reduce sugar intake.
  • Drink more water instead of beverages.
• HERNIA
  • Do not smoke.
  • Eat fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
  • Keep fit.
  • Avoid getting pregnant within six (6) months of abdominal surgery to prevent umbilical hernia.

 N.B.: Some hernias are unpreventable.

• HIV AND OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES/INFECTIONS (STD/STIs).
  • Abstain from premarital sex
  • Practice safe sex.
  • Get tested with your partner before committing to a relationship.

• DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG ABUSE
  • Avoid bad company/influence.
  • Seek help when life’s weights start to kick in.
  • When in challenging situations, talk to a trusted someone rather than stay alone.
  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In this generation, living healthy is still considered boring, and there is a high chance that your colleagues will make fun of you for not drinking alcohol or having sex with every opposite sex you find attractive.

It would help if you decided to LIVE & LEAD a healthy lifestyle. And yes, you can have fun and live life in your 20s and 30s while staying healthy. Remember, PREVENTION IS STILL BETTER THAN CURE!

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