As children, most of us thought that bone and joint aching was something that our parents or grandparents experienced—something age-related. Now, however, it's not rare to find a 28-year-old complaining of sore knees or creaky joints after a weekend of moderately intense exercise. Whether it's delayed-onset muscle soreness after working out or soreness after performing simple household tasks, many young adults are suffering from symptoms of bone weakness much sooner than anticipated. The question is—why are our bones weakening so early, and what everyday habits are quietly undermining our bone strength?

Our bones are designed to be strong and tough naturally, but several lifestyle factors can weaken them inadvertently in the long run. Dr. Ramkinkar Jha, Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief and Unit Head of Orthopaedics, elaborates, "Bone health is not a function of age; it's a function of how we handle our bones on a daily basis. A lifestyle that is too sedentary, not good eating habits, too much caffeine consumption, and continuous stress are some of the major offenders resulting in premature bone deterioration."

One of the primary causes of premature bone weakness is the progressive loss of muscle mass, which begins in our 30s. "Muscle holds up the bones, and as we get older, its quality goes down, and the joints bear more pressure," Dr. Jha explains. Ligaments and tendons also lose their elasticity, leading to stiffness and pain, particularly in the knees and lower back.

Everyday Mistakes That Weaken Bones

Whereas genes do play a part in the strength of bone, it is our day-to-day lifestyles that have an exponentially greater impact. Some of the most frequent practices that contribute to premature bone weakness are listed below:

1. Sedentary Lifestyle

Today's work culture of sitting for hours on end poses a significant danger to bone health. Our body's skeletal framework needs constant stimulation through weight-bearing exercises to maintain strength. Reduced movement causes loss of bone density, which compromises their ability to withstand fractures.

2. Lack of Proper Nutrition and Adequate Nutrients

Bones require calcium and vitamin D to stay strong. Omitting dairy or foods with calcium, coupled with no vitamin D from sunlight, substantially damages bones. "Most young adults adopt very restrictive diets that fail to provide their daily needs of calcium and vitamin D, putting them at risk for bone loss," explains Dr. Jha.

3. Excessive Caffeine and Alcohol Intake

Excessive caffeine is known to hamper calcium intake, and a lot of alcohol hastens the loss of bones. Research indicates that frequent binge drinking lowers bone density and makes bones more prone to fractures, particularly among younger adults who are still in the active bone acquisition phase.

4. Chronic Stress and Anxiety

Stress has a greater effect on bone health than we appreciate. Dr. Jha elaborates, "Long-term stress causes excessive cortisol production, a hormone that blocks calcium absorption and lowers bone density." That's why people living under chronic stress are more susceptible to osteoporosis and fractures.

5. Poor Posture and Insufficient Strength Training

Slouching in the chair or standing with unequal weight distribution puts undue pressure on particular bones and joints. This causes misalignment, long-term pain, and wear on the bones over time. Weight-bearing and strength training are essential in preserving bone density, yet people more often than not exclude them from their exercise routine in favor of cardiovascular exercise.

Warning Signs: Is Your Body Trying to Tell You Something?

Our bones don't suddenly break overnight. They first give us subtle warning signs, which are:

• Recurring joint pain or stiffness
• Brittle nails and loss of grip strength
• Sudden pain in the back, which could be due to vertebral fractures
• Receding gums, which may be a sign of jawbone loss
• Repeated small fractures from minor impacts
• Early detection of these signs can avoid serious bone conditions later in life.

How to Strengthen Your Bones Before It's Too Late

It's never too early—or too late—to begin caring for your bones. Here's how you can strengthen your skeletal system and avoid premature bone loss:

• Strength training, resistance exercises, and weight-bearing exercises such as brisk walking, hiking, and yoga stimulate bone growth and enhance density.
• Add calcium-rich foods such as dairy, leafy greens, almonds, and fortified cereals. Combine these with vitamin D sources such as eggs, fatty fish, and sufficient sunlight exposure.
• Because high cortisol levels may cause weakening of bones, regular exercises like meditation, breathing, and physical exercises can play a great deal in helping.
• Restricting caffeine, alcohol, and smoking can help decelerate bone loss. Instead, drink plenty of water and eat nutrient-rich foods.
• If you have a family history of osteoporosis or get joint pains early in life, it is a good idea to get your bones scanned for density in your 30s so that you can check your bone health.

Fragility of the bones in young age is not necessary—it can be prevented. Dr. Jha highlights, "Bone health is an investment. The small choices you make daily—what you eat, how you move, and how you manage stress—determine your bone strength for decades to come."

So, the next time your knees hurt after a routine activity, don't simply shrug it off as another bad day. It may be your bones calling for proper care. Pay attention, take action, and safeguard your bony base before things get out of control.

Dr. Ramkinkar Jha is an Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief and Unit Head - Orthopaedics (Unit III) at Artemis Hospitals in India

Delhi's air quality remained in "very poor" category, and the AQI stood at 342 at 8am, as per the Central Pollution Control Board. The 24-hour average AQI was logged at 412 under the "severe" category on Tuesday evening when Delhi's quality peaked to record the fourth severe air day in the month of December. With the air quality levels remaining continuously in the "very poor" category, Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta held a pollution review meet.

What Was Discussed In The Pollution Review Meet By Rekha Gupta?

A review meeting was held to discuss the rising air pollution levels in Delhi on Monday at the Delhi Secretariat. The meeting was attended by the officials from various departments, which also included the Public Works Department (PWD), Transport, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Environment, and others.

Post meeting, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the CM sought responses from multiple departments to discuss various aspects of pollution in the national capital. Sirsa also confirmed that a follow-up meeting will be scheduled on Thursday to continue the discussions on various steps that should be taken to bring down the levels of Delhi's AQI.

Rely On Public Transport - As A Solution To Delhi Pollution

On Sunday, a day before the meeting was held, Delhi's CM spoke on relying on public transport as a solution to Delhi's pollution. She said that the government aims to make the metro network "so comprehensive that people do not need to rely on private vehicles even for last-mile connectivity”.

Also Read: Delhi Is a Gas Chamber Where Nothing Comes In or Goes Out, Says Expert; Neighboring States Not to Blame for AQI

Delhi's Pollution Is Now A Public Health Risk

An analysis by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 found that air pollution is city's single largest health risk. The deaths rose from 15,786 in 2018 to 17,188 in 2023.

Another study published in Scientific Reports, a five-year study titled Respiratory Deposition of Particulate Matter in Delhi: A Five-Year Assessment of Exposure Patterns and Health Risks tracked how particulate matter settles inside the respiratory system and found that men's exposure can be up to 1.4 times higher, especially while walking or commuting. The study noted that men on average spend more time outdoors while working, commuting, or walking in traffic-heavy areas. This leads to an increase in exposure.

A different study published in Frontiers in Public Health, explored the data of 2,96,078 women and girls between the age of 16 to 55 years in Taiwan and correlated it with the long-term air pollution data between 2000 and 2013. None of these women had any history of dysmenorrhea before the survey had began.

Read: Is Delhi's Toxic Air Making Your Period Cramps More Painful? Here's What Study Says

Furthermore, a study published in Nature Communication notes that after four hours of exposure to particulate matter, it was found that people's ability to perform routine tasks and interpret emotions were highly impacted.

If Delhi is able to cut its local pollution by 50 per cent, the pollution too could drop by 50 per cent. The emission should happen across the airshed. However, the focus should be for a long-term action on the source of emission and not short-term optics like cloud seeding, smog towers, water sprinkling or air purifiers.

In fact, as per a study published in Sustainability (MDPI), an open access journal, which mapped Delhi's air quality between 1990 to 2022 and found that transports emit around 10 to 30% of pollution, whereas agricultural residue burning, which is a seasonal source of pollution leads to less than 3% of pollution, whereas firecrackers, another seasonal source, leads to less than 1% of pollution.

Do you feel an awful soar in your throat? Have you noticed that anyone you speak to are also complaining of the same symptoms? All of them, and you, seem tired, have a sore throat and no energy for days and weeks to follow. This might be what people are called "mystery disease" or the "mystery throat virus". However, this is actually the adenovirus.

Most patients with bad throat, explain experts have adenovirus, which is a common virus that spreads throughout the year. However, unlike the flu and COVID, which now have their own prescribed medicines, adenovirus has none.

Read: This Mysterious New Virus Could Spread Faster Than Covid-19 And Flu

What Exactly Is Adenovirus?

Adenovirus is a virus that has more than 60 different strains, which is why it is able to cause a variety of symptoms. Adenovirus refers to a group of common viruses that usually trigger cold- or flu-like illness. It spreads easily because it is far more resilient than many other viruses. Ordinary soap, water, and standard disinfectants do not reliably destroy it, allowing it to persist in the environment. As a result, infections often cluster in places where people spend time close together, such as daycares and military barracks. The virus spreads through the respiratory tract, can be shed in stool, and can survive for some time on contaminated surfaces, according to the CDC.

The reason for its spread right now is due to the surge of flu cases in the southern hemisphere which has influenced the outbreaks in the northern hemisphere. Another reason is the lower flu vaccinate rates, which has now made a large number of population more vulnerable to infections, overall, including adenovirus.

What are The Symptoms Of Adenovirus And What Makes It Very Contagious?

While a lot of the symptoms mimics of those in flu or COVID, including shortness of breath, a sore throat and or a runny nose. However, there are certain unique symptoms of adenovirus that include:

• Diarrhea
• Pink Eye or conjunctivitis
• Ear infection or otitis media
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Pneumonia
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Other rare symptoms could also include impact on your bladder or nervous system. As viruses in your bladder can also cause urinary tract infections, and the same virus in your nervous system can cause condition that can affect your brain. These conditions also include encephalitis and meningitis.

Read: Unique Symptoms Of Mysterious Adenovirus And How Long Infection Now Last

What makes this virus unique is that it can spread through easily. Adenovirus is highly contagious. It can spread from one person to another through shaking hands, kissing, or even hugging. The virus could also spread through sneezing, coughing, and if by any other means respiratory droplets transfers to other person in air. It can also spread by touching contaminated surface, and you can get the virus by touching your eyes, nose, or mouths if you do not wash your hands.

The virus can also spread through stool of an infected person. For instance, you can be infected while changing your baby's diaper. It can also spread through unchlorinated water, and a person can be infected with the virus if he or she swims in a pool without adequate chlorine.

Adenoviruses are resistant to many common disinfectants. Therefore, they can remain infectious on surfaces for a long time.

When Should You See A Doctor?

If you are generally healthy, and feel a little down, but do not have shortness of breathe or a high fever, you are safe to go, with supportive care at home. However, pay close attention to those who are already on medical attention, or those who are immunocompromised, or are infants.

If you are sick, have a high fever, and experiencing shortness of breath, it is best to consult your doctor. However, do not show up to your doctor's office, call first.

Ben Sasse, former Senator, on Tuesday shared that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His diagnosis came at Stage 4.

Is Ben Sasse's Cancer Terminal?

The former two-term senator, 53, revealed this in a social media or X, message: “This is a hard note to write, but since many of you have already sensed something, I’ll get straight to it: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and I am going to die.”

Also Read: 2 Dead, 21 Injured After Pennsylvania Nursing Home Catches Fire

Stage 4 cancers are terminal and his terminal diagnosis was "hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad," he said.

Stage 4 cancers are terminal because the cancer has metastasized, which means it has spread from its original site or the primary tumor to distant organs and tissues. This makes it extremely difficult to cure with localized treatments like surgery or radiation.

However, the American Oncology Institute does note that stage 4 cancer always does not have to be terminal, especially with breakthrough treatment options like targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or precision medicine. There are now also advanced surgical techniques that use minimal invasion procedures.

Also Read: Ben Sasse Diagnosed With Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer: What We Know About His Diagnosis

What Is The Chance Of Survival In Stage 4 Cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer makes up about 3 percent of all cancers in the United States but accounts for roughly 8 percent of cancer-related deaths. Most patients are diagnosed at Stage 4, and the disease is widely regarded as largely incurable. Prostate cancer, by contrast, is the second most common cancer among men, and the majority of those diagnosed do not die from it. The five-year relative survival rate for non-metastasized prostate cancer is 97.9 percent, dropping to about 38 percent once it spreads. These figures highlight how early detection and effective treatment options make prostate cancer far more survivable than pancreatic cancer.

What Are The Treatment Options For Ben Sasse At Stage 4 Cancer?

While treatments including chemotherapy, radiation, and in rare situations surgery are available, stage-four pancreatic cancer is still considered largely incurable. The absence of effective early screening contributes to delayed diagnosis, and although a small number of patients, such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, have lived longer following surgery, these cases are rare. Well-known individuals including Alex Trebek and Aretha Franklin also battled the disease, which remains one of the deadliest cancers in the United States.

Former senator and former University of Florida president Ben Sasse announced on Tuesday, Dec. 23, that he has been diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer, as per CNN News.

In the deeply personal message, the former Republican lawmaker from Nebraska described the diagnosis as a “death sentence,” while expressing appreciation for the steady support of his family and close friends.

“I’m fortunate to have incredible siblings and half a dozen friends who are truly like brothers to me. As one of them said, ‘Yes, you’re on the clock, but all of us are.’ Death is a cruel thief, and none of us escape it,” he added.