Metabolism plays a big role in our health, it’s not just about helping your digestive system work smoothly, but the way your body breaks down the food and helps nutrients get absorbed into the body that matters. But often due to one reason or the other, your metabolism can slow down, which then causes issues with people. Many people think that the reason they may be gaining weight could be because of their poor metabolism, so how does one go about fixing this issue and how do you even know that the fault lies with your metabolism.

To understand why your metabolism may be slowing down, we must understand what role it exactly plays. Metabolism is the process your body uses to turn food into energy. It's essential for everything from breathing and digestion to keeping you warm. Several things affect how fast your metabolism works, including your genes, health, and lifestyle. A slow metabolism means your body burns fewer calories, which can lead to tiredness, dry skin, weight gain, and cravings.

Why Does Your Metabolism Slow Down?

There can be many reasons why your metabolism may be slowing down. You inherit some of it, and it tends to slow down as you age, often due to changes in your body and less muscle. Men and women have different metabolisms because of body size, makeup, and hormones. What you eat matters too – not enough healthy food or a very low-calorie or high-fat diet can slow it down. A lazy lifestyle, lack of sleep, and stress can also make your metabolism sluggish. Certain health problems like diabetes or an underactive thyroid, and even environmental factors, may also play a role.

Signs You Need To Improve Your Metabolism

While these are some common signs, it is best to visit a healthcare professional and ask for their opinions before you try a solution. There are many underlying reasons as to why you are experiencing slow metabolism, it can also be a side-effect of some medicine. A healthy lifestyle goes a long way, especially for people who already have digestive issues, kidney or even mental health issues like stress and anxiety.

Constant Fatigue

Feeling tired all the time, even without a good reason, could mean your metabolism is slow. A slow metabolism means your body breaks down food into energy slowly, leaving you with low energy levels. You might feel sluggish or get tired easily throughout the day. Changes in what you eat or your body composition (how much fat and muscle you have) can also make you feel more tired.

Dry Skin

Dry skin is common in winter, but if you have it all the time, it could be a sign of a slow metabolism. Thyroid hormones help control your metabolism and also keep your skin hydrated. If your thyroid isn't working right and your metabolism is slow, your skin might get very dry.

Weight Gain

If you're eating healthy and exercising but still gaining weight, a slow metabolism could be the problem. A slow metabolism doesn't turn food into energy quickly, so you burn fewer calories. Extra calories are stored as fat, making it hard to lose weight.

Feeling Cold

Feeling cold even when it's not cold outside can be a sign of a slow metabolism. Your body generates heat through metabolism. If your metabolism is slow, your body temperature might be lower. Some studies show that people with an underactive thyroid or obesity may have lower body temperatures because of a slow metabolism. This can be because of problems with thyroid hormones, which help your body make heat.

Food Cravings

Craving sugary or fatty foods can be a sign of a slow metabolism. Studies show that cravings are related to metabolic health. This is especially true for people who don't eat enough healthy foods, have bad eating habits, or have low muscle mass and high fat mass. Cravings might also mean your body isn't getting enough energy from the food you eat, so it wants more energy.

Mood Swings

Everyone has mood swings sometimes. But if you have them often, it could be from a slow metabolism. Low energy and hormone problems that come with a slow metabolism can make you irritable and frustrated. Some older research also suggests a link between mental health issues and a slow metabolism.

Digestive Problems

Digestion and metabolism are connected. Digestion breaks down food, and metabolism turns it into energy. If your metabolism changes, like slowing down, it can affect your digestion. A slow metabolism can cause constipation, bloating, or diarrhea.

Dhurandhar 2 actor Mustafa Ahmed, who played Rizwan in the film, opened up about growing up with dyslexia. He shared that he struggled with reading and writing, but sports and dancing came naturally to him.

"I was not a bright kid. I was dyslexic and came from an Afghan background. But I was always physical, I was good at sports, and I picked up dancing naturally. Anything that involved using my body, I was good at it,” said Mustafa, who trained has Hrithik Roshan, in the Alpha Coach podcast.

What Is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects reading, writing, and spelling. However, it has nothing to do with intelligence.

Common signs of dyslexia include:

• Difficulty reading or recognizing words
• Trouble with spelling and writing
• Confusing similar-looking letters (like b/d or p/q)
• Slow reading speed and poor comprehension
• Difficulty following written instructions

This means that children with dyslexia are simply wired differently and may need to focus on other learning areas.

How Did Mustafa Overcome Dyslexia?

Mustafa did exactly that. He focused on training hard and eventually worked with big stars like Hrithik Roshan. That’s when he caught the attention of Aditya Dhar, the maker of Dhurandhar. Aditya saw potential in him and encouraged him to pursue acting, helping launch his journey in the industry.

Growing up, Mustafa, who revealed in an interview, faced challenges in school due to his learning difficulties. Tasks like reading scripts or memorizing lines may not have come easily at first. However, with determination, support, and self-belief, he was able to overcome these barriers.

However, today as a rising star, his story is a reminder that with the right support, early diagnosis, and self-belief, children with dyslexia can truly thrive.

Signs and symptoms of dyslexia

Doctors say signs of dyslexia can look different at each age. It happens because your brain grows and learns in new ways as you get older. You may notice your child has:

• Has difficulty learning or recognizing letters
• Has trouble rhyming words
• Mixes up words that sound similar
• Find it difficult to read simple words after learning letter sounds
• Have trouble remembering letters, even after lots of practice
• Avoiding tasks that have to do with reading
• Feeling sick or anxious before school or homework time
• Struggling in school

Can You Treat Dyslexia?

Doctors say even though dyslexia is a lifelong condition, it can be effectively managed with the help of interventions like:

• Phonics-based reading programs
• One-on-one tutoring
• Speech and language therapy
• Use of assistive technology like audiobooks and text-to-speech tools

With these strategies, individuals with dyslexia can improve their reading skills and excel in their chosen fields.

Mel Schilling, an Australian psychologist and a dating expert died at 54. Her husband Gareth Brisbane announced the death in a social media statement.

What Happened To Mel Schilling?

Schilling was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023. Just two weeks ago she said that the disease had spread to her brain. "I honestly don't know how long I have left," she wrote.

Read: What Is The Correct Age To Get A Colonoscopy?

According to her husband, she died "peacefully, surrounded by love". “This is a woman who, through two years of chemotherapy, when she could barely lift her head from the pillow, never complained and never stopped showing courage, grace, compassion and empathy, and never missed a day of filming,” Brisbane wrote.

She was also an expert on 'Married at First Sight Australia' for 12 years and because of her illness she stepped down as a dating expert.

How Does Cancer Spread To Other Parts Of The Body?

Schilling said that her cancer had spread to her brain. as per the Cancer Research UK, cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through bloodstream or lymphatic system. They can then start to grow into new tumors. The National cancer Institute notes that cancer cells spread through the body in a series of steps, which include:

• growing into, or invading, nearby normal tissue
• moving through the walls of nearby lymph nodes or blood vessels
• traveling through the lymphatic system and bloodstream to other parts of the body
• stopping in small blood vessels at a distant location, invading the blood vessel walls, and moving into the surrounding tissue
• growing in this tissue until a tiny tumor forms
• causing new blood vessels to grow, which creates a blood supply that allows the metastatic tumor to continue growing

What Is Colon Cancer?

Colon (colorectal) cancer begins when small growths called polyps form on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Over time, changes in the DNA of these cells can cause the polyps to become cancerous.

As abnormal cells multiply, they replace healthy cells and eventually form a mass known as a tumor. This process develops slowly, often taking up to ten years for a precancerous polyp to turn into cancer and begin showing symptoms.

Colon cancer poses serious health risks because cancerous cells can invade healthy tissues. Over time, they may break away and spread to other parts of the body, making detection more difficult since the symptoms can resemble other conditions.

How Can You Get Screened For Colon Cancer?

You can get examined by a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a 15 to 60 minute medical procedure that is used to examine the entire inner lining of the large intestine, which includes rectum and colon for abnormalities, such as polyps, inflammation, or cancer. A doctor uses a colonoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a camera to take images, remove polyps, or take issue samples.

Most health experts, including federal guidelines and the American Cancer Society, recommend that people at average risk for colorectal cancer start screening at age 45. This usually means getting a colonoscopy once every 10 years, or opting for stool-based tests every one to three years. These guidelines also play a role in whether insurance companies cover the tests.

March is the month of colon cancer awareness and with the recent cases of colon cancer patients who are younger than 50. With the death of 48-year-old actor James Van Der Beek due to colorectal cancer, concerns are rising. While cancer death rates overall in people younger than 50may have dropped by 44% since 1990, colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of cancer death in people under 50.

Can Karlyle Morris, section chief for colorectal cancer at MD Anderson Center in Houston tells NBC News, "We anticipate that this is going to be a continued trend."

What Is Colon Cancer?

Colon (colorectal) cancer begins when small growths called polyps form on the inner lining of the colon or rectum. Over time, changes in the DNA of these cells can cause the polyps to become cancerous.

As abnormal cells multiply, they replace healthy cells and eventually form a mass known as a tumor. This process develops slowly, often taking up to ten years for a precancerous polyp to turn into cancer and begin showing symptoms.

Colon cancer poses serious health risks because cancerous cells can invade healthy tissues. Over time, they may break away and spread to other parts of the body, making detection more difficult since the symptoms can resemble other conditions.

What Is The Right Age To Get Colonoscopy?

A colonoscopy is a 15 to 60 minute medical procedure that is used to examine the entire inner lining of the large intestine, which includes rectum and colon for abnormalities, such as polyps, inflammation, or cancer. A doctor uses a colonoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a camera to take images, remove polyps, or take issue samples.

Most health experts, including federal guidelines and the American Cancer Society, recommend that people at average risk for colorectal cancer start screening at age 45. This usually means getting a colonoscopy once every 10 years, or opting for stool-based tests every one to three years. These guidelines also play a role in whether insurance companies cover the tests.

Even so, most cases of colon cancer are still diagnosed in people over 50. What’s worrying, though, is the steady rise in cases among younger adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s over the past few decades.

Why Does Screening Begin At 45?

Colon cancer typically develops slowly. It often starts as small growths in the colon called polyps, which can eventually turn cancerous if not detected early.

In recent years, growing evidence has pushed experts to reconsider when screening should begin. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended screening age from 50 to 45. The American Cancer Society had already made a similar recommendation back in 2018.

At the time, the change was not universally accepted. Some in the medical community felt 45 was still too young. Even today, there is ongoing debate.

Setting screening guidelines is not as simple as picking an age. Experts have to weigh the benefits of early detection against potential downsides, including costs, risks from procedures and even practical concerns like taking time off work.

The numbers also tell an important story. For people aged 40 to 44, the risk of colorectal cancer is about 21 cases per 100,000 individuals. That risk more than doubles to 47 per 100,000 between ages 45 and 49, which is one of the reasons screening begins at that point.

Still, younger adults account for a relatively small proportion of cases overall. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 10 percent of colorectal cancer cases occur in people under 50.

The Challenge Of Resources And Awareness

Another key factor is access. There are only so many specialists available to perform colonoscopies, and even now, people can wait months for an appointment.

On top of that, screening rates among younger eligible adults remain low. Only about one in five people aged 44 to 49 are up to date with recommended screenings.

Experts say that if the screening age were lowered further, participation might drop even more. For now, the focus remains on improving awareness and encouraging those already eligible to get screened on time.