Disease can affect every part of the body, not least including: the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and eyes. What can we do to reduce the chances of getting these diseases?
Influenza is a viral infection, and a major cause of death for older people.Antibiotics have no effect, so prevention is all the more important. Without doubt, the single most effective preventive measure is to have an annual flu injection. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly flu vaccine, by the end …
The National Kidney Foundation states that 1 in 3 American adults is at risk for kidney disease. Major risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure and being age 60 or older. Kidney disease often has no symptoms, and it can go undetected until very advanced. But a simple urine …
According to Wikipedia: A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both result in parts of the brain not functioning properly. Signs and symptoms of a …
According to the Mayo Clinic: Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease. With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough …
The Mayo Clinic says: Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. In the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, your face may show little …
Macular degeneration is a loss of vision caused by deterioration of the central portion of the retina, and although there are treatments, none can cure it, but can only stop it progressing. So, it makes sense to take preventative measures before you get problems. The consensus seems to be that if you eat a balanced …
The most common form of diabetes is called Type 2 Diabetes, and whether or not you get this condition is largely under your control, ie. It is almost always preventable. So, this is what we’ll be focusing on here. FYI: Type 2 is ten times more common than the inherited form Type 1, which is …
Most of us know of a friend or relative that’s been affected by dementia, with the saddest cases being where the person no longer even recognizes close family members. That’s why many people fear dementia more than cancer or other diseases. The UK National Health Service says that early symptoms to watch out for include: …
We keep seeing advice that it’s important to keep our brains active, especially to delay the onset of dementia, or at least of its effects. But is this true? And if so, what should we do about it? Will a daily crossword or Sudoku be enough? The UK Alzheimer’s Society says that: “Keeping your mind …
For many of us, heart disease is perhaps the number one threat in terms of healthy longevity. And the bad news is that often the first attack is fatal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing about 1 in 4 …
