People need to do their best to stay healthy—they shouldn’t just follow medical advice. If you want to keep your physical and mental health in check, it pays to have a full understanding of what constitutes the top ten health issues and how they affect us. Read on to learn more…
Health Issues Number 1
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Chronic Disease
Many people who are sick often experience depression, anxiety, or other emotional complications that can cause major trouble in life, such as the following:
Stress : You may be stressed out because you are not getting the care you need, or because of personal issues that you keep secret. The stress that comes from these types of illnesses is very real, but also it seems like something to “pull yourself together” about. It is important to know that the pressure that chronic diseases put on our bodies can make everything seem so much work.
: You may be stressed out because you are not getting the care you need, or because of personal issues that you keep secret. The stress that comes from these types of illnesses is very real, but also it seems like something to “pull yourself together” about. It is important to know that the pressure that chronic diseases put on our bodies can make everything seem so much work. Heart Disease: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly three-quarters of Americans have some form of heart disease, which means that millions of people around this country are at risk from it. By 2020, heart disease will put nearly four million people out of work—and if no one knows better why, then we’ll all lose faith in our ability to survive.
: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly three-quarters of Americans have some form of heart disease, which means that millions of people around this country are at risk of it. By 2020, heart disease will put nearly four million people out of work—and if no one knows better why, then we’ll all lose faith in our ability to survive. Cancer: Cancer is a life-threatening disease that can affect any number of different body parts. In addition to affecting the lungs, abdomen, liver, pancreas, bone marrow, and brain, cancer can affect multiple areas of the body, including nerves. There are five main types of cancer:
Prostate: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers found in the United States—more than 6,000 new cases were reported last year alone, according to data presented by the American Cancer Society (ACS). It’s the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., behind only lung and colorectal cancers (1)(2)(3)(4). However, about 90% of prostate tumors are benign, meaning they don’t spread into the surrounding tissue (1)(2)(3)(4). A man who tests positive for cancer has only an 85 percent chance of developing cancer again within two years of his diagnosis—and even then, he’s up to 65 percent if he’s in remission (1)(2)(3)(4). In order to prevent the spread of cancer, it’s essential that men maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes regular screening and use of good health care during treatment, ideally before surgery. For those who engage in vigorous activity, this can be particularly significant, as studies show that more than 80% of men who exercise regularly do not develop prostate cancer at all (1)(2)(3)(4). Men who exercise daily have a lower rate of prostate cancer than men who only meet once per week for 30 minutes. Therefore, getting active should be among your overall top ten health issues.
: This is one of the most common cancers found in the United States—more than 6,000 new cases were reported last year alone, according to data presented by the American Cancer Society (ACS). It’s the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., behind only lung and colorectal cancers (1)(2)(3)(4). However, about 90% of prostate tumors are benign, meaning they don’t spread into the surrounding tissue (1)(2)(3)(4). A man who tests positive for cancer has only an 85 percent chance of developing cancer again within two years of his diagnosis—and even then, he’s up to 65 percent if he’s in remission (1)(2)(3)(4). In order to prevent the spread of cancer, it’s essential that men maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes regular screening and use of good health care during treatment, ideally before surgery. For those who engage in vigorous activity, this can be particularly significant, as studies show that more than 80% of men who exercise regularly do not develop prostate cancer at all (1)(2)(3)(4). Men who exercise daily have a lower rate of prostate cancer than men who only meet once per week for 30 minutes. Therefore, getting active should be among your overall top ten health issues. Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
This condition affects about 3.8 million adults in America. According to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine, type 2 diabetes has many potential side effects, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, depression, high blood pressure, nerve damage, kidney stones, premature birth, eye problems, and more. While type 2 diabetes makes life harder for some people, it is an extremely treatable disease (1)(2)(3)(4). A study showed that those with type 2 diabetes can live an average of 15 years longer than those with normal blood sugar levels (1)(2)(3)(4). In fact, type 2 diabetes is said to reduce a person’s risk of being hospitalized for heart failure by 25 percent and aneurysm surgery by 50 percent. Even though diabetes is a major health issue, there are still ways to control this type of disease, if you know where to look.
Diabetes mellitus has many potential side effects, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, depression, high blood pressure, nerve damage, kidney stones, premature birth, eye problems, and more. While type 2 diabetes makes life harder for some people, it is an extremely treatable disease (1)(2)(3)(4). To get help, check with your doctor or diabetes specialist, who will share with you a plan for treating this type of illness.
Type 2 Diabetes
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment for women who have type 2 diabetes, a complication of diabetes. Since women have insulin as well as testosterone, this can make them more likely to develop diabetes compared to men, but HRT is widely known to improve symptoms. Symptoms include headaches, insomnia, swelling, and muscle aches (1)(2)(3)(4). These common symptoms can occur after other treatments, but most happen after receiving HRT. Patients suffering from HRT often experience weight gain, and some medications can lead to bleeding problems. HRT is usually given immediately after diagnosis, but sometimes HRT can help patients wait for a while to find out when they should receive HRT. Most women also experience bloating after giving birth, which may cause nausea and vomiting. Some women even report skin changes in the area of their chest that can be caused by the HRT. Your OBGYN will discuss possible HRT treatments with you.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Euthanasia
Euthanasia is the act of allowing someone else to take away your life. Often confused with euthanasia, euthanasia is actually euthanasia is legal. Euthanasia occurs when a competent adult who has completed a legitimate medical procedure and obtained the capacity to consent is allowed to die. Unfortunately, euthanasia isn’t a simple case; it is illegal in 14 states and allows judges to consider both factual and persuasive evidence in concluding that the patient is terminally ill and in need of a dignified end. As long as the physician involved in euthanasia can prove that the person in question is incapable of making informed, voluntary decisions, the practice is considered fully legal (10)(11)(1)(2)(3)(4). According to the US Department of Justice, one in every 60 people in the U.S. dies each day due to an individual decision made outside of the law (1)(2)(3)(4). Thus, it’s essential that people understand the difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide (9)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16), which requires a court order in Colorado, New Mexico, California, Maryland, South Dakota, and Texas.
As discussed above, a judge cannot grant a request for assisted suicide unless the patient has determined that he/she must be terminally ill and is vulnerable, but not in a coma. The right way to determine whether somebody is terminally ill and unable to determine whether they are vulnerable is through an independent, unbiased hearing process. Many times the state’s definition of “terminal illness” varies, but depending on the state, someone who has a terminal condition is either deemed unfit to be resuscitated by means of assisted suicide or by another method, like lethal injection (29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36). Regardless of whether you know that someone is terminally ill, it’s always an option for their family to choose from, so it’s important to go talk to someone who can give you both accurate information about a loved one’s condition and compassion. If you or a family member in your life are interested in learning more, there are many resources available online. One of my favorite sites is www.deathcompass.org, which offers free, confidential, and in-depth reviews of assisted suicide laws and practices in the U.S.
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