ALZHEIMER'S	ANXIETY	ARTHRITIS	ASTHMA	BLOOD DISORDERS	CANCER
CELLULITIS	CHRONIC BRONCHITIS	CHRONIC FATIGUE	CROHNS	DEMENTIA	DEPRESSION
DIABETES	DIGESTIVE DISORDERS	HEART DISEASE	HORMONAL DISORDERS	HYPERTENSIVE DISEASE	INFLUENZA/PNEUMONIA
LIVER DISEASE	NEPHRITIS/NEPHROSIS	NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS	OBESITY	OSTEOPOROSIS	PULMINARY DISEASE
RESPIRATORY DISORDERS	SINUSITIS	STOMACH DISORDERS	STROKE	VASCULAR DISORDERS
Chronic Diseases are serious, usually slow progressing interminable illnesses that generally do not improve and are seldom cured completely. Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, and Diabetes are among the leading causes of death and disability. Regular medical check-ups and a healthy lifestyle should control or may even prevent a lot of these diseases from occuring or becoming worse. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder, which most often accompanies the aging process, though growing older does not cause this disease. Symptoms include memory loss, impaired judgment, disorientation, confusion, personality changes, and diminished language/motor skills. Risk factors can include family history/genetics. Treatment/Prevention: There is no known cure for alzheimer's though medications can sometimes help treat and control symptoms and/or slow the progression of this disease, especially if diagnosed early. Anxiety                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Arthritis is a chronic disease. A group of disorders that affects your joints and muscles, usually accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness. Classification: The most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease. Deterioration in the cartilage that protects the bone ends and resulting in deformity. Mild inflammation may be present. Rheumatoid, an inflammatory disease that can affect the entire body, in addition to causing problems with the lungs, skin, blood vessels, and the eyes. Fibromyalgia, which affects the surrounding areas of the joints; muscles, ligaments, tendons or soft tissue, causing muscle pain and fatigue. Sometimes causing numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. Symptoms may include joint pain, inflammation, stiffness, swelling, tenderness, and limited joint movement. Over time can cause tissue damage, deformity, and loss of joint movement. Risk Factors: Several factors can contribute to developing arthritis including trauma, disease, illness or infection, genetics, and aging. Treatment/Prevention: Anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, ibuprofen or aspirin may be used to reduce the swelling and alleviate pain, though check with your physician for treatment options. Asthma is a chronic lung disease, which affects your breathing passages, resulting in breathing difficulties. When you have an asthma attack, the airways in your lungs react by narrowing and becoming inflammed. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, pain, or pressure. Risk Factors: Triggers for attacks include allergens, cold air, dust, fumes, irritants, and smoking, second-hand smoke has been known to aggrevate asthma symptoms. Treatment/Prevention: There is no cure for asthma though it can be controlled through medical treatments and management of environmental triggers, so that symptoms are minimal. Blood Disorders. HIV/AIDS, Anemia, Gout, Hemophilia, Leukemia, Sepsis, Sickle Cell Disease.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Cancer is a malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal cell duplication which could spread to different parts of the body [called metastasis] where secondary tumors may form. Classifications: There are two broad classifications of cancer, hematological [malignancies of the blood] and solid tumors. Some common types of cancer are bladder, breast, colon, rectal, kidney, leukemia, lung, melanoma [skin], prostate, and thyroid cancer. Risk factors can include smoking, excessive alchohol consumption, iron deficiency, family history, hepatitis B or C, cirrhosis, and excessive exposure to sunlight. Treatment/Prevention: Treatment options can include pain management, hormone treatments, radiation therapy, drugs, chemotherapy, and surgery. A healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce most types of cancers, i.e.; smoking cessation, better eating habits, exercise, and regular medical check-ups Cellulitis is an acute bacterial infection affecting the skin and underlying tissue. Symptoms. Usually starts with a scrape, cut, insect bite, blister or other opening in the skin which becomes infected and inflamed, and could become quite painful. Cellulitis is most common on the face or lower legs, though can appear anywhere on the skin. Risk Factors can include weakened immune system, age, diabetes, skin disorders such as dermatitis or eczema, dry cracked skin, chicken pox, and shingles. Treatment/Prevention: In most cases, out-patient treatment will suffice and should clear up with antibiotics. If severe, or if left untreated, infection can spread to the lymph nodes and bloodstream which could require hospitalization. Bronchitis is the inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes. These tubes, called bronchi, connect the windpipe with the lungs. Chronic bronchitis is a sign of serious lung disease. Could progress to emphysema or both diseases could be present simultaniously. Symptoms include a cough that produces mucus [sometimes called sputum], shortness of breath, especially when walking or climbing stairs, a feeling of tightness in your chest, wheezing and fatigue. This disease could be present for months or years before the most debilitating symptoms appear. Risk Factors: Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis. Long time exposure to chemical fumes, dust or other noxious substances can also become a factor. Treatment/Prevention: Is aimed at relieving symptoms and preventing complications. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Crohns                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Dementia is the destruction of brain cells. Ranging from moderate to severe. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Symptoms: Some of the functions that can be affected are decision making, judgment, memory, thinking, reasoning, and verbal skills. Risk Factors: Advanced age is the greatest risk factor. Other causes or risk factors can include head injury, stroke, brain tumor, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, trauma, infections, diseases, alchohol/drug abuse, cardiac arrest, and family history. Treatment/Prevention: Some types of dementia can be treated and in the early stages it may be possible to improve the symptoms and/or slow the progression, depending on the cause or severity. However, most types of dementia cannot be prevented or cured. Depression                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Diabetes is caused when the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is made in the pancreas that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. After eating, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose and carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Classifications: There are three major types of diabetes. Diabetes 1, an autoimmune disease that is most common in people under 40. Diabetes 2, a metabolic disorder which is the most common form of diabetes, also known as late-onset diabetes, usually affecting older adults. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus [GDM], which occurs in pregnancy. Symptoms can include frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, weight loss, fatigue, and blurred vision. Risk Factors: Include family history, age, excess weight, physicial inactivity, and high blood pressure. Treatment/Prevention: Includes taking insulin orally or by injection. Routine screenings. Following a careful diet and exercise program, maintaining an ideal weight, controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol level will help. Digestive Disorders                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Heart Disease is an abnormality that affects the heart's ability to function normally. Classifications: include; Heart Attack, when blockage [blood clots or buildup of fatty deposits (called plaque)] occurs in the coronary arteries depriving the heart muscle of blood and oxygen which causes injury to the heart muscle. If blood flow is not restored, irreversible death of the heart muscle will occur. Atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries. Cardiogenic Shock, the heart's inability to supply sufficient blood to your major organs. Endocarditis, an infection of the heart valve. Valve disorders, when the valves do not open and close properly to allow blood flow to the heart and lungs. Heart Tumor, an abnormal growth in the heart, whether malignant or benign. Arrhythmias, abnormal heart rhythm. Symptoms: Depending on the type of heart disease, symptoms can range from chest pain, radiating to the shoulders, neck, or arms, tightness and heavy pressure or a squeezing feeling in the chest, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and shortness of breath. Risk Factors: The most common causes are degenerative changes in the blood vessels, infectious diseases, congenital heart disorder, blockage of the coronary arteries, high blood pressure, elevated cholestoral levels, and cigarette smoking. Other risk factors can include diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and family history. Hormonal Disorders                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Hypertensive Disease                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Influenza/Pneumonia                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    The Liver is the largest organ in your body, weighing appx. 3 lbs. and about the size of a football. This organ is situated on the upper right side of the abdominal cavity beneath the diaphragm and on top of the stomach, right kidney, and intestines and held in place by several ligaments. The liver has numerous functions including regulating blood clotting, storing vitamins and minerals, producing proteins and enzymes, maintaining hormone balance, detoxifying drugs and poisons, helps fight infection, removes bacteria from the blood, makes bile which is used for digestion. Classifications: Some of the different types of liver disease include, Hepatitis, which is an inflammation of the liver. Cirrhosis, a serious condition which involves scarring and progressive cell death. Major causes include excessive alchohol consumption and viral hepatitis. Fatty Liver, which can cause enlargement, tenderness, and abnormal liver function. Excessive alchohol consumption, obesity, and diabetes are the most common causes. Symptoms of liver damage can include jaundice, dark urine, abdominal swelling and or pain, nausea, and vomiting, though symptoms may not be noticeable until the disease progresses. Risk Factors: Liver disease can be caused by infection, injury, exposure to drugs or toxic compounds, or genetic defects. Treatment/Prevention: Treatment options are dependant upon the different types of liver diseases and causes, ranging from medications to radiation treatments and liver transplant. Nephritis/Nephrosis. Kidney Disease                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Neurological Disorders. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dyslexia, Epilepsy, Huntington's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Obesity                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Osteoporosis [Porous Bones] is a bone loss disease in which the bones become fragile and more susceptible to fracture. This happens slowly, over a span of years. Symptoms: Since there are no symptoms people may not know they have osteoporosis until their bones become weak and brittle and any bump or fall causes a fracture. Most commonly the hip, spine, and wrist. Risk Factors: Some of the risk factors can include low bone mass, inactive lifestyle, advanced age, family history, post-menopause, estrogen deficiency, cigarette smoking, calcium, and vitamin D deficiency. Treatment/Prevention: A good defense against osteoporosis would include a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, no smoking or excessive alchohol consumption. Pulminary Disease                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Respiratory Disorders                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Sinusitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the nasal sinuses. Sinuses are hollow air spaces located within the skull or bones of the head surrounding the nose. Sinusitis is usually preceded by a cold or allergy attacks. Symptoms can include nasal congestion, redness inside the nose, dull pain around the eyes, pressure in the head, headaches, fever, weakness and cough. Treatment/Prevention: Using a vaporizer or saline nasal sprays may help soothe inflamed sinuses. If this disease is bacterial, antibiotics could be used as a treatment option. Sinusitis could also be caused by a viral infection, in which case antibiotics may not be affective. Stomach Disorders. Abdominal Pain, Acid Reflux, Constipation, Diarrhea, Indigestion, Ulcers, Vomiting. Stomach Disorders. Abdominal Pain, Acid Reflux, Constipation, Diarrhea, Indigestion, Ulcers, Vomiting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    A stroke is the interruption of blood supply to the brain resulting in brain damage. Classification: Ischemic, a clot suddenly obstructs an artery in the brain which is the most common form of a stroke. A clot may either form in a brain artery or travel from elsewhere in the body which results from plaque that has built up in the arteries for months or years and suddenly ruptures. Bleeding [hemorrhage] within the brain is the second though much less common form of a stroke. A hemorrhage most often results from the rupture of one of the brain's arteries or after an injury to the head. Symptoms include numbness or weakness in one side of the body, face, arm or leg. Impaired vision or double vision, confusion, trouble speaking or swallowing, dizziness, or severe headache. Risk Factors include family history, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes, overweight, smoking, pregnancy, and the use of birth control pills, especially if you are a smoker over 35. Treatment/Prevention includes a healthy lifestyle; regular exercise, healthy eating habits, and regular medical check-ups. Vascular Disorders. Aneurysm, High blood pressure, Thrombosis, Vericose veins.