By: Ronaldo V. Mendoza, MD – Medical Director
Lifestyle diseases are diseases that are caused partly by unhealthy behaviors and partly by other factors. This is primarily because a person’s habits, behaviors and practices largely determine whether a person develops a lifestyle disease. What are the controllable and uncontrollable factors involved.
Controllable factors are habits, practices or behaviors a person can change or have control of them like smoking, eat habits, exercise and amount of sleep you get.
Uncontrollable factors are caused by factors you cannot change. These are age, race, gender and heredity.
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES are diseases or disorders that result from damage to heart and blood vessels. The four most common cardiovascular diseases are:
1. Stroke whish is a result of blood and oxygen cutoff to the brain.
2. High Blood Pressure – a condition when the force of blood exerts against wall of blood vessels faster than normal.
3. Heart Attack – when blood and oxygen are cut off to the heart.
4. Atherosclerosis – the build up of fatty materials in the blood stream.
Cardiovascular diseases are usually detected by Blood pressure monitoring, Electrocardiograph , Ultrasound and Angiography. You can do something to prevent this diseases. These includes trimming down fat intake, cutting down on salt, watching your weight, smoking cessation, regular exercise, monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol level and cutting down on stress. This disease is highly treatable through diet, exercise, medicine, surgery, angioplasty, pacemakers and transplants.
CANCER is a disease caused by uncontrollable cell growth. These diseases are characterized into Benign and Malignant Tumors. Benign tumors are not cancerous and usually do not spread. Malignant tumors are fatal diseases that spread to adjacent structures. There are several things you can do to help prevent cancer. Smoking cessation is very important, use of sunscreen is vital when being exposed to the sun, High fiber diet by eating more vegetables, regular exercises and regular checkups with your doctor will promote early detection of cancer and initiation of early treatment.
DIABETES is a disorder in which cells are unable to get glucose from the blood. Diabetes happens when the body does not produce enough insulin. There are two types. Type 1 Diabetes is the inherent or inborn problem in the body and is uncontrollable. Treatment is either through insulin shots. Type 2 diabetes is controllable and can be prevented through maintaining a healthy weight, smoking cessation and reduction of stress.
Generally, lifestyle diseases are controllable by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise and smoking cessation. Even with the presence inherent factors, the progression can be delayed and effects minimized. Adequate knowledge is essential.
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