Preventing chronic illnesses

Chronic conditions last over 6 months, and in many cases greatly impact the sufferer’s life. Both the symptoms and causes of illness should be managed to decrease the effect they have on the sufferer and management techniques should include any relevant lifestyle changes as well as the use of medications. Whilst many chronic illnesses can be managed they can deteriorate over time and can even be fatal. Some illnesses can also remain stable or be cured. Cardiovascular disease is the most common medically treated chronic illness to affect western societies and can be attributed to both social and genetic factors it kills thousands of people everyday. Cardiovascular problems affect more than one part of the body including the heart and blood vessels, as well as our other vital organs and so minimizing the risk of developing an illness that affects the flow of blood is important.

Whilst genetic predisposition and age are both factors which increase your risk of cardiovascular disease most of the the contributing factors are actually lifestyle related. Risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity and poor diet plague the developed world and are entirely avoidable.

Smoking causes one in eight deaths from cardiovascular disease showing a strong correlation between the two. Smoking damages your arteries by reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood and over time increases your blodd pressure which puts more strain on the heart as it pumps harder. High blood pressure increases your risk of blood clots and stroke. Whilst medications can be used to treat high blood pressure, smoking can decrease their effectiveness.When you stop smoking your risk of cardiovascular problems comes within the norm within a few years and other benefits of smoking cessation begin almost immediately after you put out your first cigrette.

An inactive lifestle can double your risk of heart attack or stroke. Exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight and keep your blood pressure within the normal range. Physical inactivity is an even greater problem than smoking as most adults fail to do the recommended minimum of 3 hours exercise per week, whereas just one in eight adults smokes.

Unhealthy eating can cause high cholesterol, type II diabetes and high blood pressure. It can also cause obesity which puts strain on the vital organs and especially the heart. There is no excuse for poor diet with the variety of fruits and vegetables available. Try fresh, tinned and frozen versions as all of these with provide vital nutrients and limit the amount of red meat, saturated fats and sugar you eat.

By making small lifestyle changes we can vastly improve our health and minimalise the risk of heart problems. Chronic illness can be avoided and treated before a cardiovascular event occurs.

Health Protection Under One Umbrella • All Rights Reserved © 2008