Disease: Did You Know?

No one wants to end up with cancer, diabetes, heart trouble, or any other disease for that matter. We all wish for long, healthy lives, free from pain and suffering. If only there was a guarantee that each person could avoid becoming sick – a magic pill to ward off any threat to the human body.

Unfortunately, science has not progressed to the point where such a pill exists; however, if we arm ourselves with knowledge, the negative effects of disease can be reduced, or in some cases, even eliminated. Read on to learn more.

1. Family History
Do you understand the important role that family history plays in your chances of becoming ill? For example, if one of your close family members developed cancer before the age of 50, you may be at greater risk of contracting the disease yourself. In addition, if your mother or father suffered from elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, you may be prone to the same conditions. For the above reasons, make sure to have early, and often, health screenings. The good news is that most insurance companies cover these tests. If you haven’t seen a doctor in several years, and your family historically suffers from a specific disease, make an appointment to get checked out.

2. Hygiene
It is true that the simple act of washing the hands frequently (with warm, soapy water) decreases your chances of becoming ill. Think of all the surfaces your fingers touch each day: door handles, stair railings, phones, shopping carts, pens, and keyboards. Did you know that cold and flu viruses can live on these surfaces for several hours? By simply washing your hands, you can prevent a bout with seasonal influenza, or something worse.

3. Condoms
Sadly, many people do not realize that using condoms helps to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, Chlamydia, and Hepatitis. They also don’t realize that these types of diseases do not only affect the young. Recent news stories have argued that those over 50 years of age are more and more at risk due to high divorce rates.

4. Smoking
If you want to avoid developing lung cancer and/or emphysema, refrain from smoking. Of course there are other reasons why people get these diseases, but smoking has been linked to thousands upon thousands of cases. Even if you’ve smoked for years, quitting now increases your chances of NOT becoming ill. Another bonus of quitting smoking is reduced chances for suffering from gingivitis.

5. Exercise
The symptoms of many diseases can be lessened or alleviated through regular exercise. People who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic can actually keep diabetes at bay with healthy eating and with a regular exercise program. Even something as simple as walking has been shown to keep the brain, as well as the bones, healthier. And those that suffer from arthritis actually report less pain after exercising.

No – there is not magic pill to prevent disease, but knowledge is the next best thing!

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