10 Health Risks That Are Deadly But Can Easily Be Avoided
There are a lot of risks out there, and most of them involve your health. Since you probably don't have much interest in dying, and probably even less interest in being sickly and miserable, you'll be glad to know you can avoid a lot of these deadly, deadly problems – easily. Sure, there are genetic factors that are hard to ignore, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be doing all you can to protect yourself from accidents and disease. Some of these fixes might require some lifestyle changes on your part, but that's ok. You can do this…and you'll live a lot longer and healthier.
1. Liver Disease
You can't always avoid getting sick, but you can reduce your chances of having problems with your liver by following a few simple things. First, know that 'liver disease' could actually mean a lot of different things – cirrhosis and hepatitis are only a couple of them. Some of them are genetic, but most of them are things that people get because they're careless. Good hygiene – washing your hands thoroughly after changing babies or using the bathroom – is one of the quickest and easiest ways to keep your liver healthy. You can also get a vaccine for hepatitis, especially if you're in situations where you might be exposed to it, like if you're a health care or a daycare worker. You can also take only the medications you're supposed to take in the right doses and try to stay sober. Drinking too much is one of the main ways that people screw up their livers, and that's one thing that can always be avoided. Drinking alcohol is a choice, and since your liver is unable to make that choice, you must make it. Go ahead and have a drink…there's no point in being a prude. Just don't have five or six or ten. http://uimc.discoveryhospital.com/main.php?id=3307
If your liver's already nasty and you want to do something to help it, there are ways that you can cleanse your body that will provide benefit to your liver. One of these is the coffee enema. I know, I know, coffee's for drinking. If you want to help your liver, though, that coffee's going to have to go somewhere other than down your throat. If you're brave enough for that one, you can also try the 'Liver Flush,' which does just that. From reading about the mixture of Epsom salts, olive oil, and grapefruit juice, it sounds like it might flush more than your liver. You'll be lucky if you have any bones left when you're done. For the non-brave, stick to things like milk thistle, SAM-E, or vegetables. Yes, you can just swallow them.
http://www.healingdaily.com/liver-detoxification.htm
2. Heart Disease
One of the absolute best ways to lower your risk of heart disease is to keep your cholesterol in check. You probably won't know if it's high unless you have it checked, so do that. Don't put it off just because your family members are in their nineties and healthy – there are always exceptions to the gene pool. Pay attention to what your doctor tells you, and if he says you need cholesterol medication, for goodness sakes, take it! Don't be a hero. You can also lose weight if you're heavy, eat better (not boring, just better), and set a date to put down those cigarettes for good.
http://cholesterol.about.com/od/aboutcholesterol/a/prevention.htm
Other ways to help you avoid heart disease include getting up off your butt and getting some exercise, making sure your blood pressure stays down, and getting treated for diabetes if you have it. Yes, you'll need to be checked for that, too. These are simple things to do. They're easy to work on and they take little time, but they make a big difference to your heart. http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/tc/high-cholesterol-prevention
3. DUI
Don’t drink and drive. If you plan to be the designated drunk, always have a designated driver or call a cab. Enough said.
4. HIV
If you want to prevent yourself from getting HIV, there are a few options for you. First, don't share needles – better yet, just don't do drugs at all, and then you won't have to worry about who might have used that needle first. If you need needles for a legitimate reason – like maybe you're a diabetic who needs insulin – do yourself a favor and don't share those, either. Second, keep your pants on. Sexual transmission is one of the most common ways that HIV gets spread around. Some people just don't care if they give it to others. Some don't know they have it until they start feeling sick. Who knows how many equally-careless people that person might have infected. Don't be that guy. Or girl. And if you already have HIV, avoid getting pregnant and spreading it to your unborn baby. Countless people, both born and unborn, will be thankful you made the right choice.http://www.avert.org/prevent-hiv.htm
5. Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is more common today than it ever was. The most unfortunate thing about that little comment is that most of the people who're being diagnosed are young women. If you're someone who likes to bake yourself in the tanning bed or at the beach, you might want to reconsider. Try a tanning cream instead – they don't turn you orange anymore. Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers out there, but not if you keep getting sunburned, or even tan. When you tan it might look healthy and pretty but it's actually your body trying to protect your skin from damage. That pretty bronze color could end up killing you. Wouldn't you rather be pale and alive?
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/cancer/risk/159.html
If you're serious about reducing your risk of skin cancer, do these eight things:
1. Reduce your time in the sun – basically a no-brainer.
2. Seek shade under trees or other areas so you're not baking or broiling yourself.
3. Don't think that the clouds will save you – you can burn through them very easily.
4. Things like concrete, sand, water, and snow reflect the sun's rays. Remember that.
5. Use more sunscreen than you really think you need.
6. Stay out of the tanning bed!
7. Make sure that you protect your children from the sun, and
8. Keep an eye on those moles. If you get a new one, or one that looks weird, have it checked.
http://www.healthunit.org/sunsafety/8ways.htm
6. High Blood Pressure
The best thing is not to have to worry about treating high blood pressure, and you can do that by preventing it. Limiting how much sodium you get, matching your alcohol intake, making sure you keep your weight in a healthy range, and getting enough exercise are all ways that you can help prevent your blood pressure from creeping up. Surprisingly enough, smoking hasn't been successfully linked to high blood pressure, but it can cause you a lot of other problems, so you might want to cut that out, too.http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/922288104.html
Preventing high blood pressure can do a lot for you, like lessen your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. It can also help you avoid kidney problems and hardening of the arteries. Obviously, none of those are good things, and they should be avoided. You can't completely eliminate your risk of certain diseases – after all, living causes death – but there are a lot of ways to lower risks and keep yourself as healthy as you can. Be informed. Learn what works, and then use that knowledge.http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/how-prevent-high-blood-pressure
7. Diabetes
Worried about diabetes? You needn't be if you take some precautions to help lower your risk. There are medications that can delay the onset of diabetes if you're already pre-diabetic, but the great news is that diet and exercise actually work better. You might not have to put foreign chemicals with potential side effects into your body…you might just eat a little better and move around more. If you get 30 minutes a day in exercise – which you should be getting anyway – and you lower your body weight be five to ten percent –assuming you're not too skinny already – you can lower your risk of diabetes by almost sixty percent! That's worth taking notice of.
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-prevention/how-to-prevent-diabetes.jsp
Your diet is the key to avoiding diabetes – the sugar kind (type II) not the insulin kind (type I). When you get type I diabetes, that's just something that your body does to you. It's not something you can avoid. Type II, though, can be stopped before it starts and that's really important today because a lot of children and teenagers are getting fat, sitting around, and getting sick. Don't put yourself and your children at risk like that…eat better and get off the couch. In a few years when all your lazy friends are getting sick, you'll be glad you're not like them.
http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/fitness/mcdiabetes.html
8. Colon Cancer
Colon cancer. Now there's a topic most people aren't comfortable discussing. You need to talk about it, though, because there are ten things you can do to prevent it.
1. Make sure your diet is balanced.
2. If you're overweight, get thinner.
3. Have yourself screened with a colonoscopy if you're over fifty, since that's where most of the cases come from.
4. If you have symptoms (bleeding, bowel problems, etc) go and see your doctor. Sure, you don't want a stranger checking out your rear end. Sure, you're scared. Go anyway.
5. Stay active. People who exercise don't get cancer as often.
6. Know if you're at risk due to family history. If uncle Joe and aunt Betty both had colon cancer, you're more at risk.
7. Consider genetic testing – it can help tell you whether you have genetic markers for the disease.
8. Your personal medical history is important, too, so talk to your doctor. He'll know whether your comments are important when it comes to colon cancer.
9. If you smoke, quit. For lots of reasons.
10. Exposure to radiation causes colon cancer, too, so avoid being around it if you can.
http://coloncancer.about.com/od/cancerprevention/a/Colon_Cancer.htm
There are a lot of products, such as 'Colon Cleanse,' that are designed to, well, cleanse the colon. That might not seem important, and it's not something that most people think about, but it does matter. It gets rid of harmful bacteria which can build up and lead to polyps, which can lead to cancer. It also gets rid of parasites (eewwww). http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Ways-Colon-Cleansing-Can-Prevent-Colon-Cancer&id=994925
9. Car Accidents
Not all accidents can be stopped (that's why they're accidents), but many are avoidable. You can avoid car accidents by doing some simple things like paying attention, staying out of the fast lane, and traveling less at night. The coolest thing you can do to avoid a car accident? Learn to drive a racecar! A high-performance driving school can teach you a lot about how to handle a car, and you'll have a blast in the process. http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/top10/107098/article.html
Oh, and don't drink and drive. It kills a lot of people, and injures many more each year. If you have to drink, have someone else (who's sober!) drive you home. If you're out late at night, watch out for people who might have had too much. Stay away from them, let the police know about it. It could save someone's life. http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Prevent-Car-Accidents&id=302161
10. Kidney Failure
Having kidney failure is the first step in kidney disease, but you can prevent it by controlling your blood pressure, avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking, and drinking water – eight glasses a day. You can also take a garlic supplement, but ask your doctor first, because garlic can stop your blood from clotting. For some people, that might be dangerous.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2051927_prevent-kidney-failure.html
If you're African American, know that your genetic risk is four times higher than it would be if you were Caucasian, you make sure you pay attention to your health, especially if kidney disease runs in your family. If you do develop kidney disease, drugs called ACE inhibitors can help, so talk to your doctor and get the medication that's right for you.
http://www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources/kidney_disease_diabetes.pdf
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: The Statements for these products have Not Been Evaluated By The FDA. These Products Are Not Intended To Diagnosis, Treat, Cure, or Prevent Any Disease.
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