The Current Health Problems in America

Gaining a meaningful understanding of America’s overall health and well-being is the first step toward improving it.  Prevention is better than cure and it is important to know what the health concerns are in order to take action to prevent them.  It pays to know your enemies well in order to defeat them.  Therefore, this article’s purpose is the shed light on the current health problems in America.

The Symbol of Healing

What are the current health problems in America

There are 10 health conditions that have a great effect on Americans.  Starting with the least effect:

Crohn’s Disease/Ulcerative Colitis – This chronic disease causes inflammation in the digestive tract. According to the National Institutes of Health, “Crohn’s affects your gut and the opening of your intestine. However, the illness will have an effect on any part of your gastrointestinal tract.” This disease can lead to ulcers, abscesses, fistulas, malnutrition and more. In addition to being painful and debilitating, the condition can lead to life-threatening complications.  National Health Effect 2.7%

Psychotic Disorders – People with psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia and delusional disorder, often have trouble maintaining a sense of reality. These disorders can have a significant detrimental effect on a patient’s quality of life.

National Health Effect t 2.9%

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – A chronic inflammatory lung disease, COPD causes airflow from the lungs to be obstructed. The primary cause of COPD is cigarette smoking.

National Health Effect 3.3%

Excessive Alcohol Use Disorder – The National Institutes of Health define alcohol use disorder as a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not consuming.  Very high blood alcohol levels may result in coma or death, and withdrawal from alcohol can cause hallucinations or even seizures.

National Health Effect 3.3%

Substance Abuse Disorder – Also known as a drug use disorder, a substance use disorder involves an overuse of, or dependence on, a medication or toxin. Addiction will cause serious mental and physical injury, overdose and even death.

National Health Effect 3.4%

Type 2 Diabetes – In people with diabetes, blood sugar levels rise higher than normal. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, is generally caused by obesity and lack of physical activity in about 90% of cases in the U.S.

National Health Effect 5.5%.

Coronary Artery Disease – High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes can all damage or injure the inner layer of the arteries. Over time, the damage can worsen and become coronary artery disease, putting you at much higher risk of heart attack.

National Health Effect 7%

Elevated/High Cholesterol – When levels of cholesterol are too high, fatty deposits can begin to build up in blood vessels and arteries, restricting blood flow. High cholesterol can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.  It can be hereditary or from the result of unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices,

National Health Effect 8.6%

Chronic Depression – is a mental illness characterized by a constant sense of hopelessness and despair, making it difficult to work, sleep or eat. The condition which frequently goes undiagnosed or untreated, affects adults, teens and even children.

National Health Effect 9%

Hypertension – This disease has the highest effect on the nation’s overall health and well-being.  Hypertension occurs when the force against the artery walls is too high, which can cause heart attack or stroke.   It is often related to advanced age, obesity, smoking and stress.  More commonly known as high blood pressure, hypertension is “a common disease in which blood flows through blood vessels, or arteries, at higher than normal pressures,” according to the National Institutes of Health. Hypertension is additionally called the silent killer as a result of it having no early vital symptoms however; it creates an additional load on the heart and blood vessels.

National Health Effect 12.5%.

Concerning the elderly

Senior patient consulting with her doctor

The conditions mentioned thus far affect the general population in the US.  However, in addition to these conditions, there are specific conditions that affect the elderly.  Some of these are repetitive but can affect the elderly differently.

Successful Aging

Successful aging is defined as maximizing your potential and minimizing the negative effects of getting older (i.e. the weakening of mental and physical abilities).

Genetics is for certain one key to successful aging. If one’s parents and grandparents have lived long and healthy lives, the odds are one can expect the same.  But, there’s a lot more to aging successfully than solely genetics. Eating right and physical exercise, making sure you get regular check-ups and screenings, and focusing on preventive care are very important to how well one ages.

Again, prevention is better than cure.  As I mentioned and it is important to know what the health concerns are in order to take action to prevent them. Even if you’re not elderly, it pays to know your enemies well in order to head them off.  You can also pass this information to an elderly relative or friend.

Physical Activity and Nutrition – Research and analysis indicates that staying physically active will faciliate prevention or delay certain diseases, including some cancers, heart disease and diabetes, and also relieve depression and improve mood. Limited physical often accompanies advancing age, but it doesn’t have to. Check with your local churches or synagogues, senior centers for exercise and walking programs. Like exercise, eating habits are often not good if one lives and eats alone. It’s important for victorious aging to eat foods plentiful in nutrients and avoid the empty calories in candy and sweets.

Excessive weight and Obesity – Being overweight or obese increases the chances of dying from  a host of illnesses.  hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, gallbladder illness, arthritis, sleep disorder, breathing  issues, dyslipidemia and mucus membrane, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. In my article https://universal-health-products.com/all-about-obesity contains detailed information on obesity.

*Substance Abuse – Substance abuse usually applies to drugs and alcohol. These are two areas that aren’t often associate with seniors, but seniors, like younger people, may self-medicate using legal and illegal drugs as well as alcohol, which can lead to serious health consequences. In addition, seniors may purposely or unwittingly mix their medications and use alcohol. Because of the stereotypes regarding senior citizens, many medical people fail to ask seniors about possible substance abuse.

Tobacco – There isn’t too much to say about this one except, tobacco is the single greatest preventable cause of illness and premature death in the U.S.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that smokers who attempt to quit are a lot more victorious once they have the support of their doctor.

HIV/AIDS – This one shocks the average citizen.  However, believe it or not, between 11 and 15% of U.S. AIDS cases occur in seniors over age 50. Between 1991 and 1996, AIDS in adults over 50 rose more than twice as fast as in younger adults. Why?  Seniors are unlikely to use condoms, have immune systems that naturally weaken with age, and HIV symptoms (i.e. fatigue, weight loss, dementia, skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes) are similar to symptoms that can accompany advanced age. Again, stereotypes concerning aging in terms of sexual issues and drug use keep this dilemma largely unrecognized. That’s why seniors aren’t well recognized in analysis, clinical drug trials, prevention programs and efforts at intervention.  Needless to say, this needs to change.

Mental Health – Dementia is not part of aging exclusively.  Dementia can also be caused by illness, reactions to medications, vision and hearing problems, infections, nutritional imbalances, diabetes, and renal failure. There are several varieties of dementedness (including Alzheimer’s Disease) and a few maybe temporary. With accurate diagnosis, management and help are necessary. The most common late-in-life mental state condition is depression. If left untreated, depression within the aged could result in suicide. Here’s a shocking fact: The percentage of suicide is higher for senior white men than for all other age groups, including adolescents.

Injury and violence – Among seniors, falls are the principal cause of impairment, hospital admissions for injuries, and deaths due to those injuries. One in each three (3) seniors (age sixty-five and older) do fall annually. Strategies to scale back injury embody exercises to boost balance and strength and medicine review. Preventing injuries can help reduce the occurrence of injury. Home security is necessary to prevent intrusion. Home-based fire deterrent devices ought to be in place and simple to use. People aged sixty-five and older are doubly as probably to die during a home fire as the general population.

Immunization – the flu and respiratory illness, mainly pneumonia, and are among the highest 10 causes of death for older adults. Emphasis on Influenza vaccination for seniors has helped. Pneumonia remains one amongst the foremost serious infections, especially among women and the very old.

Because nearly forty percent (40%) of all deaths in America are often attributed to smoking, poor exercise habits, inadequate diet, and alcohol misuse, it’s pretty easy to see how we can add years to our lives. Don’t smoke, exercise, eat healthy food and moderate or eliminate any alcohol consumption. Clearly, healthy behavior decisions are one prescription for victorious aging.

The purpose of this article is to bring awareness of the broad picture of health concerns for the general population and seniors alike and encourage a sense of prevention.  Proper diet, exercise, and rest all play a part in prevention.

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Please feel free to leave any question or comment you may have below.

Good health!