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Showing posts from August, 2023

Number One Killer (Cholesterol)

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 Atherosclerosis If there was someone killing people left and right, we would want them arrested and taken out as quickly as possible, so how come we have ignored the number one murderer currently, atherosclerosis? Introduction Atherosclerosis  is when  the wall of the blood vessels  develops abnormalities leading to  narrowing and hardening of the blood vessels. At the onset, there are usually no symptoms, in some cases, symptoms generally begin around middle age, often presenting as a silent death.  Almost all people are affected to some degree by the age of 65.   It is the number one cause of death  and disability with more than 50% of deaths worldwide. It can result in a heart attack , stroke, kidney failure, and leg amputation depending on which blood vessels are affected. Causes Just like diabetes, obesity is the main risk factor for getting atherosclerosis. The inner lining of the blood vessels especially arteries get damaged and repaired naturally, however, people who are obese

Diabetes, the Life Sentence

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 Diabetes Due to it being a forever preventable punishment, diabetes is much like a life sentence for a crime on your body.  Definition The World Health Organization's definition of diabetes is for a single raised glucose reading with symptoms, otherwise raised values on two occasions, of either:   A fasting plasma glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L.  A  glucose tolerance test , two hours after the oral dose a plasma glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/L.  A random blood sugar of greater than 11.1 mmol/L  in association with typical symptoms. A  glycated hemoglobin   (HbA 1c ) of ≥ 48 mmol/mol. . World Health Organization defines prediabetes as a fasting glucose range of 6.1-6.9 mmol/L.  There are two main of diabetes:  Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the loss of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency. This type is often caused by the immune system attacking the body. Normally discovered at a young age, though can be discovered later.  Type 2 diabetes is characterized by