Atherosclerosis: A disease characterized by the buildup of fatty materials on the inside walls of the arteries.

Blood Pressure: The force that blood exerts against the inside wall of blood vessels.

Cardiovascular Disease: A disease or disorder that results from progressive damage to the blood vessels and heart.

    The earlier you can detect a cardiovascular disease, the greater the chance of reducing damage or danger of the disease. You should get an angiography (dye injected into your coronary arteries to check for blockage), electrocardiogram (most common cardiovascular test), and ultrasound (actual pictures of your heart pumping blood) and have your blood pressure checked regularly.

    To prevent, check your blood pressure and cholesterol, diet (less fat content and salt), do not smoke, exercise regularly, keep your weight at recommended levels, and try to stay stress-free.

    To treat, use angioplasty (a balloon that passes through the veins until it finds a blockage, then expands to dislodge the blockage), diet and exercise, medicines (such as blood pressure medicines and blood thinners), pacemakers (small battery-powered electronic devices that stimulate the heart to contract), surgery (such as bypass surgery), and transplants.

Heart Attack: The damage and loss of function of an area of the heart.

Lifestyle Disease: A disease that is caused partly by unhealthy behaviours and partly by other factors.

Stroke: A sudden attack of paralysis or weakness that occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is interrupted.

Benign Tumor: An abnormal, but usually harmless cell mass.

Cancer: A disease caused by uncontrolled cell growth.

    Cancer can be caused by asbestos (a material that is made to make things fireproof for building supplies and electrical insulation), chemicals (such as arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, and tobacco smoke), radioactivity and ultraviolet radiation (such as the invisible type of energy from the sun and tanning beds), and viruses (such as Human Papilloma Virus).

    To detect cancer use biopsies (a sample of body tissue), blood and DNA tests (checks for high levels of certain materials in the blood), MRIs (use of a magnet that gathers images), self exams, and x-rays (body part images). To prevent cancer do not smoke, eat less fat and more vegetables, get regular medical checkups, limit exposure to the sun, maintain a healthy weight, and stay active. To treat cancer use chemotherapy (destroys cancer cells with drugs), radiation therapy (destroys cancer cells with a beam of radiation), or surgery (removes tumors).

Type of Cancer… Number of Cases Each Year… Number of Deaths Each Year

Breast Cancer… 205,000… 40,000

Cervical… 13,000… 4,100

Colon… 107,300… 48,100

Leukemia… 30,800… 21,700

Lymphoma… 60,900… 25,800

Nervous System… 17,000… 13,100

Ovarian… 23,300… 13,900

Prostate… 189,000… 30,200

Respiratory… 183,200… 161,400

Skin… 58,300… 9,600

Urinary… 90,700… 24,900

Total… 928,500… 392,800 (40%)

Chemotherapy: The use of drugs to kill cancer cells.

Malignant Tumor: A mass of cells that destroy and invade healthy tissue.

Diabetes: A disorder in which cells are unable to obtain glucose from the blood such that high blood glucose levels result.

    Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. It causes dehydration, fatigue, frequent urination, and weight loss. To treat use a diet and occasional insulin.

    Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin. It causes dehydration, fatigue, frequent urination, and weight loss. To treat use a diet and insulin.

    Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin. It causes dehydration, fatigue, frequent urination, and weight loss. To treat use a diet, exercise, and occasional insulin.

    You can prevent diabetes by avoiding tobacco products, exercising regularly, having a clean diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing the amount of stress in your life.

Diabetic Coma: A loss of consciousness that happens when there is a buildup of toxic substances in the blood and too much blood sugar.

Insulin: A hormone that causes cells to remove glucose from the bloodstream.