Understanding Leading Causes of Death and Treatments
Leading Causes of Death
Cardiovascular Diseases
Chronic Diseases
Cancer
Contagious Diseases
Injuries
Treatment of Obesity
Good food, more fruits and healthy fats, good hydration, and as a last resort, liposuction.
Cholesterol
Bad cholesterol accumulates on artery walls.
Good cholesterol does not accumulate on the artery walls, but is carried to the liver.
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
The heart (myocardium) can suffer if blood flow is disrupted. A total blockage causes a myocardial infarction, and angina pectoris is a partial blockage with severe pain.
This occurs because thrombi are created, accumulating fat in the artery walls.
Thrombosis is the process by which blood does not flow well in the veins.
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the branch of medicine that studies the distribution and causes of disease and is the basis of preventive medicine.
Arterial Pressure Measurement
Blood pressure is measured with a sphygmomanometer, which measures the pressure exerted by blood on the artery walls and gives two values:
- Systolic pressure (maximum pressure): The maximum pressure on the artery wall when the heart contracts and pushes blood to the body.
- Diastolic pressure (minimum pressure): The minimum pressure on the artery wall when the heart is relaxed.
Blood Tests
A blood test involves taking a small sample of blood, usually from a vein in the elbow. Different types of blood tests provide different information:
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): Counts of different cell types (red blood cells and white blood cells).
- Coagulation study: Measures the time it takes for blood to clot (platelets).
- Biochemistry: Assesses the level of certain molecules in blood plasma (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, glucose).
Ultrasound
Ultrasound waves bounce off organs and are picked up by an ultrasound machine, which analyzes them and reconstructs an image of those organs.
Endoscopy
Endoscopy is a method of direct visual examination of the body’s natural cavities using an endoscope, a long, thin, flexible tube with a camera and lamp on the end, connected to a television. It allows for video recording, photos, and tissue samples.
Balanced Diet
A balanced diet provides all types of nutrients in adequate amounts to maintain our organs in good condition and maintain a healthy weight.
Beware of Fats
A balanced diet consists of approximately 55% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, and 15% lipids.
Fats are high in energy; 1g of fat provides double the energy of 1g of carbohydrate or protein.
Saturated fat increases LDL cholesterol concentration in the blood (found in industrial pastries, junk food, animal fats, and palm oil).
Unsaturated fats are healthier, although excess can promote obesity (found in nuts, oily fish, olive oil, and vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, and soybean).
Functional Foods
Functional foods are enriched during industrial processing with some natural component, such as:
- Vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and special fatty acids: Found naturally in foods, and if the diet is balanced, it is not necessary to add them in other ways.
- Probiotic bacteria: Aid in the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
- Other components, such as phytosterols, compete with cholesterol in intestinal absorption. These are added to certain foods in quantities much greater than we consume naturally (only recommended for those with high cholesterol and with caution).
Different Food Roles
- Plastic: Used to build and repair body tissues.
- Energy: Provide energy for muscle work and maintaining body temperature.
- Regulatory: Enable normal bodily processes.
Obesity
Obesity is the excessive accumulation of body fat caused by excessive intake of energy-dense foods combined with a sedentary lifestyle.
Body Mass Index (BMI) = weight (kg) / height squared (m2)
Risks of cerebrovascular accidents increase if excess fat is concentrated around the waist and stomach (central obesity).