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Risk factors are conditions that increase the chance of developing hypertension. Some of these risk factors can be changed to reduce the risk of developing hypertension or to lower blood pressure:.
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Starting at what is commonly called middle age, operations of the human body begin to be more vulnerable to daily wear and tear; there is a general decline in physical, and possibly mental, functioning. In the Western countries, the length of life...
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In general, only about three percent of the elderly living independently in the community will experience depression. That figure increases to around 20 to 30 percent of persons in nursing homes or with chronic illnesses like emphysema, heart disease or diabetes.
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The aged" refers to elderly people, those who have reached an advanced age.The concept of aging and the aged has changed, as record numbers of people around the world are living longer, a trend expected to continue throughout the twenty-first cent...
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Through the daily grapevine of popular culture, we get the message over and over that young is better than old. But new research contradicts these age-old stereotypes. Indeed, studies suggest that the older you get, the happier you become.
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Starting at what is commonly called middle age, operations of the human body become more vulnerable to daily wear and tear. There is a general decline in physical, and possibly mental, functioning.
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You can't turn back the clock, but you can slow down the aging processes often associated with getting older.
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This term is used by demographers when referring to an increase over time in the proportion of older persons in the population. It does not necessarily imply an increase in life expectancy, that"people are living longer that they used to," or that...
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Discusses what we can do, if anything, to put ourselves in the category of those who live to advanced ages.
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Consider this fact: More than half the people who ever lived to be 65 are alive today. That alone suggests that myths about aging based on past generations may not hold true for this one. Let's look at 10 of those myths, and see what experts have to say about them.
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Art, music, and other challenging activities may play a role in keeping the mind alert, even for those affected by dementia.
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Not only do baby boomers expect to live into their 80s or 90s, but they are expecting to be independent, one expert says.
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Beyond giving you energy to conquer a multitasking day, your diet can help slow the tick-tock of the biological clock that governs the aging process.
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No need to search for a secret formula to erase the effects of getting older. You already have the power to keep yourself feeling young for years.
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This report helps you avoid common health woes, such as heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and sight and hearing disorders.
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This report can help you preserve your independence and remain in your home in your later years. Includes information on financial and legal planning, finding and working with a caregiver, and useful home modifications.
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A practical guide to the causes of memory loss and the steps you can take to improve your ability to learn and remember for a lifetime.
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This report takes a view of the whole woman and helps her choose the most practical strategies for making her midlife transition.
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New research indicates that-while not exactly a fountain of youth-exercise can reverse some of the physiological signs of aging and reduce overall disease and mortality.
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Like the rest of your body, your eyes naturally change throughout your life. These changes occur gradually and become apparent in later years, as the structures in and around your eyes become less efficient. For most people, the first sign is presbyopia, deterioration of close-up vision. Luckily, this problem can be treated with reading glasses or bifocals.
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Learn how to put together a caregiving plan, draw on useful services, and address legal, medical, and financial planning issues. Also, find advice on involving family members, handling daily tasks, and maintaining your well being.
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Aimed at older adults, this report provides practical advice on how to avoid common and often deadly accidents at home.
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This report describes causes and treatments for the most common age-related skin problems. It also reviews the newest and most effective cosmetic treatments, including anti-aging creams, laser procedures, Botox injections, and surgeries.
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This report details how physical changes that occur as you age can affect your sexuality.It includes information on the therapies and medications that can help you overcome sexual problems.
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While regular physical activity is a cornerstone of wellness at any age, it's during your 30s, 40s and 50s that exercise becomes especially important.
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It's never easy to ponder death, whether you're facing the demise of a loved one or the end of your own life. But taking some time to think and plan ahead for those final hours or days can be a future blessing for your family and others close to you. Most people want a say in all life's important decisions. The same should be true regarding decisions surrounding death, such as what kind of medical treatment you receive. But what if you're unable to make your decisions or wishes known? Say, for example, you are unconscious and can't speak or hear. Unless you have spoken with your loved ones and taken certain legal actions, there may be confusion and stress over what those decisions will be and who can make them for you.
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Physical removal of age spots can be costly and painful. Topical treatments take time to work, but are generally safe, cost less than removal procedures, and are easier on the skin.
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Risk factors are things that make you more likely to have a disease or condition. Do you know your risk factors for high blood pressure?
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Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
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Detailed information on starting an exercise program to lower your risk of heart disease
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Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual''s ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.The branch of medicine that deals with the study and treatment...
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Obesity is a term used to describe body weight that is much greater than what is considered healthy. If you are obese, you have a much higher amount of body fat than lean muscle mass.Adults with a body mass index(BMI) greater than 25 but less than...
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity causes, obesity health effects, obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, maintaining weight loss, and obesity prevention
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Obesity is the condition of having an excessive accumulation of fat in the body, resulting in a body weight more than 20% above the average for height, age, sex, and body type, and in elevated risk of disability, illness, and death.The human body ...
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity facts, obesity causes, and obesity health effects
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Weighing too much is harmful, but the location of those extra pounds can worsen the risk.
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity facts, obesity causes, and obesity health effects
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity facts, obesity causes, and obesity health effects
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Detailed information on obesity, including cause, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
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We've all heard warnings, yet many of us keep gaining weight. More than half of American adults are overweight or obese, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Obesity, defined as a body mass index of 30 or greater, is an epidemic in the United States and other industrialized nations, and it is rapidly becoming one in developing nations. As countries transition to westernized lifestyles, obesity tends to...
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Detailed information on obesity prevention strategies during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity causes, obesity health effects, obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, maintaining weight loss, and obesity prevention
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity causes, obesity health effects, obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, maintaining weight loss, and obesity prevention
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Detailed information on obesity prevention strategies during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity facts, obesity causes, and obesity health effects
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With childhood obesity on the rise, should parents worry about the weight of their babies?
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obesity increases the risk for illness from 30 serious medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and several types of cancer.
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Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual''s ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.Obesity is defined by both the U.S.
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As your body mass index goes up, so does your risk for health problems. Your blood pressure goes up and so do your cholesterol levels.
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Detailed information on obesity prevention strategies during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood
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Detailed information on obesity prevention strategies during infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood
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Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual''s ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.Obesity traditionally has been defined as a weight at least 20...
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The analysis of more than 15,000 young people in the United States found about a third of the cases of depression and obesity among those teens could be attributed to being from families with low incomes.
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There is growing evidence that obesity increases a man's risk of developing prostate cancer. The reasons are still unclear, but obesity affects hormone production, which could in turn be influencing cancer growth.
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, obesity gastric bypass (malabsorptive) surgery, and obesity gastric stapling (restrictive) surgery
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, and obesity surgical treatment
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Detailed information on obesity, including obesity causes, obesity health effects, obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, maintaining weight loss, and obesity prevention
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, obesity gastric bypass (malabsorptive) surgery, and obesity gastric stapling (restrictive) surgery
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, and obesity surgical treatment
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, obesity gastric bypass (malabsorptive) surgery, and obesity gastric stapling (restrictive) surgery
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, and obesity surgical treatment
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, obesity surgical treatment, obesity gastric bypass (malabsorptive) surgery, and obesity gastric stapling (restrictive) surgery
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Detailed information on obesity treatment, including obesity medical treatment, and obesity surgical treatment
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Term describing a condition where the ratio of body fat to total body mass is higher than accepted norms.The percent of U.S. children who are overweight is estimated to be between 20-30%, but there is no firm definition of obesity for children and...
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Extreme obesity plagues more than a million teens and young adults, experts estimate. What's a parent to do?
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Detailed information on weight and weight control, including healthy tips for maintaining your weight
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Detailed information on obesity medical treatment, including obesity prescription medications and supplements, obesity behavioral strategies, and psychotherapy for eating disorders
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Detailed information on obesity medical treatment, including obesity prescription medications and supplements, obesity behavioral strategies, and psychotherapy for eating disorders
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Detailed information on obesity medical treatment, including obesity prescription medications and supplements, obesity behavioral strategies, and psychotherapy for eating disorders
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Detailed information on obesity medical treatment, including obesity prescription medications and supplements, obesity behavioral strategies, and psychotherapy for eating disorders
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Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20 percent or more over an individual''s ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.The branch of medicine that deals with the study and tr...
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Bariatric surgery, which helps extremely obese people lose weight by reducing the size of the stomach and intestines, carries a higher risk of death than previously believed, new research shows. Three studies, published October 19 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found death rates of 3% to 5% for middle-aged adults and more than twice that high for patients 65 to 74, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Among patients 75 or older, 40% of the women and half of the men died, the AP story said.
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Exploring the causes and consequences of America's growing epidemic of obesity.Obesity is not a new problem. Forty years ago, 4 of every 10 Americans were overweight or obese. But obesity is a growing problem, and it's growing quickly; today, two of every three Americans need to lose weight. In the 1960s, obesity was an epidemic; today, it's a pandemic.
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Detailed information on obesity surgical treatment, including gastric bypass surgery, and gastric stapling surgery
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Detailed information on obesity surgical treatment, including gastric bypass surgery, and gastric stapling surgery
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Detailed information on obesity surgical treatment, including gastric bypass surgery, and gastric stapling surgery
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Detailed information on obesity surgical treatment, including gastric bypass surgery, and gastric stapling surgery
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More than 19 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, and millions more have a condition that puts them at high risk for developing it.
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What is responsible for obesity, how to treat it.At one time it was commonly believed that overweight and obese people were compulsive eaters, anxious, depressed, under stress, or trying to compensate for inadequate upbringing, family conflict, or other deficiencies in their lives. But since then, when almost everyone seems to be getting heavier and obesity has become a national political issue, both experts and the public are turning away from the idea that weight gain is a personal emotional problem. Instead the trend toward obesity has become a subject for biologists and sociologists, regarded as the physical consequence of a general social condition. It's become less clear what role psychotherapists and other mental health professionals should play in managing the problem.
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The American Diabetes Association estimates at least 20.1 million people in the United States have pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes means having a blood sugar level that is higher than normal, but not yet persistently high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. By taking steps to control your blood sugar, you can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes from developing.
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A study claims that obese people are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, but the findings do not prove that the conditions are causally related to each other.
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The prevalence and consequences of obesity and how to treat it; explanation of BMI and waist-to-hip ratio.
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Detailed information on maintaining weight loss, including weight loss benefits, weight loss maintenance strategies, and weight cycling
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Detailed information on maintaining weight loss, including weight loss benefits, weight loss maintenance strategies, and weight cycling
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Detailed information on maintaining weight loss, including weight loss benefits, weight loss maintenance strategies, and weight cycling
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Detailed information on maintaining weight loss, including weight loss benefits, weight loss maintenance strategies, and weight cycling
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America is more overweight and out of shape than ever. The result? Soaring medical costs and lost productivity. The U.S. government is working to change that with "Healthy People 2010," its latest effort to show us that national health demands personal health. The drive includes 10 "leading health indicators," modeled after our leading economic indicators.
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Portion sizes are bigger today, and that increase has contributed to the growing numbers of overweight or obese Americans.
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The fact is, you might not care as much about looks as your wife does, but that fat around your abdomen is no laughing matter. A man's potbelly often warns of later problems ranging from heart disease to cancer, diabetes, arthritis, back pain and sleep apnea.
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Each overweight or obese American spends $700 more a year on medical bills than trim neighbors, one expert says.
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With two out of three Americans overweight or obese, it's become a community problem. The solution requires cooperation from public and private institutions.
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Obesity has become a public health crisis in the United States, in part, because Americans are consuming more calories than they did 30 years ago. A large part of that increase in consumption can be pinned on a greater use of foods prepared away from home -- those ready-to-eat items available at restaurants, grocery store food counters and fast-food eateries.
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Children whose parents are overweight or obese are at higher risk for becoming obese themselves, studies have shown.
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Obesity is the most common health problem facing children, child health experts say. More than 30 percent of children and teens are overweight, and 15 percent are obese.
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True or false? Most overweight people got that way because they're self-indulgent weaklings without the will power to say no to super-sized french fries and fudge-slathered ice cream.
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We've all heard warnings, yet many of us keep gaining weight. More than half of American adults are overweight or obese, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Many obese adults don't believe they are obese. A small survey (104 adults ages 45 to 64 were polled) found that 71% of normal-weight people placed themselves in the correct weight category, as did 73% of overweight people. However, only 15% of obese people identified themselves as obese. The Associated Press reported April 9 on the survey, done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, an adult who is 5 feet 10 inches tall is overweight at 174 pounds and obese at 209 pounds.
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Experts in one study say the study shows the limitations of the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of obesity, especially because it doesn't account for weight that is muscle rather than fat. A study of 90,000 U.S. women, described in the second article, says the risk of death jumps sharply for extremely obese women -- those at least 90 pounds overweight.
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The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is warning that obesity during pregnancy increases the risk of several complications, including high blood pressure, a serious condition called preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The ACOG opinion, published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, says obese women also are more likely to miscarry, to need a Caesarean section, and to have excessive bleeding and infection after a Caesarean section. Babies of obese women are more likely to be stillborn, be born prematurely and have spinal cord abnormalities called neural tube defects. The risks affect women with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30, and are even higher for women with a BMI of more than 30.
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Experts are challenging a recent, widely reported study that suggested being overweight is not associated with early mortality.
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I am 19 years old and weigh 300 pounds. I have tried diets and they don't work. I have had a physical and am healthy except for my weight. I would like to have stomach banding surgery done. Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
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Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress.
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Question: What are the negative effects of smoking?Answer: Smokers have an increased risk of the following:Lung cancerLung diseaseHeart attackHeart diseaseHypertensionStrokeOral cancerBladder cancerPancreatic cancerCervical cancerPregnancy complic...
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When you smoke, toxins are carried by your blood to every organ in your body. At the same time, the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke keeps red blood cells from carrying as much oxygen as normal.
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Adolescent smoking has risen steadily throughout the 1990s, following a sharp decline in the 1970s that leveled off in the 1980s. A 1994 report by the office of the U.S.
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Right away, you may cough, wheeze, and have a sore throat—that's the tar clogging up your lungs. You may also have a headache, feel dizzy, and be nauseated—that's the nicotine in your brain. Over time, you risk lung and throat cancer, and lung diseases like emphysema and bronchitis.
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Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress.
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Ex-smokers' risk of heart disease may eventually approach that of a lifetime nonsmoker, but their risk of lung cancer is less likely to fade, even after long periods of time.
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Hear the facts about smoking from those who have been doing it for a few years. Find a smoker or two. Ask a few questions. See if their answers sound something like these.
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Smoking during pregnancy reduces oxygen and blood flow to your baby. This may cause bleeding problems that can put your pregnancy at risk.
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Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco that is used mostly in three forms: cigarettes, pipes, and cigars.Casual smoking is the act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to relieve stress. A smoking habit...
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Detailed information on respiratory diseases and smoking, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer
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When you are trying to quit, the support of friends, coworkers and family members can make a big difference.
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One of the major triggers for asthma attacks is cigarette smoke. Cigarette, pipe, or cigar smoke is especially harmful to people with asthma because it damages the cells in the lungs that make the protective coating lining the bronchial tubes.
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Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to keep your heart disease from getting worse. Smoking reduces oxygen flow to your heart, speeds plaque buildup, and increases your risk for heart attack.
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Life may seem out of control, but you're really making progress. You're going through withdrawal, which is how your body recovers from smoking.
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Everybody knows smoking is bad for your health. Now here's something you may not know: Smoking is bad for your looks. It's true.
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The most common reasons include: "Smoking gives me more energy. I smoke to keep from slowing down. I reach for a cigarette when I need a lift. When I'm tired, smoking perks me up."
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Do you have healthy gums? You may kiss them goodbye if you're a smoker.
Do you have healthy gums? You may kiss them goodbye if you're a smoker, the American Dental Association (ADA) says.
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Detailed information on teens and smoking Diseases caused by smoking kill more than 437,900 people in the United States each year; around 35 percent of these deaths were cardiovascular related. Even with anti-smoking campaigns and medical disclaimers in place, many people continue to smoke or start smoking every year. According to the American Cancer Society, 90 percent of new smokers are children and teenagers, in many cases, replacing the smokers who quit or died prematurely from a smoking-related disease.
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Smoking damages your arteries, and it's thought that the damaged arteries in the discs and joints in your back may lead to pain and injury.
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Teens who smoke are more likely to quit if they can be convinced to participate in a cessation program that emphasizes the health risks of smoking, provides motivational encouragement and coping skills, and encourages a healthy overall lifestyle.
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For most people, the best way to quit smoking is some combination of medicine, a method to change personal habits and emotional support.
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Smoking is an important and preventable cause of death and illness. However, as more money has been spent on smoking cessation programs, the incidence of cigarette smoking has risen.
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Every day, nearly 6,000 teens and pre-teens try cigarettes for the first time, according to the American Lung Association. A third of these first-timers will end up becoming smokers.
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When people consider the cost of smoking, they usually focus on the cost of the cigarettes alone. But that's only the first step.
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Among other things, keep a personal benefits log. Write down the benefits you experience from being smoke-free (for example, I can smell flowers again!) Write the specific occurrence, the date it first happened, and your reaction.
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A smoker's recovery plan includes listing those activities that you have chosen to help reduce the pressures of nicotine withdrawal and staying smoke-free.
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The personal motivation list will help you identify the benefits of quitting, for you, for your family, and for your friends.
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I know that smoking is very bad for me. I've cut down to one cigarette after lunch and another after dinner each day, with two or three more on most weekend nights when I socialize. I really enjoy smoking, but I want to know if I'm harming myself.
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Large amounts of alcohol can result in depression of the various body systems, resulting in coma or death. The immediate physical effects of alcohol depend on the amount and frequency of drinking, while the mental and emotional effects are influen...
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This report includes information on recognizing the symptoms of problem drinking, treatment techniques, coping with a loved one's drinking, and overcoming denial.
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Alcoholism is defined as alcohol seeking and consumption behavior that is harmful. Long-term and uncontrollable harmful consumption can cause alcohol-related disorders that include: antisocial personality disorder, mood disorders(bipolar and major...
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It's important to understand how alcohol and drugs can affect your health and well being.
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Besides having trouble with school and relationships, teenagers taking drugs may display emotional extremes with irritability, anger and changes in sleep patterns.
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Excessive drinking can cause potentially fatal conditions, not only high blood pressure, but also damage to the brain, heart or liver; diabetes and stroke.
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Like cancer or heart disease, alcoholism is a primary chronic disease with its own symptoms and causes. The disease is progressive and often fatal if not treated.
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Effective treatment for alcohol dependency is available, but treatment rates among alcohol abusers are low because of lack of awareness and embarrassment.
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Misuse of alcohol can lead to serious consequences. Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism. Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that results in failure to meet work, home or school responsibilities, among other things.
Alcoholism is a disease that includes an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control over drinking, or physical dependence.
Learn more about the effects of abusing alcohol by taking this quiz, based on information from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
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Kidney disease is any disease or disorder that affects the function of the kidneys. This may include:.
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This guide discusses ways to recognize, prevent, and treat the most common types of kidney disease, such as kidney stones, glomerulonephritis, and chronic kidney disease.
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Detailed information on kidney disorders There are many disorders of the kidney that require clinical care by a physician or other healthcare professional. Listed in the directory below are some of the conditions, for which we have provided a brief overview.
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Detailed information on kidney conditions, including kidney function, nephrology, kidney problem causes, kidney disease symptoms, and 1 labeled, full-color anatomical illustration
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Too often, diabetes leads to kidney disease. But it doesn't have to. When kidney problems are caught early, you can take steps to prevent more serious kidney disease.
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Kidney disease is a stealth illness. It may often be silent for many years -- until it has reached an advanced stage.
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"I thought my life was perfect," Sean Elliott says, "and then one day I went to see my doctor and he told me I had a rare form of kidney disease. Suddenly, I realized that I'd have to fight a battle to save my athletic career -- maybe even my life."
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The kidneys may fail due to problems with their blood vessels or filtering units. Such problems may be caused by an illness that affects the whole body. Diabetes and high blood pressure are common examples. Filtering problems may also be caused by illnesses that harm the kidneys directly (glomerulonephritis and polycystic disease). In some cases, problems in the urinary tract may also cause kidney failure.
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Detailed information on urology, the branch of medicine concerned with the urinary tract in both genders, and with the genital tract or reproductive system in the male
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Your kidneys are located near the back of your torso, about even with the lowest ribs. One is on either side of the spine. Their main job is to clean the blood of waste products created when your body burns fuel. But they also perform other tasks. For example, they help regulate the amount of fluid in your body. If you were to drink five quarts of fluid one day and just a pint the next, your kidneys keep your body's water levels in balance despite the vast differences in intake.
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Is there a correlation between kidney disease and loss of memory or ability to concentrate?
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Three common signs of kidney disease are also strong risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.
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