As you age, you cannot make poor diet choices without serious risk to your health. The type of diet you eat in your teens and 20s will eventually take a toll on your health, if it doesn't provide adequate nutrition. Avoiding ba...
This alga is the largest source of both natural vitamin B complex and beta-carotene. Spirulina is harmless in low doses, but there can be risks or side effects in taking high doses of this supplement.
The medical reference UpToDate lists several possible causes for hyperkalemia, including kidney disease and medications; giving a person with low potassium too much potassium can also cause this problem. There are risks for s...
Unhealthy fast food can be found nearly everywhere in the Western industrialized nations. Often, it is accessible 24 hours a day and available on every corner. However, fast food poses many health risks because it is generally ...
Psoriasis is a chronic disease; however, most patients have intermittent periods where they experience symptoms and then the disease goes into remission. Psoriasis is generally a mild disease but in some cases symptoms can turn...
Tonsillitis is a common disorder that mainly affects children from the age of 5 to 15 years old, according to Dr. Paul Weinberger of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia in Current Diagnosis &a...
McPhee and Maxine Papadakis. Symptoms include joint pain, tenderness and swelling. In addition, it can cause bumps called rheumatoid nodules to form under the skin and in the organs, fatigue, stiffness, weight loss and fevers. ...
The human body needs a variety of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to keep its complex systems functioning smoothly. Poor nutrition can have serious health consequences, including contributing to the development of a rang...
Many women in Europe, Asia and the United States now wait until their 30s to have children. In the United States, 20 percent of women have their first baby in their mid to late 30s, according to the March of Dimes. Although med...
HIV, or the human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that weakens the immune system. It destroys the important cells of the body that fight infection, with symptoms mimicking other viruses like the flu. Over time, HIV makes it ...
Acute gastroenteritis, also called infectious diarrhea, causes watery diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramping. Symptoms last for up to 10 days and usually resolve without treatment, according to the University of Maryland Med...
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting 16 million Americans, reports the Cleveland Clinic. The condition mainly affects the hands, knees, hips and spine and is caused by the deterioration of cartilage su...
Children can also develop alopecia areata. Hair loss normally affects the head or beard, although some people lose all their hair. Around 80 percent of people with alopecia areata recover within a year, but recurrent hair loss ...
People whose immune systems are depressed--such as HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy or severe kidney disease patients--are at higher risk of contracting the disease in general; however, even healthy individuals who travel or live in impo...
Some forms of arthritis can be avoided by reducing risk factors. The condition leads to pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints and surrounding area, but symptoms depend on the type and is a leading cause of disability, acco...
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are among the most common types of arthritis. Certain factors increase one's chances of developing arthritis and its complications.
Conditions that obstruct the flow of urine to the bladder or cause a backflow of urine from the bladder to the kidneys can result in hydronephrosis, which is the swelling of the kidneys because of the buildup of urine. Although...
Women who give birth at or after the age of 35 are classified as advanced maternal age by obstetricians. This label is given because the age of 35 is when many risk factors increase regarding the health of both the mother and t...
Your diet plays a key role in either reducing or increasing your risk factors for certain health conditions. Careful attention to your diet can also reduce your dependence on prescription medications for conditions, such as hig...
The virus that causes AIDS, human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, destroys the body's immune system, compromising an individual's ability to fight disease. HIV is transmitted through body fluids, such as semen, blood or vaginal...
Cardiovascular disease is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a term that refers to conditions involving narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to chest pain or a heart attack. The risk of developing coronary heart disease, ...
There are eight major risk factors of coronary artery disease, which is the number one cause of death in the United States. Some risk factors are nonmodifiable, such as gender, age and family history, while others can be modifi...
In many cases, the factors that increase risk of heart disease such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and smoking can be managed to prevent or lower the chance of developing a hea...
Once the virus infects the bloodstream, it remains in the body and can cause periodic outbreaks of blistering sores on the mouth and face or genital area throughout the host's lifetime. Although anyone is susceptible to the her...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 percent of children in the U.S. between the ages of 5 and 17 are diagnosed with the disorder. Several risk factors have been linked to the development of ADHD, inc...
Commonly caused by bacteria entering the bladder through the urinary tract, cystitis is associated with a number of additional dietary, medical and age-related risk factors among both men and women.
Nonetheless, people with certain diseases or a history of particular medical procedures may be at increased risk of developing the condition.
While transient hyperbilirubinemia is especially common among newborns who are breast feeding, the condition can be chronic, flaring up and remitting across a lifespan. Those who inherit or develop certain types of infections o...
Like the disorder itself, the causes of alcoholism are complex and often involve interplay between two or more risk factors, such as family history of alcoholism and early drinking. Understanding the risk factors for alcoholi...
BMI measures an individual's weight in relation to height to determine health status. Health professionals use BMI to categorize a person's risk for developing specific diseases. A BMI over 25 is considered overweight and over ...
Arthritis is a chronic and sometimes disabling disease. There are over 100 forms of arthritis that can affect any area in the body. Some forms have risk factors that cannot be controlled while others have risk factors that can ...
Hepatitis C is transmitted from person to person through contact with blood infected by HCV. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 3.2 million Americans have hepatitis C. Certain risk factors that increas...
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society reports that many of these childhood cancers have a survival rate as high as 90 percent. It is often hard to understand why certain children develop leukemia while others do not. Risk factors h...
MRSA, or methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, is an staph infection that is resistant to common antibiotics that are used to treat infections. The Mayo Clinic reports that one-third of the population has staph bacteria ...
1 cause of death in the United States. Many things can be done to lower the risk of contracting heart disease, such as a healthy diet and exercise program, but a few of the risk factors are non-modifiable.
Osteoporosis is when the bones become thin and weak, making them more likely to sustain some type of fracture. When someone has osteoporosis, they are particularly vulnerable to the serious consequences of spinal and hip fractu...
Although there is no cure, asthma symptoms can be managed through knowing the warning signs, avoiding triggers and taking medications. The exact cause of asthma is not known, but there are several factors that increase the risk...
It is most often due to Alzheimer's disease, vascular disease and Parkinson's disease. The single most important risk factor for dementia is increasing age.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, as many as 20,000 Americans have ALS. The cause of the vast majority of cases of ALS is unknown, and only a few risk factors have been identified.
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a spore-forming bacillus that produces two toxins capable of causing inflammation of the colon and colitis. The symptoms of C. difficile are mild to severe abdominal pain and watery diarr...
This abnormality can be mild and never require treatment, or it can be severe and cause disability. There is no exact known cause of scoliosis. Like many conditions, the earlier it is diagnosed and treatment is started the bett...
Heartburn can occur on its own or be a warning sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Occasional periods of heartburn are not usually a cause for concern, but chronic heartburn needs treatment to avoid damage to the bo...
There are many lifestyle choices that can be made to prevent this bone disease. While you can not control all of the factors for developing osteoporosis, there are effective methods for reducing risks.
The American Heart Association says that coronary heart disease, which causes heart attacks, remains the leading cause of death in women. Several risk factors help determine a woman's likelihood of developing heart disease or h...
This is especially true when considering that individuals who eat high-fat diets, smoke and don't exercise are at higher risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct (vascular) dementia or possibly both. Other risk fa...
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the top five leading causes of death in 2006 in the United States were heart disease, cancer, stroke, lower respiratory disease, and accidents. When looking at the actual causes of...
Tuberculosis, or TB, is a disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a communicable disease that affects the lungs; however, it can affect other parts of the body. A person can be exposed to TB and have latent TB, whic...
It occurs when the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs becomes inflamed. Acute forms of bronchitis often get better on their own, but chronic bronchitis is a serious medical condition. In order to prevent getting eith...
The Mayo Clinic states that approximately 39.5 million people worldwide currently live with HIV. To avoid contracting HIV and adding to the number of persons living with HIV, you must first educate yourself about the disease an...
According to Medline Plus, RA is an autoimmune disease in which arthritis results from your immune system attacking your body's own tissues. The Arthritis Foundation states that 1.3 million Americans are affected with RA. While...
There is nothing pleasant about depression, and no one wants to ever have to experience it. Though depression can affect anyone, there are certain risk factors that make some people more likely to experience it.
There are no laboratory tests that can confirm a diagnosis, and some patients can go for years not knowing what is causing their symptoms. In order to help diagnose this condition, your doctor can perform a physical exam, revie...
It is a disease that causes bone loss that can lead to fractures, falls and other complications, including surgery, for many people. While there are some risk factors that you cannot change, there are several that you can cont...
The good news is that asthma can be managed. Learning to avoid your personal triggers, making healthy lifestyle choices and taking medication can all help you to remain active. Why some people get asthma and others do not is no...
Anyone can become infected with HIV/AIDS. There are many ways to contract HIV/AIDS. However, if you are aware of what the risk factors for HIV/AIDS are, you can decrease the odds of contracting this disease. One can be expos...
This includes cholesterol and triglycerides. This condition increases your chances of developing atherosclerosis, a hardening and narrowing of your arteries. Hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis can increase your risk of having a...
Skin becomes irritated for many reasons. Heredity, environmental factors, exposure to allergens or irritants are some of the factors to consider. Some irritations may be mild and easily treatable at home but if your symptoms ...
Depression is a serious health condition that is estimated to affect millions of people each year. The condition affects the person who is suffering and also family members, friends and employers. Effective treatments are avai...
Depression can be caused by a variety of reasons and can happen to anyone. But there are some risk factors that can help you understand your moods if depression is triggered. Feelings of sadness or hopelessness that don't seem ...
While it is possible for anyone who does not drink in moderation to become an alcoholic, there are certain risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing alcoholism. People with several risk factors should consult ...
Treatment for angina includes rest and a nitroglycerin tablet that dissolves under the tongue. Stable angina, unstable angina and variant angina are the three possible types of angina. All types of angina share the same risk fa...
When the level of CD4 cells falls below 200, or 14 percent, according to Aids.org, the HIV infection officially becomes AIDS. AIDS is a completely preventable disease that most commonly affects those with certain risk factors.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that is caused by the body's immune system attacking the lining of the joints, resulting in inflammation, pain, stiffness and loss of function. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect anyon...
BMI, or Body Mass Index, is an estimate of body fat that is used to help screen for possible health risks. Extra weight, even as little as 20 lbs., can increase your risk for many conditions. Some of the most noted are high blo...
Hepatitis C is highly contagious and is passed from one person to another through contact with infected blood; therefore, those exposed to blood products are at the highest risk.
He suffers from delusional thinking and auditory hallucinations of "voices" speaking to him. It is a chronic, permanent disorder that begins from late childhood through the 40s. Most cases develop in the late teens or 20s. Risk...
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, also referred to as OHSS, is a condition caused by taking certain fertility medications, such as gonadotropins, that stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs. OHSS occurs when medications oversti...
According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimates that there are 68,720 new cases of melanoma diagnosed every year. Melanoma is a type of c...
Its main function is to secrete seminal fluid and regulate urine flow. Over the course of time, the prostate gland can become victimized by cancer. According to 2009 statistics from the American Cancer Society, one in six men w...
According to the Women's Therapy Center, “the vulvar vestibule is that area of the female vulva (genitals) that is within the inner lips (labia minora), where the entrance to the urethra (the tube that leads to the bladde...
Gout is a form of arthritis, affecting mostly males. In the book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," gout is defined as a "sudden onset of extreme pain and swelling of a large joint, usually a big toe." The typical onset ag...
The affected area often becomes swollen and painful to the touch. The attack can last for hours or weeks, depending on the level of accumulated uric acid, and can return if left untreated. Gender is one possible risk factor, ev...
One of the best ways to stop the progress of glaucoma is detecting the disease as early as possible. Understanding the risk factors for glaucoma can help you to stop the progression of the disease by seeking regular vision ca...
This is considered an infectious disease because it can be transmitted from one person to another through contaminated blood and tissue products, needles and sexual contact. Understanding the risk factors for hepatitis C can h...
Epileptic seizures are most commonly caused by brain injury or a family history of them. A majority of the time, however, there is no root cause for why someone has an epileptic seizure. There are, however, risk factors that pl...
When the arterial walls are rigid, the heart has to work harder to distribute blood to the body. Arteriosclerosis is often regarded as a natural result of the aging process but there are a number of things you can do to lessen ...