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Showing posts from August, 2020

The Negative Effects of Smoking and how to Quit

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Tobacco is the common name of many plants in the Nicotiana genus and the Solanaceae region. Nicotine, a substance found in tobacco, is highly addictive. The most common form of addiction in America is nicotine addiction. About 50 million people in America are addicted to tobacco products, including chewing tobacco cigarettes, snuff, and cigars. A conservative estimate of healthcare expenses and loss of productivity due to nicotine addiction in the U.S. is approximately $193 billion a year (Juergens, 2020).   More than 480,000 people within the united states die yearly from smoking. More Americans die from cigarette smoking than a combination of car accidents, alcohol, HIV, illegal drugs, and guns. Cigarette smokers die younger than non-cigarette smokers. Smoking Tabacco can destroy almost all the organs in your body, including lungs, heart, blood vessels, reproductive organs, mouth, skin, eyes, and bones. Tobacco weakens your heart and blood vessels, leading to heart disease, stroke,

Oral Health

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Oral health is a crucial indicator of overall health, well-being, and quality of life. It includes a range of diseases and conditions that include dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth loss, oral cancer, oral manifestations of HIV infection, oro-dental trauma, noma, and congenital disabilities such as cleft lip and palate (WHO, n.d.).  Poor oral hygiene can involve tooth pain, gum bleeding, growths in the mouth, poor self-esteem, speech problem, poor nutrition, and difficulty performing in school (Healthline Editorial Team, 2014). While you age, you can become less able to chew efficiently, particularly if you have lost teeth or have ill-fitting dentures. You may take medicines that create dry mouth. This challenge can cause difficulty consuming, which may lead to malnutrition. Also, having a dry mouth can allow bacteria to build up, causing bad breath, gum disease, and infection.  Excellent oral and dental health can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, and help to

How to Prevent Obesity

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Overweight and obesity are prevalent conditions in the United States. According to studies from the CDC, approximately 93.3 million adults (39.8 percent) and 13.7 million teens and children (18.5 percent) in the U.S are obese. Overweight and obesity are caused by an increase in the size of the fat cells in the body. Carrying too much weight can have various health outcomes, such as increasing the risk for diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, high blood cholesterol, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, sleep disorders, and cancers.  Many Americans struggle with obesity, but there are many ways to treat and prevent obesity. Treatment for obesity and overweight depends on the cause and severity of the condition and whether there are complications (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 2019). These include eating less sugary and processed foods. Eating more vegetables, fruits, and plenty of fiber. Leading an active lifestyle. Involving family or friends to go on

COVID-19

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Covid-19 (coronavirus) is a well-known disease. There are more than 21 Million cases worldwide and almost 760,000 deaths. The name COVID-19 originated from the coronavirus responsible for the SARS outbreak of 2003 (WHO, 2020). While related, the two viruses are different.  Symptoms of COVID-19 are:  Fever or chills Cough  Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Muscle or body aches  Headache  New loss of taste or smell  Sore throat  Congestion, or runny nose, nausea or vomiting   Diarrhea (Florida Department of Health, 2020).  The infection most likely developed initially from an animal source and now spreads from person-to-person. Like the usual cold, it is produced by droplets from the nose or mouth, often formed if a person sneezes or coughs. The droplets can land on objects with which other people may come in contact. That's why it is essential to sanitize areas.  Although there are no vaccines for the virus, there are still many ways to be safe during this pandemic. These

The Importance of Proper Nutrition

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Nutrition is essential for the body. Without it, many health problems can occur. It reduces the risk of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis. It can decrease high blood pressure, lowers your cholesterol, enhances your ability to fight off illnesses, and improve your energy level. A lack of food can lead to malnourishment. Over 2 billion people suffer from malnutrition. Women and girls are prone to malnutrition. A lack of nutrition in women and girls are more likely to lead to anemia. A third of the children who die before they approach the age of five suffer from under-nutrition. They don’t have enough nutritious food and essential vitamins and minerals to grow, develop, and ward off disease (Health Poverty Action, 2018). While people may intake enough calories for daily subsistence, they can still suffer from ‘hidden hunger,’ with low levels of micronutrients due to little diversification of diets.  Common signs of malnutrition include: u

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cervical Cancer

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection of the reproductive tract. Most sexually active men and women will be infected at some point in their lives, and some may be repeatedly affected (World Health Organization, 2020).  In both men and women, the peak time for acquiring the infection is usually shortly after becoming sexually active. Penetrative sex is not a requirement for transmission of this sexually transmitted virus. Skin-to-skin genital contact is a regular mode of transmission.  HPV is of many strains, and most do not cause problems. The infection usually disappears within a few months after the acquisition, and about 90% clear within two years. However, certain types of HPV can persist and progress to cervical cancer.  The most common HPV-related disease is cervical cancer. Almost all cases of cervical cancer are the result of HPV infection. Certain strains of HPV can also cause cancer of the anus, vagina, vulva, penis, and oropharynx (W