Top 5 Health Conditions that Affect Residents In Marion County / Pee Dee Area

And Ways to Prevent Them…

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. There are a few different types of diabetes, these include:

Type 1  Diabetes
Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes
Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women – this amounts to over 135,000 cases in the United States each year.

Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. There are 54 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 20.8 million with diabetes.

•      Marion County ranks #10 in diabetes mortality in South Carolina.
•      Major behavioral risk factors, such as being overweight, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet, are partially responsible for development of type 2 diabetes in Marion County residents, as well as people all over the country.
•     An estimated 2,500 residents of Marion County suffer from diabetes annually.
•     Diabetes complications are the 7th leading cause of death in Marion County.

Preventative Actions
People with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity.  
Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight can produce a 58% reduction in the risk of developing full-blown diabetes.

Nutritional Tips

• Eats lots of fruits & vegetables – try to eat a rainbow of colors to maximize variety.
• Choose whole grains over processed grain products.
• Try to eat fish 2-3 times a week.
• Choose lean meats like filet, sirloin, tenderloin, etc.
• Stay away from “starchy” foods
• Cut back on high calorie snacks like chips, cookies, cakes, and high-fat ice cream.
• Choose water or calorie-free “diet” sodas instead of regular sodas, sweet tea, and other sugar-sweetened drinks.
• Watch your portions.  Eating too much of anything (even healthy food) can cause weight gain.

Exercise Tips

• Mix up your routine – this will help prevent you from getting bored and giving up.
• Try to incorporate a combination of aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercises.
• Don’t over exert yourself, because you will be sore, reluctant to keep going, and prone to injury.
• Examples of the different types of exercise:

Aerobic     
Aerobic exercise increases your heart rate, works your muscles, and raises your breathing rate. For most people, it's best to aim for a total of about 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. If you haven't been very active recently, you can start out with 5 or 10 minutes a day and work up to more time each week.

• Take a brisk walk
• Go dancing
• Take a low-impact aerobics class
• Swim or do water aerobic exercises
• Try ice-skating or roller-skating
• Play tennis
• Stationary bicycle indoors

Strength Training
Strength training, done several times a week, helps build strong bones and muscles and makes everyday chores like carrying groceries easier for you. With more muscle, you burn more calories, even at rest. Here are some ways to do it:

• Join a class that will teach you to strength train with weights, elastic bands, or plastic tubes.
• Lift light weights at home. Don’t want to buy expensive equipment? Use soup cans or unopened bags of flour, sugar or rice!

Flexibility Exercises
Flexibility exercises, also called stretching, help keep your joints flexible and reduce your chances of injury during other activities. Gentle stretching for 5 to 10 minutes helps your body warm up and get ready for aerobic activities such as walking or swimming. Your health care team can provide information on how to stretch. You can also explore these activities:

• Yoga
• Pilates

Activities to do throughout the day
In addition to formal exercise, there are many opportunities to be active throughout the day. Being active helps burns calories. The more you move, the more energy you'll have. These strategies can help you increase your activity level:

• Walk instead of driving whenever possible
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Work in the garden, rake leaves, or do some housecleaning every day
• Park at the far end of the shopping center lot and walk to the store

Heart Disease
There are many types of heart disease. About 25% of all Americans have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. The major types of heart disease are:

• Coronary Heart Disease
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Congenital Heart Disease
• Atherosclerosis
• Rheumatic
• Myocarditis
• Angina
• Arrhythmia

Major Factors                                                    Contributing Factors
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)                   Stress
High Blood Cholesterol                                       Sex hormones
Diabetes                                                              Birth control pills
Obesity and Overweight                                      Alcohol
Smoking
Physical Inactivity
Gender
Heredity
Age

Preventative Actions
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and it is also a major cause of disability.  As you age, your risk for heart disease increases.  You have a greater risk of heart disease if you are a man over the age of 45 or a woman over the age of 55.  Heart disease is also hereditary, so you are also at risk if you have a close family member with heart disease.

Tips to help you reduce your chances of getting heart disease  
You should:

• Know your blood pressure and keep it under control
• Exercise regularly
• Don’t smoke
• Get tested for diabetes or if you have it, keep it under control
• Know your cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Eats lots of fruits & vegetables and maintain a healthy diet
• Maintain a healthy weight

Stroke

Stroke is the number one cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death in the US. Although stroke affects people of all ages, genders and races, people over 55, males and African-Americans are at higher risk for stroke. Controllable risk factors include obesity, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

There are two types of strokes. Transient Ischemic Attack, or TIA as it is often called, is when a blood clot clogs an artery for a short period of time. A hemoragic stroke is when a blood vessel ruptures and bleeds deep in the brain or on the surface of the brain.

• An estimated 1,500 Marion County residents suffer strokes each year.
• Over 250 residents of Marion County are hospitalized for strokes annually:     Men account for 48% of these cases and women suffer the remaining 52%.
• The median age for Marion County residents who have suffered a stroke is 67 years old.

If you think someone may be having a stroke there is a simple test that you can do.  Have them do the following to test their brain function and to check for physical warning signs.

Simple Stroke Test

Smile - Is their smile symmetrical or is one side drooping?
Raise both arms - Can they hold both arms up or is one arm weaker?
Repeat a sentence - like "The sky is blue." Can they form the words?

Other warning signs may include:

• Suddenly feeling weak in one arm, hand or leg
• Cannot feel one side of your face or body
• Suddenly cannot see out of one eye
• Suddenly have a hard time walking
• Cannot understand what someone is saying
• Feeling dizzy or losing your balance
• Having the worst headache you have ever had

Preventative Actions

• Know your blood pressure, have it checked at least once a year
• Find out if you have artirial fibrillation, which encourages the formation of blood clots that could cause a stroke
• If you smoke, stop
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation
• Find out if you have high cholesterol
• If you have diabetes, take measures to control the condition
• Include exercise in your daily routine
• Eat a low-salt diet
• Ask your physician if you have circulation problems that could increase the risk of stroke and
• If you experience any stroke symptoms, including sudden weakness of the face or a limb, a blurring of vision, dizziness, or an intense headache, seek immediate medical attention.

 
High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke.

Cancer

In simple terms, cancer is a disease in which the body's cells become abnormal and divide without control. Cancer cells may invade nearby tissues. And they may spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.

• Including all types of cancers:
• 8% of all Marion County residents have dealt with or are currently dealing with some form of cancer.
• The median age of patients who had to be hospitalized due to some form of cancer is 67 years old.
• Annual Hospitalization costs for Marion County residents being treated for cancer is $5,641,500.

These are some of the factors that are known to increase the risk of cancer:

• Tobacco
• Diet
• Alcohol
• Radiation
• Chemicals and other substances in the workplace
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Diethylstilbestrol (DES)
• Close relatives with certain types of cancer

Preventative Actions

To help prevent your risk of getting cancer, it is important to limit your exposure to and consumption of the things on the above list. While in many cases, cancer may be in your genes, the best way to protect yourself is by maintaining a healthy diet and staying aware of the things you are exposing yourself to.


Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is also called chronic obstructive lung disease.  This is a term that is used for two closely related diseases of the respiratory system: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S.  This disease usually affects people who are 50 years old and up.

Causes of COPD:

• Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for COPD
• Other risk factors include:
• Age
• Heredity
• Exposure to air pollution at work and in the environment
• A history of childhood respiratory infections
• Living in low socioeconomic conditions also seems to be a contributing factor.

Preventative Actions

Don’t Smoke!!!

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. Buddha