Chronic diseases are long-lasting, non-communicable disease conditions with persistent effects. They are often progressive, and their social and economic consequences have a significant impact on the quality of life.
Chronic conditions are increasingly common, and many people with these conditions do not have a single, predominant condition. Frequently, many individuals have two or more chronic conditions at the same time.
The most common chronic conditions are diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, mental health conditions and osteoporosis.
Globally, three in five deaths are caused by four major chronic diseases. These are cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung diseases and diabetes (Wang et al., 2016).
As noted above, chronic diseases pose significant health problems worldwide. Fortunately, action can be taken to prevent their occurrence and, in some cases, reverse them. The fight against these conditions is tough and the real victory is at a personal level. There are actions that you can take immediately.
Ten things you can do to reduce the risk of developing a preventable chronic condition include:
1. Eating well
2. Moving regularly
3. Have adequate sleep
4. Quitting smoking.
5. Getting enough physical activity.
6. Reducing your alcohol intake.
7. Maintaining a healthy weight.
8. Maintaining healthy blood pressure.
9. Having good cholesterol levels.
10. Maintaining healthy social connections
