“Almost 1 in 2 U.S. adults—or about 108 million people—have high blood pressure.¹

More than 1 in 7 U.S. adults—or about 37 million people—may have chronic kidney disease (CKD).²

High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the United States after diabetes.^2″

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease

“Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, involves the wearing away of the cartilage that caps the bones in your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints.”.

MAYO CLINIC

“July means fun in the sun for many people. But with the beach and barbecue weather comes higher exposure to harmful Ultraviolet (UV) rays, which are the main cause of skin cells turning into cancer.

Taking extra precaution with your skin this summer is more important than ever, as the rate of skin cancer has increased dramatically over the last decade. According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. More skin cancers are diagnosed each year than all other cancers combined.

As part of July’s UV Safety Month, let’s explore how UV radiation can cause skin cancer as well as ways to prevent overexposure to harmful rays.”.

Saint John’s Cancer Institute

“Everyone is exposed to UV radiation from the sun and an increasing number of people are exposed to artificial sources used in industry, commerce and recreation. The sun is by far the strongest source of ultraviolet radiation in our environment. Solar emissions include visible light, heat and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Just as visible light consists of different colours that become apparent in a rainbow, the UV radiation spectrum is divided into three regions called UVA, UVB and UVC. As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, all UVC and most UVB is absorbed by ozone, water vapour, oxygen and carbon dioxide. UVA is not filtered as significantly by the atmosphere.”

World Health Organization WHO

“Each year in the United States, approximately 2,600 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,400 babies are born with a cleft lip, with or without a cleft palate (CDC).  Children with orofacial clefts and other craniofacial conditions often have impaired ability to feed and impaired language development, and might be at increased risk for a greater number of ear infections, hearing issues, and problems with their teeth.”

Community Health of Central Washington (https://www.chcw.org/national-cleft-craniofacial-awareness-and-prevention-month)

“Cord blood banking provides a simple process of safely and securely storing the blood within your child’s umbilical cord, as well as the tissue from the cord itself. Parents have the option of banking their baby’s cord blood with a public cord blood bank, or a private cord blood bank like NECBB.

Public cord blood banking is free and will provide life-saving benefits to a family in need. Once you donate your cord blood, however, you no longer have rights to those stem cells. If your child or family member is in need of cord blood stem cells, there is no guarantee that you or children can use their own cells. With private cord blood banking, there are fees but you own the cells. Your full rights to use it are preserved, and it is always immediately available to you.”.

NE CBB New England Cord Blood Bank (https://www.cordbloodbank.com/july-cord-blood-awareness-month)

“This year is the 22nd year of July as International Group B Strep Awareness Month being observed. It was created to bring awareness of group B strep to the general public. Since then it has been a focal opportunity for organizations and individuals around the world to tell their stories, share information, and promote healthy outcomes for babies worldwide. GBS is a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in newborns according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . It is now the standard of care in several countries for all pregnant women to be routinely tested for GBS with a vaginal/rectal swab test during the 36th or 37th week during each pregnancy unless their urine already cultured positive in the current pregnancy.”.

Group B Strept International (promoting GBS awareness worldwide)

“Doctors recommend weight loss to treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), either nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Weight loss can reduce fat, inflammation, and fibrosis—or scarring—in the liver.

If you are overweight or have obesity, losing weight by making healthy food choices, limiting portion sizes, and being physically active can improve NAFLD—either NAFL or NASH. Losing at least 3% to 5% of your body weight can reduce fat in the liver. You may need to lose up to 7% to 10% of your body weight to reduce liver inflammation and fibrosis. Physical activity alone, even without weight loss, is also beneficial.

Doctors recommend gradually losing weight to improve NAFLD. Rapid weight loss and malnutrition can make liver disease worse.”.

NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease

A     

              A. HEALTHY LIVER  

  B            

                B. DISEASED LIVER

TREATMENT There are no medical treatments yet for NAFLD. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly may help prevent liver damage from starting or reverse it in the early stages.

• See a doctor who specializes in the liver regularly
• Talk to your doctor about ways to improve your liver health
• Lose weight, if you are overweight or obese
• Lower your cholesterol and triglycerides
• Control your diabetes
• Avoid alcohol
• PREVENTION There are ways to prevent NAFLD:
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat a healthy diet
• Exercise regularly
• Limit alcohol intak
• Only take medicines that you need and follow dosing recommendations. The more severe form of NAFLD is called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH causes the liver to swell and become damaged. NASH tends to develop in people who are overweight or obese, or have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides. NASH can occur in many.
•  Causes: NASH:NASH affects 2 to 5 percent of Americans. An additional 10 to 20 percent of Americans have fat in their liver, but no inflammation or liver damage, a condition called “fatty liver.” Although having fat in the liver is not normal, by itself it probably causes little harm or permanent damage. If fat is suspected based on blood test results or scans of the liver, this problem is called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). If a liver biopsy is performed in this case, it will show that some people have NASH while others have simple fatty liver.
• Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH is a common, often “silent” liver disease. It resembles alcoholic liver disease, but occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol. The major feature in NASH is fat in the liver, along with inflammation and damage. Most people with NASH feel well and are not aware that they have a liver problem. Nevertheless, NASH can be severe and can lead to cirrhosis, in which the liver is permanently damaged and scarred and no longer able to work properly.
• Most people with NASH are between the ages of 40 and 60 years. It is more common in women than in men. NASH often has no symptoms and people can have NASH for years before symptoms occur. NASH is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis in the United States.  Up to 25% of adults with NASH may have cirrhosis.  Know people have NASH even if they do not have one risk factor can get the disease.
• Both NASH and NAFLD are becoming more common, possibly because of the greater number of Americans with obesity. In the past 10 years, the rate of obesity has doubled in adults and tripled in children. Obesity also contributes to diabetes and high blood cholesterol, which can further complicate the health of someone with NASH. Diabetes and high blood cholesterol are also becoming more common among Americans.
• • Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is fat in the liver, with inflammation and damage.
  • NASH occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol and affects 2 to 5 percent of Americans, especially people who are middle-aged and overweight or obese.
  • NASH can occur in children.
  • People who have NASH may feel well and may not know that they have a liver disease.
  • NASH can lead to cirrhosis, a condition in which the liver is permanently damaged and cannot work properly.
  • Fatigue can occur at any stage of NASH.
  • Weight loss and weakness may begin once the disease is advanced or cirrhosis is present.
  • NASH may be suspected if blood tests show high levels of liver enzymes or if scans show fatty liver.
  • NASH is diagnosed by examining a small piece of the liver taken through a needle, a procedure called biopsy.
  • People who have NASH should reduce their weight, eat a balanced diet, engage in physical activity, and avoid alcohol and unnecessary medications.
  • No specific therapies for NASH exist. Experimental therapies being studied include antioxidants and antidiabetes medications.
  • Other Pointers in knowing about the types of liver diseases:

• Most liver diseases are managed and not cured. The exception is for gallstone disease and some viral infections like Hepatitis A and infectious mononucleosis. All forms of liver disease has the ability to progress to cirrhosis and cause liver failure. Complications associated with cirrhosis and liver failure include an increased risk of bleeding and infection, malnutrition and weight loss, and decreased cognitive function.
• Depending on the type of cause for liver disease, determines how it is treated. Hep A requires supportive care from others to maintain hydration while the body’s immune system continues to fight off infections. Other diseases may require long-term care to control and minimize consequences of a particular disease. With cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease patients, they are often given medications to control the amount of protein absorbed in the diet. For other cirrhosis patients, they may not be able to metabolize waste products which raises their blood ammonia levels. To help them function, they need to take water pills (diuretics) and start a low sodium diet to minimize water retention. Only when all other options have failed is liver transplantation an option.
• Symptoms of liver disease range depending on the exact cause for the limited liver function. The general symptoms include a weakness or fatigue, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, fever and a yellow discoloration. If these symptoms are experienced without an explanation, it may be time to consult a medical professional. The time for education is before something like this happens. The survival rate is much higher for the individuals that seek medical attention early on through the act of having the knowledge to make the right decision. By the way the yellow discoloration is what we call Jaundice.
• Some of the other viruses that cause liver disease are viral infections like Mononucleosis, Adenovirus and Cytomegalovirus. There are also non-viral infections like toxoplasmosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever that could lead to liver disease but they are less common.
• There are other conditions like Hemachromatosis (iron overload), which is a metabolic disorder that leads to abnormally elevated amounts of iron that is stored in the body. It is an inherited disease. Wilson’s disease is another inherited disease but it affects the body’s ability to metabolize copper. Gilbert’s Disease is an abnormality in bilirubin metabolism in the liver and affects up to 7% of the North American population.
• Most people with NASH are between the ages of 40 and 60 years. It is more common in women than in men. NASH often has no symptoms and people can have NASH for years before symptoms occur. NASH is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis in adults in the United States. Up to 25% of adults with NASH may have cirrhosis. Know people have NASH even if they do not have one risk factor.
• Due to alcohol abuse acting as the most common cause of liver disease, it is recommended that alcohol consumption is in moderation. It may help minimize the risk of alcohol-related liver disease. Hepatitis B and C contraction can be decreased by minimizing the risk of exposure to another person’s bodily fluids. There is a vaccination available for Hepatitis A and B. There is screening available for Hepatitis C at most clinics or doctors offices. Fatty liver disease is preventable by the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Those lifestyle choices include a well-balanced diet, weight control, avoiding excess alcohol consumption and routine exercise.

“Iron overload can occur in people of any age, any ethnicity, or gender; iron overload is a condition of excess (too much) iron in the body. Excess iron in vital organs, even in mild cases of iron overload, increases the risk for liver disease (cirrhosis, cancer), heart failure, diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, numerous symptoms and in some cases premature death. Iron mismanagement resulting in overload can accelerate such neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer’s, early-onset Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis”.

Iron Disorders Institute (https://irondisorders.org/iron-overload)