What is disease? Disease is synonymous today with many words, like illness, infection, disorder, or medical condition. It has been defined as any change that interferes with the normal appearance, structure, or function of the human body.
Nobody likes to get sick, whether it be a common cold, or something as serious as cancer or stroke. What do we need to know today so that we can know what is disease, and protect ourselves from it?
In the human body, there are many factors that must be balanced to avoid illness. Among these are a healthy immune system, proper nutrients, oxygen, water, and acid/alkaline balance to name a few. The importance of proper rest and regular exercise play a key role in knowing what is disease and preventing it as a result.
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An illness can either refer to a person’s specific sickness, or it can refer to their experience with it. In this case, it is possible for a person to be diagnosed with a particular medical condition without discernable symptoms.
Infection is quite different. This refers to any abnormal condition that interferes with the normal functioning of the human body. Usually, these result from infectious agents, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites, and the resulting disease is considered to be classified as infectious. Transmission from person to person can occur through contact.
By contrast, illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis are not considered infectious. Additionally, hereditary, glandular, and
stress-related conditions
, along with
A disorder is yet another subcategory of disease that is characterized by either an abnormality or disturbance from normal behavior. Some of these are mental, genetic, or behavioral disorders.
A medical condition includes all of the above, but it is interesting to note that normal conditions that may require medical intervention or assistance are included. Pregnancy is a good example of a medical condition that is not abnormal in any way.
Morbidity refers to a state of illness from any particular cause. In my father’s case, he died of morbid obesity, which meant that he was sick due to the complications obesity brought upon him. In his case, this was very closely linked to his heart disease. For our story, see
about us.
Social Impact of Disease
What is disease as it relates to infection? At one time, the type of illness that posed the greatest threat to humans were infectious diseases. An example of this is the epidemic of Spanish Flu that swept the world shortly after World War I, killing anywhere from 20-50 million people. Empires have risen and fallen due to the occurrence and fatality of plagues throughout history.
Today, fears abound about the next infectious influenza virus, which has turned out to be H1N1 or
the New Swine Flu.
And the Bird Flu or H5N1 is still a very possible threat if and when it mutates and becomes virulent.
Today, when it comes to avoiding illness, having a healthy
immune system
is now more important than ever. For example, a healthy person can usually recover from a bout of pneumonia, but a patient with a weakened immune system may die from their illness.
The culture within which a particular disease occurs plays a large part in how it is viewed. Obesity is considered to be an illness in developed countries, but in countries where famine ravages the land, it represents wealth and abundance.
What is disease as it relates to the choices a person has when they are not well? When a person has an illness, there is a certain path that is generally followed. The person usually seeks out medical attention where necessary, and may receive a diagnosis for their diseases if possible, and then they seek out whatever assistance may be needed to get back on the road to good health.
The course of their illness may vary from person to person, depending on the progression of their condition and the quality of treatment the patient receives.
What is disease as it relates to the social costs today? Currently, many people do without health insurance because it is so expensive. As a result of the large number of people without adequate health coverage, the United States government
has put health care reform at the top of their agenda. But the power to control your own health and prevent disease lies in your own hands.
Judging from what health insurance costs today, and the rate at which it is rising, it is projected that by the year 2014, just 5 years from now, medical health care costs will account for 20% of a family’s income. That comes to about $11,000 per person per year for medical costs, or $44,000 a year for a family of four. That's staggering to consider! If we don't take steps to prevent disease now, how will we be able to afford this?
How To Prevent Disease
Never before have the costs been so high. As a result, more and more people are looking for better ways to stay well instead of waiting until they come down with a disease, and then looking for a cure.
By focusing our efforts this way, by looking to prevent illness before it starts, we will have saved ourselves a tremendous amount of financial, social, physical, and emotional costs as well.
What is disease at it relates to prevention? One of the best ways to prevent illness is by stopping its progression its tracks. You have learned about how to do this by raising your
glutathione levels.
Simply put, glutathione’s relationship to disease is tied to prevention, specifically to prevent or reverse
oxidative stress, detoxify,
and boost
immune function.
If this is done in sufficient measure, we have a state of health in the body. When when we understand what is disease, and how this relates to low glutathione levels, we see a clear connection. Knowing what is disease is the first step, and knowing how to prevent it is the next step.
Heart disease is a number one killer today. So naturally we want to know what causes heart disease, as well as ways to prevent heart disease. The number one cause of coronary heart disease is
atherosclerosis,
arteriosclerosis, or high cholesterol. It's even referred to as atherosclerosis disease because of the connection. They all refer to the same basic problem, which is described on the linked pages above and below.
Regarding what is disease, I have also provided a list of a to z medical diseases that glutathione plays a role in. Please select from the list below to learn more about glutathione’s role in a specific disease state or area of concern. The links that are in a different color go to pages that I have written on the subject. The ones still in black are planned.
To inquire about a specific health concern not listed here, please
In conclusion, what is disease and how can you prevent it? Disease is defined as either an illness, infection, disorder, or medical condition. The costs of disease are very high, whether you are looking at the social, financial, emotional, or physical costs.
One of the best ways to prevent disease is by preventing it in the first place by protecting your health. Raise and sustain your glutathione levels. Glutathione has an impact on nearly every disease state known to man.
Dr. Jimmy Gutman is the world's most published author on the subject of glutathione. His current bestseller is entitled "Glutathione - Your Key To Health."
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Nobody likes to get sick, whether it be a common cold, or something as serious as cancer or stroke. What do we need to know today so that we can know what is disease, and protect ourselves from it?
