The Top Ten Causes of Death in America

by John W. Johnson, NCMT, MFCC

According to the CDC Division of Vital Statistics the following were the leading causes of death in 2002. These apply to both male and female adults.

Rank:

Heart Disease - 28.5%

Malignant Neoplasm (Cancer) -22.8

Cerebrovascular Diseases (Stroke) - 6.7%

Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease- 5.1%

Accidents (Unintentional) -4.4%

Diabetes Melitus- 3.0%

Influenza/Pneumonia- 2.7%

Alzheimer's- 2.4%

Nephritis(Liver Disease) - 1.7%

Septicemia - 1.4%

Another interesting statistic of note can be found in "Is US Health Really the Best in the World?", published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and written by Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH. In this paper Dr. Starfield gives the following statistics:

7,000 deaths occur each year due to medication errors in hospitals

12,000 deaths occur each year due to unnecessary surgery

20,000 deaths occur each year due to other hospital errors

80,000 deaths occur each year due to nosocomial infections in hospitals

106,000 deaths occur each year due to adverse effects to properly prescribed medications

This equals 225,000 deaths due to what are known as iatrogenic causes. This would place them as the third leading cause of death - just above cerebrovascular diseases at 162,672 deaths.

So What Can We Do?

There are many things that can be done to help reduce your risks. Simple things like maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and drinking plenty of purified or bottled water are vital to a healthy lifestyle. It is also important to avoid known toxins, such as tobacco, excessive alcohol, trans-fats and chemical food additives. Try to buy as much of your food as possible from organic and free-range sources.

Regular exercise is also an important part of maintaining a healthy body. You may find that varying your routine helps to keep your interest. It also assures that different muscles groups are being worked. Alternate aerobic activities such as dancing with strengthening and stretching exercises such as Body Rolling and Yoga. The latter also help to reduce stress and thereby decrease your chances of acquiring a stress related illness.

The use of a Chi Exercise Machine can also be of great benefit. These amazing machines help to improve circulation of the blood and lymph, stimulate metabolism and promote cellular regeneration. They are also very effective as a form of passive aerobic exercise and many who are unable to participate in standard exercise routines find that the use of a chi machine provides great benefit.

Supplements can also help to improve health and provide protection against disease. Greens, such as those found in Vitamineral Green, are rich in anti-oxidants, help to promote healthy digestion and are contain vital nutrients. Taking care of your liver is also crucial to your health and herbs such as those found in HepaCaps can help to ensure its proper function.

Perhaps the most important factor to staying healthy and vibrant, however, is keeping a joyful and positive attitude. Live your life with passion, integrity and love. As Joseph Campbell so wisely told us - "Follow your bliss"!

About the Author
John is a nationally certified massage therapist, health researcher, and psychotherapist. He worked on the US Olympic sports massage team during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and has most recently volunteered his time and expertise by giving massages to victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Red Cross personnel who have assisted them.