The Facts About Heart Failure: What You Need to Know



Heart failure does not mean that the organ has stopped beating. The chronic medical condition occurs when this vital organ works less efficiently and can no longer pump enough blood and oxygen to support the remainder of the body. The chambers of the heart may stretch to hold more blood and develop more muscle mass. Your heart may also beat faster to increase output. While this helps to keep blood flowing in the short term, the muscle walls will ultimately weaken and not be able to pump as strongly. Eventually, your heart will not be able to keep up. When this occurs, you will experience fatigue, breathing problems and other symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this chronic progressive medical condition affects approximately 5.7 million Americans. More than half a million new cases are diagnosed annually. A combination of nutritional and medical approaches can reduce symptoms and delay the progression of the disease.

Causes and Risks

Although it is more likely to develop as you age, heart disease is a serious, long-term cardiovascular condition that affects people of all ages. It is one of the most common reasons for hospital admission among patients 65 and older. The most common risk factors include high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and a previous heart attack. Diabetes is another risk factor. Unhealthy lifestyle choices like smoking, not getting sufficient exercise, being obese and consuming a poor diet can increase the risk for developing heart failure. Other factors that can contribute to heart disease include genetics, toxins and infections.

Signs and Symptoms

Common symptoms include shortness of breath and persistent coughing or wheezing. This is caused by a buildup of fluid in the lungs. There may also be a buildup of excess fluid in various bodily tissues like the abdomen and the extremities, including the feet and ankles. You may also experience fatigue. These symptoms can prevent you from enjoying routine daily activities. Other symptoms include nausea and a loss of appetite as well as confusion, memory loss and impaired thinking because of poor blood flow to your digestive tract and brain.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Early diagnosis enables you to take control of your condition and still live a long full life. Heart failure is typically diagnosed based on your symptoms and a full medical examination as well as any required tests. While there is no cure, you can stop the disease from getting worse by following your doctor’s treatment advice, including taking prescribed medications and changing your lifestyle. Prescription medications often include ACE inhibitors that are designed to relax your arteries and heart as well as diuretics that reduce excess fluid and relieve shortness of breath. Medication can also control any atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeats. A pacemaker may be installed if your condition fails to respond favorably to medication. A surgical procedure known as ablation may remove small amounts of excess heart muscle or destroy small portions of diseased tissue. Along with avoiding nicotine products, other lifestyle changes include reducing sodium in your diet, maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in daily physical activity to strengthen your heart. A diet of low-fat proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grains is often recommended.

Heart failure can compromise your health and endanger your life. Working with your doctor, following recommended treatment protocols and making necessary lifestyle changes can relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life.

The 7 Best Foods to Improve Cholesterol



It is important to reduce your cholesterol levels to prevent cardiovascular disease that affects your blood vessels, arteries and heart. Here are seven foods that dietitians recommend for cholesterol reduction. 

1: Leafy Green Vegetables

Broccoli, kale and spinach contain antioxidants that will reduce the inflammation in your body to help prevent heart disease. The antioxidants in these vegetables will also detoxify your body’s cells. These leafy green vegetables contain numerous vitamins and minerals that will boost your body’s immunity levels. It is possible to consume spinach, kale or broccoli in a variety of ways by using the vegetables raw in a salad or adding the vegetables to cooked recipes.

2: Steel-cut Oats

Rather than having a boxed cereal that contains a lot of sugar and sodium, eat cooked steel-cut oats for breakfast. There are several ways to prepare steel-cut oats quickly for an easier breakfast, but you can also use steel-cut oats in other ways, including adding the grain to baked goods such as muffins, cookies or bread. Steel-cut oats are beneficial for your cardiovascular system because this food contains a lot of fiber that helps to absorb and remove fat from your digestive tract.

3: Fish and Eggs That Contains Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Instead of eating beef, poultry or pork at your meals, switch to fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the best types of fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids are:

• Tuna
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Lake trout

You can also find eggs that have extra omega-3 fatty acids because the hens that produce the eggs consume a diet of flaxseeds.

4: Brightly Colored Berries

Berries with brightly colored coverings or flesh contain antioxidants that will reduce the inflammation throughout your body. Look for these berries in the fresh, frozen or canned fruit areas of a grocery store:

• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Cranberries
• Black currants
• Goji berries

Not only can you eat berries raw, but also, you can add the fruit to smoothies or baked goods.

5: Delicious Avocados

Avocados contain high levels of vitamin C and B6 along with monounsaturated fat. While some types of fat are bad for your cardiovascular system, monounsaturated fat can raise the good cholesterol levels in your bloodstream while reducing the bad cholesterol levels. In addition, an avocado contains a lot of fiber to improve the functions of your intestinal tract to prevent absorption of harmful fats. You can consume an avocado raw after removing its large seed and thick peel, or you can use it in a dip recipe.

6: Pungent Garlic

Garlic is related to leeks, shallots or onions, and consumption of this food can reduce your cholesterol levels. This herb adds flavor to many of your recipes while helping to protect your cardiovascular system. You can add garlic cloves to recipes that contain pasta, fish or vegetables. Garlic is an inexpensive food that is easy to find at a local supermarket, and it is also available in powdered or liquid formats.

7: Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts and Macadamia Nuts

You might think that nuts are bad for you because the food is high in calories, but many types of nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids that will reduce your high-density lipoproteins while increasing your low-density lipoproteins. Some of the best nuts to consume include:

• Macadamia nuts
• Cashews
• Walnuts
• Almonds

Remember that a portion of nuts is small, so learn to count or measure the foods first.

4 Foods To Power Up Your Immune System



A healthy immune system is essential for preventing illness and disease. Eating foods with the right vitamins, minerals and other nutrients will boost your immune system so that it is better prepared to fight viruses, bacteria and other toxins.

A well-balanced diet is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system, which is critical for warding off disease. Several vitamins and minerals play an important role in boosting the body’s inherent defenses. Many of these nutrients like selenium aid in the manufacture of glutathione, which helps prevent illness and lowers the incidence of infection. Other crucial nutrients include vitamins A, C, D and E as well as B-complex vitamins and trace elements, such as magnesium and zinc. When creating a meal plan, you should include foods that are rich in antioxidants that also contain glutamate, glycine and cysteine, which are amino acids that serve as building blocks for glutathione. Incorporating the following foods is a great way to provide your immune system the nutrients it needs.

Beans

In addition to being low in fat and calories, beans or legumes are rich in B vitamins, potassium and dietary fiber. They are an excellent source of glutamate and glycine. Beans contain health-promoting substances known as saponins, which clinical trials show reduce cholesterol and the blood glucose response. They also lower the incidence of kidney stones. A good source of protein for building healthy cells, beans can be substituted for several servings of meat each week. In addition to boosting your immune system, navy, pinto, red and black beans have anti-inflammatory properties. Beans can be added to chili, soups and salads. Eating a cup of beans each week also supplies nutrients like copper.

Broccoli

Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like arugula, bok choy, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are rich in vitamins A, C and E as well as dietary fiber. They also contain disease-fighting phytochemicals and numerous other minerals like selenium. Studies show that these vegetables protect against cancer and reduce oxidative stress by boosting your immune system. Cruciferous vegetables contain the important nutrient sulforaphane, which enhances the liver’s ability to flush out toxins that can damage cells in your body. Broccoli also has antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Cold Water Fish

Wild, cold-water fish like cod, herring, salmon and tuna are a rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. They are also low in saturated fat. Higher dietary intake of fish lowers the incidence of coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular mortality. Along with supplying glutamate and glycine, fish is also one of the few sources of vitamin D. Wild salmon contains astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant. Clinical studies have confirmed that the nutrient has a beneficial effect on the immune system. In addition to increasing strength and endurance, fish also improves cardiovascular health and eye health while lowering cholesterol.

Spinach

A popular superfood, spinach is packed with folic acid, beta-carotene and vitamin C, which improve the immune system. Along with antioxidants, spinach is also a good source of potassium and magnesium. These minerals help the body stay hydrated and manage energy levels. Spinach is also a good source of vitamins A and E. You can substitute kale and Swiss chard, which is high in beta-carotene and calcium as well as vitamins C and K.

Your diet should sustain the health and work of your immune system. Eating a healthy diet filled with a variety of foods that contain essential nutrients will improve your immune system and lower your risk of illness. Consuming nutritious food is a holistic way to protect your health. If fresh food is not available, frozen versions are a suitable substitute. 

Sedentary Lifestyle May be Linked to Dementia



Most of society understands that moving your body is an important component of staying healthy at any age. Weight control, cardiovascular health and other benefits are the main side effects to consistent exercise. Currently, doctors are even discovering that movement also helps patients with possible dementia in their future. Patients who remain sedentary for most of the day are at a high risk for Alzheimer's and other cognitive decline.

Oxygen's Role in the Body

Every cell in your body depends on oxygen for sustained life. As you breathe in deeply, the air molecules move quickly through your lungs and into the bloodstream. Your blood acts as a transport for oxygen, which forces this molecule to every part of your body. As you exercise, more oxygen saturates the blood. Researchers believe that consistent exercise allows this oxygen to permeate the brain, which leads to better cognitive functions into the senior years.

Questions Still Abound

Patients might ask their doctors about the right kind of exercises to perform that ward off dementia. However, researchers have yet to discover the perfect recipe of exercises that truly impact cognitive decline. Currently, the best advice is simply to get active. Taking a walk, playing tennis and other activities that increase your heart rate are smart choices. You simply want to get your blood flowing as you move around on a consistent basis. Make it a habit to exercise at least a little bit each day. Walking around the shopping mall can be a mild exercise that helps.

Hope With HIIT Exercises

Researchers are currently looking at HIIT or high-intensity training exercises as a means to improve cognitive abilities in seniors. This complex term simply means that you need to exercise with variations to the effort. Experienced runners might sprint for 30 seconds and walk for one minute. They can alternate this pattern to surprise the cells into working harder and then resting. Researchers believe that this effort might help with dementia because the controlled stress forces the heart and brain to work harder than before.

Considering Patients With Genetic Predisposition 

Dementia is known to move through families because of genetic predispositions. It's not a guarantee that the disease will arise in any one person, however. Those genes must be activated at some point. Patients with a genetic predisposition can fight off dementia with exercise too. The added oxygen into the body might cause that gene to remain inactive as the senior years progress. Patients must still work closely with their doctors so that any signs of cognitive decline are caught early on.

Other Mental Exercises

Physical exercise is critical to a high, quality of life in your senior years. However, you also need mental exercise as well. Take an art or academic class so that your mind is challenged. Take up a hobby that requires problem solving and other mental gymnastics. Playing intellectual games, such as advanced board games, can also help your mental sharpness. Exercising your brain on a variety of levels will only help it remain healthy with a doctor's care to back up any concerns.

Marked attitude changes in seniors are hallmarks of cognitive decline. If you notice that a loved one is struggling with everyday memory, such as locating the car keys, work with a medical professional as soon as possible. There are some therapies that can help patients before dementia sets in. Getting active is simply a basic solution that can ward off mental issues for many of the senior years.

Why You Need to Wash Your Hands More



As we age from children to mature adults, we use our intellect and experiences to temper the early advice we received from our parents. "Wash your hands often" is a staple of motherly advice that one should never, ever question. Now more than ever, washing your hands is critical for maintaining your personal health. In early 2017, a woman in Arizona died from an unusual bacterial infection. This infection successfully resisted all 26 antibiotics available in the U.S. at the time. With these "superbugs" increasingly prevalent in our society, washing your hands is very important. Of course, not every bacterial infection will kill you. Faithfully washing your hands remains an easy, surefire way to set the preconditions for improved health. 

When you wash your hands, be sure to use proper technique. Before applying soap, wet your hands to ensure a better bond. Always use antibacterial soap if available. Rinse your hands well and dry them completely. Doctors recommend that you scrub your hands for at least 15 or 20 seconds before rinsing. To be absolutely sure of cleanliness, wash both forearms to just below your elbows. In a public setting, try to use a paper towel to turn off the water. Faucet handles and doorknobs are well-known havens for viruses and bacteria. Fortunately, social custom has habituated most people to washing their hands after using the bathroom. Alone or not, washing your hands consistently is vital for your self-respect. 

In modern society, we eat many popular meals with our hands. Washing your hands before eating should become an effortless, automatic gesture. Even people who dutifully wash their hands often skip this ritual when eating out. Arguably, it is even more important to wash your hands when you are patronizing a restaurant. 

For many people, shaking hands at work is a requirement. Wherever you are, you'd better think long and hard before you turn down a handshake. No matter how unsanitary this handshakes, it will always seem deeply rude to turn one down. It won't help at all if you apologize or say something like, "I wish I could shake your hand but I have a weak immune system." Fairly or not, turning down this friendly gesture is widely seen as boorish and rude. Fortunately, there is some good news for the germ-averse: discreetly washing up after shaking hands reduces your risk to minuscule levels. 

When you start washing your hands more often, you might not immediately see any visible health benefits. After all, it's impossible to concretely measure how many colds you have avoided in any given month. Stick with it and don't give up. Trust the experts and know that if you maintain rigorous hand-washing habits, you absolutely will get sick less often. Avoiding illness is especially important as you age, so wash your hands more often to live a longer and happier life. 

Why Weather Doesn't Matter When it Comes to Joint Pain


For several generations, seniors have tried to predict the next storm rolling in by paying attention to their joint conditions. When a storm was imminent, joint pains simply rose in intensity. Currently, doctors are trying to dispel this myth while educating the public on the real causes of joint pain.

No Conclusive Evidence

The main reason why weather doesn't matter when it comes to joint pain is the proof. It's almost impossible to conduct a study that has sufficient results for the cause-and-effect situation. Doctors would need to create a controlled atmosphere where air pressure, humidity and other weather factors change just like an incoming storm. Patients would need to reside in this bubble atmosphere for a set time period. Any results from this situation would be subjective because the patient's perceptions are warped. This situation simply has a suggestive nature in the mind. With no conclusive evidence, weather and joint pain cannot be directly connected.

Widespread Urban Myth

Seniors might remember far back into the past when doctors actively agreed on weather and joint-pain connections. In fact, this widespread myth actually entered the medical field for many decades. Both patients and doctors made the loose connection because coincidences seemed to be the norm. Today's professionals have more evidence that joint pain is caused by other factors that don't involve the weather. Practicality suggests that internal factors are more to blame than external changes in air, moisture and other features.

Complex Junction Points

Every joint in your body is a complex junction. Bone meets bone with ligaments, tendons and muscles shoring up the meeting point. There are fluid-filled bags, called bursae, that cushion the joint along with cartilage lining the bones themselves. When any of these parts becomes inflamed or damaged, joint pain can occur. Take all of these components into consideration, and you have a high probability of pain emanating from these areas instead of blaming the weather. The most common joints that have pain are often the busiest ones, such as the shoulders, knees and fingers.

Aging and Arthritis 

Joint pain is normally associated with aging. As you enter the retirement years, degenerating issues can occur. Your joints have cartilage that can break down along the ends of the bones. Arthritis is the result of this degeneration. Your joint pain is merely occurring from physical issues instead of external factors. Other arthritis types, such as inflammatory disease, can also create joint pain. In reality, there are 100 types of arthritis. As doctors discover more about the body, other arthritis types may arise. This common ailment causes many pains in millions of people.

Physical Injuries

You don't have to be a tennis star to have joint pain. Daily movements can create pains that become chronic. Kneeling down to garden, hunching over a computer during typing and other activities contribute to physical injuries at the joint level. As you age, pay more attention to your posture and movements during the day. You may not be as flexible as you once were. Keep your hips square, stretch regularly and avoid uncomfortable positions. Listen to your body to prevent most injuries. Turning your head in the wrong direction one day can result in pains along the neck that last for several months.

Everyone has aches and pains at times, but the chronic issues require a doctor's care. Don't be shy about speaking up at your next doctor's visit. Describe any pains and when they occur. Your information can help them successfully diagnose and treat your ailment.

Aerial Yoga: is it for You?


Yoga has become an increasing popular way to reduce stress and increase mobility. It has been recommended for people of all ages as part of a healthy lifestyle. If you have already tried out some yoga classes and are looking for a way to take your training to the next level, aerial yoga could be the next step for you.

Aerial yoga combines all of the strength, flexibility and breathing exercises required for traditional yoga along with a fun twist. You may have seen pictures of yogis suspended in the air from a colorful silk ribbon while maintaining difficult poses. This is typically what you will find in most aerial yoga classes. 

You will not be in the air the entire time that you are taking an aerial yoga class. The beginning of the class will start with some stretching and exercises on floor mats. During this portion of the class, students focus on proper alignment and flexibility so that they are prepared to be suspended in the air. Paying particular attention to should alignment is important because it can help you to maintain a safe position while you are suspended. 

The silk ribbons used to suspend students in the air are referred to as hammocks. They help to support the body in all types of unusual positions and can prevent injury when used correctly. One of the major advantages that aerial yoga has to offer is that students are able to achieve more advanced positions and deeper stretches than what can be achieved in traditional yoga because they can use gravity to their advantage. Having the proper equipment in an aerial yoga class can make all the difference in protecting your safety and preventing any injuries. 

Before you sign up to take your very first aerial yoga class, it is a good idea to ask the teacher how long he or she has been teaching. You will also want to let the teacher know if you have any injuries or health conditions that could make it unsafe for you to be suspended in the air for prolonged periods of time. Make sure that you wear proper attire so that your clothes do not get in the way of you being able to grab the ribbon and remain in the hammock when you are supposed to. You should also remove as much jewelry as possible so that you do not risk any cuts while hanging. 

If you are not quite ready to try out aerial yoga, there are still plenty of benefits to be gained from traditional yoga. You can find classes all over the country for students of all levels of experience. Getting proficient at yoga may take you a couple of classes. Do not be discouraged if you find some of the positions difficult at first because they require repetition and practice before you are able to achieve their full benefits. 


How Exercise Helps the Brain Fight Aging





Everyone has a general understanding that moderate exercise is beneficial to your overall health. Even the smallest amount of exercise can improve your circulation, help fight arthritis, and even improve conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol. Most people, however, do not realize how beneficial simple exercise is to keeping the brain young.

Exercise Requires Coordination

All forms of exercise require coordination. Because of this, your brain must make the effort to stay coordinated to complete the task. This is very helpful to keeping your brain young. Many people when they age start to lose their ability to maintain their balance or stay coordinated to complete certain tasks. This is why falling is common in the elderly. By keeping your brain active through exercise you will be able to maintain your balance and coordination.

Exercise Requires Dedication

Making a commitment to exercise everyday requires you to make a commitment to the routine. Establishing a routine of any type is beneficial to the brain because the brain is required to remember and perform this routine on command. Repeating an exercise routine helps you retain your memory skills and keeps the brain stimulated.

Feeding Your Brain

Your brain requires fresh blood and pure oxygen to work properly. When you exercise, you are pushing more blood and more oxygen through your system. This means that you will feel more alert and your brain will function at optimal strength. By continuing to exercise, you will feed your brain and help it to stay healthy.

Social Interaction

Many people find that it is easier to exercise with a friend. Going to the gym or attending exercise classes gives you the opportunity to interact with other people. This social interaction is beneficial to your overall mental health, and this benefit extends to your physical brain. Your brain “enjoys” the pleasure hormones that it receives when you are socially interactive and this response keeps your brain active and young.

Health Benefits

There are many medical disorders that can have adverse effects on the brain. High cholesterol, diabetes, even high blood pressure can all take its toll on the brain. When your body is unhealthy your brain will also suffer. Exercising decreases your risk for many of these diseases and can help improve them if you are already suffering from one of these conditions. For every other medical condition you eliminate, prevent, or manage, your brain will benefit from your healthy efforts.

Exercise, when added to a healthy diet, is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body and your brain. Exercise will help you remain strong, keep you feeling young, and help your brain stay active and healthy. You do not have to commit to an aggressive workout routine to see the benefits. Making the commitment to add twenty minutes of movement of any type to your day will be very beneficial to your overall health.

The Health Risks of Winter


As you get older, there are more health risks during the winter. If you want to protect your health and prevent injuries, then it is a good idea to understand the different risks.

1: Falling On Slippery Surfaces

Streets and sidewalks are slippery in the winter, leading to numerous slip and fall injuries. An older individual with poor mobility and vision is more likely to slip on an icy or snowy surface. As you get older, it is easier to break a hip or tear the cartilage in a knee during a fall. In some cases, it is possible to fall hard enough to incur a head injury. If you have problems balancing on slippery surfaces, then make sure to use a cane. To avoid falling, you can also wear nonslip shoes that are similar to what nurses' wear. 

2: Having a Heart Attack While Shoveling Snow

If you are not accustomed to strenuous activity, then shoveling snow can lead to a heart attack. Not only are you trying to cope with cold temperatures during a snowstorm, but also, lifting heavy snow can increase your blood pressure and heart rate, causing a massive heart attack. When you are not physically fit, it is essential to have someone else clear your home’s sidewalks and driveway. 

3: Contracting an Upper Respiratory Infection

Winter is the time of year when more individuals develop an upper respiratory infection. To help prevent winter illnesses, make sure to get several vaccinations, including for influenza, shingles and pneumonia. It is possible to avoid other illnesses by making sure to wash your hands frequently, drinking a lot of water and eating a healthier diet. 

4: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Inside Your Vehicle 

Make sure to clear away the snow and ice from your vehicle’s exhaust pipe. Don’t sit inside a running vehicle until the carbon monoxide gases can escape from the tailpipe. You can’t smell or see carbon monoxide gas, and it can lead to respiratory distress within a few minutes. If you are stranded on a road in a broken-down vehicle in the winter, then you must continue to clear away the snow from a vehicle’s tailpipe. 

5: Developing Hypothermia from the Cold Temperatures

In the winter, it is also important to have emergency supplies at home in case the power goes off. If you don’t have electricity in your home during a blizzard, then you can keep warm by wearing multiple layers of clothing. When you have a fireplace, make sure to have enough firewood to build a fire for several days. If you don’t have a fireplace, then you may need to warm your home with indoor-safe propane heaters. In addition, make sure to have plenty of food and bottled water to survive a long-term blizzard. 

6: The Dangers of Frostbite

Extremely cold temperatures can lead to having frostbite. This condition is most common in certain areas of the body that have poor circulation such as the toes and fingers. If you have a circulatory problem, heart disease or arthritis, then you are at higher risk of contracting frostbite. There are different levels of frostbite that can lead to complications such as destruction of body tissue or an infection that spreads throughout the body. Diabetics with peripheral neuropathy are more likely to develop frostbite. To avoid developing frostbite, make sure to wear a heavy coat, thick socks and gloves. 

Colon Cancer Linked to Inherited Genes



Colon Cancer Linked to Inherited Genes

Colon cancer is one of the most difficult and dangerous types of cancer that could affect a person. Like many other types of cancer, it requires early diagnosis in order to prevent serious damage in the future. One of the best ways to diagnose this type of cancer early, as doctors are beginning to discover, is by taking a look at an individual's family tree. Research shows that not only can early signs manifest as a way to tell if a person is going to develop colon cancer, but even before signs appear, doctors can take a look at an individual's hereditary traits to determine whether or not they may be at a larger risk.

Typically, colorectal cancer is classified as a hereditary or as an inherited illness when multiple generations of any family have a history of colorectal cancer. In such cases, several genetic mutations or general abnormalities appear, which can cause colorectal cancer. Not only does the mutation result in colorectal cancer, but it can also allow the cancer to become much more transmittable to the next generation of family members. Because a gene is a section of DNA that contains genetic code for producing bodily functions on a cellular level, the slightest variations can be enough to result in all types of issues, including the development of cancer.

Two of the most commonly inherited colorectal cancer syndromes include hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, which is abbreviated as HNPCC and familial adenomatous polyposis, which is abbreviated as FAP. These conditions can affect both women and men, and often the chance for children to inherit the disease can be relatively large as well, sometimes as high as a 50 percent chance of inheriting the gene. Studies show that the presence of these two cancer syndromes may account for less than five percent of all cases of colorectal cancers.

HNPCC is perhaps the most commonly inherited form of colon cancer. This syndrome accounts for approximately three percent of all documented types of colorectal cancer each year. People who have HNPCC will typically also have three or more family members and at least two generations of family who have had colorectal cancer in the past. The cancer often develops before the age of 50 as well. However, research shows that the presence of the syndrome is often not enough to guarantee the development of the cancer. Though not everyone who inherits the gene will develop the cancer, the risk is about 80 percent higher for these people. Additionally, individuals who have HNPCC may also be at a higher risk of inheriting or developing other cancers, including renal, uterine, stomach, pelvis and small intestine.

If you feel as though there are concerns regarding the state of your colorectal health, it is important for you to speak with the appropriate professionals as soon as possible. Contact your healthcare provider and schedule for a medical test at your earliest convenience. This is especially recommended for those who may believe that they are at a higher risk of developing these types of cancers, such as in those who have a family history of colorectal cancer. Through early detection, treatment options have a much higher chance to be significantly more successful, improving the rate at which you recover and go back to having a normal life.