Most People in Britain Are Killed by Just Five Diseases,but There Are Ways to Minimise the Risks of Getting Them. Here, a Doctor Gives Her Guide To

Byline: Dr Sarah Brewer

w. And last year 493,242 Britons died of various causes. The majority were due to heart disease and more than a quarter were as a result of various forms of cancer. But behind these sad statistics is another story: yes, we all die of something, but how soon it happens and what gets us in the end is, to some extent, down to our lifestyle. So what are Britain's most common killers, and how can we avoid them? Here is my practical guide.

HEART DISEASE 2010 TOLL: 158,084 MOST COMMON: Heart attack, 70,196 WHY DOES IT KILL? When cells in the heart die, the muscle cannot pump blood around the body. Without a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood, the body dies. WILL IT HAPPEN TO ME? The risk of suffering a heart attack can be as high as one in three. A family history of heart disease also raises the risk of developing it. Heart attacks are most common in men over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55.

HOW TO AVOID IT: Give up smoking - you are five times more likely to have a heart attack in your 30s and 40s if you smoke. Lose excess weight and eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and less salt. Eat oily fish or take a fish-oil supplement rich in omega 3 oils - …

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Publication information: Article title: Most People in Britain Are Killed by Just Five Diseases,but There Are Ways to Minimise the Risks of Getting Them. Here, a Doctor Gives Her Guide To. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Mail on Sunday (London, England). Publication date: September 25, 2011. Page number: 26. © 2009 Solo Syndication Limited. COPYRIGHT 2011 Gale Group.

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