But you don't look sick! - part 1

Yes I know it’s a very funny title. I found it as the title for a website by the same name; a very inspirational website that talks about silent killer diseases and the effects on the patients and their families. So that’s what my blog entries are about this week – silent killer diseases.

Silent killer diseases are those diseases whose symptoms don’t manifest themselves early enough to be diagnosed. It is a very general perception that just because someone looks well and healthy, he is completely free from any disease and that he is in the prime of health. It is obviously wrong for the simple reason that it can take years, if not decades, for diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's to finally emerge. Many chronic diseases start rooting at a very early age and finally throw up like a volcano just when we least expect them to. Many diseases show practically no or only vague symptoms and are therefore deadlier than the regular ones. Regular medical checkups and early diagnosis of unexplained or vague symptoms can save your life.

There are many factors that determine our health status at any particular point of time which include: our genes, body weight, dietary habits, and physical fitness.

I realize that the top 4 silent killer diseases are heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. However, I’ve tried to concentrate on the lesser known diseases because I think they pose a greater threat simply because people seem to ignore them.

So I’ve chosen inflammation, osteoporosis and liver cancer.