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Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system destroys its own healthy tissues. When this occurs, white blood cells cannot distinguish between pathogens and normal cells.
One way to reduce acid reflux is to lose two or three pounds. Most people lose weight in the belly area first when they increase exercise, meaning that heartburn can be reduced quickly by this method.
Many people have small pouches in their colons that bulge outward through weak spots. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. About 10% of Americans older than age 40 years have diverticulosis, which, when the pouches become infected or inflamed, is called diverticulitis. The main cause of diverticular disease is a low-fiber diet.
Elderly adults are at greatest risk of stroke and myocardial infarction and have the most to gain from prophylaxis. Patients ages 60 to 80 years with blood pressures above 160/90 mm Hg should benefit from antihypertensive treatment.
Liver spots have nothing whatsoever to do with the liver. They are a type of freckles commonly seen in older adults who have been out in the sun without sufficient sunscreen.
![The respiratory system: nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchus, and lung with expanded vie](https://biology-forums.com/gallery/47/medium_14755_05_10_12_4_09_36_92351824.jpeg)
![The cardiovascular system. A schematic view of the closed circulation of blood. The heart is section](https://biology-forums.com/gallery/47/medium_14755_11_11_12_7_14_25_100191159.jpeg)