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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.
Asthma-like symptoms were first recorded about 3,500 years ago in Egypt. The first manuscript specifically written about asthma was in the year 1190, describing a condition characterized by sudden breathlessness. The treatments listed in this manuscript include chicken soup, herbs, and sexual abstinence.
On average, the stomach produces 2 L of hydrochloric acid per day.
People with high total cholesterol have about two times the risk for heart disease as people with ideal levels.
In the United States, there is a birth every 8 seconds, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Clock.