The older we get, the more we realize we are not getting any younger.

One of my biggest fears is knowing my quality of life is in jeopardy because of a deadly disease. It's not the idea of dying that's scary to me, it's more knowing that a deadly disease that has absolutely no cure could be the "death of me".

Related: Illinoisans Have An Extremely Short Life Expectancy – Here’s Why

Canva

A new list was released of the top 10 leading causes of death. What do you know? Majority of them are disease-related.

#10: Chronic Liver Disease/Cirrhosis

#9: Kidney Disease

#8: Diabetes

#7: Alzheimer’s Disease

#6: Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases

#5: Stroke

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#4: Accidents

#3: COVID-19

I don't know what's more concerning... COVID being in the top 3 or freak accidents/injuries being at #4.

#2: Cancer

Life really isn't fair. I really wish we all were just healthy and able to live life the way we wanted to. After seeing the #1 leading cause of death, it makes you think about how precious life really is.

Canva

And coming in at the top of the list....

#1: Heart Disease

According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most ethnic groups in the United States.

To put it into perspective, nearly 700,000 people in America died in 2022 from heart disease. You start to wonder, "why heart disease is the #1 leading cause of death?" - not just in Illinois, but across America.

"With high blood pressure, obesity and poor diet on the rise, everyone needs to be aware of the severity and risks of heart disease. There are some risk factors that cannot be controlled or prevented such as age or family history, but there are other factors that are controllable." [pmg]

Canva

So, there you have it. Take the steps to potentially reduce your risk of heart disease, there's always time! Click here for recommendations to better your health!

To learn more about the leading causes of death on the rise in Illinois, find more information on the CDC's website.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronary-heart-disease/prevention/