- Cardiovascular disease (mainly heart disease and stroke) - already the world's number one cause of death, killing 17 million people each year.
- Diabetes - which has rapidly become a global epidemic. WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by more than 50% worldwide in the next 10 years.
- Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon).
- Musculoskeletal disorders - especially osteoarthritis.
In addition, overweight people also have a high risk in suffering diseases in the areas of lungs, stomach and gall bladder. Moreover, overweight makes surgery and pregnancy more dangerous: some abdominal operations may be impossible in badly overweight people.
Cardiovascular disease
It is caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, and it includes coronary heart disease (heart attacks), cerebro-vascular disease (stroke), raised blood pressure (hypertension), peripheral artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and heart failure.
High blood pressure (hypertension) occurs more frequently in overweight people. Hypertension can result in varying degrees of damage to the brain (stroke) and kidneys (degeneration) as well as the heart.
Another occurrence is atherosclerosis, which is the deposit of fatty material in the lining of the arterial wall. It can result in rupture of the blood vessel or in narrowing of these vessels, which may lead to stroke or heart attack.
The major causes of cardiovascular disease are tobacco use, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet. Moreover, as one gets weight, the heart must work harder to supply nutrients to all tissues of the body. The greater the body mass, the greater the strain on the heart.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death globally and is projected to remain the leading cause of death. An estimated 17.5 million people died from cardiovascular disease in 2005, representing 30 % of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 7.6 million were due to heart attacks and 5.7 million were due to stroke. If appropriate action is not taken, by 2015, an estimated 20 million people will die from cardiovascular disease every year, mainly from heart attacks and strokes.
How can hypnosis help?
Diabetes
It is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or alternatively, when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body\'s systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.
* Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset) is characterized by a lack of insulin production. Without daily administration of insulin, Type 1 diabetes is rapidly fatal.
* Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset) results from being ineffective use of insulin in the body. Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes around the world, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. Until recently, this type of diabetes was seen only in adults but it is now also occurring in obese children.
* Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia which is first recognized during pregnancy.
WHO estimates that more than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030. In 2005, an estimated 1.1 million people died from diabetes. Almost half of diabetes deaths occur in people under the age of 70 years; 55% of diabetes deaths are in women. Diabetes is more common in overweight people. WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action. Most notably, diabetes deaths are projected to increase by over 80% in upper-middle income countries between 2006 and 2015.
People suffering from diabetes may lack some essential nutrients if they do not take a balanced diet due to the strain diabetes can often put on the body's health.
How can hypnosis help?
Cancer
It is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumours and neoplasms. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs. This process is referred to as metastasis. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer. Cancer arises from one single cell. The transformation from a normal cell into a tumour cell is a multistage process, typically a progression from a pre-cancerous lesion to malignant tumours. These changes are the result of the interaction between a person\'s genetic factors and three categories of external agents, including:
* Physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation.
* Chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of tobacco smoke , aflatoxin (a food contaminant) and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant).
* Biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria or parasites.
Many cancers can be prevented by avoiding exposure to common risk factors, such as tobacco smoke. Tobacco use is the single most important risk factor for cancer. Some research indicates that certain lifystyle habits can prevent cancer attack
. In addition, a significant proportion of cancers can be cured, by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if they are detected early.
Some statistics:
* Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide: it accounted for 7.9 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2007.
* Lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancer cause the most cancer deaths each year.The most frequent types of cancer worldwide (in order of the number of global deaths) are:
o Lung (1.4 million deaths/year)
o Stomach (866,000 deaths)
o Liver (653,000 deaths)
o Colon (677,000 deaths)
o Breast (548,000 deaths).
* The most frequent types of cancer differ between men and women:
o Among men - lung, stomach, liver, colorectal, oesophagus and prostate
o Among women - breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and cervical.
* About 30% of cancer deaths can be prevented.
Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising, with an estimated 12 million deaths in 2030.
How can hypnosis help?
Joint diseases
A vicious cycle is set up in overweight people with arthritis of the hip, knees or feet, or in those who suffer from a ruptured intervertebral disc. Increased weight leads to greater wear and tear on these joints, which may become more irritated and painful. The increased discomfort forces the patient to become less and less active, thereby favouring a further gain in weight.
Pregnancy and surgery
Overweight can be a factor in producing difficult and prolonged labour because of abnormal positioning of the foetus. This can cause foetal distress which, in turn, may complicate labour and delivery. Also severely overweight women have more difficult pregnancies and an increased occurrence of maternal and infant deaths. Surgical procedures are more difficult in overweight individuals because of the very bulk of the adipose tissues.
Lungs
In overweight people, an increased body volume must be supplied with oxygen by lungs that have not correspondingly increased in their size. Also the presence of thick pads of fat in the abdomen restricts breathing. Anesthetic risk is increased in overweight people. Being overweight can be a special problem for asthmatics.
Stomach
Certain types of hernia, involving displacement of the upper part of the stomach into the chest cavity, are more prevalent in overweight people.
Gall bladder
A significantly higher incidence of gall bladder disease such as the presence of gallstones is observed in overweight people.
, Louise Hay mentioned how she recovered from cancer. 
. They become more positive in facing the challenge ahead. And so their inner power to fight against the disease increases. As mentioned by James Allen in his book 'As A Man Thinketh': Disease and health are rooted in thought.
