IN THESE DAYS CHRONIC DISEASES AND CONDITIONS ARE ON THE CONTINUOUS RISE

 Although chronic diseases were once uncommon, they are now the leading cause of death in the United States with an estimated 18.5 million Americans suffering from one or more conditions. "The rise of chronic diseases is taking a heavy toll on our health and is changing how society functions. The study is an eye opening look into how these serious conditions are allowed to continually grow unchecked. As many as one in five American adults has two or more chronic illnesses that limit their everyday life activities. Chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, cancer and asthma are now the main cause of death in this country for over 40% of Americans; roughly 18.5 million people suffer from some form of this condition alone. What is often overlooked is the role this chronic disease epidemic has had on day to day life. Chronic diseases have a huge effect on a person's ability to function, which leads to a decline in productivity and economic growth. Chronic diseases that cause pain, infections and disability have taken their toll on our society, but there is still no cure. The best way to combat these conditions would be treatment; however, government regulations create quality control issues for big pharmaceutical corporations and lead to an effective monopoly market. Today, pharmaceutical companies make over 85% of all prescription medications without the approval of any regulator body or public review; this despite the fact that no one has ever died from a pharmaceutical drug overdose. This protectionist pharmaceutical system has increased concentration of power, monopoly pricing and the patenting of lifesaving medications. The study goes on to provide solutions for how to combat this rise in chronic diseases through the use of alternative medicine and food supplements. The need to control infectious diseases was not lost on government officials early in U.S. history. The Public Health Service Act of 1875 established an organization known as the Bureau of Tuberculosis, which was later renamed the Communicable Disease Center (CDC). "The CDC's most prevalent area is diet, with over 70% of their work focused on dietary supplement activities. This article will examine the role parasitic disease is playing in our society today and what is being done about them. The importance of filing parasitic disease into the public consciousness will lead to better food regulations, which will ultimately lead to better treatment options for Americans with these diseases. Although infectious disease are usually associated with death, parasitic diseases are also present in the United States. "Parasitic diseases account for nearly one-third of all deaths in the U.S." Parasitic disease are defined as "caused by parasitic "bugs" that cause physical harm to humans." These infections can be treated, but never cured. The main parasites that infect humans are roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms that live in intestines or other organs. These parasites need healthy human hosts to survive and reproduce. It is extremely difficult to completely eliminate parasitic disease. The definition of what constitutes a "parasitic disease" is evolving with the advent of new technology; currently, there are over 200 parasitic diseases documented in the United States, but only about 100 are known by name. There are some commonalities about parasitic disease. Parasites often kill more people than cancer and AIDS combined. Many of these diseases are spread through unhealthy food and water sources; which is usually caused by poor environmental practices. Although most people think that parasites only infect third world countries, this is far from the truth; thanks to globalization many of these conditions like dietary vitamin deficiency which allows the parasites to take hold in the first place. Routine diet is lacking in many nutrients essential to the human body. "Vitamin B12 is vital for proper nerve function, DNA production and production of red blood cells. If dietary vitamin B12 deficiency exists, the body will crave the vitamin through cheese, eggs, meat and fish. This is where many parasitic diseases gain their foothold; by exploiting a poor mans diet. The opportunistic nature of parasites has allowed them to evolve to become effective killers within their environments. Many parasites have evolved to take advantage of host environments that do not have natural antibiotics or immune system defenses. The following are the top parasitic conditions in the U.S. "We're also seeing an uptick in infections such as E. coli, hepatitis A and salmonella." Parasitic disease is a global issue that can be found everywhere in the world. "More than 80% of the world's human population is infected with parasites." Parasites affect both developed and undeveloped countries in different ways; in developed countries these conditions can be treated and controlled through regulation and legislation. "However, in undeveloped countries with poor food sanitation practices, parasites can go undetected and untreated, which leaves them free to spread to high risk populations. If left untreated, parasitic diseases present a potential health crisis that increases the risk of death for their hosts. Parasitic disease is the number one killer in Africa and Asia. Parasites spread through contamination of food and water supplies; they can also travel on unwashed fruits and vegetables. The quality of our food safety system is only as good as the state of individual states. Health regulation is a government power delegated to local governments such as counties, cities and towns. "Only 2.6% of foodborne illnesses are reported each year." This inefficient reporting structure prevents the public from being aware of these outbreaks, thereby preventing regulatory action from being taken to ensure food safety. "We're experiencing an outbreak of foodborne illness that occurs after eating clams." If you or a family member has contracted parasitic disease it is important to seek immediate medical attention. "Because parasitic infections often go unnoticed and untreated, many patients continue to suffer through chronic pain and debilitating symptoms for years without ever getting the proper treatment they so desperately need." The best way to protect yourself from parasitic infection is through education and awareness which will lead to increased political pressure and better legislation. Awareness and education about these conditions will lead to better regulation by the government. Unfortunately, many parasites are able to avoid host defenses by changing form or location within the host body. This allows these organisms to disguise themselves from their hosts immune system defenses.