You know that the best way to enjoy good health is to eat properly and make smart lifestyle choices. You should try hard to take care of your body in the best way you can to avoid getting sick. Sometimes, however, people do fall ill. Some illnesses may be caused by genetics. That is, things that you inherit from one or both birth parents. If you do get sick, find out about the disease and what you can do to help your body deal with it.

In this activity, you will learn about some diseases that are common to teenagers.   

Here are some diseases common to teens:

Ulcers — caused by genetics

 Ulcers are holes or breaks in the lining of the esophagus and the stomach. Acids that are present in the digestive juices destroy the mucous lining. This causes people with ulcers to feel a burning or aching sensation in their lower chest region. There is very little evidence to support claims that ulcers are caused by stress or by eating too quickly. Most ulcers seem to be genetic. Recent medical research has indicated that some ulcers are caused by bacteria. Several different drugs, including antibiotics, can be used to treat ulcers.

Diabetes — caused by genetics and lifestyle

 People with diabetes have very large amounts of sugar in their blood and urine. This problem comes from the pancreas. Usually, the pancreas secretes insulin to maintain blood sugar levels in your body. In one type of diabetes, the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin to control the amount of glucose in the blood. In another type of diabetes, insulin levels are normal, but the insulin does not work. With treatment and care, most people with diabetes can maintain nearly normal blood sugar levels. They make take daily injections of insulin. Eating a balanced diet and exercising also helps to control this disease.

Asthma — caused by genetics and environmental factors

Asthma is a lung condition that causes difficulty with breathing. Asthma affects the airways, also known as the bronchial tubes. With normal breathing, air flows in through the nose or mouth and then into the trachea (windpipe). From there, it passes through the airways, into the lungs, and finally back out again.

People who have asthma have airways that are inflamed. They swell up and produce thick mucus. These airways are also very sensitive, and things like dust or smoke can cause the muscle around them to tighten up. All these things can narrow the airways and make it hard for air to move through. People with asthma have difficulty breathing at times. When this happens, it's known as an asthma flare-up or an asthma attack. Many people with asthma compare a flare-up to the feeling of trying to breathe through a straw. It feels very hard to get air in and out of their lungs.

An asthma flare-up can last for several hours (or longer if a person doesn't use asthma medicine). When a flare-up is over, the person usually feels better. Between flare-ups, breathing can seem completely normal, although some people may cough or feel as if they are always short of breath. Many people with asthma find it gets worse when they're around the things that give them an allergic reaction. This might include dust mites, mold, pollen, animal dander, or smoke. There's no cure for asthma, but it usually can be managed so that flare-ups can be prevented. Doctors treat asthma in two ways: avoiding the things that give them a reaction and taking medicine.