Do you know what the most common causes of death are? Did you know that they’re mostly preventable? See how Rise tackles intentional, proactive care in our blog.

As of 2024, the CDC lists the most common causes of death in the US as heart disease, cancer, accidents, COVID-19, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Nephritis, and chronic liver disease.

These causes of death have remained fairly consistent within the last five years. But did you know that many of these conditions are mostly preventable?

While we can’t prevent death entirely, modern medicine allows us to identify the genetic and lifestyle factors that put us at risk of early death. Rise intends to use the most advanced screenings and wellness coaching to intervene early — lowering your disease risk and maintaining your peak performance for longer.

It’s never too early to have a contingency plan for your health. Instead of leaving your disease risk up to fate, embrace practical and intentional strategies that position you for a longer life!

Heart Disease

As our Medical Director Dr. Scott Finkbeiner wrote in his last blog, heart disease has been the number one killer in America since the 1950s. This is mostly because 30% of the time, the first symptom of a heart attack is sudden death.

The cardiovascular system is complex, encompassing your heart, blood, and blood vessels that carry oxygen and other nutrients to cells throughout your body. If one or more blood vessels get blocked, blood flow slows significantly and prevents other organs from functioning properly.

Several modifiable (changeable) and non-modifiable (unchangeable) factors influence our risk of developing heart disease:

• Smoking (including e-cigarettes)
• Physical inactivity
• Excessive alcohol intake
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Drug misuse or abuse
• Depression, anxiety, or social isolation
• Family history
• Age (Men have an increased risk of heart disease once they hit middle age, women have an increased risk post-menopause)
• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
• Ethnicity (Some ethnic groups have genetic predispositions that increase heart disease risks)

Whether your risk factors are in or out of your control, your Rise specialist can take you through a few short screenings to show you where you stand with your heart health.

With accurate measurements and personalized heart health tactics, we’ll help you create a manageable plan that gets your blood sugar, pressure, and cholesterol to the healthiest levels possible for someone in your age group.

Cancer

Cancer is a mystery that modern medicine still hasn’t solved. The Cancer Research Institute states that there are 200+ types of this disease, each characterized by uncontrolled cell division and unique symptoms.

Cancer research has come a long way in the last decade through molecular biological studies. However, reports claim that cancer still causes an estimated 10 million deaths worldwide every year. Why is this?

Early detection is the most advantageous way to beat all cancer types and prevent recurrence. Despite this, doctors usually don’t screen for cancers unless symptoms are present (and are typically discouraged against preventative screenings by their patients’ insurance companies).

Enter Rise’s premium lab panels and regular screenings! With our comprehensive panels, we can measure a wide range of biomarkers to predict your likelihood of developing cancer and implement proactive tactics to mitigate your risks.

Stroke

Strokes are considered a neurological condition according to the World Health Organization. However, your cardiac health plays a large role in stroke prevention since strokes are caused by slowed or blocked blood flow to the brain.

The risk factors for strokes heavily overlap with heart disease risks because of the cardiac influence on stroke probability. While the majority of strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain, about one-third of patients had an underlying heart disease that directly triggered a stroke.

Plaque build-up in brain arteries is a big culprit for strokes, but other heart conditions like atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), coronary artery disease, and hypertension can have serious implications for neurological health.

Rise’s approach to stroke prevention considers both neurological and cardiac optimization. By regularly measuring your blood pressure, cholesterol, metabolic levels, and cognitive performance, we can recommend meaningful lifestyle changes to prevent cardiac events and strokes equally.

Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease

Chronic lower respiratory diseases seem vague in definition, but they’re more common than you think.

Conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema all fall under this disease category. Whether you or someone you know is diagnosed early or later in life, it remains a leading cause of death in the US alongside heart diseases, cancer, and strokes.

While not all chronic respiratory diseases are preventable, lifestyle factors like smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity can put you at risk of developing one or more of the conditions.

A healthy diet and exercise routine protects your body from the onset of several conditions as you age, including chronic lower respiratory diseases! The key is strengthening the lungs and improving circulation.

Rise develops tailored diets and workouts for each of our patient’s needs. If you’re concerned about lung health, visit us for customized aerobic exercises and diet plans full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.

Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in older adults. It’s a condition that slowly causes the brain to shrink and destroy brain cells. As a result, thought, speech, and memory recall capabilities are significantly diminished as the disease progresses.

Out of everything covered in this blog, scientists and medical professionals understand the least about Alzheimer’s. Understandably, this causes plenty of anxiety for the average person as they age.

While little is known about what causes Alzheimer’s, we know that genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors can have an impact on cognitive performance over time. This is why Rise’s mental preservation methods focus on sharpening essential brain functions.

By evaluating key abilities like memory, attention, and problem-solving, we can pinpoint early signs of cognitive impairment and create personalized intervention plans to maintain your alertness and overall mental clarity.

Diabetes

Diabetes is the eighth most common cause of death in the United States. Alarmingly, 49.6% of the US population is either diabetic or pre-diabetic according to the CDC — so we can expect to see an uptick in deaths in the coming years.

While some develop insulin resistance because of family history or genetic mutations, it’s mainly brought on by modifiable risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol-heavy diets, and physical inactivity.

The same CDC study reports that 22.8% of American adults are living with undiagnosed diabetes. If left untreated, blood vessels take on more damage and the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, vision loss, and nerve damage sharply increases.

Fortunately, most cases of diabetes can be prevented with smart lifestyle choices. Even prediabetes can be reversed with medication and weight loss.

Rise can help you get ahead of diabetes no matter your status. With highly tailored diets, exercises, and blood sugar monitoring, we can identify abnormalities early and optimize your metabolic processes for consistent insulin levels. Make diabetes one less thing to worry about as you age!

Plan a Healthier Future at Rise

Intentional care is the bridge between healthcare innovations and longer lives. With the latest diagnostics and wellness strategies available, Rise is determined to make these common causes of death a thing of the past!

Preventing major conditions like heart disease, cancer, strokes, chronic respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes seems daunting at first. But with meaningful lifestyle adjustments and regular, proactive screenings and treatments, Rise can help anyone make the most out of their extra years.

Do you know if you’re truly healthy? Why not find out for sure? Book your consultation at Rise to understand your disease risk and supercharge your vitality.