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Health and disease, and plant disease GapFill
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Health is classed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the complete state of physical, and social well-being. Ill health or can be the result of many factors, including diet, stress and pathogens, and some can put a person at increased risk of developing another. For example, can put someone at increased risk of allergies or asthma.
Many diseases, i.e. those that are not directly transmittable to another individual, are complex, but the risk of them can be reduced by making changes to lifestyle. and drinking are two risk factors that increase the incidence of diseases of the cardiovascular system and liver, respectively.
If cardiovascular disease becomes a particular problem, patients may need to take medicines to reduce their , or blood vessels may need to be artificially held open with mesh called a . Of course, these solutions may have their own problems, such as unexpected side effects of drugs or the risk of surgery.
Plants, like animals, can also suffer from disease, which can be a cause of concern for gardeners and farmers. This can be as a result of a viral, or fungal infection, or due to the action of insects.
Plants do have some natural defences against pathogens and predators. Physical defences act to prevent microorganisms from entering a plant, such as tough waxy cuticles on and made of cellulose. One of the best plant defence responses against pests is the use of chemicals. Some chemicals are released constantly, but this is a costly method for the plant, so many plants only release chemicals when they .
Humans have made use of some of these chemicals as medicines. For example, , originally from salicylic acid produced by willow trees, is a common painkiller and can be used to treat some of the of fever.