Glossary

Aneurysm: Fluid-filled sac in the wall of a blood vessel that can weaken the wall and cause it to rupture.

Ankylosing spondylitis: An autoimmune disease that affects the spine and causes the bones to fuse together.

Artery: Blood vessel carrying blood away from the heart to the body.

Autoimmune disease: Any disease in which a person's immune system cannot tell the difference between viruses, bacteria, or parasites and the healthy self.

Biochemical: Relating to chemicals that are found in living organisms. Imbalances can cause disease and depression.

Cholesterol: A waxy substance found naturally in the body and necessary for some bodily functions. Cholesterol is also found in foods. An excess of cholesterol can cause buildup in the arteries, leading to hardening of the arteries and disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A disease of the lungs that hampers breathing and is often caused by smoking or exposure to inhaled chemicals.

Coronary artery disease: Disease of the blood vessels that involves the heart.

Crohn's disease: A chronic inflammatory disease affecting the digestive tract.

CT scan: A non-invasive medical test. CT imaging combines special X-ray equipment with sophisticated computers to produce multiple images of the inside of the body. These cross-sectional images of the area being studied can then be examined on a computer monitor or printed.

Diabetes (types 1 and 2): Diabetes occurs when the body is not able to keep blood sugar balanced. Type 1 diabetes is autoimmune. Type 2 diabetes develops as a result of obesity, lifestyle, or age.

End-organ toxicity: Problems that are caused by medication prescribed to treat another condition.

Epilepsy: A neurological condition that sometimes produces brief disturbances (seizures) in the normal electrical functions of the brain.

HDL: High-density lipoprotein, or "good" cholesterol.

HIV/AIDS: A virus-induced disorder of the immune system whereby a person loses the ability to fight infection.

Hypertension: High blood pressure.

Immunosuppressive drugs: Drugs designed to treat autoimmunity by weakening a person's immune system.

Isometrics: Exercises that involve pitting muscle against muscle or against an inanimate object (like a wall or door frame).

LDL: Low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):

A non-invasive medical test. MRI uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses, and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone, and virtually all other internal body structures.

Multiple sclerosis: An autoimmune disease that affects the myelin sheath (covering) of the nerve pathways and disrupts communication to the muscles and other parts of the body.

Neurological disorders: Problems affecting the nervous system.

Neuropathy: Nerve pain.

Obesity: Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. An adult who has a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.

Osteopenia: A slight or minor thinning of the bones.

Osteoporosis: Significant thinning of the bones requiring medical treatment.

Psoriasis: Chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells.

Psychiatrist: A mental health professional who can prescribe medication to treat mental and emotional problems.

Psychologist: A mental health professional who uses talk therapy and other techniques but does not prescribe medication.

Remitting/flaring: Periods of relative calm and periods of increased disease activity.

Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the joints.