It's virtually impossible to imagine how it would feel to wake up in the morning and not have a clue where you were. Unfortunately, this dilemma is becoming too common.

(NAPSI)Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a disease that makes it hard to breathe, affects millions of Americans and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. COPD can be debilitating, and while millions are diagnosed, it is estimated that many suffer from the disease but are unaware they have it. There is no cure for COPD; however, there are treatments and everyday lifestyle changes that can help.

(BPT) - Damp, dark areas of the home, such as an unfinished basement, can often be trouble spots for homeowners hoping to increase their living space. Left unfinished, these areas of the home can potentially suffer significant damage, be prone to flooding or develop mold. When it comes to home improvement, homeowners are wise to consider the affects of moisture and mold buildup and how they can be combated.

The near-deafening sound of more than 100 dogs barking in unison fills the hall at Pima Animal Care Center, while parents and children eagerly peer into the kennels hoping to find a new pet to bring home.

Every day your heart makes enough energy to drive a truck 20 miles. To do this, your heart needs a little help from you. Just like a well-running automobile, your heart needs fuel to keep it chugging along.

(BPT) - Flu is nothing to sneeze about, especially for high-risk populations like the 12 million Americans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, a progressive, irreversible lung disease that includes the respiratory illnesses chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

(BPT) - “The size of a soda pop can,” is how Crystal and Marshall Diehl describe their daughter Audrey’s tiny, 12-ounce body, when she was born 15 weeks premature in March 2010. With the odds stacked against her, little Audrey made great strides to grow and develop during her 93-day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Duluth, Minnesota where the Diehls lived. When Audrey’s parents were finally allowed to bring her home, they were warned that although Audrey had grown significantly and appeared healthy, preterm birth impacts the functioning of many internal organs and is associated with increased health risks.

We all know that regular exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise makes you look and feel good – promoting greater muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, weight control, and cardiovascular fitness.

(NAPSI)—There could be good news for the nearly 26 million people in the United States affected by diabetes: America’s biopharmaceutical research companies are currently developing 221 innovative new medicines to help treat diabetes.

All U.S. baby boomers should get a one-time test for the hepatitis C virus, according to final recommendations published today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in 30 baby boomers – the generation born from 1945 through 1965 – has been infected with hepatitis C, and most don’t know it. Hepatitis C causes serious liver diseases, including liver cancer (the fastest-rising cause of cancer-related deaths) and is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.

(BPT) - For millions of Americans, the battle against heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions goes on year round. About 600,000 people die from heart disease in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making heart disease the leading cause of death for both men and women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease and strokes account for just over a third of all deaths in the United States.

(BPT) - Immunizations have had an enormous impact in helping to improve the health of children in the United States, according the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While vaccination has helped to reduce many childhood diseases, some of these diseases still exist and could reappear if vaccination coverage wanes.

For 10 years now, Vera Shury, a certified specialist in exercise therapy and a fitness trainer, has passionately used her skills and love for helping people throughout the region improve motor skills to deal with Parkinson’s disease.

(BPT) - For the estimated 3.2 million Americans living with chronic hepatitis C, talking to a physician about treatment options for the disease now is an important first step. Untreated chronic hepatitis C may lead to serious health consequences, including cirrhosis - or permanent scarring of the liver - liver failure and liver cancer.

(StatePoint)  Diabetes continues to be a big problem in America, with over 8 percent of the population currently living with the disease, according the American Diabetes Association. And predictions from The Centers for Disease Control indicate this number will climb to over 30 percent by 2050.

What can I do for my overweight teenager without making them overly self conscious?

(BPT) - Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emmy^® Award-winning actress and star of the upcoming CBS comedy "The Crazy Ones," is joining March of Dimes and Sanofi Pasteur on the Sounds of Pertussis^®Campaign. As a mother of two young children, the youngest having arrived in September 2012, Gellar wants to help raise awareness about the potential dangers of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, and the importance of adult tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination.

(BPT) - An estimated 3.2 million Americans have chronic hepatitis C, a potentially serious disease that, if left untreated, can damage the liver over time and lead to cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, end-stage liver disease and liver cancer. Liver failure from chronic hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States.

(NAPSI)—While diabetes continues to be on the rise in America, there are ways you can deal with it. It may help to know that an American is diagnosed every 17 seconds, and the Centers for Disease Control estimates that by 2050, as many as a third of the U.S. population will have diabetes. Not only is it a common disease but it is a costly one; people living with diabetes spend 2? times more on health care than the average consumer and approximately $350 annually on over-the-counter health products, including critical diabetes testing supplies. In fact, many Medicare patients rely on Part B coverage to secure their diabetes testing supplies.

(NAPSI)—Today, getting older isn’t about looking back. It’s about moving forward and embracing healthy habits to prepare for what lies ahead. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of chronic disease increases significantly with age. In fact, adults 50 and older have a 70 percent chance of developing at least one chronic condition.1

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking for assistance from deer and elk hunters in monitoring efforts for chronic wasting disease (CWD).

(NAPSI)—One of the best things you can do for yourself, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is make an appointment with a doctor to discuss what screenings and exams you need and when you need them.