Death is perhaps the only thing everyone on this planet experiences. You can try to run from it, fight it or make deals with ancient beings from realms beyond your understanding, but no matter who you are, you’ll meet it someday. However, you can postpone it, if you try.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 158,493 people died in Australia in 2018, and the top five causes of these deaths were preventable. So, if you want to strive for immortality, start with these.

1. Ischaemic heart disease
   
   Ischaemia is when blood flow is restricted or reduced due to a narrowing of arteries. Another common name is coronary artery disease (CAD). Ischaemic heart disease can lead to heart attacks.
   
   Risks of Ischaemic heart disease
   
   The risks for ischaemia differ from person to person but are mostly related to things like age and lifestyle.
   
   • Age. The chances for men to have ischaemia increases when they reach 45. For women, it increases when they reach 55. The reason for the difference between these two genders is because of the effect hormones have on the blood vessels.
   
   • Smoking. In general, this increases your risk of ischaemia by a very significant amount. Even if you smoke as little as four cigarettes a day, your chances increase. Second-hand smoke will do the same, so if you want to decrease your chance of suffering from CAD, stop smoking.
   
   • High blood pressure. This can hurt the walls of the arteries. To reduce high blood pressure, you can quit smoking. You should also exercise and shed pounds if you are overweight.
   
   • Diabetes. The increased glucose (blood sugar) that is associated with diabetes has been linked to clogged arteries. If you have diabetes, you can manage it with insulin or lose weight through exercise or natural weight loss supplements.
   
   • Other common risks are obesity, inactive lifestyles, drugs and stress.
   
   To reduce your risk of ischaemic heart disease, you should maintain a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating a balanced diet.
   
   
2. Dementia
   
   Dementia is a harder thing to avoid. It is often genetic and linked to age. However, there are certain factors that increase your chance of developing it, such as poor diet, drinking alcohol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, sleep apnea and nutritional deficiencies like vitamin D, B-6, B-12 and folate.
   
   To help counteract these risks, keep an active mind and body, quit smoking, get proper sleep, take brain support vitamins and live an overall healthy lifestyle.
   
   
3. Cerebrovascular diseases
   
   Some common cerebrovascular diseases include strokes, aneurysms and ischaemic attacks. Some common symptoms include a severe and sudden headache, paralysis of one side of the body, confusion, slurred speech, loss of balance and vision and becoming unconscious.
   
   As is common among the deadliest diseases, the main risks are
   
   • High blood pressure.
   • Smoking.
   • Obesity.
   • Poor diet and lack of exercise.
   • Diabetes.
   
   To reduce your risk of cerebrovascular disease, exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight and manage your cholesterol.
   
   
4. Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung
   
   The trachea is the airpipe. A malignant neoplasm is a tumour. To translate this, it’s cancer of the throat or lungs. There are several different types of cancer that can be found in these areas such as, nasopharyngeal cancer or glottic cancer, among others.
   
   Some common symptoms of having these cancers are shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and a whistling sound when breathing in caused by blocked airways.
   
   These factors elevate your risk for cancer:
   
   • Tobacco use, both smoking and chewing.
   • Drinking alcohol.
   • A sexually transmitted disease known as human papillomavirus (HPV). This is one of the most common STD’s and it usually goes away by itself but can lead to cancer.
   • A diet that doesn’t include fruits and vegetables.
   • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is also referred to as acid reflux.
   
   To prevent getting these cancers, you can:
   
   • Stop smoking or don’t start in the first place. If you want to quit but need help, talk to your doctor. There are methods to make it easier such as nicotine replacements and therapies.
   
   • If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. To keep it moderated, men and women over 65 should have no more than one drink a day, while those younger than 65 should have no more than two a day.
   
   • Have a diet that consists of fruit and vegetables. The vitamins and antioxidants can reduce your risk of cancer.
   
   • Have safe sex. Since HPV can cause cancer, use condoms and limit the number of sexual partners you have.
   
   
5. Chronic lower respiratory diseases
   
   Common examples of these are asthma and COPD.
   
   According to the WHO, common risk factors are smoking tobacco (second-hand smoke included), air pollution (both outside and inside) and allergens.
   
   These can’t really be cured; however, they can be treated through medications. Just make sure to keep track of the symptoms and medicines you are on, so you can get the proper treatment when attacks come.