More Americans than ever before are suffering from chronic multiple illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol levels, cancer, arthritis, heart failure and others, a study released in 2009 says.

All of these are conditions that the Coronary Health Improvement Project is designed to reduce. And CHIP has a clear track record of doing just that, in many cases eliminating some conditions entirely.

Adding insult to the injury of ill health, these multiple illnesses have caused a big increase in medical expenses. With prescription drugs playing a major role, yearly out-of-pocket medical costs — those not covered by insurance — rose from $427 per person in 1996 to $741 a year nine years later.

Several factors are behind this increase in multiple, chronic illnesses. The rise coincides with the increase of non-active lifestyles and overweight. Overweight is a contributing factor to many chronic illnesses including diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes has skyrocketed close to 90 percent in the past 10 years.

The number of people with three or more chronic diseases rose even more dramatically than that.

The rise in chronic, multiple illnesses has been seen among older age groups and in middle age and early old age — no matter what the gender, race, ethnicity and income level of those surveyed.

After taking CHIP, many people no longer need some or all of their medications, because the CHIP lifestyle has reversed or eliminated the condition — high blood pressure; narrowed arteries; diabetes, etc.

CHIP can most definitely save money for those suffering from chronic, multiple illnesses. It can also improve overall health, and in some cases, save the lives of those who adopt the CHIP lifestyle.

Caution:

This information is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment from personal physicians. Questions about symtoms and medications, general or specific, should be addressed to personal health care providers. Those readers taking prescription medications should consult with their physicians and not take themselves off these drugs without medical supervision.