On average, around 665 people die a day in Canada, most in Ontario.
The three leading causes of death in Canada, according to Statistics Canada and the World Health Organization, are cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Cancer and heart disease have topped the list of leading causes of mortality in Canada since 2006 for both men and women.
Mortalities from heart disease and all forms of cancer combined were responsible for 59 per cent of all deaths in Canada in 2007.
Cancer caused 32.3 per cent of deaths in 2007 (Graphic: Don Dimanlig).
These diseases are now so rampant and widespread that if you are not suffering from one of these ailments, you know someone who is, or has.
In 2007, 69,595 people died of cancer, accounting for 32.3 per cent of deaths, up 2.6 per cent from 2006.
This was slightly more than the 69,503 deaths attributable to cardiovascular diseases that same year.
Strokes were the third leading cause of death in 2006 (Graphic: Don Dimanlig).
Between 2000 and 2007, the number of deaths caused by major cardiovascular diseases was on the decline, while the number of cancer deaths was increasing.
However, the Canadian Cancer Society reports a stable decline in cancer mortality rates from 2009 to the present.
The decline is caused by the prevalence of cancer prevention routines in Canada.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for men and women.
The Canadian Cancer Society reports that 30 per cent of new cancer cases and 17 per cent of cancer deaths will occur in young and middle-aged adults ages 20-59, in their most productive years for employment and raising families.
Cardiovascular diseases killed 69,503 people in 2007 (Graphic: Don Dimanlig).
The declining urgency to keep up regular exercise, the mounting intensity of stress in each persons daily schedules, the swell of easily accessible fast food joints and the neglect of proper sun exposure safety are all factors contributing to the expansion of cancer and heart disease across North America.
Only small changes to daily routines can be made to drastically change the risk of the illness, and they can be the difference between becoming one of these statistics and a living, breathing individual.
Strokes made up 6.1 per cent of deaths in Canada in 2006 ranking as the third leading cause of death.
Chronic lower respiratory disease, which is worsened by smoking, indoor and outdoor pollution and airborne allergens, is the fourth leading cause.
Widespread diagnoses of this disease can be seen in the latest World Health Organization rankings, which estimate that currently, 300 million people have asthma, 210 million people have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and millions have allergic rhinitis and other often undiagnosed chronic respiratory diseases.
Cigarette smoking is directly correlated to risk for a stroke, many types of cancer and heart disease.
Regular exercising is crucial, moderate exercise makes the heart stronger by enhancing circulation.
This helps control weight, which contributes to the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
Focusing on a healthy diet while in a fast food, single serving society can be tough, yet indulgence in cheap and poorly made foods can lead to clots and multiple diseases.
This story appeared in the January 2011 edition of the Charlatan magazine. For more stories from this issue, please see: