Conscious Health Initiative

25 MEDICAL TERM YOU SHOULD KNOW

Let us be honest. Many times we go to the hospital, the doctor starts talking, and we just keep nodding our head. Inside our mind, we are lost. Medical grammar everywhere.

Understanding basic medical terms can help you make better decisions about your health, ask the right questions, and avoid unnecessary fear.

Here are 25 important medical terms explained in simple language.

1. Benign
Not cancerous. It means the growth is not dangerous.

2. Malignant
Cancerous. This one needs serious attention.

3. Anti-inflammatory
Drugs that reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation, like ibuprofen or naproxen.

4. Body Mass Index (BMI)
A calculation using your height and weight to estimate body fat.

5. Biopsy
When a small piece of tissue is taken for testing.

6. Hypotension
Low blood pressure.

7. Hypertension
High blood pressure.

8. Lesion
Any wound, sore or abnormal area on the body.

9. Noninvasive
A procedure that does not involve cutting or entering the body.

10. Outpatient
You come in for treatment and go home the same day.

11. Inpatient
You are admitted and stay overnight or longer.

12. In remission
The disease is under control or not getting worse. It does not always mean cured.

13. Membrane
A thin layer of tissue that covers or connects body parts.

14. Acute
Sudden and usually short term, like acute pain or illness.

15. Angina
Chest pain related to heart problems.

16. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Long grammar for heartburn.

17. Cellulitis
Infection or inflammation under the skin.

18. Epidermis
The outermost layer of the skin.

19. Neutrophils
The most common type of white blood cell that fights infection.

20. Edema
Swelling usually caused by fluid buildup.

21. Embolism
A blood clot that blocks blood flow.

22. Sutures
Stitches used to close wounds.

23. Polyp
A small growth of tissue, often found in the nose, colon, or womb.

24. Compound fracture
A broken bone that comes out through the skin.

25. Comminuted fracture
A bone that breaks into many pieces.

Health literacy is power. The more you understand these terms, the better you can protect yourself, your family and even challenge wrong information.

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“Pack salt and see for yourself” is honestly one of the weakest arguments we use in the salt debate.

Who really packs salt like that?

If you cook most of your meals at home, limit fast food and restaurant meals, and eat once or twice a day, salt is not your main problem.

The bigger issue facing many Nigerians today is insulin resistance, closely followed by ultra processed foods with hidden sodium. These are the real drivers of high blood pressure, weight gain, and metabolic problems.

Someone will eat corned beef, sausages, instant noodles, shawarma, fries, and drown everything in sauces. When their blood pressure goes up, they blame ordinary kitchen salt.

Salt did not cause that. Years of poor eating habits did.

Most health issues we struggle with today are linked to excess sugar, refined carbs, constant snacking, and highly processed foods, not moderate salt intake.

In fact, low salt intake can also be harmful. It can lead to weakness, dizziness, low energy, muscle cramps, and hormonal imbalance, especially for people who sweat a lot or eat low carb diets.

The conversation around salt and high blood pressure needs more balance and better understanding.

So do what works for you. Just make sure you are addressing the real problem, not blaming the wrong thing.

If you want a personalized diet plan that fits your lifestyle and health goals, reach out. Share this with your friends and family.

Insulin resistance does not start in the blood.
It starts inside the cell.

Every time you eat, glucose enters your bloodstream. Insulin’s job is to send a message to your cells that energy is available. When cells respond properly, glucose moves inside and is used for fuel or stored safely.

But with insulin resistance, the message stops working.

The insulin is still there. Sometimes even more than normal.
The cells simply stop responding.

Why?

Because the cells are already overloaded with energy.

Inside each cell are mitochondria, the structures that turn food into usable energy. When fuel keeps coming in all day, with no breaks, mitochondria become overwhelmed. Energy backs up. Inflammation increases. The cell protects itself by becoming less sensitive to insulin.

This is not failure.
It is self defense.

Here is what makes insulin resistance worse over time:

Constant eating with no fasting periods

Large portion sizes

Refined and ultra processed foods

Low movement and weak muscles

Chronic stress and poor sleep

Muscle cells, liver cells, and fat cells all respond differently, but the outcome is the same. Glucose stays in the blood longer. Insulin stays high longer. The cycle repeats.

This is why focusing only on blood sugar misses the real issue.

The problem is not that insulin disappears.
The problem is that cells are saying, “We are full.”

The solution is not forcing more insulin.
The solution is reducing constant fuel signals.

That is why eating less often, moving your body, and improving sleep can restore insulin sensitivity even before weight loss happens.

When you understand what is happening inside the cell, insulin resistance finally makes sense.

Follow for more simple science explanations on insulin resistance, intermittent fasting, portion size, and metabolic health.

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Most people think type 2 diabetes starts when blood sugar goes up.
That is not true.

Long before blood sugar rises, something more important is already happening inside the body. Insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is the real root of type 2 diabetes. It develops quietly, sometimes for 10 to 15 years, while blood sugar tests still look “normal”.

Here is why that matters.

Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose from your blood into your cells for energy. When cells respond well, only a small amount of insulin is needed. But when cells become resistant, the body produces more and more insulin just to keep blood sugar normal.

This means you can have:

Normal blood sugar

High insulin levels

Ongoing fat storage

Constant hunger

Fatigue after meals

And still be told everything is fine.

Blood sugar is the smoke.
Insulin resistance is the fire.

By the time blood sugar rises enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes, the pancreas has often been overworked for years.

This is why focusing only on lowering blood sugar misses the bigger picture. Many treatments manage the numbers but do not address why insulin is high in the first place.

Insulin resistance is not a failure of willpower. It is a biological response to constant eating, large portion sizes, processed foods, poor sleep, stress, and lack of movement.

The good news is this.
When insulin sensitivity improves, blood sugar becomes easier to control naturally.

Understanding insulin resistance changes everything. It shifts the conversation from “How do I lower sugar?” to “How do I reduce constant insulin demand?”

That is where real healing begins.

If you found this helpful, follow for more clear explanations on insulin resistance, intermittent fasting, portion size, and metabolic health.

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