When Great-Aunt Martha says uncle so-and-so had a 'touch of...

When Great-Aunt Martha says uncle so-and-so had a 'touch of sugar,' it means he had diabetes. When someone says aunt so-and-so was senile, it could mean she had Alzheimer's disease. When someone had 'hardening of the arteries,' it usually means coronary artery disease. 'Spells,' 'fits' and all of those old-fashioned terms all translate to modern medical conditions you could be at risk for.