Every one of you has a secret self-admirer within! May be this why each one of us spend hours together in front of the mirror admiring our own beauty. However, not many of us know that our looks can actually indicate our health status. Therefore, today I request you to look at yourself in the mirror and try to find some clues that speak about your health.
How Healthy Are You?
Unfortunately, you think that your hair, skin and nails are only the pretty aspects of your beauty. But have you ever thought how these beauty facets can indicate important clues about your health? Your looks talk about your health! Good looks symbolize good health.
If you have any external problem in your body, then you need to be careful as it may be due to a major underlying issue beneath the skin. If you do not pay attention to it now, you may end up with serious health conditions later. Hence, spot the signs of serious diseases just by looking at yourself in the mirror. Read on to know how.
Symptoms To Look For
1. Wrinkles
If you are aging, then wrinkles are a common sign. However, at times, wrinkles also act as a symptom of osteoporosis. Latest research done at Yale University found that there is an association between wrinkles and bone health. If you have deep furrows or intense wrinkles that are speeding up at a high rate, then it may be an indication of lower bone density. It is because wrinkles are caused due to lack of , which is the main component of bone and skin.
Deficiencies in skin reflect deficiencies in bone too. But further studies are being conducted to identify the causes.
2. Swollen Feet and Ankles
If you are having difficulties in wearing shoes, it could be due to edema (fluid). In this condition, your feet and ankles swell, like a balloon, which may be due to many conditions like sprains, strains, injuries and infections, pregnancy, obesity and certain other medications.
Swelling in the legs, ankles and feet may also indicate conditions like, heart failure, liver or kidney problem, an infection or blood clot in the leg. If you notice bloated feet, legs and ankles, immediately consult your physician.
3. Colored Nails
If your nails are pitted, deformed, discolored, it indicates several health issues.
Nail changes are common in people having psoriasis (a chronic skin condition), alopecia areata (a type of patchy hair loss), or psoriatic arthritis (a joint condition).
Reiter’s syndrome (a type of arthritis) is associated with pitting nails. Black and blue spots on nails are a sign of fungal infection and sores. Half white and half brown nails could signal kidney failure.
Absolute white nails could mean a heart, liver or kidney failure. It could even indicate diabetes or thyroid.
4. Oral Hygiene
Poor oral hygiene reflects poor health, though bad breath and bleeding gums are the signs for poor oral hygiene, but did you know it also says a lot about your bones and heart.
In 2010, Scottish researchers emphasized on the importance of oral hygiene and reported in the British Medical Journal “brushing teeth lowers the risk of heart disease. Compared with twice-a-day brushers, people who brushed less frequently had a 70 percent greater risk of heart disease or death from heart disease.
Missing the entire set or a lot of teeth, may mean loss of jaw bone density, which can no longer support a mouthful of pearly whites. So tooth loss also can signal osteoporosis.
5. Excess Body Hair Growth
What if you have too much body hair growth?
Excessive body hair in women of childbearing age, may be sign of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of infertility, infrequent, irregular or absent periods. 70 percent of women with PCOS have excess hair growth or hirsutism, appearing on face, back, hands feet, chest or stomach.
6. Cracked lips
Lips speak about your health. Cracking at the corners of the mouth is a common sign of Vitamin B complex deficiencies. You could follow some of the home remedies for cracked lips such as applying ghee, honey or coconut oil to the lips.
7. Hair Loss
Hair loss problem may be due to pregnancy, stress, any illness, medications or treatment or hormonal imbalance. But, among women in particular excessive dry or thin hair may be a sign of an underactive or overactive thyroid hormone. So if you’re facing serious rapid hair loss, a simple blood test can determine if you are a suffering from any of the above conditions.
8. Puzzled moles
Moles are formed naturally when pigment cells in the skin called melanocytes, grow in clusters and is just a harmless growth.
Moles signal the presence of skin cancer. If you notice any changes in the growth of the moles like asymmetrical, irregular border, varying in color, diameter more than six millimeters, then you should immediately consult a doctor; because melanoma- the deadliest form of skin cancer may exhibit one or more features. So be careful!
9. Eye Care
Yellow eyes are a sign of liver diseases like hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Eye bags and puffiness are due to fluid retention below your bottom eyelid. The main culprit for such condition is consuming too much of salt. High sodium foods promote water retention throughout the body, and the sensitive under eye area is no exception. Hence, the best eye care tips are to limit salt consumption and applying a slice of cucumber or potato on the eye lids.
10. Dry Skin
You already know dry and brittle skin is a sign of dehydration, but there is a link between dry skin and health problems such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.
Hypothyroidism and diabetes can both leach out the moisture from the skin.
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of arteries that led to heart disease. It affects the skin too, especially on the legs, feet and shins. If these tiny arteries that carry blood become blocked, they can leave the skin deprived of oxygen, thus producing dry, shiny patches.
One of the best dry skin remedies is to drink 8 to 9 glasses of water every day.
11. Dark Skin Patches
People with insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity or, in rare cases, cancer, can develop these dark skin patches. If you notice any of the above warning signs, don’t panic, discuss with your doctor.
I am sure the above information would have enlightened you on how your looks reveal your health conditions. So what are you waiting for? Check yourself for the above symptoms and share with us what you have diagnosed in the comments below.
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