If you are conscious about your looks, and body then you should know the vital signs and their meanings. You should also know what self examinations you should be doing on your body each morning. Following are some of the self checks which you are perform everyday. These checks are not difficult and will help you understand the signs your body is giving you in advance.
Inspect Your Nails
If you see dark lines on the nail beds
It’s a myth that Texas-sized moles are the only indicators for skin cancer. Unfortunately, skin cancer can also develop under your nails. Yellowish, brown, or black stripes are a sign of cell damage, possibly from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. But if you inspect and detect early then latest treatment can cure upto 95% cases. Immediately consult your dermatologist to form an opinion and start the treatment.
If you notice cracks and splinters
Possibly: Your frail nails might indicate nutritional deficiencies like low calcium, vitamin D, or zinc. Sporting nude nails more often and maintaining a balanced diet may help. Or you can try soaking your nails in water for five minutes at night before moisturizing them with an alpha hydroxy cream.
If you notice bright white stripes
Possibly: Everyone gets white spots on their nails from time to time, but if you see long horizontal bands of discoloration on the nail’s surface and you have been feeling fatigued more often, it could be bad news for your kidneys. As per doctors, “These bands can be a signal that the kidneys isn’t filtering the protein out from your urine.” This also indicate that your body is losing protein faster than you are consuming which in worst case can lead to kidney failure. Don’t neglect this and consult your doctor immediately if you notice bright white stripes on your finger nails.
Inspect Your Scalp
If you see thinning hair
Possibly: Excessive hair loss is very common indicator of thyroid disorder, which affects about 10% of American women and 34% women worldwide. Thyroid (a gland in the middle of your neck) can disrupt the balance of male and female sex hormones which is evident when you notice more strands in your brush and hair that feels coarse and brittle. In such scenario only your doctor can tell you if you are suffering from Hyperthyroidism or Hypothyroidism. Not to worry, with regular medicine dose you can regulate your thyroid. If you can rule Thyroid out then there are few other common causes of thinning hair i.e. natural 30 something hormonal shift, over stress, vitamin deficiency, an excess of mercury, or postpartum hormone changes, hypothyroidism, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PcOS).
If you see your scalp shedding like a snake
Possibly: if skin fakes have suddenly made your shoulders look like the Alps in February, it could be due to
your to-do list. An intense load of stress causes your body to produce excess amounts of the hormone cortisol, in addition to wreaking havoc on your immune system (making you more vulnerable to colds) and your
metabolism (making you pack on pounds), cortisol can also dry out your scalp. A drugstore dandruff shampoo will defake your locks, but unless you want a permanent case of shoulder snow, try to get more sleep, breathe more deeply, and loosen up your hectic schedule.
Inspect Your Mouth
If you notice white, yellow, or orange coating on your tongue
Possibly: If your licker looks as if someone painted it with bright-colored gunk, you could be spilling your gut in your sleep. Normally, a one-way valve at the bottom of the esophagus makes sure that whatever goes down doesn’t come back up. Acid refux occurs when this valve opens spontaneously and the contents of your stomach make a break for your throat, leaving your tongue coated in digestive acids and you with a serious case of Godzilla breath. Most refux can be treated with OTc antacids or simply by avoiding acidic and spicy foods; if those measures don’t work, see your doctor. You may need prescription medicines to reduce your body’s production of stomach acid.
If you see inflamed gums
Possibly: You’re knocked up and your dentist is often the first to know, swollen gums are one of the early side effects of the hormonal changes that come with pregnancy. if your gums are puffy or bleed when you foss, your period is late then it may be time to take a pregnancy test.
If you notice cracked mouth corners
Possibly: You’re vitamin deficient or you’re a big lip licker. A lack of B vitamins specifically, B2, B6, and folic acid can dry out the sensitive skin on the outer corners of your mouth, causing unseemly cracks on your kisser. Adding nutrient-rich eats such as leafy greens and watermelon to your regular diet should smooth out any rough patches.
Inspect Your Eyes
If you see under eye circles that won’t go away
Possibly: Unless you’ve taken a second job at the midnight trucking radio network, a sudden onset of dark rings could be chalked up to allergies. An allergen hits your body, which in response releases histamine; this chemical makes blood vessels swell with blood and other fluids, resulting dark patches to show up where the skin is thinnest. A skin test can determine which allergen is causing your
symptoms.
If you see a yellowish bump on your eyeball
Possibly: No, you haven’t developed a rare case of optic acne. instead, a slightly raised nodule on the white of your eye is a symptom of a harmless condition called pinguecula. Which is nothing more than an overgrowth of collagen triggered by damage from sun, wind, or dust. Keep your eyes moist with lubricating drops and don shades anytime you’re outdoors (make sure your specs offer 100 percent protection against UVA and UVB rays) to prevent the bump from growing larger.
If you see sparse outer eyebrows
Possibly: Your thyroid isn’t pumping out enough hormones. The right prescription medicine should get your hormones and brows back on track.
If you see a patch of rough, dark skin on your armpits
Possibly: Unless you’ve been going overboard with the self-tanner, you could have diabetes. Excess insulin in your bloodstream can cause skin cells to multiply abnormally fast, leading to a buildup of tissue and melanin. This makes the skin look darker and feel thicker. A simple blood test can determine whether you have the disease, which affects about 24 million Americans nearly a quarter of whom are undiagnosed.
Inspect Your Skin
If you notice brown splotches
Possibly: You’ve had a self-tanner mishap or you have a benign condition called melasma that’s often associated with oral contraceptives. Doctors aren’t sure why some birth-control pills cause these dark patches on the forehead, cheeks, or upper lip, but they do know Ultra Violet (UV) exposure makes them worse.
If you notice small yellow bumps
Possibly: You’re looking at fat deposits caused by high cholesterol. The yellowish bulges can appear anywhere (yes, on thin people too) but are most common on the knees, elbows, hands, and feet. Make an appointment with your doc for a simple blood cholesterol test.
If you notice a rash on your rump
Possibly: Celiac disease, which is triggered by eating gluten, can manifest itself as an itchy red rash or blisters on your derriere. Ten to 15 percent of people with gluten intolerance get this inflammation, which can also appear on your elbows and knees. Fortunately, once you cut pasta, wheat bread, and other gluten sources from your diet, you’ll kick the butt blisters too.
If you notice small, soft lumps on your eyelids, knees, or elbows that look white or waxy
Possibly: The good news: it’s not a zit. The bad news: These are small deposits of cholesterol, Smith says. unfortunately, “by the time they appear, your cholesterol levels are probably sky high; this is a serious risk factor for heart disease.” Yet reducing your numbers by just 10 percent slashes that risk by as much as a third. See your doctor for a cholesterol check, and ask her about lifestyle changes or prescription drugs that can get your levels down. If you see thick, dark hair on your belly in a diamond shape It could mean is that forest sprouting on your abs thick enough to hide a family of hobbits?
Dense, coarse hair that extends up toward your belly button (rather than growing downward from the top of the pubic bone) could be a sign of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PcOS). Caused by overproduction of androgens, the condition can lead to irregular or heavy periods, weight gain, acne, and thick, dark hair on the belly, face, chest, and back. As many as one in 10 women have PcOS, which can be a risk factor for serious problems like infertility and heart disease. if you have symptoms, see your obgyn; she might prescribe birth control pills to get your hormones back.
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