While I hesitate to liken the human body to a machine, your car, just like your body, hardly ever just stops working without adequate warning. It’s just up to us to recognize the subtle signs that indicate a glitch in the proper working order of things.
To help, here are nine signs and symptoms that often preclude more serious bodily health conditions…
1. Acid Indigestion
If your digestive system is out of whack, leaving you with indigestion, acid reflux, burping, gas, and painful heartburn, you could be dealing with a health issue in your digestive system (i.e., Gastritis or inadequate stomach acid) that impedes the ability properly digest denser fat- and protein-rich foods. If food is consumed too quickly, its often not given time to begin the digestive process—thus, the stomach becomes blocked with a buildup of undigested food and air with only one other path of escape: up!
2. Prone to Colds and Viral Infections
An imbalance in the gut will often cause more than indigestion. Low levels of beneficial gut flora (or enzymes) will leave you prone to all sorts of germs, microbes, and viruses, not to mention rashes, urinary tract infections (UTIs), yeast infections, and constipation or diarrhea. Unfortunately, prescription antibiotics will eradicate beneficial gut bacteria even further, but eating probiotic rich foods (i.e., yogurt, kefir, miso) can replenish gut flora.
3. Inflammation and Constipation
Did you know that the average American is regrettably fiber deficient? Regrettably because of the bloating, cramping, constipation, skin blemishes, energy drain, and digestive upset that inevitably takes place in a body that consumes inadequate fiber to push and empty the bowels. To encourage efficient elimination, boost your diet with whole grains, vegetables and fruits (with skins), and nuts and legumes.
4. Chapped, Dry Lips
Dehydration should come first to mind when the lips dry out. So put down that lip balm and drink water instead. If you’re dehydrated, it won’t be long before you start feeling dizzy and tired, and feel a sharp headache. You can also take a peek at your urine. If it’s dark yellow with a strong scent, you need to drink up (i.e., water, herbal teas, infused water, and moisture-rich fruits and veggies).
5. Itchy, Irritated Ears and Throat
Candida overgrowth will often cause dark, warm, and moist caverns of the body (i.e., inner ears, throat, vagina, and mucous membranes) to breed fungus, a yeast like substance that breeds in the gut and runs rampant throughout the body when healthy gut flora is thrown off balance. Just like starving a cold, candida should be deprived of sugars (both refined and from fruit) to restore healthy gut balance.
6. Rash or Eczema
Unexplained rash or dry, itchy, patchy skin is usually the prime indication of a food intolerance. When you consume a food your body deems “enemy,” inflammation will occur to protect the body from the foreign invader. Unfortunately, even if the food is not the enemy, the body will attempt to eliminate it quickly via the skin, causing blemishes, hives, and eczema. To pinpoint the exact problem food, you have to eliminate suspects one at a time starting with the most common culprits (i.e., dairy, gluten, wheat, eggs, and soy).
7. Cracked Mouth or Mouth Sores
If you’re prone to Cheilitis, cracking or sore patches at the corners of the mouth or on the tongue or lips, you may be vitamin B deficient. This deficiency can eat away at tissues that slough off the fastest. To restore those kissable lips, consult a nutritionist with your suspicions and eat foods high in B vitamins (i.e., legumes, salmon, poultry, wheat germs, sweet potatoes, and whole grain foods).
8. Unexplained Fatigue
Sure, if you’re sleep deprived or dealing with a stressful period, fatigue is understandable. However, while short bursts of stimulation to the central nervous system can be beneficial, an excess of stress hormones (i.e., cortisol) can cause irritability, anxiety, irregular heartbeat, and adrenal fatigue. If you feel like your body is low on gas for no reason, lay off the caffeine or limit your daily coffee runs to 300-miligrams per day to see if energy improves.
9. Chronic Dark Circles
Awaking with dark circles occasionally might pose a beauty dilemma and indicate a night of restless sleep. However, if dark circles are chronic, it may indicate a serious underlying health condition. For instance, chronic dark circles can be a sign of dehydration, kidney deficiencies (if the entire surrounding eye area is puffy), that you’re eating too much excess sugar, and even anemia (or iron deficiency).
