12 Health Symptoms You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Sick Woman.Flu.Woman Caught Cold. Sneezing into Tissue. Headache

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It’s fairly obvious to most people that when you are sick, you are sick. Coughing, runny nose, or chest congestion means you have a cold or the flu. Or if your doctor tells you that you have a disease such as cancer, or Parkinson’s disease, or if you should have a stroke, there is no doubting it, your body is unhealthy. It’s usually not until someone is ill do they really take notice and start to take better care of their bodies. Did you know, however, than many times your body will give you advanced warning signs? It’s almost like having a crystal ball to see into the future of your health. If you could see in advance that something you were doing was dangerously unhealthy, wouldn’t you stop? That is exactly what your body is trying to tell you and we are going to show you with the top 12 symptoms you simply can’t afford to ignore.

1. Fleeting Chest Pains

Many people, but especially men, will ignore this one because it comes and goes. If it was a real problem, they think, it would be more consistent. So they pass it off as indigestion or heartburn when, in actuality, it could be the precursor of a heart attack or even a blood clot that has lodged itself into one section of the artery, cutting off the blood flow to part of your heart. NEVER wait to see a doctor if you have chest pains. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

2. Skin Problems

If you have frequent problems with your skin, such as acne, rashes, or psoriasis, these are symptoms of other health problems. It may simply be food, irritants, or some other type of allergy, but many people break out with skin problems in a response to excessive stress levels. If you can eliminate allergies, then look at your lifestyle or personality and see if you can find where you are feeling the most stress and anxiety in your life. Remove or lessen those and you might find your skin has returned to its beautifully natural clear self.

3. Intense Back Pain

We’re talking about back pain that isn’t associated with moving the family sofa over the weekend. The pain may be in the same place, but you cannot remember doing anything to have made that happen and the usual remedies such as Advil, rest, or heat packs do nothing to relieve the pain. Although this could be a kidney stone, it could also be the sign of an aneurysm, a weak spot in the blood vessel that expands like a balloon. An abdominal aneurysm is a dangerous weak point of the aorta just over the kidneys that can cause severe back pain. Either way, you will want to see a doctor immediately for this.

4. You Discover you are Shorter

Well, this won’t happen overnight but one day you might go to your regular doctor and discover you are half an inch shorter than two years ago. The most likely culprit here is osteoporosis. You can avoid osteoporosis, broken hips, and humpbacks by being sure your body gets sufficient levels of calcium, vitamin d, and weight bearing exercises, all the things that keep bones strong your entire life.

5. Your Body is Apple Shaped

There are basically two body types when it comes to overweight people; those shaped like apples, and carry their weight in the stomach, and those shaped like pears who carry the weight around their hips and thighs. Being overweight is never a good sign; however, those who are apple shaped have a much greater risk of developing heart disease than the pears. Read how to lsoe weight doing around the house.

6. Sharp Pain in the Abdomen

There are several things a very severe, sharp pain in stomach areas means, and you might be able to narrow it down depending on exactly where it is. Pain in the lower right abdomen could be appendicitis, it the upper to middle abdomen, it could be the gallbladder. Pain just below the breastbone could be pancreatitis. Any sharp, stabbing type pains in the abdomen should not be ignored.

7. You Only Have 1 Bowel Moment Per Day

Good healthy bowels should move almost every time you eat a meal. Think about the In and Out box. When things go in, the body makes room by pushing things out. Constipation does not always mean you cannot go, but it can also mean you don’t go enough. Chronic constipation leaves toxins in the body for longer periods. Eat more healthy fruits and vegetables to see if that doesn’t get things going. ( so to speak) Find out ways to help constipation.

8. Cracked Lips

Especially if your lips tend to crack at the corners, this can be a sign of B vitamin deficiencies. A lack of B12, for example, can make you more susceptible to anemia and other illnesses.

9. Weakness in the Limbs

Even if it’s only for a few minutes, anyone who experiences a weakness in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, or a feeling of numbness, sometimes even a complete inability to move one or more parts of your body, especially if it’s all on one side of the body, needs to see a doctor immediately. These are often signs of an impending stroke.

10. Severe Headache

We don’t mean the “Oh, the children were so awful today and I have such a headache”, kind of headache. This type of headache is often described as a “thunderclap” or the worst headache ever. Many people can pinpoint the exact moment it started. These types of headaches should never be ignored as they are often precursors to a brain aneurysm that is about to burst.

11. You Snore

Snoring can be an early sign of sleep apnea, which is a dangerous obstruction of the airway that, if left untreated, can lead to heart failure and/or high blood pressure. Read about all ways to control blood pressure.

12. Dark Yellow Urine

Normal urine should be very light yellow, almost clear in color. Dark yellow is a sure sign that you are dehydrated and need to drink more water. Alcohol, coffee, and other caffeinated drinks do not count as water. Sources: Health.yahoo.net Abcnews.go.com