Hypothyroidism is described as a disease that is responsible for making your thyroid less active than it should be. That is because the thyroid gland starts to produce fewer hormones than usual.
Being diagnosed with this disease can cause a lot of health problems, such as digestive issues, difficulty losing weight, hair falling, changes in the way your brain is functioning, etc.
The thyroid gland sits in front of your neck and it has a shape similar to a butterfly. The hormones that this gland releases are very important when it comes to energy use and the way the other organs function.
During the early stages of this disease, you can notice a few symptoms that may occur. If you don’t treat this health affection, it can have bad repercussions and it can lead to severe issues and complications, including heart disease and infertility among younger women.
We did a bit of research for you and we’ve discovered 12 signs you might suffer from hypothyroidism. Here they are:
I think that at this point, everyone knows that high cholesterol levels can clog the heart’s blood vessels. Unfortunately, the damage doesn’t stop there. Cholesterol can also have an impact on your legs, leading to a harsh condition known as peripheral arterial disease, or PAD.
When the arteries in your legs are clogged, there’s a sufficient amount of oxygen-rich blood that can’t reach your lower part. This can make your legs feel heavy and tired. In fact, there are many people with high cholesterol levels that complain about burning pain in the lower limbs.
You might feel pain in any part of your legs, like thighs or calves. Find out signs that your cholesterol levels might harm your legs:
Pain in the legs
The most common PAD symptom is definitely claudication, which is a type of leg pain or discomfort. As the arteries get clogged, they are unsuccessful in delivering enough blood to the legs to support exertion. There are some people that say their legs feel “heavier” or tired, or they report a burning pain, according to Dr. Slovut.
The pain can appear in any part of the leg, from the calf to the thigh or buttock, or it may be in one or both legs. It’s also very easy to reproduce it. The pain happens when you walk a certain distance, it disappears if you rest, and then appears again when you walk the same distance again.
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Nighttime cramps
While they sleep, people with PAD may get cramps or spasms, and they usually appear in the heel, forefoot, or toes, according to Darren Schneider, MD, director of the Center for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Sometimes, the pain can often be relieved just by dangling the foot off the bed or sitting down. It allows gravity to assist blood flow to the feet, as Dr. Schneider said. And as a general rule, you can either try to dangle your feet or massage your legs to enhance blood flow, so you can experience less pain.
Skin and nail changes
The peripheral arterial disease can be at fault for certain changes in the toenails and the skin on the legs. In some situations where your legs aren’t receiving a normal blood flow or enough nourishment, you will start to notice that you start losing hair on your feet and legs, or that it might grow back more slowly if you shave it.
We know that this might sound convenient, and after all, why on earth would you want to change it? Even so, these are signs of affection. Also, the skin on the legs might get shinier and tighter, and the toenails might thicken or grow more slowly.
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Unusual skin coloring
Another thing that your doctor might look for is a change in the color of your legs. When you raise a leg, it might become white because of a compromised blood flow. When the leg is dangled from the table, it can become reddish or purplish in color, according to Dr. Schneider.
That’s mainly because the body has dilated its blood vessels, in order to increase proper blood flow to the feet. For some people that might suffer from PAD, the feet or toes become pale or bluish when they’re sitting, because of a lack of good circulation. If you have noticed the same symptoms, go visit your doctor.
Cold feet
While we got used to having cold feet during winter or simply when it’s colder outside, in some cases, it might represent a symptom of PAD. If you feel that your feet and legs are colder than usual, it might mean that you have PAD.
But don’t worry too much, as Dr. Schneider explained that having cold legs isn’t exactly the best indicator. Having cold legs and feet is a very common problem, and it can happen to anyone who ages, even someone who doesn’t suffer from PAD. Even so, if you feel like only one leg or foot is getting colder, it could be the case to talk to your doctor.
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Sores that don’t heal
Some people that suffer from an advanced PAD might have a reduction in circulation, which can result in foot ulcers that don’t heal. These foot ulcers are also known as ischemic ulcers, and it’s highly recommended that you treat them quickly, according to Dr. Schneider.
The ulcers might be brown or black, and they can be extremely painful, in comparison with diabetic foot ulcers, which can be painless because of the diabetes-related nerve damage. These wounds might appear on legs, ankles, toes, and even in between toes. These ulcers are caused by poor delivery of nutrient-rich blood to the lower extremities.
Erectile dysfunction
While it might not be a common occurrence, it is possible for PAD to cause erectile dysfunction, according to Dr. Slovut. You probably didn’t know this, but the internal iliac arteries are the ones to provide the necessary blood supply for performance.
In this case, if both are closed or even severely clogged, it can lead to erectile dysfunction (ED). As Dr. Slovut explains, the number of patients that suffer from erectile dysfunction on the basis of a vascular problem is small. While not so many people have it, it can still be on the table until further analysis and a proper diagnosis.
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Numbness or weakness
If your legs or feet are feeling numb or weak while you’re resting, it could be a sign of PAD. According to Dr. Schneider, there are some patients that claim their legs are getting weaker and feel that they will eventually give out.
Even more, some reportedly feel numbness in their feet. Also, people who experience these symptoms at rest more than walking or exercising might have more severe PAD. When you visit your doctor, you will be asked how long the numbness lasted, if you experience other symptoms, and when you first noticed the numbness in your foot.
Atrophy of calf muscles
Some patients who suffer from advanced PAD might also experience atrophy or even a reduction in the size of their calf muscle. On a microscopic level, there’s a lack of adequate blood flow which can lead to a certain decline in the number and size of muscle fibers.
Even more, those patients that have severe PAD will lose more than half of their muscle fibers in an affected area, and the remaining muscle fibers will likely tend to atrophy or even shrink in size. If you consider treating it, you can try exercising, physical therapy, ultrasound therapy, surgery, or even some dietary changes.
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Tissue death
Did you know that nearly 80% of people that suffer from PAD never progress beyond having mild symptoms, in comparison to the other 20% that might experience more extreme ones? In some advanced stages, this disease can really cause tissue death and even gangrene, which is life-threatening.
PAD can sometimes lead to amputation, in some extreme cases. In order to avoid that, you should consider quitting smoking, eating healthier, taking medication, and even having bypass surgery or angioplasty in order to improve circulation in the leg.
No symptoms at all
As I said before, most people with PAD will have no symptoms at all. Even so, people who are at risk of developing PAD should get tested, given the fact that the disease increases your chances of heart attack and stroke.
…Am I healthy or not? This question may be running through your head from time to time.
It might come as a surprise, but there is an actual difference between thinking that you are healthy and genuinely BEING healthy. You can workout for an hour a few times a week, drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, floss every night, get to bed early, and wake up without hitting the snooze button, but still, you might be experiencing some symptoms that make you suffer without even knowing it.
But as we continue to live and face the global problems that occur and our hectic lives as well, maintaining our health is one of the most important things we can do at the moment.
With that being said, it is time to talk about some less evident signs that could point out that there is something serious going on. When it comes to your health, you have to be educated and aware of your symptoms!
And because we want to keep you informed, here are 12 signs you’re not healthy (even if you think you are)!
Usually, it is not that hard to recognize any inflammation symptoms in your body. For example, if you scratch your knee, your skin is going to be red and hot in a few seconds. If you catch a cold, you will have a fever, a big headache, and a runny nose. These are two examples of how you can see your body actually getting inflamed.
However, chronic inflammation is something else! This health condition happens when your immune system goes crazy and forgets to “turn off” the level of symptoms. What happens next is your body permanently releases a flood of harmful chemicals that can affect your cells.
A very accurate sign of inflammation is the level of C-reactive protein, which can be detected and measured by your doctor. This way, they will be able to tell if the chronic inflammation can totally damage your body or not.
Chronic inflammation can show up in several ways, but these are the 10 most important signs you should pay attention to!
I am sure that all of us know that it is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water a day or half a gallon. The benefits are numerous, such as nice, glowing, healthy-looking skin, having more energy, eating fewer calories, which leads to weight loss, proper function of your organs, and so many other things.
If you are not drinking enough water throughout the day, your cells can’t do their job the way they should. This is why people can only survive for three or five days (if you’re lucky) without H2O.
Sadly, a lot of adults and kids don’t consume as many fluids as they should, which can point to a medical condition called chronic dehydration.
There are also other factors that can lead to extreme dehydration, such as excessive sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, working out too much, or staying in the sun for a long period of time.
According to scientists, long-term dehydration can lead to several health issues and it can even be life-threatening in some cases. With that being said, it is very important to consume the right amount of water for your own specific needs.
There are many indicators that show you if you are too dehydrated and in today’s article, we will talk about 12 of these symptoms.
Do you know what the gut represents? It’s another name for the gastrointestinal tract, so the gut consists of all the organs that have an essential role in digestion.
Inside our gut, there are tons of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, yeast, parasites, and viruses that live in our bodies. This is what we call THE MICROBIOME.
Most of our microbiome can be found in the colon, and it weighs a total of 2-3 pounds (and trust me, unlike belly fat, you don’t want to lose that kind of weight).
Our gut microbiome has a mix of good and bad bacteria, which is helpful in many aspects: it protects our bodies from dangerous bacteria, aids in digestion, creates vitamins and minerals, regulates metabolism.
It’s totally understandable why we need our gut health, as it impacts us on many levels. Let’s talk about 12 signs and symptoms that your gut health might need improvement:
You’re always constipated
According to Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN, and the author of “The Small Change Diet”, you might have a diet that’s very low in fiber, and that’s why you struggle with constipation and bloating.
If you want to improve it, you should try to gradually increase one intake of high fiber foods, like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and even legumes.
And, the most important thing, don’t forget to drink WATER. Why do we recommend a gradual increase? Because some folks are prone to bloating, as their bodies need to adjust to higher fiber intake. Also, having some daily activity to help your body move a little will really be helpful.
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You suffer from chronic GI discomfort
Chronic GI discomfort covers abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, and nausea. All these symptoms might lead to compromised gut health.
Studies show that there’s an estimated 10-20% of American citizens who suffer from one form or another of chronic GI discomfort. According to Glazer, this is not uncommon, but neither normal.
Usually, the most common GI irritants are our favorites as well: high levels of fats, fried foods, caffeine, alcohol, carbonation, gum, dairy, gluten, and some artificial sweeteners.
If you want to get to know your body and learn which foods harm your body, try cutting them out to see which one’s absence makes you feel better.
You bloat up and get very gassy immediately after eating certain foods
This might be the first sign that you have an intolerance, according to Mike Gorski, RD, registered dietitian, and owner of MG FitLife. If you noticed that there are certain foods you eat that each and every time make you gassy and bloated, you’re the one that can turn this into a good thing.
Your body will always tell you more than you think. All you have to do is to listen to it and LEARN. There are tons of people who ignore these signs that come from their own bodies and end up harming themselves even more.
If you know what the common denominator in all of your meals is, try cutting it out for two weeks. Some of the most common are gluten, dairy, and soy.
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You have trouble sleeping
Sometimes, our gut health might interfere with our sleeping schedule. If you’re not getting enough sleep, and you wake up feeling unrefreshed, or even struggle with insomnia, it can lead you directly to your gut, as David Gozal explained, MD, sleep medicine physician at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.
If you want to improve it, and we guess you do, try adding more fiber to your diet. It might help improve your sleeping hours if you consume more foods that are rich in probiotics, get daily walks, avoid alcohol, and also fatty or sugary foods. Try these for a couple of weeks and see how you feel.
You suffer from chronic diarrhea, fatigue, and headache
Sometimes, this is actually a sign of “leaky gut”. In an unhealthy gut lining, there are gaps between the cells that allow partially digested food, toxins, and even bugs to penetrate into the tissues that are found beneath it.
This triggers inflammation and modifies the gut bacteria. This way, an increased intestinal permeability makes room for gastrointestinal conditions like celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.
Try removing those foods that might be inflammatory and change your gut bacteria, like alcohol, overly processed foods, some pills, and foods that cause you allergies or sensitivities. Instead, replace them with nutritious, unprocessed foods that will rebuild your gut flora.
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You’re tired and sluggish all the time
The gut is directly linked to our brain, and the good functioning of our microbiome is extremely important for our mental health and the way we’re able to deal with stress.
You probably know this already, but foods have the ability to affect how we feel, which can later manifest into our moods. While mood disorders aren’t necessarily regulated by gut health, they might be a factor.
If you’re feeling a bit depressed lately, or you suffer from anxiety, try getting enough sleep and drink more water. You might try tuning into your diet and lifestyle to see where the problem is.
You recently finished taking your antibiotics
It is well known that antibiotics can alter our gut microbiome and put us at risk for nutrient deficiencies. That’s why, oftentimes, when you’re being prescribed a certain medication, your doctor also recommends you take some probiotics.
The thing is, when you suffer from a bacterial infection and you get a prescription for antibiotics, those antibiotics aren’t specific enough to target only the bad bacteria, so in its way, it might affect the good bacteria as well.
That’s why the answer is probiotics! Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be found in fermented foods and are GREAT at providing more good bacteria for your gut.
If you can, try getting those probiotics through foods, because fermented foods are always better when it comes to bacterial diversity.
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You have constant heartburn after eating some foods
Keep in mind that your stomach and esophagus are also a part of your digestive tract, so you may be creating a bit too much of an acidic environment, according to Gorski.
You might be eating too fast, which is totally understandable, as we all do. But next time, try to take your time in between bites, chew your food, enjoy it!
Some foods might be at fault for causing acid reflux, and as you’ve probably guessed, I’m about to list some of your favorite foods: coffee, chocolate, alcohol, greasy foods, highly processed sugary foods. Basically, anything that’s fun and delicious!
You have frequent and painful gas
Gas and bloating can be very tricky, especially if there’s another diagnosis looming. If you have intermittent gas and bloating, try a bunch of tricks that might help you reduce the ingestion of air, support proper digestion and reduce any potential irritants.
For some patients, persistent gas is definitely a sign of a functional GI disorder, like GERD or IBS, and it can be evaluated and treated by a GI physician and a dietitian.
You can try to reduce carbonated drinks and chewing gum. Also, try eating less garlic, chocolate, alcohol, spicy foods, and greasy fatty foods. Also, make a map out of which foods might trigger these symptoms, and try to avoid them as much as possible.
Have you been counting calories every day, tracking all your macros, hitting the gym, getting at least 8 hours of sleep, drinking more than 8 glasses of water, and you are still not seeing the number on the scale going down?
Even though it seems like you are doing things absolutely right and it is unfair that you are not seeing the progress you are looking for, the truth is that it is not your fault. Those extra pounds that you hate might stay with you due to a slower metabolism.
Your metabolism is the process by which your body consumes energy for basic functions in your body, such as your brain function, heartbeat, and breathing.
Your metabolism is responsible for burning the food and turning it into fuel, so no wonder why it seems like those who are blessed with a faster metabolism can eat as much as they want, compared to those who have a much slower metabolism, and need to be mindful about everything they are putting into their bodies.
Here are 10 of the most important signs which may indicate that you have a slow metabolism. If any of these “symptoms” are related to your actual condition, it is better to pay your doctor a visit, because you might have some health issues you didn’t know about.
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1. You gained a few pounds
The first thing people who have a slow metabolism experience is sudden weight gain. If you’ve been watching your diet, your sleep schedule, and exercising constantly, but the number on the scale has increased, it might be due to your slow metabolism.
Mashfika N. Alam, MBBS and general practitioner at Icliniq, said that sometimes women blame their extra pounds on their increased food intake. She added the fact that this can be associated with hypothyroidism, which can make the basal metabolic rate go down, due to the fact that there is a lack of thyroid hormones. These are fundamental to the metabolic activities of the body.
2. It’s not easy for you to lose weight
Even if you are adopting a healthy and balanced lifestyle, you are working out on a regular basis, doing both cardio and strength training sessions, you are not making as much progress as you would like to.
This may be because of your slower metabolism, resulting in difficulty to lose weight or even maintain the actual physique. You can try and switch up your routine, in order to not let your body get used to something, and see if that works for you or not.
…Continue reading to find out if you are among the people who suffer from a slow metabolism!
3. You are constantly feeling tired
Because your body is using energy at a slower rate, you will feel tired more frequently. According to Heather L. Hofflich, DO, endocrinologist and professor of medicine at UC San Diego, weariness is the most prevalent indication of a sluggish metabolism. This means that your fatigue could be a sign of having a slow metabolism.
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4. Your skin feels constantly dry
Your cells aren’t as active as they should be when you have a slow metabolism, which implies they aren’t getting enough blood. “When the skin is deprived of essential nutrients, it loses its sheen,” Dr. Alam explains. You also don’t sweat as much as usual as your body seeks to conserve heat. Your skin may get dry and damaged as a result of this.
If you want a quick fix for this, you can apply moisturizer to your body every day or you can opt for coconut oil if you want something more natural and rich.
5. You crave carbs and sugar
In conformity with Caroline Cederquist, MD, a practicing bariatric specialist in Naples, Florida, and author of The MD Factor Diet, a sluggish metabolism is frequently connected to insulin resistance.
She continued by saying that insulin resistance is a common metabolic disorder in which your cells are resistant to the action of insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas that dictates the way your cells consume energy. If your body is insulin resistant, you will more likely have a slow metabolism.
A constant need and desire for sugar and carbohydrates is one indicator of insulin resistance. The expert says that if your body doesn’t use insulin effectively, your cells won’t be able to absorb the glucose in your body. This will lead to you looking around for items that are high in sugar and carbs, such as sodas, cookies, cake, fries, and pastries.
The problem is that the more sugar and refined carbs you consume, the more difficult it is for your body to metabolize them, and the more likely you are to gain weight, experience energy slumps, and feel tired.
6. Irregular bowel movement
Do you have a hard time going to the bathroom?
A slow metabolism might affect other bodily functions, such as how frequently you use the restroom. A slower metabolism means a slower bowel transit time” as Dr. Susan Besser says. Food takes longer to pass through the gastrointestinal system and digest correctly, which will result in having a hard time going to the bathroom.
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7. You are always feeling cold
Hypothyroidism causes you to be cold all of the time, and it also slows down your metabolism. If you’re always feeling the shivers down your spine, it’s likely that your thyroid and metabolism aren’t working as well as they should.
The metabolic activity of the body generates heat, according to Dr. Alam. She claims that a slow metabolism can result in a drop in core body temperature, which is another indicator of hypothyroidism.
Usually, people who are diagnosed with this health condition adopt a certain lifestyle and also diet, in order to reach their fitness and wellness goals.
8. You are feeling depressed
This might come as a surprise because depression is one of the most popular health conditions that people can experience nowadays. Because hypothyroidism slows down the way your body functions properly, it’s no wonder that your mood can suffer from it as well. A slow thyroid, and hence a poor metabolism, has been associated with depression.
…Feeling depressed? Don’t blame yourself, blame your slow metabolism!
9. You can experience a slow pulse rate
If you’ve discovered that your heartbeat is slowing down, it might be due to the fact that you have a slow metabolism. In conformity with Dr. Alam, a healthy and balanced metabolism is directly proportional to your pulse rate.
This means that if your metabolism is more sluggish, your heart rate will be the same.
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10. You are frequently experiencing migraines
Headaches are caused by many things, such as the flu, a cold, an accident, being tired, stressed, lack of sleep, and many other things. The same thing can happen if your thyroid hormones are not balanced, because a thyroid that is not active enough, will lead to headaches and even big migraines.
…Migraines can feel like they’re ruining your life! They can also be causing a slow metabolism! Make sure to talk to your doctor if you’re among those who suffer from frequent migraines!
TAKEAWAY
What do you think about these 10 signs that indicate having a slow metabolism? Have you ever experienced any of them? If yes, what did you do to make sure that you are still reaching your fitness and wellness goals?
We are curious to find out more about your experiences. Do you have a slow metabolism? If you do, make sure to let us know about all of your experiences by leaving a comment in the section down below!
Nowadays, feeling exhausted and suffering from a major headache isn’t what it used to be. It could actually mean you have Covid. As of January 2022, there have been more than 319,000,000 Covid-19 cases that are documented, according to Johns Hopkins University.
From all of these, 60 million cases were confirmed in the U.S., with 850,000 deaths. And the newest variant, Omicron, is seemingly faster than its predecessors.
With all these concerning numbers, some hopeful advancements have still been made. There’s now a widely available vaccination scheme against all variants of Covid-19, which demonstrated how efficient and preventive they are against the infection.
If you haven’t felt ok in recent months but haven’t been able to figure out what’s wrong, here are some silent signs that may show you have been already infected with Covid-19:
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You’ve got natural antibodies
According to Matthew B. Laurens, MD, MPH, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, if you’re curious to know if you have Covid-19, you can take an antibodies test.
As he said, there’s an antibody test that shows you if you’ve been exposed to natural infection, and there is a different test to show you the response your body had to the Covid-19 vaccine.
Basically, antibodies to nucleocapsid protein will show up if you have recovered from Covid-19, while vaccines and natural infection produce antibodies to spike proteins. While there’s still research to be done, knowing this can really come in handy!
We can all agree by now that staying healthy has become extremely complicated. We need to take care of ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally, and to keep an overall sense of wellness. First things first, what really matters is to feel good, and to feel healthy.
While we know that suffering from a health condition or being classified as overweight might be considered “unhealthy”, there are other ways of discovering if you need to improve your health. Some of these signs are more obvious than others, so pay attention and see what you can do. Here are 12 signs you’re not as healthy as you thought:
