If you want to keep an eye on your health, you could do worse than to spend a few minutes scrutinizing your body in the mirror. Are your eyes pink? Have your nails turned brown at the top? Noticing small changes can nudge you into paying attention to potential problems, as I found out during a recent facial. "Do you have high cholesterol?" the therapist suddenly asked.I said no, but it worried me into getting tested. And the therapist was right. She'd picked up on creamy spots round my eyes, which were full of fatty cholesterol. Of course, it's vital not to let symptom-spotting get out of hand: Trivial signs are often just that. It's when they persist, or are combined with other symptoms, that they become important. If that's the case, see your doctor. 1. Going gray before 40 Premature graying can have a medical cause. "If you have 50% gray hair before the age of 40, you should probably be checked for diabetes," says Dr. Joan Liebmann-Smith, author of Body Signs. 2. Rough spots Crusty blemishes, or keratoses, are usually benign. Dark ones often run in families, but are harmless. Solar keratoses, however, are triggered by sun damage and are an early warning of skin cancer, so seek advice. 3. Short eyebrows Losing hair from the outer edge of your brows is a sign of an underactive thyroid. It thins hair on your head too, but treatment is available that will soon restore your crowning glory. 4. Hooded eyelids They may look sultry, but have them checked — the cause could be more than aging or a family trait. If they droop so much that your sight is impaired, this is the one time you can have an eye-lift on your insurance. 5. Not-so-white whites This usually means you're tired, hungover, or just made that way, but watch out for whites that turn yellow when you're run down — it may be a sign of Gilbert's Syndrome, where bilirubin builds up in the blood, causing jaundice. "Pink eye" is a common name for conjunctivitis. If it persists, have a test for chlamydia, which can inflame eyes. 6. Creased earlobes A study in The American Journal of Medicine revealed a diagonal crease can up the risk of heart disease by a third and 77% if both lobes are affected. The theory is the line shows a lack of elasticity, which also affects the arteries. But the culprit also could be also aging: "Earlobe creases probably increase with age, as does the likelihood of heart disease," says health guru Andrew Weil. 7. Flushed face Red cheeks and nose (rosacea) often affects women aged between 30 and 55. Stress, sun, and spicy foods make blood vessels dilate, so limit your exposure. Rosacea can affect the eyes and is sometimes confused with lupus. See a general practitioner, who can prescribe antibiotics. 8. Cracked lips Cracks at the corners of your mouth are sometimes caused by a shortage of B vitamins or zinc. With long-term cracks, a fungal infection may set in. Treatments for oral thrush may help. 9. Swollen neck You'd notice if your glands enlarged overnight, but a goiter — a swelling at the front of the neck — can be more insidious. It may indicate Graves' disease, an overactive thyroid condition that is most common in women aged between 20 and 50, especially likely if your eyes are also prominent and you're losing weight. 10. Sunless tan Darkening skin is worth reporting to your doctor. A rare cause is Addison's disease (failure of the adrenal glands), which also makes you tired, sick, and achy. If you do have it, the good news is that it can be treated. 11. Big chested If you're well endowed on top, keep slim below. Having a D-cup size or larger breasts can make you more susceptible to diabetes, according to a recent Canadian study, while a slim waist can help protect you. 12. Chicken skin Permanent goosebumps, caused by an overgrowth of keratin, are common — one in three of us have them, usually on the arms. They're harmless, but if they bother you, use a soap-free body wash and plenty of moisturizer, or copy Cleopatra and bathe in milk because lactic acid can help. If they flare up, your dermatologist may prescribe a steroid cream. 13. Love handles It's tempting to just suck in your tummy, but a pudgy middle triples your risk of dementia, as well as making you vulnerable to diabetes and heart disease. 14. Red palms These can be an early symptom of liver disease — you'll probably feel sick and lethargic, too. It's wise to ask for medical advice quickly to limit the damage 15. Long ring finger An index finger shorter than your ring finger means you were exposed to high levels of testosterone while in the womb. That can give you ambition and a high sex drive, but it may also make you more susceptible to arthritis of the knee, according to a study by the University of Nottingham. Build up your muscles with leg raises to help support your knees. 16. Unsightly nails A horizontal line (or Beau's line) can be a sign of past illness or poor nutrition — or that you've hit your nail with a hammer. But if they keep appearing, take steps to improve your health. Spoon-shaped nails that curve outwards can be a symptom of anaemia. And nails that are pale at the cuticle and brownish-red at the tip could mean your kidneys are struggling. 17. Cold feet They are a long way from your heart, so your feet are often the first place vascular disease shows up. Abnormally cold feet and hands are linked to Raynaud's syndrome, where the blood supply drains from fingers and toes. But don't just reach for your socks — Raynaud's is linked to several autoimmune conditions, so it needs to be checked out. Source
