Five-minute DIY health checks for women

It’s more important than ever that women pay attention to their bodies’ internal cues to stay healthy and happy. Believe it or not, many internal problems often show up as external clues. You just need to know what to look for and you can do it in the privacy of your own home!

Do these DIY health checks regularly:

Breasts

Regular breast exams are a must to help prevent breast cancer. It’s an easy DIY test that you can do at home. Start with a thorough breast examination while standing in front of a mirror with your upper body unclothed. Look for differences between your breasts and skin changes such as dimpling, redness or flakiness as well as nipple discharges. Now lie down, raise your right arm above your head and use the three middle fingers of your left hand to examine your right breast for any unusual lumps. Don’t forget to also examine the area in your armpit. Repeat with your other breast. See your doctor if you see or find anything unusual.

Heart beat

Regularly checking your own heart rate (pulse) can help uncover problems such as heart disease and heart attacks before it’s too late. Find your pulse by placing your index and middle fingers on the underside of your opposite wrist, just below the base of the thumb. Now count your heartbeats for one minute. A resting pulse for adults should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute. If it’s consistently higher or lower or if you detect an irregular heartbeat, call your doctor.

Skin

If you notice any moles or spots changing form or colour or bleeding, see a dermatologist immediately as it may be an indication of skin cancer.

Other skin signs to take note of include dull, lifeless, dry skin and lips; often a sure indicator that your body lacks water and is becoming dehydrated. Skin colour and tone is also important as looking pale and feeling tired all the time may be an indicator of anaemia or an iron, folate or B12 deficiency. Red “cuts” at the corner of the mouth (angular stomatitis) and dry, scaly lips may be a further sign of iron and other deficiencies. A yellow tinged skin may indicate a problem with your liver.

Nails

Although many nail abnormalities are harmless, the condition of your nails may at times indicate problems in the rest of your body.

Very pail nails may for example indicate the possibility of anaemia, congestive heart failure, liver disease and malnutrition. Bluish nails may mean your body isn’t getting enough oxygen and dark lines beneath the nail are sometimes caused by melanoma (skin cancer).

Check for iron deficiency anaemia by holding your hand above your heart, pressing down firmly on your nail bed and noticing how long it takes for the blood (the pink colour) to return to your nails after releasing the pressure. More than two seconds may indicate iron deficiency.

Urine and stools

Not urinating at regular intervals may be an indication of dehydration. Clear or light-coloured urine means a well-hydrated body while syrup or brownish coloured urine may indicate severe dehydration or a liver disease. Pink to reddish urine may be due to blood in your urine, except after eating beets, blueberries or rhubarb. Foaming and fizzing urine could indicate excess protein in your diet or a kidney problem.

The colour consistency, size and smell of your stools are all signs of your internal health. Black, tar or bright red coloured stools may indicate bleeding while really nasty, vile smelling stools may, in some cases, indicate more serious diseases such as celiac, Crohn’s, pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis. Consult a doctor.

Weight

Unexplained, unintentional weight gain or weight loss can also signal health issues. Weight gain may be due to hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), adrenal disorders like Cushing’s syndrome, congestive heart failure, renal disease or pregnancy. Unexpectedly weight loss may signify cancer, hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), autoimmune diseases, chronic diseases or depression.

 

Sources

Nine Do-It-Yourself health check-ups for women. Retrieved from: http://www.everydayhealth.com/womens-health-pictures/9-do-it-yourself-health-checks-for-women.aspx
This is what the colour and smell of your poop is telling you about your health. Retrieved from: http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/know-your-poop.html
What the colour of your urine says about you. Retrieved from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/10/what-the-color-of-your-urine-says-about-you-infographic/
What your nails say about your health. 2016. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/ss/slideshow-nails-and-health