Common Signs Signalling You’re Unhealthy That You Probably Shouldn’t Ignore

Due in large part to the general busyness of our lives, our health is something that many of us -often unintentionally -take for granted. It isn’t until we get hit hard with an illness or serious disease that we bring our health into the forefront, doing everything we can to once again get it to function normally.

Much like a car has certain indicator lights -such as ‘Check Engine’ -our bodies are equally as impressive at indicating to us when something isn’t functioning optimally. The key difference however, is that unlike an unavoidable bright light on our dashboard, these bodily signs can often be overlooked -especially if we do not know what we are looking for.

Here are 6 common tell-tale signs that your body will give to you to indicate that you’re unhealthy:

1. The Color Of Your Pee

Your pee is a powerful indicator. The color of your urine alone can give you a clear reading on how hydrated you are and whether or not some of your vital organs are experiencing any form of dysfunction. In 2013, the Cleveland Clinic released an infographic that clearly outlined what the color of your pee is telling you about the state of your body. States such as a very pale or transparent yellow urine which indicates good health, or an amber colored urine which indicates dehydration, amongst many others. (1)

Try to make it a habit to quickly take note of the color you produce before hitting the flush lever, and act accordingly.

2. How Often You Poop

In a perfectly healthy state your bowels should be releasing alongside every meal, removing unwanted toxins and making room for new dietary nutrition. Despite this, everyone is different but general research on the subject seems to agree that we should all be pooping at least once daily. When we don’t poop regularly our bodies are more inclined to let toxins seep through the lining of our bowel causing it to enter the bloodstream -where it does not belong and can wreak (no pun intended) a lot of havoc. (2)

In addition to taking note of how often you go to the bathroom daily, consider the foods you’ve eaten that have contributed to that output. Identify if there are certain dietary choices that your body seems to have a more difficult time releasing and try cutting them out.

3. You Have Chapped Lips

While chapped lips are most often caused by external factors -such as sun exposure, wind exposure or dry air conditions -regularly chapped lips can also be an indicator of dehydration. If you find yourself chronically experiencing chapped lips, look to monitor your daily water intake rather than masking the issue with lip balms. (3)

4. You’re Regularly Tired

The hustle and bustle of life can certainly be exhausting, and because of it fatigue can often be caused by simply not getting enough sleep. But if you regularly find yourself tired, even after getting an adequate nights rest, there could be a number of health factors at play.

If you’re consistently tired, once again consider looking into your diet. Regularly asking your body to digest alcohol or processed foods can be a lot more taxing on your system than you think. Chronic fatigue can also be a sign that your thyroid isn’t functioning properly. (4)

5. You’re Prone To Skin Breakouts

More than 70% of adults experience outbreaks of adult acne between the ages of 20 and 50. Despite this regularity, skin breakouts can also be an indicator of a struggling immune system which can be further aggravated by stress levels. (5)

If you regularly suffer from skin breakouts consider looking into what your body’s largest organ is trying to tell you.

6. You Seem To Catch The Seasonal Bug, Every Season

Although most seasonal illnesses such as the cough, cold or flu are quite common to be caught annually, there is something to be said about your immune system if you tend to find yourself susceptible to all of them. Rather than simply addressing each ailment as it arises, look to build your defences against them regularly.

Vitamin C is the most commonly recognized line of defence when it comes to combating illness, but it merely scratches the surface of how much we can do to help keep ourselves healthy.