What’s your body trying to tell YOU? From nail ridges to eye twitches and a bloated stomach, an expert explains…
- Our bodies are always on a mission to communicate with us on the outside
- But sometimes these signs are too subtle or we don’t pay them enough attention
- Here, a nutritionist has revealed how to read some of the subtle health messages
Our bodies are on a never-ending mission to communicate with us on the outside, what’s going on on the inside.
But sometimes these signs are too subtle or we don’t pay them enough attention until they become something more serious.
In a piece for Healthista, a nutritionist has revealed how to read some of the subtle health messages your body is trying to send you and become your own body whisperer.
If you have a bloated stomach, your body is trying to tell you you’re not digesting your food properly or that you have a food allergy, says British nutritionist Rick Hay
1. Bloated tummy
Who hasn’t suffered from puffer-fish syndrome at some point in their lives? A staggering 70 per cent of us have reported suffering from regular bloating.
A bloated tummy is that uncomfortable sensation you get when your stomach feels stretched and puffy. In essence, this happens when your stomach is full – full of food, fluid or gas.
Your body is basically trying to tell you you’re not digesting your food properly or that you have a food allergy or intolerance such as to wheat or lactose.
‘Other common causes of bloating include hormonal issues, candida, constipation, too much sugar or booze, stress, dysbiosis (an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria in our digestive tract) or IBS,’ said nutritionist Rick Hay.
Consuming large meals, however healthy they may be, can themselves cause bloating from the sheer volume.
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Simply eating too much at once can also dilute down the acid in our stomach, rendering it unable to start breaking down the food efficiently.
Furthermore, enzymes that act optimally at a lower, more acidic pH, cannot function as well which means that food remains only partially digested and needs to be broken down further.
This is usually done by bacteria in the gut and the consequent fermentation process results in the release of gases that may also cause bloating.
Certain sugars from foods can also cause bloating. Called Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols or FODMAPs for short do this through the release of gases from fermentation.
Food high in FODMAPS include broccoli, cauliflower, artificial sweteeners such as maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol as well as beans and pulses.
Various studies have shown that diets rich in FODMAPs are more likely to cause symptoms associated with IBS including bloating.
‘When you get acne, your body may also be trying to alert you to an underlying hormonal or digestive disturbance,’ said Mr Hay
2. Red inflamed skin and acne
According to a 2013 review, the causes of skin inflammation and acne are many and will vary from person to person.
However, the most common causes are often hormone-related. The review explains that testosterone is the hormone that promotes acne the most so acne is a big issue for males and teenage boys in particular.
But women also tend to get acne flare ups about one week before their menstruation starts due to a dip in oestrogen levels which, funnily enough, prevent the development of acne.
Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) tend to have an imbalance of testosterone and that’s why recurrent acne (along with weight gain around the middle and excess facial hair) is one of the leading symptoms of PCOS.
‘When you get acne, your body may also be trying to alert you to an underlying hormonal or digestive disturbance,’ said Mr Hay.
‘It could also be a result of liver imbalance, poor diet especially if you eat too much carbohydrate, stress and allergies amongst other things.’
Red inflamed acne with a white discharge is usually indicative of excess carbohydrate consumption and bacterial overgrowth.
‘The pus is the result of your immune system trying to fend itself off the bacterial infection,’ Mr Hay added.
‘During this battle, immune system cells sacrifice themselves to keep the infection at bay and the result is a white discharge or pimple.
‘The redness and local swelling itself are caused by pro-inflammatory chemicals released by the body that dilate local blood vessels so that more of these soldier cells, are recruited to the area to fight the incoming invaders.’
A thin white coating on the tongue can be indicative of an iron or B vitamin deficiency
3. White coating on the tongue
A thin white coating on the tongue can be indicative of digestive disturbances such as microbiome imbalance, iron or B vitamin deficiency and possibly diabetes.
‘In the case of iron and vitamin B deficiency it is quite likely you will be feeling constantly tired,’ Mr Hay said.
‘Thick, white spots on the tongue that look like pus are more likely to be oral thrush (a yeast infection), leukoplakia (white patches inside the mouth or on the tongue and gums especially common in smokers and those who use smokeless tobacco), or oral lichen planus (a non-infectious itchy white rash that can affect many parts of the body including the inside of the mouth).
‘In the case of lichen planus it is important to keep it monitored by a medical professional.’
Nail ridges themselves are nothing to be overly concerned about as far as physical health goes but if untreated, they can pose a social problem
4. Vertical and horizontal nail ridges
Healthy looking nails should be smooth, curved, with a shine to them and have no spots.
The thing about nails is that they can cause potentially serious self-image and self-esteem harm.
Nail ridges themselves are nothing to be overly concerned about as far as physical health goes but if untreated, they can pose a social problem.
‘That is not to say, however, that you shouldn’t have them checked out by your GP just to be on the safe side,’ Mr Hay said.
Vertical ridges – not horizontal – can be a sign of anaemia or even rheumatoid arthritis, MedicalNewsToday reports.
Cold sores are a manifestation of a dormant viral infection which flares up whenever our immune system becomes compromised
5. Cold sores and mouth ulcers
‘Okay, let’s get our facts straight first, cold sores and mouth ulcers are not the same thing,’ Mr Hay said.
‘For starters, mouth ulcers are found on the inside of the mouth on the gums, tongue and inner cheeks whereas cold sores develop on the outside on the lips.
‘Most importantly, whilst mouth ulcers are indicative of a weakening immune system, they are non-contagious.
‘Cold sores on the other hand are a manifestation of a dormant viral infection which flares up whenever our immune system becomes compromised for whatever reason.
‘The take home message here is that mouth ulcers and cold sores are a red alert for a compromised immune system. Your body is telling, or rather showing you that your immune systems is in need of some TLC.
‘They often start popping up as the weather gets colder and in times of stress both of which can weaken our body’s innate protective systems.’
The yellowing of the skin or eyes can be symptomatic of something more serious
6. Yellowing of the eyes and/or skin
‘It is important to distinguish the significance of yellowing of the eyes versus yellowing of the skin,’ Mr Hay added.
‘Whereas yellowing of the skin may be attributed to an excess intake of beta carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C, in which case it usually poses no threat, yellowing of the eyes is usually observed in people whose livers may be in trouble.
‘In this case, seek medical advice as soon as possible, the earlier the problem is diagnosed, the better the prognosis.
‘Jaundice, the yellow discolouration itself, occurs when a compound called bilirubin builds up in the body.
‘The yellowing of the skin or eyes can be symptomatic of something more serious but they are all fundamentally either directly or indirectly related to the health status of the liver.’
According to the NHS, jaundice can be caused by gallstones, alcoholic liver disease, pancreatitis, hepatitis, sickle cell, amongst others.
The precise treatment for jaundice will depend on the underlying cause itself.
Gallstones for example are usually formed when there are unusually high levels of cholesterol or bilirubin inside the gall bladder. However, there are simple steps you can take to help prevent the extra burden on your liver.
7. Eye twitches
If your eyes keep on twitching every now again out of nowhere, your body is trying to tell you that your nervous system is not very happy.
But don’t panic, eye twitches are rarely a sign of anything to be concerned about and more often than not will stop by themselves.
‘Electrolyte imbalance and the hydration status of your body are quite often the culprits of nerve spasms and these can be easily fixed,’ Mr Hay said.
Eye twitches can also signify a magnesium deficiency.
A recent article published in June this year on the scientific journal Nutrients by the American University of Washington reported that ‘from a neurological standpoint, magnesium plays an essential role in nerve transmission and neuromuscular conduction.’
Magnesium is essential to nerve signal function, which is why lacking it could be causing your eye twitches.
This piece originally appeared on and has been reproduced with the permission of Healthista.
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