Amelia Grant

If you don’t suffer from any health conditions you’re in luck, but it doesn’t mean you don’t need to take care of your body. Neglecting your health can actually provoke many serious diseases that you may not even expect. Things you experience daily could indicate that you’re actually not taking proper care of your body. Keep reading to see if you’re having any of these symptoms:

1. You’re stressed all the time
Whether you feel stressed due to work, family conflicts, or relationship problems, constantly elevated stress levels can negatively impact your health. Stress promotes increased cortisol production. High levels of this hormone for a long period of time can cause you to feel moody, anxious, depressed, or have a poor cognitive function. 

High cortisol can also promote an increase in body fat and overall inflammation, which can result in less self-confidence, frustration, low energy levels, and affect overall well-being.

2. You’re constantly tired in the afternoon 
If you regularly feel like an afternoon pick-me-up, you could be eating the wrong foods at lunchtime, which could make you lose your stamina long before you head home for dinner. 

Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as pizza, sandwiches, or other bread-based meals, can raise your blood sugar sharply and then lead to a sharp drop in blood sugar. 

Low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, can make you feel sleepy and cause the fatigue that you can get in the afternoon. To save you from eating something sweet or caffeinated, try focusing on mid-day meals that are balanced with protein, fat, and fiber-rich vegetables to maintain normal blood glucose levels. 

3. You experience tingling in hands and feet 
The occasional tingling is normal, but if your hands and your feet tingle regularly this might indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency. If left ignored this deficiency can contribute to anemia. 

To ensure you’re getting enough vitamin B12, eat foods like eggs, meat, and dairy.  Since only animal products usually contain vitamin B12, vegans should consider a B12 supplement to avoid a lack of this vitamin. 

4. You’re forgetful  
Brain fog can be due to poor sleep and stress, but it can also be an indication of something more serious, such as a hormone imbalance that affects cognitive problems. For women especially, mental lapses might mean thyroid dysfunction. It’s important to consider a comprehensive blood test that measures all of your hormones and biomarkers, and a complete thyroid test that not only measures your thyroid hormones but also possible thyroid antibodies, to determine the root causes of your brain fog.

5. You’re having an acne breakout 
Although acne is mostly the result of hormonal issues, there are several things that could be to blame. Stress might provoke a breakout. 

Other culprits include eating too many sugary and starchy foods, which lead to high blood sugar levels, encouraging inflammation. Cow’s milk, with a big emphasis on skim milk, is also linked to flare-ups.

6. Your libido is low 
If you have low libido, it might be due to a hormone imbalance. So talk to your doctor about lab testing to analyze the levels of testosterone, estradiol, estriol, progesterone, and more. Hormone imbalances might be linked to more serious medical conditions such as depression, adrenal insufficiency, and even heart troubles. 

7. You have a skin dryness 
Skin dryness is a common problem in wintertime. Though it’s a weather-related concern, people get dry skin even during warm weather. This could be due to fatty-acid deficiency provoked by due to a low-fat diet.  

In addition to using a daily moisturizer that’s compatible with your skin type, add more healthy fats to your daily menu. Good sources of healthy fats include avocados, walnuts, olives, and more healthy fats.