If you’re not a morning person, the thought of doing one check, let alone 10 self-checks, before breakfast can seem like a daunting task. Don’t let the number 10 fool you; these
Before you even get out of bed, stretch and take a look at your nails. If you see bright white horizontal lines, it could indicate that your kidneys are not working properly. The white lines develop as a result of protein loss, which is caused by improper urine filtration by the kidneys.
Dark lines, on the other hand, may indicate melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Dark lines are caused by cell damage, which can occur from melanoma.
After you check out your nails, glance down to your stomach. If you see dark hair or stubble in the shape of a diamond, it could indicate polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is characterized an overproduction of androgens, or sex hormones.
Once you get up and look in the mirror, check out your eyes. If you have dark circles under your eyes, it may indicate allergies. Allergies cause your blood vessels to swell with blood. These swollen blood vessels are most apparent under thin skin, like under your eyes.
Once you are finished looking at the under area of your eyes, glance up to your eyeball. If you see a yellow bump on the white of your eyeball, it may indicate a benign condition called pinguecula, which develops as a result of sun, wind or dust damage.
Now reach up to your hair and check out its volume. If you notice that your hair is becoming noticeably thinner, it may indicate thyroid disorder. Your thyroid gland is responsible for controlling the metabolic processes in your body. If your thyroid is not working correctly, it disrupts the balance of hormones and can cause your hair to fall out.
After checking your hair, spread it apart and look at your scalp. Shedding scalp, which appears as white skin flakes, may signal that you have too much stress in your life. When you are stressed, the levels of the hormone cortisol rise, causing your scalp to shed.
While you are still looking in the mirror, stick out your tongue. A white, orange or yellow coating can indicate acid reflux. Normally, a band of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter prevents stomach contents from traveling back into your throat. If you have acid reflux, these muscles don’t open and close correctly, allowing stomach acid, bile and other contents to enter your throat and mouth.
Lift your hands in the air and glance at those armpits. If you see dark patches rough patches of dark skin, it may be a sign of diabetes. Extra insulin in your blood causes skin cells to multiply, which makes skin cells dark and thick.
Lastly, glance at your knees and elbows. If you see small white lumps, it may indicate that your cholesterol is high. Usually, by the time these lumps appear, cholesterol levels are so high that it is vital for you to take steps to reduce your levels. These bumps may also appear on your eyelids.