Before wearables and smart watches, our bodies provided us for visual signals that our health was progressing as it should. These are a few of the markers.
The distinction between our bodies and the vast amount of health data we gather from ourselves is becoming more and more hazy. There is pressure to monitor even small changes in our health measurements given the availability of applications that track our menstrual cycles and wearables that can sense our level of stress. How could we possible know if we are healthy if we don't?
While tracking such measures can be beneficial and even pleasurable, they are typically not necessary for maintaining good health (unless your doctor has given you particular instructions, of course). In reality, if you pay attention to your body, you can identify several important patterns that indicate how you're feeling.
You're "normal."
This holds true for both menstrual cycles and bowel movements (for people that have one). Our bodies like to maintain a beat, just like the nonexistent hands on our timepieces.
Your digestive system is functioning normally if you have at least one bowel movement per day, which can range from three per week to three per day. A healthy gut ecology may also be indicated by regular bowel movements. Some scientists think we're only just beginning to comprehend how related that microbiome is to the rest of our body systems. (You get extra points if you regularly go at the same time each day.
Contrarily, unpleasant or infrequent bowel movements may be symptoms of constipation, which may signify a deficiency in important nutrients like fibre or water that your body needs to move things along. Sometimes, making small dietary changes might help your body establish its rhythm. Furthermore, you might discover that boosting your physical activity might have a favourable impact on how frequently you go to the bathroom. If you tick all of those boxes, you may have an illness like irritable bowel syndrome, which should require you to see a doctor to determine the cause.
Another pattern is that regular menstrual cycles (lasting between 24 and 35 days each month) are a sign of hormone balance and also reproductive health and regular ovulation. Stress, which has a variety of adverse effects on wellbeing, excessive exercise, or diseases like thyroid disease can all lead to hormonal imbalances. When there is an interruption in the carefully choreographed hormonal dance, one of the first things that can go awry for those who menstruate is their monthly cycle.
Missed periods in women who aren't pregnant may indicate poor nutrition. People who are underweight or have an eating disorder may have a slight reduction of menstruation because your body needs enough calories and nutrients to maintain a healthy menstrual cycle.
Most days, you feel relaxed when you wake up.
Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep per night for optimal health, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Although there are numerous reasons why people fall behind on their sleep or even suffer from chronic lack of sleep, a lack of sleep is linked to a number of social and physical difficulties, such as hormonal imbalances, mood disorders, and even a risk of heart attack.
If you frequently feel fatigued, drained, and sluggish, a change in schedule or a reduction in stress may help you feel more refreshed. However, if you're getting at least 7 hours a night and feel even more rested than you really are, it may be a sign of a more significant health issue like sleep apnea or an iron deficiency. If that's the case, consult with a medical professional to find out what's going on.
Your breath is not unclean.
It's normal to have some morning or onion breath, and if you're dehydrated, your breath may be a little odd. But if you experience an odd taste or odour in your mouth all day after cleaning your teeth, it may be cause for concern.
As per Manhattan Integrative Medicine's Dr. David Borenstein, "fresh breath is a solid indication that your gut health is balanced."
"For instance, overly fruity smelling breath can be a sign of diabetes, bad breath can be linked to reflux, a fishy scent could suggest kidney failure, and a sour tongue can be a sign of sleep apnea," he said.
There is data that suggests a disruption in the microbiome in our lips can have broader effects on our health than a disruption in our gut microbiota. The Mayo Clinic states that having poor oral health (such as tooth decay or gum infections) can raise your risk of pneumonia, heart failure, and pregnancy problems.
Your urination is light yellow.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, pale yellow urine is a definite sign that your level of hydration is approximately where it should be. One of the simplest methods to maintain good health is to drink enough water, as hydration helps with vital functions including controlling body temperature, avoiding infections, and improving cognitive function (hello, dehydration brain fog). Thus, if your urine is typically a paler shade of yellow rather than a strong, dark tone, you may rest assured that your body is getting adequate water. Of course, how much you require depends on a lot of circumstances, including your level of activity.
You maintain a healthy diet but don't put any restrictions on yourself.
Believe it or not, getting adequate fat in your diet is not only beneficial to your health but also necessary. Additionally, a rising number of dietitians and nutritionists believe that building plates around vital nutrients, rather than excluding or singling out any particular meals as "bad," offers more health benefits. The more stringent diets, and those that call for you to keep records of the calories in every meal, can result in disordered eating and yo-yo dieting with no long-term beneficial impacts on your health.
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