Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
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As women with many responsibilities, it’s important to pay attention to our bodies and minds for potential health warning signs. The problem is, you may not recognize something as “bad” if it is a common symptom of any number of normal things like getting older, poor diet, or even drinking too much on occasion. A solid clue that something besides “normal life” may be going on in your body is that it doesn’t go away. Here are 3 things you may have on occasion, but you should seek medical advice if any of them become persistent.
Health Warning Signs #1: Constipation
Most people find talking about constipation embarrassing, so they avoid it, even with their doctors. It is this kind of avoidance or denial that can create problems down the road. If you have ongoing constipation that causes discomfort, you should discuss it with your healthcare professional.
Though your backup is likely just a digestive imbalance from poor food choices, it could be a sign of something far more sinister. Bowel disease is no joke. Things like Bowel Obstruction, Diverticulitis, Colon Cancer, Candida Overgrowth, and Parasites can be dangerous and even life-threatening.
If you have occasional constipation, you can try to get things moving again by eating fibrous foods and using probiotic supplements. I recommend keeping track of your bowel movements for a couple of weeks to see exactly how significant the problem is. If you get relief from the dietary change, that could be the end of it. If the problem persists, however, consult your doctor.
Health Warning Signs #2: Dysphagia
Okay, first of all: what is Dysphagia? Dysphagia is a condition that causes difficulty in swallowing. Swallowing involves up to fifty different muscles and can get off on occasion for many reasons.
A few years ago, I started to choke on my saliva a lot and even swallow food wrong on occasion. I really didn’t think anything of it because it wasn’t a real problem. It was just annoying. However, after the MS diagnosis, I realized that it could have been a precursor to it. I still have the issue now, and, by the way, it is a symptom of MS.
This is one of those things that you should monitor carefully. If it’s temporary or only happens when you drink alcohol or eat spicy foods it is likely nothing. But, if things are more consistent and create any issues, you should seek medical advice. There are treatment options from Thick-It and other Dysphagia experts that can help you to determine what type of care you need.
Health Warning Signs #3: Memory Loss
Do you ever have a “senior moment” or become forgetful and just laugh it off? I bet we all do once past a certain age. The problem is, memory loss is no laughing matter, regardless of how insignificant it may seem. Anyone with a memory loss problem could have the early signs of a serious issue.
Conditions like Dementia, Alzheimer’s, MS, Thyroid disease, Diabetes, depression, and even some cardiovascular disease can cause memory loss long before diagnosis. Don’t let that freak your out. Most of the memory blips we all experience can be chalked up to sleep deprivation, poor diet, stress, alcohol or drug use, and the aging process. To find out what is normal and what isn’t, talk to your doctor about anything that concerns you.
There are some symptoms that fill us with fear, and there are some that we simply dismiss. No one wants to be a whiner or get tagged as a hypochondriac…I get it. Just be wise and listen to your body. Anything that doesn’t seem right probably isn’t. Remember, dismissing odd, ongoing symptoms could be a mistake.
**** This post is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your health care provider. Women’s lifelink, it’s owners, administrators, contributors, affiliates, vendors, authors and editors do not claim that this information will diagnose, treat, or improve any condition or disease.
