ISSUE SEPT. 14 2020
STAY HEALTHY
W E E K L Y
REPORT
5 Signs Of Disease That Are Written All Over Your Face
Excess Facial Hair
Dry, Flaky Skin Or Lips This is a common warning sign of dehydration. It may also indicate a more serious problem that affects sweat gland function, such as hypothyroidism (marked by insufficient levels of thyroid hormone) or diabetes.
A 2011 Danish study of nearly 13,000 patients found that about 4 percent had the spots and that those patients were nearly 70 percent more likely to develop hardening of the arteries and almost 50 percent more likely to have a heart attack over the next few decades than patients without them.
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late blood vessels and cause them to leak In the sensitive skin under your eyes, this creates puffiness and a dark purple-blue hue.
Unwanted hair, particularly along the jawline, chin, and upper lip, could be a symptom of polycystic When doctors chat with patients ovary syndrome, a hormone imbaleye to eye, it’s not just about creat- ance in which male hormone levels Discolored Complexion ing rapport. Certain facial traits may are elevated. reveal vital clues to underlying Even slight changes may indicate health conditions. We asked docThe condition may affect five million that something may be wrong. tors around the country to share U.S. women of childbearing age. Paleness could be a sign of anewhat they look for while examining mia. A yellow tone could indicate patients. The most important tip we Soft, Yellow Spots On Eyelids liver disease. A bluish tint in lips or took away: You should worry most Patients with these cholesterolnail beds could indicate heart or about a change in appearance. If filled lesions, called xanthelasmata, lung disease. symptoms are new, tell your physi- may have a higher risk of heart disBy Stay Healthy Research Team cian. Continue on to learn more‌ ease.
Other signs of hypothyroidism include feeling cold, weight gain, and fatigue. Diabetes symptoms include Eye Bags And Puffiness extreme thirst, frequent urination, Tired-looking eyes could be a red and blurry vision. flag for chronic allergies, which di-
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Dental Association suggests sugar into odor-causing byproducts. -free gum or candy. A Boozy Night Out A Spicy Food Addiction
6 Sneaky Reasons Behind Your Body Odor
Sulfur-containing gases are what causes body odor after you eat certain foods. Foods heavy in garlic, curry, or other spices release these gases when your body breaks them down. These smelly gases are released through your pores, leaving you with body odor for a few hours post-meal.
To avoid this kind of body odor, be smart about meal timing. Don’t eat these foods before an important You take medicine to feel better. meeting or a date. Already hit the But as a side effect, some medica- Indian buffet for lunch? Don’t pantions (such as morphine or feveric. Drink plenty of water, take a reducing drugs) make you sweat. shower if possible, and apply a And that often means more body deodorant-antiperspirant. odor. Also: Hundreds of medications, such as antihistamines, de- Sky-High Stress Levels congestants, and muscle relaxers, as well as those to treat nerve pain What causes body odor, a physical and anxiety, can cause dry mouth, symptom, from stress, a mental one of the most common causes cause? It’s simple: Sweat. Sweatof bad breath, says the Mayo Clin- ing is a natural response to stress, ic. but the smelliest sweat actually happens when you’re stressed. “Stress” sweat comes from apocrine glands. This sweat fluid is odorless—until it mixes with your skin’s bacteria, causing a pungent body odor. A New Rx
As your body breaks down alcohol and it goes through your bloodstream, some of it comes out of your breath and sweat. The body treats alcohol as if it was toxic, and therefore tries to break it down and excrete it as quickly as possible. Most alcohol is metabolized in the liver and is excreted from the body in urine. But if you drink more than the liver can process or if your liver is damaged, some is excreted via breath and sweat. And that leads to foul body odor. To avoid smelling like alcohol, try drinking at a slower pace, or alternating a glass of water or other nonalcoholic beverage between each alcoholic drink. Putting on fresh clothing and taking a long soapy shower when you get home from the bar helps.
Proactively wear a clinicalstrength, over-the-counter antiperspirant/deodorant so you’re covered when stress strikes. (Even better, leave a stick in your desk Use a stronger, clinical-strength drawer). If you still suffer from antiperspirant/deodorant, and stress sweat, your doctor can preswipe it on at night before you go scribe a prescription antiperspirant to bed. This helps block odoror recommend Botox (FDAcausing sweat before it ramps up approved for underarm sweating). in the morning. You can also talk Also: Keep up with your laundry. to your doctor about switching Skipping Socks Washing clothing regularly demeds or adjusting your dosage. To creases the number of bacteria Ever slip your bare feet into heels alleviate dry mouth, the American available to break down our sweat at work, or wear ballet flats or cas-
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ual sneakers sans socks? You’re asking for foot odor. Wearing closed shoes without socks [to absorb the moisture] means feet are essentially bathing in their own sweat and bacteria. That buildup can cause bad foot odor. Before you put shoes on in the morning or at night, apply some antiperspirant to your feet. If you can, take your shoes off beneath your desk to give them some fresh air, which helps ward off bacteria growth. Once you’re home after a long day in shoes, put feet in a bacteria-killing bath of one part vinegar to two parts water. And don’t wear the same shoes two days in a row. Rotate pairs so they can air out a little.
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Forgetting To Wash Your Bra Admit it: Do you wear the same one or two bras days in a row? A bra’s fabric touches beneath your arms, across your back and between your breasts and chest, all areas prone to sweat. And bras are often made of fabrics that don’t wick away moisture. The moisture can make bacteria and fungus overgrow. That trapped sweat and moisture causes bad odor and rashes, too. Consider this an excuse to go shopping: Buy three to five of your favorite bras that you can rotate. Don’t wear the same bra two days in a row. Not only will this stretch out the elastic, but overwear also leads to more oils and odors.
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Avoid synthetic fabrics (like spandex), which trap sweat as they rub against the skin, causing odors to linger. Opt for breathable fabrics like cotton, sheer mesh, or lightweight lace. By Stay Healthy Research Team