If You Notice This on Your Body, Test Your Blood, Say Doctors — Eat This Not That

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By Ghuman

Introduction

If you’re looking to make healthier food choices, it’s important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Eating the right foods can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and even improve your mood. But if you notice certain changes in your body, it could be a sign that something is wrong. In this article, we’ll discuss what to look out for and how to test your blood to determine if you need to make dietary changes. We’ll also provide some tips on what to eat and what to avoid to help you make healthier food choices.

If You Notice This on Your Body, Test Your Blood, Say Doctors

If you notice any of the following symptoms on your body, it’s important to get your blood tested, according to doctors.

  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Unexplained fatigue
  • Unexplained fever
  • Unexplained night sweats
  • Unexplained itching
  • Unexplained rashes
  • Unexplained abdominal pain
  • Unexplained joint pain

These symptoms could be indicative of a number of medical conditions, including diabetes, anemia, and thyroid disorders. It’s important to get your blood tested to rule out any serious medical issues.

Eat This Not That

If you have been diagnosed with any of the above conditions, it’s important to make sure you are eating the right foods. Eating a balanced diet that is low in sugar and processed foods can help to manage your condition and keep your blood sugar levels in check. Eating foods that are high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can also help to regulate your blood sugar levels.

It’s also important to limit your intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. Eating lean proteins, such as fish, poultry, and beans, can also help to keep your blood sugar levels in check. Finally, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and help your body to function properly.

Our bodies are incredibly powerful and can be very communicative, but only if we choose to listen. Often we ignore or overlook the signs of a problem. Not paying attention to what our bodies tell us can be dangerous—and sometimes deadly. Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, MBBS, Ph.D., a professor of public health at New Mexico State University, who explains why you should have your blood checked if you notice certain things on your body. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.

Jaundice patient with yellowish discoloration of skin in comparison with Normal Skin color.
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“Color of skin is key,” says Dr. Khubchandani. “If there is a major change in skin color, this could be indicative of a disease. For example, in jaundice, the skin turns yellow in all parts of the body, and such a color change needs blood testing. Other diseases showing changes in skin color can range from infectious to autoimmune diseases to life-threatening conditions like poisoning.”

Woman Scratching an itch
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“Infections can cause a variety of changes in the body that are both visible on the skin and not visible,” says Dr. Khubchandani. “For example, change in skin color accompanied by itching, irritation, pain, redness, or scaling can be signs of fungal, bacterial, or viral infection (like herpes or cellulitis). A blood test is often the most common diagnostic test ordered.” 

Girl with birthmarks on the neck
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“While the color of skin remains a key indicator of diseases and the need for a blood test, there are other signs in the body and skin that may need a blood test,” says Dr. Khubchandani. “These could include abnormal growths in the skin (e.g. moles, warts, cysts, tags, lumps, etc.). A blood test is needed to ensure that these are not cancerous growths, what blood cells look like, or if there are other problems occurring simultaneously. As skin cancer is among the most common types of cancer, such growths should be assessed carefully.”

woman suffering from heat stroke
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“Certain other signs such as excessive sweat, moist or dry skin, pigmentation, or noticeable changes in skin texture/elasticity may require a blood test as these changes could be indicative of a wide variety of diseases, such as infection, thyroid disorders, heart disease, or hormonal disorders,” says Dr. Khubchandani.

Pitting edema on patient leg primary sign of heart disease or heart failure and this case edema from drug allergy, diclofenac oral drug, side effects of drugs
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“Last but not least, swelling in any part of the body should be considered seriously,” says Dr. Khubchandani. “Swelling could indicate a variety of problems ranging from acute injuries to animal bites to chronic diseases and many of these conditions need blood tests to rule out distinct conditions or syndromes. Swelling of legs and arms for example could be due to kidney damage, liver failure, or heart disease.”

He adds: “Certain swellings are medical emergencies as well. One such prevalent problem related to swelling in the body is edema. In edema, the blood that filters out of the vascular system does not get back into the vascular system, and the fluid is trapped in body tissues. This is often a very visible swelling in the legs, arms, ankles, feet, or face. It is a normal occurrence in pregnancy but otherwise, it could indicate serious problems if it is widespread and accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing and chest pain (e.g. heart failure, liver cirrhosis, or chronic renal failure).”

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