Your face tells you about your health

Next time you blame those dark circles to many late nights, think again- your face could be trying to tell you something is wrong…

Cracked lips, puffy eyes, dry skin… Barely a week goes by without one of these symptoms staring back at us in the mirror. Ok, so they’re all annoying flaws that stops us from looking our best, but they are also useful ways of finding out what’s going on with your physical health. But how do you know what your face is trying to say? For a full diagnosis, you should obviously consult your doctor but in the meantime, go through this article to find out what messages your face could be sending you about your nutrition.

Cold sores: If you suffer from persistent outbreaks of cold sores, it might be that your immune system isn’t working very effectively.

Savvy solution: Crank up your immune system. Laughter is great for this: it boosts production of immunoglobin A, a protein that helps your body fight infections, so laughter after all is the best medicine and while you are out enjoying with your friends, avoid sharing lipstick, lip gloss, or her juice/ cold drink glass. If she has a sore throat or ear infections, you’re already vulnerable to germs and will pick up more this way. You could also try taking vitamin nutrition supplements, or separate supplements for zinc or vitamin C, both know for boosting immune systems.

Bloodshot eyes: if your eyes have that permanent morning-after look, you could be allergic to your eye make-up or remover. But bloodshot eyes are also a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, a condition which causes inflammation in the lining of the joints, increasingly common in young women. The eyes can become dry and bloodshot as a response to arthritis and this is because arthritis affects the fluid lubricating the joints and tear glands. Thankfully, it’s not as nasty as it sounds and can be easily treated.

Savvy solution: Consult an optician for a formal diagnosis. While you can’t cure arthritis, you can control the need for possible long term treatment. Fish oils rich in omega 3 fatty acids keep joints healthy. Also to keep your joints supple, try regular swimming.

Cracked lips: if your smile is sometimes made painful by cracks at the side of the mouth, you could be suffering from angular cheilitis, a condition that restricts absorption of iron in the body and can lead to anemia, which is cause by lack of red corpuscles in the blood and leads to extreme tiredness.

Savvy solution: The best way to prevent cracked lips is to increase your intake of iron rich foods. So snack up on dates and almonds! Also, boost up your nutrition with the intake of vitamin C, as this helps iron absorption. Rather than getting a multi-vitamin supplement, opt for a separate vitamin C supplement next time you go supplement shopping.

Flushed skin: Do you find yourself getting all hot and rosy, even when the most strenuous activity you’ve done all day is lift a cup of tea? If so, then you may have high blood pressure, oxygenated blood is being pounded around the body, even to the surface of the skin, which gives that flushed look. High blood pressure is very common in young women.

Savvy solution: Cut back on salt in your nutrition, as this aggravates blood pressure. Try to do regular aerobic exercises, as this keeps the blood vessels flexible.

Puffy eyes: If the bags under your eyes are unusually large and dark or if your lips look severely puffy then this could be a sign of an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). This causes lethargy, loss of appetite and pilling on unwanted pounds.

Savvy solution: Talk to your doctor about tests and advice on medication to boost your sluggish thyroid gland. You can also give it a boost by eating plenty of iodine-rich food, such as skimmed milk and seafood.

Dry skin: Most of us know our skin suddenly starts developing scaly, red patches, then you could be deficient in vitamin C. we need this vitamin because it produces collagen, which is the substance that makes the skin look smooth and keeps the immune system in top condition.

Savvy solution: Vitamin C packed vegetables like peppers or broccoli help a lot. You should also go for citrus fruits like oranges, strawberries, mangoes, etc. Take vitamin nutrition supplement to give your body this vitamin.

Dark under-eye circles: You might think that those shadows under your eyes are down to too many late nights, but if an early night is not solving them, then this could be a sign fluid retention. Excess fluid is retained and this can gather around the eyes, leading to dark shadows.

Savvy solution: Keeping your kidneys happy is the key here. So start by drinking lots of water to flush away the toxins. Also take diluted fruit drinks or fruits with high water content such as grapes or melons.