WOW!

What if I told you about a free body scan that’s available to all of you? Would you take advantage of that?

I know I would!

Well, it’s really quite simple, and takes only one piece of equipment.

Mirror, mirror on the wall………..

Just where are you going with this?!

Walk into the bathroom. Close the door. Remove all of of your clothes, stand front and center and take a hard look at the image in the mirror.

EEEE! No! I refuse!

Get tough and go for it, dear. Think about this possibility: The outside impression of the body often directly corresponds to what’s going on inside. Good health and conditioning is frequently reflected in an attractive, youthful appearance, like all those athletes we watch on the big screen. Not only are they extremely strong and able, but they are often good to look at as well.

You’re dissing older women!

Let’s get over that and start by hitting the highlights, shall we? It could save you a lot of heartache later to participate now. And besides, no one but you is looking, right? That dog doesn’t count!

Let’s check……… 

POSTURE

Get a lot of headaches? Is your neck craned?  Poor posture causes muscle strain and leads to a host of problems, including headaches.

Out of breath? Does your back appear humped? A curvature caused by weakened spinal bones lowers the rib cage to compress the lungs, cutting off your oxygen supply. Sorry, you can’t live with this one!

Are your shoulders back, or are they pulled forward and down by your abdomen? (I refuse to call it a ‘tummy’ by the way. Tummies are for kids. You know it’s not kid-sized!)

Is your spine bowed forward just a bit? Due to this slight aberration, you may have lost inches in height. This is very common in women over 50, but it isn’t simply an extra aging perk or necessarily the result of an abdomen in free-fall. Your slumped posture could be a sign that bones are weakening.

Ask a friend to measure your height. Bone scans are often covered free with insurance plans. Check this one out.

ABDOMEN

Your abdomen is a regular tattle-tale. It’s shape reveals a lot about what is going on inside of you. We all know the old apple/pear-shape indicator, where apple tends a person to Type 2 Diabetes. The problem arises when people do not realize they have this condition. So, let’s get a bit personal, here.

Does your image portray a large upper body, small hips and legs? Is your abdomen prominent? Do your arms and legs, upon inspection, look thinner than they used to be? These are classic signs of this disease. Diabetes literally promotes muscle wasting, so arms and legs become thin while the fatty abdomen prevents insulin uptake. A glucose monitor is a good investment. Check sugars using the instructions and arrange for consultation if fasting blood sugars are more than 126 on two separate occasions.

And then there’s your liver. It’s a pretty forgiving organ, most of the time. So, if you drink…….every day…….or just more on weekends…or…

You know how much you drink. No need to start a list. If I was to list how many drinks I have per day, I’d just lie about it, anyway. The facts are that any alcohol intake raises liver enzymes, because the liver is straining to do its job. Sometimes it enlarges with the effort.

LEGS AND FEET

Are your ankles a bit swollen? This is often the case when a person is heavier than the ideal. Sometimes foot swelling is caused by medication or pregnancy. If you suspect pregnancy and you are pushing 60, you need to dial up the National Inquirer immediately! More realistically for the over-50 age bracket, it could be a sign that the heart is not pumping at full power. The puffiness in the ankles indicates that fluid is being retained in the lower extremities instead of recirculating properly. This is an indicator of heart disease, which medication can alleviate.

BREAST EXAM

We all know how to do this one, and, much as I hate to say this, a mammogram is necessary. But, did you know that very large breasts tend a person to type 2 diabetes?

NO! I always envied those women!

The Daily Mail says:

The results showed women who wore ‘B’ cups at the age of 20 were 37 per cent more likely to have diabetes than those wearing ‘A’ cups.

For those in a ‘C’ cup at 20, the risks soared by 80 per cent, dropping to 64 per cent among those in a ‘D’ cup.

It remains unclear why breast size might affect diabetes risks. But one theory is that fatty tissue in the breast, called adipose tissue, may be involved in making the body resistant to the effects of insulin.

Overly-large breasts are often a cause of back pain and spinal curvature, as well.

HAIR

Most of us lose some hair thickness with aging, and color as well! That’s why we spend big bucks at the hairdresser. But, can you view your scalp through those newly tinted strands? Does it seem there’s a lot of hair in your comb lately? A glitch in thyroid function is common over the years. It is important to maintain a balance to thyroid hormone, because the thyroid is the throttle of the body. Wide open, it burns calories so rapidly that the body becomes thin and frail. Closed and throttled down, the body can’t burn enough calories, and overweight, low-energy, hair fall-out and chills are the result.

SKIN

This is the place I really don’t want to go. But let’s buck up, shall we?

Did you know that excessive wrinkling may correspond with the same in-elasticity in arteries? Heads up! What you are looking at on the outside may be going on inside, also.

Smoker? That first drag, squinting your eyes and pursing your lips with enjoyment….thousands of times? Yup. That’ll crinkle your face and arteries like potato chips.

It’s old stuff to review changes in warts and moles, so I won’t go there. Just don’t take the attitude that you may be a secret hypochondriac because a wart seems suspicious. It may be. You know your own body.

And finally,  a close-up look at the TEETH.

Go ahead and grin. Yes, even if you have implants. Why? Because your gums are another area that reveals secrets. Red, swollen, receded gums are the quintessential sign of inflammation and infection. And yes, you’re due for a cleaning and you will address it,  you’ll get right on it, yes, you care!

Don’t take your time. We all know know that gum inflammation sometimes leads to inflamed arterial tissue, and we all know where we are going then. Straight to the coronary floor, without losing time. It is very easy to maintain healthy gum tissue once a dentist has done a good cleaning and prescribed an antibiotic if gums are infected. Floss! Floss! Floss! Most of us do that, but there are a few die-hards and you know who you are. Floss and rinse with peroxide, a very cheap precaution.

And your body scan is finished! No credit cards necessary!

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