Our Body Communicates Possible Health Risks

Hi Everyone,

Prior to Jerry's release from the hospital his allergies were acting up. My allergies were also affecting my asthma. Each time I stepped outside of the house my nose would start itching, eyes burning, and I felt fatigued. Unfortunately, Jerry's asthma was out of control, hence his hospitalization.

I went to visit my Mom on her birthday and she was miserable, fatigued, and using her nebulizer to get her asthma under control. Austin is not the place to live if you suffer from allergies. I wonder how many allergy medications are sold in this city alone.

This season will pass and we will forget about our allergies, congestion, and fatigue while ignoring possible health risks.

Jerry was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA is the most common form of sleep apnea. When there is a blockage to the air coming into your body, it restricts the proper amount of oxygen needed to get into the lungs. The obstruction can be one of many things - a tongue, tonsils, extra fatty throat tissue, relaxed throat muscles or the uvula (the small piece of flesh that hangs down in the back of your throat). This not only causes sleep disruptions, OSA has been associated with an increased risk of hypertension, heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, diabetes and other conditions. It is important to properly identify and treat patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Jerry suffers from a past head injury with symptoms related to that injury that are common to other health challenges.The symptoms are not only snoring loud, they include daytime drowsiness, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. . When sleep apnea is present there are some common symptoms, being overweight, large tonsils or adenoids, large neck size (greater than 17" in men and 16" in women), nasal congestion or blockage from colds, sinusitus, allergies, smoking, and when the throat muscles or tongue relax more than normal during sleep. Jerry has suffered from nasal congestion, allergies, and sinus problems for over twenty years.
 
When you have other problems it is sometimes difficult to diagnose new health issues. Jerry is blessed to have a Pulmonary specialist that is interested in his overall health and continually communicates with other specialist's or doctor's regarding new symptoms.

If your body is sending you signals, physical signs and symptoms, take the time to pay attention and don't just pop a pill to suppress those imbalances because something maybe amiss. There are some common conditions with underlying frequent symptoms that can give us a clue, such as:

If you have headaches, migraines, fatigue, weight gain, intense cravings for sweet or salty foods, inability to focus,  irritability, you may be drinking too much diet soda.

If you suffer from chapped lips, headaches, infrequent urination, dark or smelly urine, dry skin, you maybe dehydrated.

If you have itchy ears, throat or mucus membranes,mood swings, fatigue, weak immune system, weight gain, frequent yeast infections, you may have candida overgrowth.

If you are not getting enough fiber you might suffer from frequent hunger pangs, energy slumps, digestive trouble, skin problems, inflammatory conditions, and constipation.


If you have a vitamin B deficiency, you may have cracks in the corner of your mouth, anemia, low energy, fatigue, skin problems, and dark circles under your eyes.

If you are drinking too much caffeine you may experience fatigue, jitters, agitation, insomnia, heartbeat irregularities, and frequent urination.

Low on stomach acid? Gastric reflux, weak immune system, cracked fingernails, chronic infections, gas, burping and indigestion are signs of low stomach acid.

When we listen to our body we can help identify health risks, make healthy changes, and prevent chronic disease.


I hope and pray you are having a pain and fatigue free day.