Most people believe that they live a healthy life. But when you unpack what they are actually doing, you often discover that they are falling quite short of the mark. There’s a mismatch between perception and reality. 

Even more dangerously, many people are in denial about their mortality. Even if they treat their bodies badly, they believe that they will never get sick. Disease is something that happens to other people, they tell themselves, not them. 

Both these misperceptions are dangerous. They take people away from the real work that they need to do on their health. And, over time, they start to suffer. 

The trick here is to look out for the telltale signs that something isn’t quite right. Be on the lookout for the following signs that you’re doing something wrong. 

You Have Brain Fog

For many people, brain fog seems kind of funny. Not being able to think straight is a trippy experience. But if it happens regularly, then it could be a sign that something is seriously wrong. 

Granted, brain fog is perfectly normal if you’ve been awake all night or feel stressed about a job interview. But it shouldn’t be a part of daily life. If you have cognitive issues, then it might be a sign of a hormone problem or thyroid issue. It could also relate to your diet if you are eating a lot of processed food. 

Your Libido Is Gone

Most healthy humans have a strong libido. But if your desire is low (and that’s unusual for you), then it could be a sign that something is seriously wrong.

Libido tends to ebb and flow, often with the seasons and your cycle if you are a woman. However, certain conditions and diseases can reduce it significantly. 

For instance, if you have depression or fatigue, you may feel a lack of sex drive. Your mental energies may be going in a different direction. 

You can also develop low sex drive if you lose a lot of weight suddenly. Fasting or going on a restrictive diet shifts the body into a different mode where it focuses more on repair than on reproduction. 

High weight can also be an issue. Obesity lowers sex drive by interfering with normal metabolism. 

You Feel Super Stressed

Most people experience some stress in their daily lives. But if you are feeling super stressed to the point where you can’t function, something is wrong. If cortisol levels get too high, they can be difficult to bring down. And that can leave you feeling on-edge and moody. Excessive feelings of worry increase cortisol levels and can lead to whole-body inflammation, increasing the risk of weight gain and declines in overall wellbeing. 

You Are Sleepy All The Time

Being sleepy at the end of a long week in the office is perfectly normal. But if you feel tired out after a good night’s sleep, then you may need to get virtual urgent care at DrHouse as soon as possible. 

Slumber is a critical component of good health. But if you feel tired all the time, then you may have a nighttime issue, such as sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which you can’t breathe properly. For many people, this problem is associated with heart disease, high blood pressure and weight gain.

In a perfect scenario, your body should have enough time to rejuvenate all your internal organs. But if you don’t get enough sleep, then it can cause a domino effect of imbalances that seriously disrupt your cycle. 

You Have Twitching Muscles In Your Legs

If you lead a sedentary life, you may consider twitching muscles to be relatively normal. But if it happens all the time, then you might have an electrolyte issue. 

Muscles will twitch and go into spasm if you don’t have enough potassium or magnesium. And over time, low status in these nutrients can lead to a host of health problems.

If you have low magnesium, consider eating more bananas, pumpkin seeds and almonds. If you can’t get sufficient quantities of these essential minerals in your diet, consider taking a supplement. 

You Have A Tingling Sensation In Your Hands And Feet

The occasional pins and needles are nothing to worry about. But if you have tingling sensations regularly and don’t know where they are coming from, it could be cause for alarm. It might mean that you have a B12 deficiency, a critical nutrient that your body needs to keep nerve cells healthy and prevent anemia. 

If you think you are low on B12, the best policy is to take a supplement, preferably one that you can chew. Don’t follow any advice that encourages you to increase meat and egg consumption. You’ll just wind up hurting your body in other ways. 

You Have Dry Skin

Getting dry skin is the norm in cold weather. Lack of moisture in the air depletes the skin’s barrier. But if dryness continues year-round, it could be a sign of a deeper issue. 

Itchy dry patches on your body could be a result of eating a diet that’s too low in fat. Fatty-acid deficiency can lead to changes in the dermis.

If you are on a strict diet, you can try applying fat-based topicals. These contain natural oils that replace the fat that your skin isn’t producing. 

Alternatively, you can increase your nut, avocado and seed consumption. These all contain healthy fats that should keep your skin moist. 

Your Skin Keeps Breaking Out

While acne is mainly genetic and hormonal, it can also result from stress. If you feel bad about something, it increases the risk of breakouts. 

Researchers, for instance, have found that increased stress in the workplace is much more likely to cause zits. When cortisol levels go up, the skin is less able to clear out bacteria and oils. 

Other reasons for breakouts include excessive dairy consumption and eating unhealthy, starchy and greasy foods, such as pastries. Some patients have success in beating acne when they move to a plant-based diet.