Your body tells you everything about your health. As long as you're listening.

1. Bowel movements and digestion: The shape, consistency, and color of bowel movements can reveal a lot about the health of the digestive system and the body as a whole. For example, stool that is very hard and firm and sinks immediately may indicate an increased risk of colon cancer, while stool that floats may indicate problems digesting fats or high gas formation.
2. Tongue: The color and appearance of the tongue can provide indicators of overall health. A very pale tongue can indicate poor circulation or anemia, while a very red tongue can indicate inflammation or too much iron in the body.
3. Skin: Skin condition, including the number of skin spots and changes in them, can provide information about health. The presence of more than a hundred skin spots or changes in the color, shape, or texture of a skin patch may indicate an increased risk of melanoma.
4. Hair: Hair loss or changes in hair condition can be signs of underlying health problems, such as thyroid problems or deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine and selenium.
5. Nails: The condition of the nails can also tell us a lot about overall health. Brittle nails can indicate a calcium or iron deficiency, while white spots can indicate a zinc deficiency.
6. Pain and Discomfort: Chronic pain, such as painful shoulder, arm, or back problems, can often be a manifestation of long-term stress, anxiety, or depression.

Three tips

The more you sleep, the smoother your bowel movements become. You'll be less likely to be filled with unhealthy fats and sugars that complicate digestion. Use a squatty potty, which is a seat you place your feet on when you go to the toilet.

Dry and thin hair may be the result of poor functioning of the thyroid gland. You may have to take thyroid medication, but you can also do something about it yourself: Eat foods high in iron, zinc, iodine and selenium.