Early Signs That Cancer Is Growing In Your Body

Routine check-ups and tests are not a reliable form of cancer detection. In order to detect the disease on time you should also notice any strange and unexplained symptom you might experience. Here are the 20 early cancer signs that should never be ignored:

1. Wheezing and shortness of breath

Both symptoms are the earliest signs of the development of lung cancer in your body.

2. Chest pain and chronic cough

Lung tumors and leukemia can mimic symptoms of a chronic cough, and some patients have also reported pain down the arm accompanying the cough and chest pain.

3. Recurrent fever and infections

Frequent fever and infections can be a sign of leukemia, a type of blood tumor that develops in the bone marrow. Once it starts, leukemia makes the marrow produce abnormal white blood cells which attack your immune system.

4. Difficulty swallowing

Although often ignored, difficulty swallowing may be a sign of esophageal, throat or lung cancer.

5. Swollen lymph nodes on the underarms, groin and neck

These symptoms often indicate negative changes in the lymph system which are probably caused by cancer.

6. Bruising and bleeding that don’t stop

This is a sign that there’s something wrong with your platelets and red blood cells and may be caused by leukemia. The abnormal amount of white blood cells caused by the disease can crowd out the red blood cells in your body and hinder the blood’s ability to clot, which will result in blood loss.

7. Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the most overlooked signs of cancer. However, being tired doesn’t automatically indicate cancer – it should be looked in combination with other symptoms. If you’re feeling tired for no reason at all, we suggest visiting your doctor.

8. Pelvic and abdominal pain

Cramps and pain in the abdomen and pelvis accompanied by bloating are often a sign of ovarian cancer.

9. Bloating and sudden abdominal weight gain

These symptoms usually indicate ovarian cancer, especially if they go on for a long time.

10. Rectal bleeding and blood in the stool

If you notice blood in your stool you should visit a doctor immediately as it may be an early sign of colorectal cancer.

11. Sudden weight loss

If you’ve started losing weight all of a sudden, you should be concerned as it may be a sign that the cancer has spread to your liver and is affecting your appetite.

12. Stomachache or upset stomach

If your stomach is upset frequently, it may be a symptom of colorectal cancer.

13. Swollen and inflamed nipples

If you notice any kind of change in your nipples such as inflammation or swelling you should visit a doctor as it may be a sign of breast cancer.

14. Nipple changes

Twisted, flattened or invertednipples are some of the earliest signs of breast cancer.

15. Heavy and frequent periods

These symptoms are usually related to endometrial and uterine cancer. If you’re suspecting that you might be suffering from this type of cancer, get a vaginal ultrasound to be sure.

16. Changes on the nails

Streaks and dots in and under the nails, clubbing and pale or white nails can indicate lung or liver cancer.

17. Swelling in the face

Swelling, redness and puffiness in the face may be caused by small tumors in your lungs which are blocking the blood flow leading to your face.

18. Sore lumps that don’t heal

Melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma are 3 types of skin cancer that may create sore lumps on your skin that bleed easily and don’t heal.

19. Feeling full and being unable to eat

This is another sign of ovarian cancer – some women don’t have appetite and won’t eat even after skipping a few meals.

20. Pain in the back and lower right side

Pain in the lower right side of the back may be a sign of liver cancer, but it can also indicate breast cancer as well due to breast tumors pressing backwards into the chest.

No matter the gender or age, you should notice any unusual symptoms and address them appropriately. The sooner you notice and treat the problems, the higher your chances of survival. Cancer is a disease which can harm your health beyond repair and even worse, it may have fatal consequences, so it’s nothing to be trifled with. Like with any other disease, it’s best to prevent rather than treat it later, so make sure to live a healthy and active lifestyle and eat a healthy diet rich in foods that prevent cancer.

8 Surprising Reasons You're Tired All The Time

We’re in the midst of an energy crisis. No, not that one. This one: We’re tired. So. Completely. Tired.

To paraphrase Aerosmith, it can often feel like your get up and go musta got up and went. It’s not just a matter of working too much and sleeping too little, though of course those are both big parts of it. It’s sometimes easy to pinpoint why you’re flagging by the afternoon — that weekend of partying, for instance — but sometimes the causes are more complicated.

Here are some common contributors to that two o’clock feeling:

1. You’re not sleeping enough.

OK. So this one is kind of a gimme, but not for the reason you think. Sleep isn’t just about resting; there’s a lot going on inside while you’re conked out for the night. Case in point: human growth hormone. Growth hormone, a protein made by the pituitary gland, plays a role in making muscles healthy and bones strong. It affects how our bodies collect fat (especially around the stomach area) and it helps balance the ratio of good to bad cholesterol. It’s also essential for normal brain function. Not enough it of leads to fatigue, decreased strength and stamina, and depression symptoms. Since growth hormone is secreted primarily when we sleep, seven and a half or eight hours of high-quality shut-eye each night will help keep weight and pain down and boost up your energy.

2. You’re eating too much junk.

We think of sugar as a quick way to boost energy, but in the long run it does just the opposite. All those that end in -ose, like glucose, dextrose, maltose and sucrose, are just going to leave you sluggish. Research shows that fast food also puts you in biological slo-mo. Try this all-day energy meal plan, instead.

3. You’re not drinking enough water.

Many people can’t identify when their fatigue is due to dehydration. A glass of water may be the jolt you need, rather than sugar (see above). Drink as much H2O as it takes to keep your mouth moist throughout the day. And remember this rule of thumb: Your pee should be light yellow to clear. If it’s brighter and darker yellow, you need to drink more water.

4. You’re low in vitamin B.

You need B vitamins for your mitochondria to turn glucose into energy. We can absorb B vitamins well in liquid or pill form, but 99 percent of us don’t get enough from our diets. Try taking a vitamin in the morning and evening. This will keep levels stable and get you energized, and there’s no harm in it since you’ll excrete any excess water-soluble vitamins.

If you’re having symptoms of low energy, check your vitamin B12 and D levels, and, in any case, have them checked annually. If you find you have the rare case of not absorbing them well into your intestine and stomach, you can get a B12 injection yearly.

5. You’ve got an infection.

Infection and inflammation can be two dominos in the low-energy cascade of symptoms. One of your goals could be to monitor your body so infections don’t linger. So what can you do? Floss regularly to lower your gum inflammation risk. Reduce sinusitis with a neti pot. Use probiotics to treat prostatitis, vaginitis and bowel infections. With viral infections, frequent hand washing, sleeping and avoiding saturated fats and simple sugars can help.

6. You need to move more.

You can jump-start your energy with an activity as simple as walking. When you get moving, nitric oxide is released from the artery linings to allow blood to move freely through your vessels. This helps get more nutrients to your cells. Your body responds to your actions. If you tell your body you’re watching re-runs all night, it will downshift energy production. If you tell your body that you need to have a brisk morning walk, it responds by giving you the energy you need to do just that.

7. Your hormones are out of whack.

There are numerous hormones that factor in to how energized or blah you’re feeling. Hormones are like dimmers on headlights. When you need bright lights, you turn on certain hormones to increase the energy to that area, and decrease usage elsewhere. The fine-tuning starts in your hypothalamus and pituitary. The two primary sources of trouble are slow-functioning thyroid and adrenal glands. As for adrenal hormones, take this little test: When you’re hungry, do you quickly switch to feeling so irritable and ravenous that if you don’t eat, you’ll commit a felony? This is a sign that your adrenal glands may not be working properly.

8. You’re insulin resistant.

Insulin resistance — a precursor to diabetes — makes it hard to get sugar (our body’s fuel) to our energy production plants. We then distribute the sugar into fat storage rather than storing it in cells, which need it to produce energy.

7 Signs Of A Nervous Breakdown

Keep an eye out for classic signs of anxiety too, such as tightness in your chest and rapid breathing.

I’m having a nervous breakdown. You may utter this (or at least think it) when you’re overwrought and ready to snap. But what is a nervous breakdown, exactly? And what should you do when you feel like you’re about to fall apart?

It turns out “nervous breakdown” isn’t a clinical term. And it’s not considered a mental illness, says Erin Engle, PsyD, assistant professor of medical psychology in psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a serious issue. “[A nervous breakdown] is a situation in which a person cannot function normally because of overwhelming stress,” Engle says.

That stressor can be anything from a bad break-up or money issues to grief or psychological burnout. The symptoms will vary from person to person. “Our bodies and minds respond to stress in different ways,” Engle explains. But here are a few typical signs of a nervous breakdown:

Symptoms of anxiety and depression

“Anxiety and depression are common, common reactions [to stress],” says Engle. “Where you get into problems is when that stressor is ongoing and persistent, and the person’s coping resources are overwhelmed.” If you’re headed for a nervous breakdown, you might feel weepy, or even experience episodes of uncontrollable crying, says Engle. Some people suddenly struggle with self-esteem and confidence. “Feeling guilt is a big one,” she adds.

Sleeping too much, or not enough

A change in your sleep habits is another warning sign, says Engle. “Some people find that they go into sleep overdrive,” she says. “Sleep becomes an escape.” Others may develop insomnia because their brain is in overdrive. They may lay awake at night ruminating, she says, “mentally rehearsing situations over and over again that have no solution.”

Fatigue

Extreme tiredness could also be a clue you’re stressed to the max. You might even feel weakness in your body, Engle says. Activities you previously handled with ease may become increasingly difficult. And things that used to bring you joy may lose their appeal. Loss of libido is commonly linked to stress.

Changes in appetite

“Maybe you’re not eating, or conversely, you might be overeating,” says Engle. The stress hormone cortisol can trigger cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods. What’s more, when you’re in the middle of a breakdown, you may be less motivated to prep healthy meals. “There’s less ability to care for oneself in the way one typically would,” says Engle.

Physical pain

Think headaches, or stomachaches. “For some people there might be a GI component,” says Engle, such as diarrhea or constipation. It’s no secret stress can do a number on your gut. It’s known to cause a variety of problems with digestion. 

Brain fog

Are you having trouble concentrating? Or just feel like you’re not thinking clearly? There are often cognitive symptoms with a nervous breakdown, says Engle, which might include anything from difficulty with problem-solving and indecisiveness to a sense of disorientation and memory loss.

Trouble breathing

Keep an eye out for classic signs of anxiety too, such as tightness in your chest and rapid breathing. Taking quick, shallow breaths can ramp up the body’s stress response even more. A breathing exercise designed to slow down your breath can provide fast relief. But if you experience trouble breathing on a regular basis, it’s important to address the root of the problem. 

Ok, so you might be having a breakdown. What next?

Now is the time to prioritize self-care. Engage in healthy coping mechanisms that work for you. (Maybe exercise helps you blow off steam, for example, or your favorite hobby helps you unwind.) Talk with family members or friends you trust. And don’t be afraid to seek professional help: “I always encourage someone to seek out the chance to speak with, or meet with, either a therapist, a psychologist or a social worker — but a licensed mental health professional,” Engle says. “Going to get help is one of the most important things you can do.”