10 things you should know about your health

Maybe you like spicy food, Beaujolais and big dogs but you don't like wet socks or Sunday afternoons alone. Overall, you think you know yourself pretty well. But do you? You could have hidden health and lifestyle problems, and you should know about them now so you can prevent medical problems before they arise.

1. Your health pedigree
Like it or not, you probably have a medical skeleton in the closet. Whether it's undiscussed mental illness or three generations of breast cancer, you need to know about genetic health concerns like heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease.
Take action: Compile a medical family tree (go to www.mayoclinic.com for help), then ask your doctor to recommend preventative strategies.

2. Your body shape: Apple or pear?
According to UCLA nutrition expert Dr. David Heber, the fruit your body resembles determines many health risks. Apple shapes carry most of their weight in their waist and are susceptible to heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure. They tend to gain and lose weight quickly. Pear shapes carry weight in their hips and butt, have a slower metabolism, and lose weight slowly.
Take action: If you're an apple, make protein 30 per cent of your diet and do aerobics and weight training in equal parts. Pears should avoid alcohol, eat more vegetables and do strengthening exercises.

3. Whether you're insulin resistant
Considered a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, obesity and cancer, insulin resistance occurs when the body metabolizes carbohydrates improperly, forcing the pancreas to overproduce insulin.
Take action: If blood tests reveal that you're insulin resistant, get moving. Combine aerobics and strength training five times a week, lose 10 per cent of your body weight if you are overweight, increase greens in your diet and talk to your doctor for more lifestyle and prevention tips.

4. Your risk of early menopause
Early menopause may mean a 50 per cent increase in your risk of heart attack or stroke and a doubled chance of osteoporosis. And it may be genetic. A Brigham and Women's Hospital study in Boston found 37.5 per cent of women who started menopause by age 42 had a family history of early menopause.
Take action: Your doctor may suggest taking 1,200 mg of calcium a day. Do weight-bearing exercises three times a week, don't smoke, enjoy a low-fat diet and visit www.menopausecanada.com for more information.

5. Hidden food allergies
Although the prevalence of food allergies has doubled in the past 30 years, many Canadians live with symptoms without realizing the cause. Allergies can trigger everything from eczema and asthma to migraines and teeth-clenching. A 1984 Turkish study even linked mouth ulcers to allergies to wheat, oranges, tomatoes, chocolate, nuts, tea and cola.
Take action: Purify yourself with a detox diet, "then, when you reintroduce certain foods, you get a reaction and you know where your allergy lies," says Dr. Nish Joshi, author of Dr. Joshi's Holistic Detox (McArthur/Hodder & Stoughton, 2006).

Click to continue for 5 more essential facts you need to know about your health...

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