A vascular surgeon has detailed the frequently ignored signs that are an early indicator of potential health problems.
Doctor Rema Malik, who is based in Houston, Texas, recently revealed the ‘one piece of wisdom that could save you from years of chronic pain or a future medical emergency’.
And it all revolves around the subtle signals your body is emitting that may signify a bigger problem.
Dr Malik describes these quiet and very early signs as ‘whispers’.
‘Listen to your body’s whispers,’ Dr Malik said in a post shared to her Instagram account.
‘Your body is a brilliant communicator. It doesn’t go from perfectly healthy to a crisis overnight. First, it whispers.’
Dr Malik went on to provide examples of the types of subtle signs bodies give, which are often ignored.
‘The whispers are the minor things you’ve been brushing off for months,’ Dr Malik explained.
Vascular surgeon Rema Malik, who is based in Houston, Texas, recently revealed the ‘one piece of wisdom that could save you from years of chronic pain or a future medical emergency’
A recent Instagram post (pictured) shared to the @DrRemaMalik account saw the health expert explain how people often overlook very early health warning signs, which she describes as the ‘body’s whispers’
The doctor, who specialises in conditions affecting blood vessels, then offered some common examples of what these might be.
‘That new, persistent ache in your legs at the end of the day,’ the doctor suggested as an example.
‘The swelling in your ankles that leaves marks from your socks.’
Another surprising sign the expert highlighted was if you are prone to a ‘predictable cramp that hits you when you walk a certain distance’.
Dr Malik explained that many of us are likely to entirely ignore or find short-term solutions for these kind of issues, when in fact we should be taking action and investigating any underlying health issues that may be developing.
‘We ignore these whispers because they’re quiet and inconvenient. We wait for the scream,’ she wrote.
The ‘scream’ the doctor is referring to is a major health episode – and she insists that waiting for this moment before taking action can have ‘devastating consequences’.
‘The scream is the non-healing wound, the debilitating pain, the blood clot, the heart attack, or the stroke,’ Dr Malik said.
Vascular surgeon Rema Malik’s (left) recent online post discussed the subtle health indicators that she coined ‘body whispers’, offering the example of persistently aching legs at the end of the day (Right: stock image)
‘By the time the scream comes, the damage is already severe.’
For those aged over 40, the doctor emphasised the need to train yourself not to simply ignore persistent, pesky health signs but to start noticing and investigating them further with your doctor.
‘Learning to listen to these whispers is a critical life skill, especially after age 40, when the body’s warning signals for vascular disease become more common and far more urgent,’ Dr Malik stressed.
‘The greatest act of self-care is to take your own body’s messages seriously,’ she added.
The expert concluded the post with one final piece of preventative health advice.
‘Are you listening to your body’s whispers? It’s the most important conversation you’ll ever have.’
The American doctor’s health message comes in the wake of a leading Australian cardiologist setting the record straight about the biggest heart health myth, while highlighting the test Aussies should pay attention to.
Dr Ross Walker is a practicing cardiologist with more than 40 years’ experience who runs the Sydney Heart Health Clinic, which is focused on preventative cardiology.
Dr Ross Walker, an Australian practicing cardiologist who runs the Sydney Heart Health Clinic, says blood pressure is the most important heart health test
Dr Walker has published seven books on how to keep hearts healthy, and he told Daily Mail that most people look at the wrong tests.
‘The greatest myth is that heart disease is linked to a high total cholesterol, and that if you lower that cholesterol you reduce your risk for heart disease,’ he said.
‘There is absolutely no evidence for that whatsoever.
‘People hear about the “good” and “bad” cholesterol, HDL being good and LDL being bad, well that is absolutely nonsense.’
Dr Walker said it was more important to find out how large a person’s HDL and LDL particles were, which could be done by looking at total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL.
‘If the triglycerides are low and the HDL is higher than normal, that’s good for you,’ he said.
Dr Walker also recommended being mindful of blood pressure, which should be kept under 120/80.
He said: ‘Blood pressure is the most important cardiovascular risk factor, especially when you get over 60. It’s much more important than cholesterol.’
