5 Ways to Know You are a Healthy Woman
The line between our bodies and the plethora of health data we scrape from ourselves is getting increasingly blurr. Here are a few ways to know that your present state of health is at its best.
You are regular to the toilet
This applies to both bowel movements and menstrual cycles (for people that have one). Just like the nonexistent hands on our smartwatches, our bodies like to keep a rhythm.
Having at least one bowel movement a day is a good sign that your digestive system is working properly, and anywhere from three a week to three a day is considered normal. Regular bowel movements may also be signs of a healthy gut microbiome.
Another pattern: Regular menstrual cycles (occurring each month between 24 and 35 days) are not only a sign of reproductive health and regular ovulation, but they’re also a signal that your hormones are balanced. Hormonal imbalances can be a product of stress (which has a myriad of effects on well-being), over-exercising or illness, like thyroid disease. For people who menstruate, the monthly cycle can be one of the first things thrown off track when there’s a disruption in the carefully orchestrated hormonal dance.
Most days, you wake up feeling well-rested
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep for best health. And while there’s no shortage of reasons why many people are behind on their sleep, or even chronically sleep deprived, lack of sleep contributes to a variety of social and health problems, including hormonal imbalances, mood issues and even a greater risk of a heart attack.
You don’t have bad breath
A little morning or onion breath is par for the course and your breath might be a little off if you’re dehydrated. But a weird taste or smell in your mouth during the day after you’ve already brushed your teeth could be a sign something is up.
“Fresh breath is a good indication that your gut health is balanced,” so says Dr. David Borenstein of Manhattan Integrative Medicine. According to the Mayo Clinic, poor oral health (including tooth decay or gum infections) could increase your risk for developing heart problems, pregnancy complications or even pneumonia.
Your urine is pale yellow
Urine that’s pale yellow is a clear indication that you’re hovering around a healthy level of hydration, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Drinking enough water is one of the easiest ways to keep your body healthy, as hydration aids important processes like regulating body temperature, preventing infections and improving cognition (hello, dehydration brain fog). So if you normally pee a lighter shade of yellow as opposed to a strong, dark color, you can find some peace that your body is getting enough water. How much you need, of course, varies by many factors including activity level.
You eat a well-balanced diet
Believe it or not, eating enough fat is not only good for you, but also essential for your health. And there are a growing number of dietitians and nutritionists who find more health benefits in building plates around core nutrients, rather than cutting out or singling out any foods as “bad.” The more restrictive diets, or diets that require you to track the calories of each food you eat, can lead to disordered eating and yo-yo dieting with no lasting health results.
