Something feels off
Whole body, urine & swelling
14 stories
Picky eater
⚠️ If a child chokes while eating and cannot cough or breathe in, call emergency services and start back blows at once; frequent coughing or choking at meals, food coming back through the nose, or shortness of breath after eating needs an urgent appointment.
- Picky Eating in ChildrenWhy fear of new food and dislike of bitter greens is mostly a stage, and how repeated tastes helpFear of new food is usually strongest between ages 2 and 6 and is mostly a stage children grow out of; almost two thirds of early picky eaters stopped…Life stages · Pregnancy to adolescence7 stations
- Picky Eating in ChildrenWeight loss, frequent choking at meals or a sudden fear of eating may be more than picky eatingFear of new food is usually strongest between ages 2 and 6 and is mostly a stage children grow out of; almost two thirds of early picky eaters stopped…Life stages · Pregnancy to adolescence7 stations
- Starting solidsHow babies practice tastes and chewing when starting solidsA term baby's iron stores last until around 6 months; after that they run down and breast milk is low in iron, so solid food has to make up the gap.Life stages · Pregnancy to adolescence6 stations
Child short for age
⚠️ Height that keeps sliding down the growth chart, or signs of puberty before age 8 in girls or age 9 in boys, means a child should see a doctor; with weight loss, repeated headaches or vomiting, see a doctor promptly.
- How Children Grow TallerBones lengthen at the growth plates, shaped by sleep, enough food and the timing of pubertyChildren grow taller only at the growth plates near the ends of the bones: cartilage cells divide, swell and are replaced by bone. When the plates…Life stages · Pregnancy to adolescence7 stations
- How Children Grow TallerHeight sliding down the chart, far below the parents' range, or puberty too early or too late needs a doctorChildren grow taller only at the growth plates near the ends of the bones: cartilage cells divide, swell and are replaced by bone. When the plates…Life stages · Pregnancy to adolescence7 stations
- Picky Eating in ChildrenMost picky eaters grow fine; iron, zinc and fiber are the nutrients to watchFear of new food is usually strongest between ages 2 and 6 and is mostly a stage children grow out of; almost two thirds of early picky eaters stopped…Life stages · Pregnancy to adolescence7 stations
Older parent eating less
⚠️ Losing 5% to 10% or more of body weight over 3 to 6 months without trying, or frequent coughing or choking while eating or drinking, means an older person should see a doctor; eating and drinking very little and suddenly becoming confused, sleepier than usual or hard to wake: call emergency services now.
- Eating in Later LifeWith age people fill up sooner, feel thirst later and taste less, so eating less often has causes inside the bodyPart of a shrinking appetite in older people is physical: the stomach empties more slowly, the fullness signal CCK runs higher, energy needs fall, and…Life stages · Midlife & later life7 stations
- Eating in Later LifeLosing a lot of weight over a few months without trying, coughing at meals, or dehydration with confusion needs a doctorPart of a shrinking appetite in older people is physical: the stomach empties more slowly, the fullness signal CCK runs higher, energy needs fall, and…Life stages · Midlife & later life7 stations
- Sarcopenia · The Quiet Loss of MuscleEating too little, and too little protein, lets muscle waste awaySarcopenia is the loss of three things at once: the amount of skeletal muscle, the force it can produce, and the everyday movements it can carry out.Organ conditions · Bone, muscle & pelvis5 stations
- Drug–Nutrient Interactions · Does long-term medication need a top-up?Long-term acid reducers or metformin can slowly lower B12Some medicines taken every day quietly change how the body absorbs or holds on to one particular nutrient while they treat the illness.Organ conditions · Exposures5 stations
Urinary frequency, night-time peeing, urinary infections
⚠️ If you suddenly cannot pass urine at all and your lower belly is painfully full, go to the emergency department now. Blood you can see in the urine, even once, needs a urologist soon. A urinary infection with fever or back pain may have reached the kidney; see a doctor soon.
- UTI and cranberryUrinary infections usually start with E. coli gripping the bladder wall; cranberry has evidence only for some groups, such as women with repeat infectionsMost urinary tract infections (UTIs) begin when E.Organ conditions · Immunity & airways4 stations
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia · BPHIn men, more night-time peeing and a weaker stream are usually the inner ring of the prostate squeezing the urethraThe prostate is a ring of gland tissue wrapped around the outlet of the bladder.Organ conditions · Bone, muscle & pelvis6 stations
- Postmenopausal HealthAfter menopause, vaginal dryness and repeat urinary infections are one chain, and they do not heal on their ownOnce you have gone 12 months in a row without a period, you are officially postmenopausal.Life stages · Midlife & later life6 stations
Heat illness: dizzy and sick in the heat
⚠️ Confusion, garbled speech, seizures or collapse in the heat mean treating it as heat stroke: call emergency services now and cool the person on the spot; cold-water immersion works best.
- Exercising in the Heat · prepare, protect, coolFrom cramps to heat exhaustion to heat stroke; a change in mental state is the dividing lineWhen you exercise, your muscles work like an engine: about four-fifths of the energy never becomes movement and turns into heat instead.Movement · Recovery & Mobility6 stations
- Exercising in the Heat · prepare, protect, coolIf it happens, cool first: cold-water immersion works best, and call emergency services at the same timeWhen you exercise, your muscles work like an engine: about four-fifths of the energy never becomes movement and turns into heat instead.Movement · Recovery & Mobility6 stations
- Water & ElectrolytesLosing water hits circulation first; plasma volume is the first thing to fallWhat the body really manages is not how much water you drank but which compartment the water sits in and whether its concentration is stable.Macros · Nutrients7 stations
Hangover and feeling rough after drinking
⚠️ In someone who drinks heavily, sudden confusion, unsteady walking or abnormal eye movements signal Wernicke's encephalopathy: seek care now.
- Alcohol MetabolismThe liver clears alcohol at a capped rate; hangover pills, teas and sweating cannot speed it upThe alcohol in drinks is ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH).Macros · Nutrients5 stations
- Alcohol MetabolismFlushing after one drink means the second enzyme is weak from birth and acetaldehyde builds upThe alcohol in drinks is ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH).Macros · Nutrients5 stations
- Alcohol MetabolismDon't drink on an empty stomach, match each drink with water, and a product-by-product look at hangover remediesThe alcohol in drinks is ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH).Macros · Nutrients5 stations
Swollen legs or feet
⚠️ One leg that suddenly swells, hurts, feels warm or turns red may be a deep-vein clot: see a doctor soon, and go to the emergency department now if you have chest pain or shortness of breath. Both legs swelling with breathlessness may be the heart, kidneys or liver: see a doctor soon.
- Water & ElectrolytesSwelling is not from drinking too much: pressure too high, albumin too low, or leaky vesselsWhat the body really manages is not how much water you drank but which compartment the water sits in and whether its concentration is stable.Macros · Nutrients7 stations
- Lymphatic SystemWhich swelling to take seriously, and which not to massageYou actually have two plumbing networks.Body Systems · Heart, lungs, blood & immunity6 stations
- The Sedentary Office BodyOne swollen, painful leg after long sitting or a long flight needs checking for a deep-vein clotIf you sit at a computer eight or nine hours a day, you have probably heard that sitting is bad for you, and probably assumed the problem is bad…Movement · Recovery & Mobility5 stations