{"id":144558,"date":"2025-11-20T10:44:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T10:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/144558\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T10:44:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T10:44:09","slug":"5-signs-you-are-not-healthy-according-to-a-top-doc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/144558\/","title":{"rendered":"5 signs you are not healthy, according to a top doc |"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/125450631.jpg\" alt=\"5 signs you are not healthy, according to a top doc\" title=\"Dr. William Li highlights five critical bodily signs often ignored until they become severe. These include blood in stool, saliva, urine, on the skin without injury, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Prompt medical attention for these symptoms is vital for early detection and potentially life-saving treatment, as they can indicate serious conditions like cancer.\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>Dr. William Li highlights five critical bodily signs often ignored until they become severe. These include blood in stool, saliva, urine, on the skin without injury, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Prompt medical attention for these symptoms is vital for early detection and potentially life-saving treatment, as they can indicate serious conditions like cancer. Your body is constantly sending signals. Some could be subtle whispers before they become screams. But the biggest question is \u2013 are you listening? According to Dr. William Li, a Harvard-trained doctor, researcher and author of Eat To Beat Your Diet, your body gives you signs if it is not well. In a blog shared on his website, Li talks about the subtle signs that indicate something is wrong in the body. However, most of us rush through our days, ignoring the small changes until it gets worse. Here are 5 signs that deserve your attention.According to Dr Li, blood in your stool is a sign you cannot ignore. It is one of the most critical signs. \u201cIt could be a symptom of serious issues like colon cancer, anal cancer, or something less severe such as haemorrhoids or an anal fissure. If you notice bright red blood, it\u2019s vital to consult a doctor immediately, who will likely recommend a colonoscopy to investigate further,\u201d the doctor said. Colonoscopies are crucial in identifying \u2018precancerous polyps\u2019 or other abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, he said.<\/p>\n<p>Importance of balanced diet for health and wellbeing | Exploring life&#8217;s every dimension<\/p>\n<p>If you see blood in your saliva, do not ignore it. Dr Li warns that it could be a warning sign of potential lung cancer or other cancers in the throat or mouth. \u201cThis type of bleeding can stem from abnormal blood vessels feeding a cancerous tumour,\u201d he said. Most people brush it off as an injury caused by brushing their teeth. However, Dr Li emphasises the importance of visiting the doctor if such a sign occurs, as early detection greatly increases the chance of successful treatment outcomes. A recent study by the University of the Basque Country found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41525-025-00509-0\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\">saliva holds answers<\/a> to numerous questions. It can reveal the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, or Parkinson\u2019s.Dr Li suggests acting fast if you notice blood in your urine. The doctor reminds us that blood in the urine is a red flag and could potentially indicate bladder or prostate cancer, especially for smokers or individuals exposed to industrial dyes. \u201cBlood in urine can also point to infections like haemorrhagic cystitis,\u201d the doctor said. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, blood in urine could be due to multiple reasons, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niddk.nih.gov\/health-information\/urologic-diseases\/hematuria-blood-urine\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\">infection or inflammation<\/a> in the bladder or kidney, trauma, bladder cancer, or even sickle cell disease. If you notice blood while urinating, it is crucial that you book an appointment and rule out or address these conditions.Observing your body is crucial. If you notice blood on your skin without a cut, it is a red flag. Dr Li warns that it could be a potential sign of skin cancer, such as melanoma. \u201cLook for raised, irregularly shaped lesions that change colour or size. These are critical warning signs, and a dermatologist should be consulted for a thorough skin examination,\u201d he said. Skin cancers are the most common types of cancers diagnosed worldwide. According to the WHO, an estimated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iarc.who.int\/cancer-type\/skin-cancer\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\">330,000 new cases of melanoma<\/a> were diagnosed in 2022, and almost 60,000 people died from the disease. Early detection is crucial in such cases.Blood in the vaginal canalAnother crucial sign that requires immediate medical attention is abnormal bleeding from the vaginal canal. Bleeding, especially post-menopause, can be a warning sign of cervical or uterine cancer, Dr Li said. \u201cWhile menstrual bleeding is normal, any unusual spotting between periods or bleeding after menopause should raise concerns. The bleeding may stem from tumours in the cervix or uterus, which, like other cancers, hijack the blood supply, causing abnormal bleeding,\u201d the doctor added. In such cases, it is important to consult a gynaecologist immediately for a pelvic exam, scans, and further testing to rule out any serious conditions.It is important to understand that these symptoms do not always indicate cancer. However, they should never be ignored. Dismissing them can lead to serious complications, which is why seeking medical attention is crucial. This can help in early diagnosis and in many cases, lifesaving treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment, or before changing your diet or supplement regimen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dr. William Li highlights five critical bodily signs often ignored until they become severe. These include blood in&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":144559,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[97442,42500,134,97440,28477,111,139,69,97441],"class_list":["post-144558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-blood-in-stool","tag-early-diagnosis","tag-health","tag-health-signs","tag-medical-advice","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-symptoms-of-cancer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}