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Sunday, April 14, 2013

Hair Loss on Your Feet Can Spell Heart Trouble

Really?
Dr. Oz shared this intriguing red flag for heart disease:
  • Losing hair on your feet or toes is actually a red flag for vascular disease, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks. 
  • Beneath the skin, hair follicles are kept alive by the blood flowing through your veins and arteries.  When you gain weight, over time your cholesterol level rises and plague builds up in your arteries, clogging them up and cutting off the blood flow.
  • As a result, the blood vessels under the skin die off, killing hair follicles.  So shiny, hairless skin on your feet may indicate plaque buildup, which could eventually lead to a deadly heart condition.
  • But you can often stop or even reverse the buildup of plaque in your arteries with proper diet and exercise.  Be sure to consult with your doctor if you suspect a plague problem.
(I am assuming this applies to men.  I was unable to find an 'female' specific finding by Dr. Oz for this blog article).