As we grow older and reach above our 30’s, regular annual medical check-ups are something that everyone should do. As a prevention or simply, a measurement of caution. However, you don’t always have time or medical insurance to cover these check-ups.

That’s why we suggest you take of yourself – by yourself.

There are “special tests” that are quite simple, that you can do by yourself and without any need for buying stuff in order to diagnose an illness or some other disfunction.

Here they are – completely free, because we care about your health and wellbeing!

For stroke and dementia

The only thing you’ll need in order to do this test is a timer. Lift up your leg, making your hip parallel with the floor and start the timer. If you can be in that position for 20 or more minutes, you shouldn’t worry about stroke or dementia. If you have trouble to maintain the balance, it is an indication for future problems with dementia or higher chances of stroke, because you might have problems with vessels in the brain.

For lung and heart diseases

Form a reverse letter J with each hand, with your index finger and your thumb. Hold them together, with your fingerprints pointing each other. If there’s no space between your fingernails, it may be a sign of nail clubbing, which is a sign of oxygen deficiency. This means you should check your cardiovascular system or lungs. Also, lack of oxygen in the blood may also be a sing of gastrointestinal issues.

Hormonal imbalance

This test is done through your hair. First of all, your hair should be freshly washed and dry. Pull out a small lock of your hair and if it only has 2-3 hairs, it’s perfectly normal. If you have more and you didn’t use much force to pull it out, you should visit a doctor, because it might be a sign of hormonal imbalance, caused by stress, poor hygiene or some other serious health issues.

Anemia

Stand in front of a mirror and pull your lower eyelid downwards. If the inside is colored pink, you are okay. But, if the color is pale pink or even going towards a yellow color, it might be a sign you are developing anemia. The lack of hemoglobin and erythrocytes in your blood are causing your tissues in the body to function with a lack of oxygen and the blood is more pale. Other symptoms to beware parallel with this test is heavy breathing and getting tired while climbing more than 20 stairs in a row.

Diabetes

For this test you need a partner. Your partner needs to take a pencil that has an eraser on the other end, and he needs to touch your foot and toes from the down side, with the sharp end, and then, with the eraser. But you shouldn’t  watch. If you can’t fully recognize the difference between the different touches, it is a sign of anemia, because this disease affects the nerve endings, causing low sensitivity.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Lift your hands up, and make sure your forearms are parallel with your face. Try reaching the base of your palm with your fingertips. If you feel tingling after doing this for more than 2 minutes, it is a sure sign of carpal tunnel syndrome, which appears when “ neighboring tissues press on the median nerve, and the pain and numbness will surely get worse in time, if you don’t treat this properly”. This syndrome is common among office workers and bikers, because of the sitting position and their hand always reaching out.

Hearing problems

sit in a quiet room and put your hands close to your ear, rubbing your fingers from each other. Repeat this from different distances on both ears. If you can hear the sound every time, your hearing is just fine.

Problems with your arteries

Lie on the floor and put your feet up facing the wall, at about 45 degrees angle, holding them like this for 10 minutes. If the feet and toes become really pale, you have a bad blood circulation. This condition is called “peripheral artery disease”, or, PAD, and if you don’t treat it, it might cause bigger problems, such as heart disfunctions and a stroke.

Cardiovascular diseases

Start climbing stairs and sing a song or talk with high voice at the same time. If after 15 stair you feel tired and your heart is pounding really fast, it means you have predispositions to develop cardiovascular diseases and should pay a visit to your doctor, to discuss further preventive treatment.

Have you ever tried some of these simple trick-tests and have they been working out for you? Tell us in the comments below.