RD.COM — Not everyone has an apple a day, so how do you know if you’re healthy enough to keep the doctor away? We asked medical professionals of all stripes—dermatologists, GPs, dentists, surgeons, psychologists, nutritionists—their top indicators of good health. Here are their 50 gold-star seals of sound, strong health.
If you’re a woman, your menstrual cycle is regular cramps
“Regular menstrual cycles (intervals of 27 to 35 days) are a sign of reproductive health. Regular cycles suggest normal ovulation, and that reflects balanced hormone levels from the brain down to the ovaries. Women who are unhealthy because they’re overweight or underweight tend to have more erratic or even absent periods; the brain shuts down ovarian function and ovulation doesn’t happen or happens unpredictably.” —Janet Choi, MD, reproductive endocrinologist, CCRM-New York. These are the period problems you shouldn’t ignore.
