Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

What Your Body Is Telling You

Aired on: July 22, 2009

Some of the cues you get from your body are easy to read, like when you are tired and you have bags under your eyes, but you could be overlooking some less obvious signs every time you look in the mirror. Rachael asks Dr. Mark Liponis, the medical director of Canyon Ranch, to help us understand what are bodies are trying to say.

Eyes: When you look at your eyes in the mirror, make sure the whites, or the sclera, are truly white. Dr. Liponis explains that a yellowish tint can sometimes be a warning sign. "In some people the sclera can turn a little yellowish," he says. "What that is a sign of is a liver problem ... Your liver might need a little break from whatever you're doing. Sometimes just being under stress and not eating right, and maybe drinking a little too much can do that. But if you notice that little yellow color that's a good time to check in with your doctor." And, take a look at your diet. "There are some foods that your liver really loves too - the broccoli family. Broccoli, cabbage cauliflower, they're really good for the liver. They have these sulfur compounds that the liver uses to purify our blood."

Eyelids: "The lid is supposed to cover the top of the eye," he says, explaining if it does not and your eyes appear to be bulging it could be a sign of a thyroid condition. The good news: it's probably not permanent. "Once the thyroid is under control they will shrink."

Earlobes: "What's interesting about the ear lobes, some people you'll notice have a little crease that runs across the ear lobe. It's good to be crease-less because this crease on the ear lobe has been linked with heart disease," Dr. Liponis says. "They think it's a circulatory problem with the heart that can lead to this crease in your ear lobe. So if you've got that on both sides ... check your cholesterol, blood pressure." Dr. Liponis says this may be a clue to a possible problem.

Tongues: The texture of your tongue, according to Dr. Liponis, can indicate a vitamin deficiency or even a sleep problem. Click on the video for the details as Rachael's audience sticks out its tongues for the doctor!