Genes That May Affect Your Health

The human body is quite unique and interesting, so much that scientists still has a lot to learn about it. And what some scientists have discovered is that certain physical characteristics may be able to help tell about the health conditions in certain people. Here are some of them.

Length of Fingers

According to a study made in 2008, women with index fingers that are shorter than their ring fingers may be two times more at risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knees. This characteristic is known to occur predominantly in men. In the case of women, they tend to have lower levels of estrogen which may be seen to play a role in the development of osteoarthritis.

Earlobe Wrinkles

Another physical characteristic that may also predict one’s health concerns wrinkles found on the earlobes. Medical experts have discovered that linear wrinkles found in the earlobe may be able to predict the likelihood of cardiovascular conditions. People with creases in one earlobe may be 33 percent more at risk of heart attacks or other cardiac conditions.

Having wrinkles in both earlobes increases the risk by 77 percent. Although doctors are not exactly sure why this happens, they believe that it is due to the loss of the skins elastic fibers that may be causing the crease as well as may play a role in the hardening of the arteries.

Small Calves

A French study made recently has found a relationship between stroke risk and a woman’s calf size. The study suggests that women with calf sizes that are 13 inches or less are more likely to develop carotid plaques which are known risk factors for stroke. Experts believe that larger calves contain subcutaneous fat that may help pull fatty acids from the bloodstream and then store them where they are less likely to become risk factors for stroke.

Arm Length

Shorter arms may also affect one’s health. Another study suggests that people with shorter arm spans 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. A possible reason might be that certain nutritional and other associated deficits during the critical growing years may have brought about the shorter arm spans in people. This might also affect the cognitive processes and latter decline in life.