(NaturalNews) The human body is an amazing machine. It's comprised of approximately 7,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (7 octillion) atoms. Each day, the human heart pumps nearly 2,000 gallons of blood. As if that wasn't amazing enough, it may surprise you to know that human bones are four times stronger than concrete, and each kidney houses 1 million filters that help purify your blood and body fluids.

These facts may be new to you, but that's not surprising since we don't see what goes on inside the human body on a daily basis. However, we can see what goes on outside the human body, such as on the surface. Let's go over some of the most common signs that your body may be sending you to warn of disease.

Dry skin

This is the most common of all body signs indicating disease. Dry skin is typically a sign of dehydration. A body that is moderately healthy and receives an adequate amount of water should have a soft and supple skin texture. Severely dry skin can be a sign of kidney failure; this is typically seen in people with diabetes. Ironically, a great majority of people that have kidney failure fail to drink adequate amounts of water because they don't get thirsty or they can't drink more than a few sips per hour. This happens when they body is retaining fluids.

The kidneys retain fluids when the body is not receiving enough water. Think of it as your body holding tight to all the water because it doesn't know when more is coming. This turns into a vicious cycle because it keeps you feeling full and therefore thinking that you don't need more water when, in reality, you do. Help your body by adding a squeeze of fresh lemon to every cup of water you drink. The lemon will help kickstart kidney function and dissolve any impurities that may be causing a blockage, such as kidney stones. A brisk walk for a minimum of 15 minutes could also be beneficial in case of fluid retention.

Excess facial hair

A hormonal imbalance is typically the cause of excess facial hair along the jawline, upper lip, and chin. Medically known as hirsutism, this condition primarily affects women but can also affect men. Waxing and shaving will only help temporarily. Hirsutism is caused by an overproduction of male hormones known as androgens. Women experiencing a hormone imbalance tend to have one or more of the following issues:

• Acne
• Diabetes
• Balding
• Deepening voice
• Decrease in breast size
• Problematic/irregular menstrual cycles
• Lack of energy during daytime
• Weight gain (particularly in midsection and hips)
• Trouble losing weight

Stay away from foods that may contain added hormones like chicken and milk. The added hormones in these foods can exacerbate the problem. Additionally, avoid foods packed in plastics. Some plastics contain compounds, such as BPA, that cause hormonal imbalances.

Brittle nails

Nails that are brittle, have ridges (vertical or horizontal) or white specks indicate a severe lack of minerals. Nails that are pale and brittle can indicate anemia, a lack of red blood cells. Iron is one of the main ingredients in red blood cells. This takes us back to a lack of minerals. Eat food rich in minerals, such as lentils, soybeans, spinach, mushrooms, seaweed and beets, to help meet your daily mineral needs and strengthen your nails.

Click here for more articles written by the author, Jeanette Padilla.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.rd.com

http://www.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.mayoclinic.org

http://www.creators.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Jeanette Padilla is an experienced herbalist, writer, and co-creator of Sunshine Natural Healing. Read more of her work at Sunshine Natural Healing, or follow her on Facebook