The marvel of the human body is that it not only speaks to others but it also signals to us. Our bodies tell us daily about our level of strength and vigour. Being overweight will cause our bodies to send us signals of distress.

Mike Huckabee in his book, Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork (Center Street Publishers) describes several signals which indicate that the body is begging for a lifestyle change. This week we encourage men to examine their bodies for these signals.

1. Feeling tired even when at rest. This kind of tiredness which occurs despite not exerting yourself could be due to lack of fitness as well as eating sweets which cause your blood sugar to jump up and down.

2. Shortness of breath caused by just climbing one flight of stairs or walking a few chains is a clear signal of ill health. Consult your doctor as soon as possible.

3. Your body is certainly shouting 'UNFIT! UNFIT!' when you lack the 'get up and go' feel. If you find you are barely dragging yourself through daily activities, it may be due to dragging too many pounds of fat around.

4. Leading a sedentary life not only leads to physical unfitness but also emotional and spiritual unhealthiness. Being fat often favours a feeling of hopelessness and the inability to take control of one's life. These feelings of depression are clear signals from our bodies that we need to institute a change to increased physical activities and making healthy food choices. Always visit a doctor if feelings of depression persist.

5. Joint and muscle pains are early harbingers of a body that is not properly maintained. Let's not blame 'age' for the spare tyres around our waists nor for the stiffness when we get up from our seats. The more likely reason is lack of exercise and eating more than our bodies require.

6. Not being able to get a good night's sleep could be due to obesity. When we are physically fit, sleep is more restful and we wake up feeling energetic. Extremely obese people have difficulty getting enough oxygen while they sleep. They often snore loudly and their breathing is interrupted at times, putting them at risk for dying in their sleep.

Men often need to be reminded that their bodies should be cared for even more lovingly than their cars or their houses. Whenever their bodies send alarm signals, these must be heeded urgently. It is time to acknowledge that all of us have bad habits that can be corrected through education and self control. Men can begin a healthy lifestyle by addressing the signals from their bodies.

Dr Pauline Williams-Green is a family physician and president of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.