Weight loss. At this time of year, those two words are a gold-medal-like goal for many people. But sometimes, weight loss isn't necessarily a good thing.

Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, has lost massive amounts of weight recently ... and not because he wanted to. In recent months, he's been so thin, many people were afraid for his health. Jobs recently sent out an open letter to the Apple community that explains his dramatic weight loss. Jobs is suffering from a hormone imbalance. Jobs said, "The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment."

Unexplained weight loss can be a sign of many medical issues, such as Jobs' hormone imbalance. If you're experiencing unexplained weight loss, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor ASAP. If, on the other hand, you're on the flip side of the coin and struggling to lose unwanted pounds, check out the America Takes It Off: Shrink a Size program.

Source

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. Specifically, I think that basically any unusual or unexpected ache, pain or swelling is cancer. Fortunately, for my doctor especially, I am usually pretty good at deciphering which symptoms actually need to be checked out and which are likely just random and normal body fluctuations.

There are symptoms, however, that according to the Mayo Clinic should not be ignored. For example, if you lose 5% of your body weight within a month or 10% in 6 to 12 months and you can't explain why, you should have a chat with your family doctor. Unexplained weight loss can be an indicator of a range of conditions including cancer, liver disease and depression.

If you've injured a joint and it has become hot, red and/or swollen, you need to seek help as you may have a joint infection that could eventually lead to the loss of a limb. Other warning signs you should never ignore include shortness of breath, severe headaches, flashes of light and feeling super full when you've hardly eaten anything. To see the rest of the symptoms as well as the reasoning behind why you need to get then all checked out, take a look here.

Source