Put your health to the test: take these tests to see whether you have a possible health condition your physician should check.

Many times people suffer medical problems and yet resist going to the doctor to get themselves checked out. Either their lifestyles are so busy that they don't think it's worth taking time out of their day to squeeze in a doctor's appointment, or they don't want to appear to be a "complainer" by going to see a physician. Because of this, many illnesses go undiagnosed for years, and lifestyles are drastically changed or diminished to accommodate what ails people.

Following are five short tests that can help you to assess whether you may have a specific health problem. These tests briefly touch on some of the symptoms of the most commonly undiagnosed medical conditions. It is imperative that anytime you sense something is wrong with your health, you go to a trained professional who can help: These trips to the doctor should not take the place of your regular checkups and screenings. No one is so busy that they cannot squeeze in a doctor's appointment, and you will not be seen as a hypochondriac; instead you will be viewed as an aware and intelligent person.

Check any of the following symptoms that sound familiar to you, and then look at the corresponding results to see if your health could be in danger.

Test A is based on common symptoms of blood sugar problems. Every adult aged 45 or older should have a fasting plasma glucose test done every three years. This is a blood test that measures your glucose levels after an eight-hour fast. A few factors that could leave you predisposed to diabetes include being obese, having a family history of problems, being of African-American descent, delivering a child that weighed nine or more pounds, and having high blood pressure or cholesterol.

If the symptoms in Test A sound familiar but you've been tested and the results were normal, a few lifestyle changes could drastically affect the way you feel. You may want to consider the following:

* Cutting back on sugary beverages

* Trading in white for rye bread

* Eating whole fresh fruit instead of dry

* Exercising, because it helps to increase metabolism and leads to more even absorption of food

* Losing weight (most overweight people are insulin resistant)

Test B was based on comon symptoms of a poorly functioning immune system. There is no specific lab test that can diagnose immune system dysfunction, but doctors know the warning signs to look for.

Some small changes that could boost your immune system include:

* Adding more whole grains, vegetables, and fruits to your diet (raw and lightly steamed vegetables especially help the immune system to fight pathogens)

* Eliminating coffee, sugar, and alcohol

* Moderately exercising, since exercise increases the circulation of immune cells throughout the body

* Considering taking vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Selenium, Vitamin E, and Zinc supplements. Consult with your doctor.

Test C was based on common symptoms that are linked to food intolerance. One way of finding out whether this is your problem entails finding an allergist who has been certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. He or she will first perform a detailed diet and medical history, do a skin prick or blood test, and then possibly gauge your reaction to specific foods. Your other option is to see a registered dietician or nutritionist, who will probably decipher which foods are your problem through elimination and challenge. This entails the elimination of all possible triggers for five days and then the reintroduction of each, one at a time, to find the problem. If the test shows that you are allergic to a food you frequently consume, the registered dietician or nutritionist can then help to ensure that you get all of the nutrients that may now be lacking as a result of allergy-related restrictions.

Test D is based on common symptoms of anemia. There are two different types of anemia. The more common type is caused by a lack of iron in the blood or an inability to handle correctly the iron that your body does carry. In turn, the body produces smaller and fewer cells. The other type is B12 anemia, also known as macrocytic anemia, which is far less common and results in cells that are too large.

It has been estimated that an average of 60 to 70 percent of women are at least borderline anemic. You will need a simple blood test for diagnosis.

If your test has come back normal or just below normal, there are some things that can help prevent the development of anemia or the worsening of anemia. If you take an iron supplement or a multivitamin that contains iron, or eat iron-rich foods, do not take it or eat it with calcium supplements or dairy products, since calcium blocks absorption of iron. Instead, take the supplement or eat iron-rich food with vitamin C, which helps absorption.

Some foods that contain a high amount of iron are:

* Blackstrap molasses

* Breakfast cereals

* Cherries

* Dates, figs, prunes, and raisins

* Dried beans

* Egg yolks

* Green, leafy vegetables

* Tofu

The last test, Test E, is designed to determine whether a thyroid problem could be putting your health at risk. Hypothyroidism and all other thyroid problems are diagnosed through a simple blood test and are helped by taking small doses of synthetic thyroid hormone.

Hypothyroidism is the most commonly diagnosed thyroid problem; this is when your metabolism is functioning at a level below normal, thus slowing everything else in your body down, including the immune system.

There are other thyroid diseases, including hyperthyroidism (when the thyroid is too fast), and thyroiditis (when a person becomes stressed, the thyroid becomes inflamed and begins to distribute a hormone that should not be released into your system).

Three nutritional changes that have proved helpful in regulating the thyroid are increasing the amount of high-quality protein in your diet, snacking frequently, and consuming iodine-rich foods, such as garlic, leafy green vegetables, and onions.

One of the problems that many people in the medical community face is that men tend to see themselves as invincible and do not realize how delicate a human body can be. Women, on the other hand, are traditional "nurturers," but they forget that they can't take care of others unless they take care of themselves first. The quality of your life and the time spent with loved ones can be greatly diminished if you are suffering from an undiagnosed medical condition.

You would certainly take a sick child to the doctor. If a friend of yours was feeling much less than 100 percent, would you not advise him or her to see their doctor? Why, then, would you not get yourself checked out on a regular basis, especially if you are suffering? Please pay attention to yourself when you think something may be wrong with your health; in other words, be aware and intelligent.

test a

[] Do you feel that you require more sleep than other people you know?

[] Are you often very thirsty and can't seem to drink enough to quench it?

[] Do you urinate frequently, or does your urine have a very "sweet" odor to it?

[] Do you become dizzy, nauseous, or cranky if you don't eat frequently?

[] Do you crave carbohydrates throughout the day?

[] Do you suffer from frequent headaches?

[] Do your hands shake or sweat often?

[] Women, have you missed periods?

[] Does your skin frequently itch or feel irritated?

[] Women, do you suffer frequent yeast infections?

test b

[] Do you have allergies?

[] Do you lead a very stressful life?

[] Women, do you suffer recurring bladder infections?

[] Women, have you been diagnosed with endometriosis?

[] Do you have few friends and family members who support you?

[] Do you get less than eight hours of sleep during an average night?

[] Women, do you have recurring yeast infections?

[] Do you frequently travel on airplanes.

[] Do you eat many foods that contain a high amount of sugar?

[] Do you drink four or more alcoholic beverages a week?

test c

[] Are you often bloated, or do you suffer from chronic diarrhea or constipation?

[] Do you suffer from frequent headaches?

[] Have you ever had a canker sore? (Note that a canker sore is a sore inside of your mouth, on your tongue, cheek, or other wet tissue surrounding the mouth.)

[] Do you often feel tired, sluggish, or unable to concentrate?

[] Do you frequently have general muscle aches, especially in your back, neck, or thighs?

[] Have you been diagnosed with edema?

[] Do you have dark circles under your eyes?

[] Do you experience heart palpitations?

[] Do you feel that you are depressed, or have you been diagnosed with clinical depression?

[] Do you often blush or feel flushed?

test d

[] Do you frequently feel fatigued?

[] Do you have shortness of breath?

[] Do you suffer from frequent headaches?

[] Are you often told that you look pale?

[] Are your fingernails opaque or very brittle?

[] Women, are your menstrual periods very heavy?

[] Have you begun to feel more tired since beginning to take a pharmaceutical drug?

[] Are your lips or tongue lighter colored than they once were?

[] Are you frequently dieting, or are you a practicing vegetarian?

[] Is your hair dull, limp, or falling out?

test e

[] Do you feel weak?

[] Is your skin dry?

[] Are you suffering from hair loss?

[] Have you gained weight and yet not changed your diet?

[] Women, has your menstrual cycle changed in a way that cannot be linked to a lifestyle change?

[] Are you feeling fatigued?

[] Do you suffer from depression?

[] Women, do you have an abnormal amount of bloating?

[] Are you cold when no one else is?

[] Do you have heart palpitations? If you checked more than three boxes in any specific test, read below to discover what the culprit might be.

Elaine M. Koontz is a weight-loss counselor and freelance writer specializing in nutrition and health issues.