Your looks may determine disease risk - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(03/12/13) - What do your looks say about your risk for disease? More than you might think. The length of your arms, the color of your hair, your height, all of these things could offer important clues about your risk for everything from stroke to Alzheimer's.

It's no laughing matter, redheads feel more pain! A study shows a mutation of the gene responsible for red hair may also control the way the brain regulates pain sensitivity.

If you fly off the handle, check your fingers! A study in the journal of communications found if you have a smaller index finger than ring finger, you're likely to be more verbally aggressive. It is not all bad - a 2010 study shows men whose index fingers were longer than their ring fingers were one-third less likely to get prostate cancer.

Short people may have the last laugh. A study in the Western Journal of Medicine found the onset of chronic disease is often delayed in smaller bodies.

Your arm length could be a tell-tale sign of Alzheimer's. Women with arms less than 60 inches across may be one and a half times more likely to develop the disease.

Women with smaller calves could have a higher risk of stroke.

Also, take a look at your finger and toenails. If the very base is purple or blue, it could indicate a heart issue.     

Finally, your favorite smell may also reveal something. If your nose doesn't know, it could mean trouble. A lack of the sense of smell is related to the onset of Parkinson's.