Head over to Cage Fitness Home Kit.com and check out what we’re about to let loose.

We had the Cage Fitness Team over in Nashville Tennessee for an EFC event.

We had the Cage Fitness Team over in Nashville Tennessee for an EFC event.

We had the Cage Fitness Team over in Nashville Tennessee for an EFC event.

We had the Cage Fitness Team over in Nashville Tennessee for an EFC event.

Who watched those fights??

It’s embarrassing to admit that you skip the gym, overdo the brewskis, sneak cigarettes, or have a sexual problem. But when you fib to your physician, you’re hurting your health. And it’s not news to doctors that patients don’t always tell the truth. More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, came up with a trick to tell if his patients were fudging the facts. In what may have been the first lie detector test, he’d check the patient’s pulse rate for telltale changes.

Nearly half of patients don’t tell their doctor the whole truth, according to a WebMD survey. However, only 13 percent say they’ve outright lied, while another 32 percent admit to “stretching the truth,” with younger patients, ages 25 to 34, being more likely to fib than older ones. Here’s a look at lies we tell doctors—and why they can be hazardous to our health.

Lie #1. I rarely drink.

It’s so common for patients to lowball their weekly booze consumption that many doctors automatically double the figure. Alcohol can interact with numerous medications, including both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. For example, downing three or more drinks a day plus ibuprofen (Advil) can lead to stomach bleeding or liver damage. If you come clean with your doctor about your actual booze habits, she can prescribe medications that don’t interact harmfully.

Lie #2. I don’t smoke.

Perhaps you only smoke around friends or sneak the occasional cigarette and don’t want to be scolded. But if you use tobacco at all, then your doctor needs to know. If you’re a woman who uses hormonal contraceptives—birth control pills, patches and rings—smoking ups the risk of blood clots that can trigger a potentially fatal stroke or pulmonary embolism. Smoking, even a little, can also spark other dangerous or deadly diseases from heart disease and lung cancer to emphysema or even bladder cancer. So if your doctor knows about your nicotine habit, he or she can counsel you on smoking cessation and screen you for smoking-related disorders.

Lie #3. I take my medications as prescribed.

Research shows that many patients opt not to fill a recommended prescription or stop taking a drug without consulting their doctor. If you’ve quit taking your meds for any reason, your doctor needs to know. Otherwise, you could be misdiagnosed, sent for needless tests to find out why you aren’t getting better, or suffer harm if your disease progresses. Discuss your concerns: if the drug is too expensive, your doctor may be able to prescribe a generic. If side effects are a concern, there may be another treatment option. It’s also crucial to let your doctor what else you’re taking: According to a study published in Journal of the American Medical Association, one in 25 patients combine Rx drugs and over-the-counter remedies or supplements that can interact harmfully. \

Lie #4. I’m a fitness buff and watch what I eat.

Nobody wants to own up to being a couch potato. But without this information, your doctor is flying blind when it comes to assessing your threat of cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and strokes), the leading killer of Americans. Doctors often ask about lifestyle to guide decisions about the best way to manage CVD risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Falsely claiming that you follow the MD’s lifestyle guidelines might result in your being put on medications with side effects, because your doctor thinks a better diet and more exercise aren’t helping.

Lie #5. I’m not depressed.

A lingering perception among patients, particularly men, is that frequent bouts of gloom or anxiety are a sign or weakness. Trying to tough it out rather than seeking medical help is a major reason why depression so often goes undiagnosed and untreated. The sooner you let your doctor know that you’re having more than occasional depression or anxiety, the more likely you are to get effective treatment that can reduce risk for other serious diseases—including heart attacks—and help lift the dark cloud that is making your life miserable.

Lie #6. I don’t have any bathroom problems.

It’s embarrassing to admit that your bathroom habits have changed, but a frequent need to urinate at night or a leaky bladder during the day can signal conditions that, if treated, can greatly improve the quality of your life. Also alert the doctor if you notice blood in your stools or changes in the appearance, frequency, or size of your bowel movements. While there are several reasons for these symptoms, some of which aren’t serious, if it’s colon cancer, prompt diagnosis and treatment could save your life.

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And of course don’t forget to download a copy of teh Cage Fitness App!

Who’s watchin’? UCF on Fox on Saturday November 12^th!!