Health numbers are more important than you might think. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way. From cholesterol levels to blood pressure, keeping tabs on these critical digits can make a world of difference. As we cruise through 2024, there's no better time to get intimate with the numbers that keep our engines running smoothly.
Now, before you put on your skeptical hat and scoff at the notion of keeping track, let me paint you a picture. Imagine you're at a fancy masquerade ball — the kind you only see in movies. You look around and everyone is wearing a mask. In this scenario, those masks are your invisible health numbers determining how comfortably you can waltz through life. No worries, we're going to unmask those numbers and get to know them better.
Cholesterol, for instance, is one slippery number. When I first found out mine was out of whack, I was as unbelieving as a cat stumbling into a surprise bath. But understanding what a healthy cholesterol count looks like, and seeing what foods were messing it up, made a real difference. Plus, it gave me an excuse to scale back on Aunt Edna's triple cheese lasagna.
But wait, there’s more! Blood pressure, for instance, isn’t just something your grandpa grumbles about. It's a crucial indicator of heart health and overall well-being. And, believe it or not, even the seemingly innocent waist-to-hip ratio can tell you a lot about your risk for conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Yep, mathematics finally found a way to haunt us even after we've ditched those high school textbooks!
Perhaps you’re wondering why we’re making such a fuss. Well, my friend, as what health numbers to keep track of will tell you, these figures are like the compass guiding you through the murky waters of potential health pitfalls. They signal if you’re smoothly sailing or if it’s time to drop anchor and make some changes.
Wouldn't you like to be an ace at decoding your cholesterol levels or be the pro who can charm their way around blood pressure management at family dinners? While you're at it, why not dive deeper into understanding the significance of blood sugar levels? These numbers are the unsung heroes of our health symphony, and it’s time they get the recognition they deserve.
And what’s better? Knowing these health numbers can actually empower you to make better choices. Picture this: understanding your body mass index (BMI) like understanding the fuel gauge on your car. Too high or too low, and you know exactly what to do to get back on the track.
So, let's don our detective hats, pull out our magnifying glasses, and embark on this enlightening journey. Figure by figure, we’ll reveal the importance of your health digits so that 2024 is your healthiest year yet.
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1. Weight
A recent UCLA study revealed that a shockingly high percentage of dangerously obese women don’t know they’re obese; often they under-estimate their weight by twenty percent! That’s dangerous because if you don’t know you have a weight issue, you can’t address it. If you haven’t stepped on an accurate scale lately, do it.
2. BMI
Aside from knowing your exact weight, it’s also a good idea to know this health number, which is your Body Mass Index. There are lots of calculators available, but I’ve found a very simple one at the American Institute for Cancer Research website. They also have an interesting waist measurement tool that can help assess whether or not you need to lose weight: if you’re a woman, and your waist circumference is more than 31.5 inches, you are likely overweight, and are at a high risk of weight-related illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and cancer.
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3. Cholesterol (good and Bad)
Here’s anther set of health numbers you should know. Yes, your cholesterol count should actually be three numbers; one that shows your overall count, one that shows your LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol and one that shows your HDL (or “good”) cholesterol. If you overall number is high, but your HDL is also high, then you might not be in as much trouble as, say, your total cholesterol is on the low side, but your LDL cholesterol is high. Your doctor will have a treatment plan for any type of high cholesterol, including dietary changes and perhaps medication.
4. Vision
As we age, our eyesight can suffer, but sometimes it can happen so gradually, we don’t even notice it. That’s why, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, we should have our eyes every two to four years before we’re 40, then every one to three years before we’re 54, and more frequently after that, especially if we have risk factors for eye disease. Changes in your vision can indicate other health problems, and of course, we want to make sure we’re driving with the right glasses or contacts, too!
5. SPF
The package labels for most sunscreens and sunblocks have been so confusing in the past 30 years that the FDA has recommended changes to them, effective this summer. Now it’s easy to know your SPF: according to the FDA, we should all be wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 protection, and reapplying about every two hours, even on overcast days. This is one health number you should know for sure, since skin cancer caused by sun exposure is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women aged 20 to 29.
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6. Calories
Losing, maintaining or gaining weight is as simple as a math equation. If you want to lose weight, the calorie you consume must be LESS THAN the calories you burn. If you wan to maintain your weight, the calories you consume must be about the SAME AS the calories you burn. If you want to gain weight, the calories you consume must be MORE THAN the calories you burn. Not sure how many calories you consume or burn in a day, or how many you should be consuming or burning? There’s an app for that, and some helpful free tools at choosemyplate.gov.
7. Resting Heart Rate
If you’re not at all worried about your heart health, you should be. We now know that women are just as much as risk of death from heart disease as men, in fact, even more, since so many of us don’t know and ignore the symptoms of heart disease. We also don’t know how to measure our heart health, and one way is to determine your resting heart rate. According to the Mayo Clinic, a normal resting heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100 beats per minute; a very fit adult may have a resting heart rate of about 40. Anything higher or lower than this range can indicate a serious heart issue, so this is one health number you should know, for sure!
8. Mammogram Date!
The CDC reports that in 2007, more than 200,000 women in the US were diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 40,000 women died from it. That’s just one year! Early detection is key to survival, and one of the most effective tools in early detection and diagnosis is a mammogram. If you have risk factors for breast cancer, especially if you’re over 40, it’s time to schedule a mammogram!
If you don’t know these health numbers yet, what are you waiting for? Hop to it, lovie! Which of these health numbers do you already know, and which will you find out right away? Or is there another health number you know of that I ought to have included in my list? Do tell!
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