HEALTH & WELLNESS February is National Heart Month: Know your numbers
Are you at risk for diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases? How can you know? There is a system of“ numbers” we can use to tell us. By knowing your numbers, you can take action to make positive changes that will help prevent the onset of chronic health conditions. Some of the numbers that are important for you to know are: Blood Pressure People with untreated high blood pressure face greater lifetime health risks. Your blood pressure, one of the strongest markers for heart disease risk, is measured as two numbers:
• Systolic pressure is the upper number and is the pressure when the heart is contracting.
• Diastolic is the second number and is the pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.
Cholesterol Levels Too much“ bad” cholesterol can lead to a hardening of your arteries. This can put you at risk for a heart attack or stroke. When it comes to cholesterol, there are some important numbers you should know:
• LDL is the bad cholesterol, and should be below 130mg / dL, and lower is better.
• HDL is the“ good” cholesterol, and
HEALTHY LIVING TIPS FROM should be above 40 mg / dL.
• Your total cholesterol( TC) level should be below 200 mg / dL.
Blood Sugar
A glucose test is commonly used to diagnose the presence of diabetes. Fasting blood sugar( taken after you haven’ t eaten for 12 hours) should be below 100 mg / dL. Body Mass Index( BMI) Your BMI will give you a better idea of your health risk than weight alone and is calculated from two other numbers that you probably know: weight and height. It is not a perfect measure, but for most of us, BMI is a great way to gauge how our weight compares to recommended levels.
• To calculate your BMI:( Weight in Pounds / [ Height in Inches x Height in Inches ]) x 703.
• A healthy BMI is below 25.
For an appointment or more information about how Deborah Heart and Lung Center’ s leading-edge technologies can improve your quality of life, call 800-555-1990 or visit www. demanddeborah. org
74 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ FEBRUARY 2017