Thursday, January 17, 2013

Know your numbers!

Know Your Numbers!

With Heart Health Month approaching, now is the time to schedule a check up with your doctor. When you have your blood work done, the optimal numbers to know are your:

  • LDL Cholesterol (Bad Cholesterol)- Ideal is below 100 mg/dL which is low risk for Heart Disease. From 100-129 mg/dL is average risk, and anything above 130 is HIGH risk for Heart Disease. Remember - LOWER IS BETTER
  • HDL Cholesterol (Good Cholesterol) - Ideal is Greater than 50 mg/dL. Less than 50 is Moderate to High Risk Heart disease. HIGHER IS BETTER.
  • Triglycerides - Below 150 mg/dL is ideal
  • Total Cholesterol - Less than 200 mg/dL is ideal
  • Blood Glucose - Fasting Levels should be below 100mg/dL. Over 126 mg/dL and you need to talk to your doctor about being diabetic or pre-diabetic and see what changes you need to make!
  • Blood Pressure - Normal is 120/80. Your doctor can advise you on how often to check this.
  • Weight - ask your doctor if you are in a healthy range for your body type, but know the number and know what range your should be in so you can work to get there.
  • BMI - 18.5-24.9 is healthy, 25-29.9 is overweight, 30+ is obese.
I encourage you to be vigilant in following up with your doctor in getting your test results. Have this chart handy when you get the results so you can compare your numbers. If you are outside of the ideal ranges, ASK QUESTIONS. You need to establish a plan of treatment with your doctor, and follow up. Make any necessary diet, exercise, and medication changes you need and get your numbers re-checked as advised to make sure they are staying within the ideal ranges.

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